Free The Summer Experiment by Cathie Pelletier Page A

matter of fact, we’re famous for abductions. So we can’t rule that out where your daughter is concerned.”
    Even if Sheriff Mallory had seen a UFO, he’d never say that to worried parents! Wait until the mayor and the Chamber of Commerce heard about this.
    Catherine gasped, and her hand flew up to her mouth.
    â€œWell, of all the crazy notions,” my mother said, putting her arm around Catherine. “Harold, I’ve known you to make some foolish mistakes as a policeman, but this takes the cake.”
    â€œOfficer,” said Mr. Evans. He was now very angry. “You had better concentrate on looking for my daughter in the logical places, unless you want to be hit with a lawsuit.”
    Harold turned a little pale. The only thing he’d ever been hit with was a baseball , when Lonnie Black struck a line drive to third base during the big Fourth of July game between the firemen and the police department. Instead of keeping his eye on the ball, Harold was looking at Myra Colburn, who was sitting in the bleachers and giving him the fake eyelashes. He was out cold for two hours.
    â€œSorry, folks,” Harold said, putting his hat back on. “I was just trying to cover all the bases.” Bases. He must have been remembering the Fourth of July game too.
    â€œIdiot,” I muttered, but it was under my breath. Mom would be mad if I was rude to an adult, even Harold. I went over to sit on the swing and wait to see what the adults would do next. To my surprise, she followed me.
    â€œHello, Robbie,” she said as if she even knew me. “I’m Sarah. May I talk to you a moment?” I nodded that it was okay, so she sat next to me on the swing.
    â€œWe will find Marilee. I’m sure of it,” Sarah said. “Thank God this isn’t Boston but northern Maine. Or I’d be more worried than I already am.”
    â€œYou’re worried about her?” I asked. Sarah’s eyes got all watery then. I assumed it was due to tears.
    â€œIt’s not easy for any kid,” she said. “I know because my parents divorced too. Sometimes, it still hurts when I talk about it.”
    â€œWow,” I said. I needed to be a better daughter to my parents.
    â€œBut her father and mother were already separated when I came into the picture,” Sarah said. “And there’s nothing I’d like any more than to be a good stepmother to Marilee. Will you tell her I said that?”
    I nodded. Sarah patted me on the shoulder then and smiled.
    â€œNow, to find her,” she said.
    ***
    By midnight I was still awake, staring out my window and wishing on every star I could see in the sky. There was still no word of Marilee. The local news carried the story, and we all prayed that would help us find her. I decided to sleep with my clothes on that night, even though my jeans were kind of dirty, just in case something happened. I wanted to be ready to run and hug Marilee if she was found. For the first time in almost a year, I fell asleep not knowing where my best friend was.

9
    The Search
    By the next morning, the whole town had turned out to look for Marilee. And then the state police were called in. They figured it was a runaway case upfront, but in small towns like this, people and police still take the time to look. It’s not every day someone goes missing. In fact, nobody ever goes missing.
    I finally told my parents everything Marilee said, that if she ran away, maybe her mom and dad would get back together. I knew she’d feel obligated to do the same thing if I were the one who was missing.
    â€œCould she have gone back to Boston?” my mom asked.
    â€œI don’t know why she would,” said Catherine. “Her father is here in town. And she lost touch with most of the friends she had down there once she and Robbie became so close.”
    And then Marilee’s mother got a phone call from a former neighbor from when she and Marilee first