Free The Secret: A Thriller by David Haywood Young Page A

and had taken the time to crap on my kitchen floor, I probably wasn’t going to be able to figure out their logic.
    Anyway, I didn’t find the note with either of them.
    Still carrying my .45 in my right hand, I set off into the woods, awkwardly using my left to both hold the revolver and lean the shotgun over my shoulder. This had…well, it hadn’t been the worst day of my life. That was when Mom and Dad died.
    But it was up there. I wanted my family.
     
    * * *
     
    I met Tim near the basement just before dark. He was carrying a shotgun too. I peered at him curiously.
    “What’s up?” I asked. I wanted to yell at him for leaving our shelter—but I’d been gone myself all day.
    “Watching for Susie, just in case,” he answered. “Where’s—”
    “Tim,” I interrupted. “Did you go back into my house?”
    He blinked at me, surprised. “No. I thought you were going to. Why? Was there a note?”
    “Um. Let’s get inside. I have a lot to tell you, but I might as well just do it the once.”
    Tim stuck out his arm, fingers splayed and twitching, and glared at me. I blinked in surprise. “Damnit Ash—do you know anything about my wife ?”
    “Oh shit,” I said, flustered, and started babbling. “I’m sorry. I’m an idiot. I didn’t realize what I…no. I don’t. All I know is the note you left is gone.” His face lit up, and I hated to keep talking, but I did it anyway. “The place was robbed, Tim. I found the guys who did it. Or at least a couple of the guys who did it. Something killed them in my front yard. So, the note’s gone but a bunch of stuff happened over there today. Sorry, man, I just don’t know what it means.”
    Tim blew air out of his mouth. “Okay. I’ll just…hope, I guess. I don’t know what else to do. But, Ash, where’s your kid? Is he okay? Did you leave him back there?”
    I stopped moving. Stared at my friend. “I haven’t seen him.”
    “But. Rebecca said he left with you. This morning. He didn’t?”
    “No.” Oh God. For all I knew Robbie was marching with those kids I’d seen, or lying dead somewhere. Or about to walk up to me and say hi.
    But I could think of only one reason he’d have taken off on his own. “Let’s get inside,” I said.
    Tim started to say something, took a look at my face, and shut up. Nodded slowly. Followed me.
     
    * * *
     
    I stared at the basement door. Telling my wife her son was missing was going to be the hardest thing I’d ever done. But maybe doing it in the basement would be worse—for everybody—than doing it out here. A little elbow room, a little psychological distance…it might help.
    Sure it would.
    “Tim?” I asked quietly. “Could you get Rebecca to come out, without telling her what’s up?”
    “Sure, man. Uh—wait over there, okay?” he asked, waving me to where people inside wouldn’t be able to see me when the door opened.
    I watched as he called Rebecca’s name and lifted the door. Just before it hid his face, he looked directly at me—and I could see that, in spite of his own loss, this was hitting him pretty hard. I nodded to him, and waited.
    Then Rebecca came out, looked around, and saw me. She gave me a grin, tired but relieved and game. Until it faded, as she looked for Robbie.
    “I don’t know anything,” I told her right away. I’d been thinking about what to say first, and that was the best I could come up with. I didn’t want her to think I was about to say he was…dead…but I didn’t want her to think he was right behind me either.
    “I don’t know where he is,” I said, starting again. “I haven’t seen him. He came out after me this morning? And you thought he’d joined me?”
    Her face, normally cheerful and always before stronger than anything life could throw at her, crumpled as she sank to the ground. I walked over and knelt beside her. “It’s bad out there, hon,” I said. “Really bad, and all over. But we’re going to find him. No matter what it takes. We’ll