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Chapter 3

Moving beyond the pool of light radiating from inside the house, Owen slowed his steps in the near darkness. He stood still, listening, letting his eyes adjust to the pale glow of a quarter moon.

He could hear whispering now. Picking his way carefully, he moved towards the voices until words became intelligible.

“Jimmy, come on! He’s gonna catch us.”

“I gotta find my hat. Now help me look.”

“Forget the hat—if he catches us, he’ll kill us. She only paid us to scare him. But we broke the window, Jimmy. We broke the damned window. If my dad finds out about this, he’ll take his belt to me—hard.”

“We’ve both had worse.” The brave bluster was spoiled by the quiver in the voice.

“Jimmy, please!”

“All right, stop whining. Just shut up, and let’s go.” The sound of bicycle kickstands being flipped up came out of the darkness.