فصل هفدهم

Chapter Seventeen

Lieutenant Lloyd

That afternoon the police came to interview me. Mr. Liss had gone to work, leaving Ostin and his mother still with me. There were two policemen, both in uniform. The officer who did most of the talking was older, with gray hair.

“Michael, I’m Lieutenant Lloyd of the Boise Police Department.

This is Detective Steve Pearson.” Detective Pearson waved from behind. “Hello, Michael.” “Hey,” I said.

Lieutenant Lloyd said to Ostin and his mother, “We have some questions for Michael. Would you mind waiting outside for a few minutes?” “Of course,” Mrs. Liss said, putting her hand on Ostin’s back.

“Let’s go, Ostin.”

Ostin looked at me sympathetically. “See ya, buddy.” After we were alone, Lieutenant Lloyd walked to the side of my bed. He must have noticed my ticking because he said, “Don’t worry.

We’re here to help.”

“I know,” I said.

He grabbed my bed’s railing with one hand. “I’m really sorry about what’s happened to your mother, son. The good news is we have the man who held you up in custody. We’re just trying to put the pieces together. I need you to tell me everything you remember about what happened.” I closed my eyes. Remembering what happened was like pulling a Band-Aid off a bad cut. “I remember some,” I said.

“Please tell us what you remember.” I rolled my tongue around inside my mouth. It felt thick and heavy. I was blinking pretty hard. “My mom had taken us out for pizza for my birthday. We had just finished eating and were walking out to our car . . .” “You and your mother?” Detective Pearson asked.

I nodded. “Yeah. My friend Ostin was with us, but he went back inside to get his jacket.” “Go on,” Lieutenant Lloyd said.

“My mom was unlocking the car when this guy was there.” “The guy with the gun?”

I nodded.

“Clyde Stuart,” Detective Pearson said. “His name is Clyde Stuart.

Where did he come from?”

“I don’t know. He was just between the cars. Neither of us saw him at first.” “What did he do?” Lieutenant Lloyd asked.

“He asked for some money. When my mom went for her wallet, he pulled out a gun and asked for her purse.” “Then what?”

“He told us to give him our car keys. I handed them to him.” “Anything else?”

I shook my head. “That’s it.” Lieutenant Lloyd looked at me with a perplexed expression, then turned back to his partner. Detective Pearson said, “What we can’t figure out is what happened to the suspect.” I realized the gap in my story. My eyes darted nervously between them. “What do you mean?” “He was incapacitated when we arrived on the scene,” Pearson said. “He claims the keys shocked him.” I blinked several times. “I don’t remember.” “Stuart was acting like he’d been hit by a Taser,” Lieutenant Lloyd said. “We had to carry him into the police cruiser.” “Taser?” Pearson said. “It was more like he was struck by a bolt of lightning.” “Maybe he was,” I said.

Lieutenant Lloyd wrote something on his pad. Then he said, “We’re wondering if the gunman had an accomplice. Was there anyone with him?” “No.”

“Did you see anyone else around?” “There was a man.”

Lieutenant Lloyd looked up from his pad. “What man?” “I don’t know. Just a man. He was dressed in a suit. And he had a boy and a girl with him about my age.” “Did he come from the pizza place?” “Maybe. I’m not sure.”

“What did he look like? His face?” “I’m not sure about that either. He was wearing sunglasses.” “At night?” Pearson asked.

“Yeah. I thought it was weird.” “What else do you remember about him?” Lloyd asked.

“He had short, dark brown hair. He looked . . . rich.” “Definitely didn’t look like Stuart,” Lloyd said, jotting down more notes in his pad. “Did you see them take your mother?” “No. I fainted or something.” “Fear will do that,” Pearson said.

I didn’t think it had anything to do with fear, but I said nothing.

“Do you have any idea why someone would want to kidnap your mother?” I shook my head. “No. Why don’t you ask Stuart?” “We’ve interrogated him but he’s tight as a clam. We know he’s hiding something, but whomever or whatever he’s protecting has got a real hold on him. Apparently he’s a lot more afraid of them than he is of us.” I tried not to tear up. “Will you find her?” Lieutenant Lloyd looked at me sympathetically. “We’ll do our best. I promise.” He saw the anguish on my face and added, “We’re not done with Stuart yet. I’ve still got a few tricks up my sleeve.” He took a card from his front pocket. “Take this. It has my office and cell phone number. If you think of anything else just call me.” The two policemen started to leave the room. Lieutenant Lloyd stopped by the door. “Oh, by the way, the gun Stuart had was empty.” “Empty?”

“No bullets. I thought it might make you feel a little better to know that he wasn’t intending to shoot you.” He might as well, I thought.

The policemen walked out. Ostin rushed in as soon as they left.

“Do they know where your mother is?” “No.” I lay back in bed. “What did you see?” “Hardly anything. When I got to your car, you and that man were lying on the ground and your mom was gone. I didn’t see anyone else.

I ran back to the restaurant and told them to call the police.” “There were three people besides the gunman. A man in sunglasses and two kids our age. The man knew my name. He knew my mom’s and Taylor’s names. He knew about my power.” Ostin scratched his head. “How could he have known all that?” “I don’t know.”

“He brought his kids?”

“I don’t think they were his. And they had electrical powers. At least one of them did. The man called him Zeus. He’s the one who shocked my mom.” “He could shock like you?”

“Sort of. Except his electricity left his body. Like lightning.” I leaned forward. “There’s something else I remember. He seemed afraid of the girl.” “What did she do?”

“I don’t know. But the closer she got to me the dizzier I felt. Then I passed out.” I combed my hair back from my face. “They’re not going to find my mother.” “Don’t talk that way.”

“Have you heard from Taylor?” “No, not yet.”

I lay back in bed. “At least she’s safe. It’s a good thing she didn’t come with us.”