Free Back Before Dark by Tim Shoemaker Page B

Cooper didn’t notice the tears. Cooper scooted ahead on his bike to give her some privacy.
    Lunk pulled up beside him. “Not sounding good.”
    A minute later Hiro pocketed the phone, wiped her cheeks and joined them. “I have to go home. I’m really sorry.”
    Cooper nodded. “Nice try. She wouldn’t budge, eh?” Hiro shook her head.
    “We’ll ride shotgun to your house, then we’ll peel off from there.”
    “No,” she said. “Check Northwest. And text me whether you find something or not.”
    Cooper nodded toward Lunk. “First, we escort you home. Then we’ll check the lot.”
    Hiro shook her head. “You’ll be wasting time.”
    “And you’re wasting time arguing.” Cooper was not going to let her stubbornness win this time. “If you think for one second that Lunk and I are going to let you bike home alone, you’re not nearly as smart as we think you are.”
    Cooper glanced up at Lunk.
    “I’m with you, Coop.” He smiled. “Except the part about me thinking she was smart.”
    Seeing Lunk smile in such a good-natured way took Cooper off guard. He’d changed so much the last few months. It was harder for Hiro to accept him into their group—but she was trying in her own ways.
    “Okay. Okay.” Hiro raised her hands over her head and let them fall to her side. “You two are worse than my mom.”
    Lunk snorted. “And twice as determined. Let’s get moving. Coop and
I
have some
police
work to do.”
    Hiro’s mouth opened slightly, and her eyes narrowed into a glare, which made Cooper smile. Lunk definitely knew how to press that girl’s buttons.
    “Try to keep up,” Hiro said. She spun her bike around and stood on the pedals.
    Cooper and Lunk laughed and gave her a head start.
    “She’s a firecracker,” Lunk said.
    Cooper pushed off and started after her. “With a short fuse.” They followed close behind her down Meadow Lane and up School Drive. She took the same route that the minivan hadtaken. Keeping up wasn’t a problem with Cooper’s bike. Lunk’s BMX took a lot more effort, though. Sweat poured down his face, and his dark hair grew wet around the edges.
    Cooper raised his chin to feel the full force of the wind rushing in his face. It had been nearly twenty-four hours. Was Gordy still alive? He had to be. Had to.
    When Hiro pulled into her driveway she turned around. “Okay. I’m here—now
go.
” She dropped her bike and waved them off. “I’ll be praying.”
    And it was just like her to be doing exactly that.
    In a tight circle in the street, Cooper waved and leaned into the pedals. Lunk pulled up alongside him but didn’t say anything. Maybe he figured Cooper needed to process things a bit on his own. Or maybe he sensed Cooper needed to find a ray of hope—but Lunk couldn’t think of anything remotely hopeful to say.

CHAPTER 15
    I
’ll be praying.
Lunk kept rolling Hiro’s words around in his head while he pedaled alongside Coop. Did she really think praying would make a difference? If God really cared, why did he let this happen? Let so many bad things happen?
    They turned into the entrance of Northwest Communtiy Hospital. Lunk saw the tension on Coop’s face the moment they wheeled into the multi-level parking garage.
    “Let’s ride it to the top together,” Cooper said.
    Lunk motioned. “Lead the way.”
    Cooper scanned left, then right, constantly checking both sides of the aisle. They ramped to the second level. Then the third. Lots of minivans. None of them silver.
    When they reached the rooftop, Cooper’s shoulders slumped. No sign of the minivan.
    Cooper wheeled to the end of the row, turned, and put a foot down. “I had high hopes for this one.”
    Lunk nodded. Hope was dying. It was on life support, and Coop didn’t realize they’d have to unplug it soon.
    Suddenly Cooper’s head dropped and his whole body shook with silent sobs. “God, where is he?” He looked tortured in the deepest part of his soul.
    Lunk didn’t say anything. He didn’t