“So you called.”
“I went to the library and looked up the police station on the computer to make sure it was still the right number. Then I called from the house phone because I didn’t want it to show up on your cell bill.” He glanced at me sideways, a little guilty. “That was the wrong number thing.”
I laughed, despite everything. “I knew that wasn’t a wrong number.”
“You didn’t check, though.”
“No. I didn’t check.”
Ray had been standing quietly by the car the whole time. He came over now and sat down on the curb on Caleb’s other side, groaning a little as his knees bent.
“He called me on a Tuesday night,” Ray said. “I almost didn’t pick up. Didn’t recognize the number. And then I hear this little voice say, ‘Uncle Ray? It’s Caleb. My dad said to call you.’” He shook his head. “I had to pull over. I was driving. I had to pull the car over on Route 9.”
