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Randy Joyce Locke and the incident at Sparrow Lea   40 Kent shared a story as Eve forced some broth in him. Three men, “Hayseeds dressed like hunters,” claimed to have information and led him up onto the bluff behind the Corning farm. “The rest of the story, well, you can plainly see.” He asked how we managed to stumble across him. “We went looking. Randy guessed where to look.” “Eh, oh, ah, how’d you even know I was missing?” “Eve doesn’t get out much. I always look to introduce her to cute guys.”  Roger returned with the food and an armful of clothes. “I guessed at your size,” he told Kent. “Oh. Trucker selling off the back of his rig. Good deals, too.” He modeled himself. “What do you think?” I laughed. “You bought the clothes he was wearing?” “Right off his back, made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. I didn’t have the time for dirty water.” He nodded to Kent. “Good to see you sitting up.” “Let me get a burger in me, I might not be doing handstands, but I’ll be walking.” Kent could have fed himself. I’m not sure if he begged or Eve offered, but Eve gingerly broke the burger up and fed Kent a piece at a time. I’m glad she didn’t chew it for him. Kent became more animate with each moment. I wasn’t sure if I liked him or not. Eve, well, Eve likes everyone. I stood outside, watching the trees, other cottages and the sky while I considered everything. Roger came up behind. “Good work.” “What exactly did you do in special ops?” I didn’t turn toward him. “Eh, I was in ordinance.” “Doing what? You might as well tell me. I can look it up. Those records aren’t as sealed as you think.” “Inventory control, distribution and training.” I closed my eyes, releasing a long sigh. “There’s nobility in all work. Roger, you should have told me.” “Well, you never asked.” I shook my head. “You knew I would make certain assumptions, some of which could have gotten you or me killed.” “I see that now. I had no idea the scope of �"” “Anything else I should know?” “The guy I killed: a boating accident when I was a kid.” “Do you think you can kill?” “I don’t know.” “I’ll take that into account. I hope you live your entire life and never have to discover the answer.”  Roger jumped at the sound of Eve’s voice. “He wants to know if he can use the computer.” “Damn, girl, stop sneaking up on me!” Eve giggled. “Once you learn to walk in the shadows, it becomes a habit.” “I’ll put a bell on her. Yeah, let him file, take editorial control on anything outgoing. If he throws the Constitution in your face, shoot him.” “Roger that, Randy.” “Eve.” I paused, biting my lip. “Templeton isn’t going to give it up.” “I thought of that possibility. Jack Corning’s missing, maybe dead. He meant Jeffery Kent to be dead. He was willing to risk a blood bath to kill Roger. The elaborate space guy hoax. He’s in way too deep. I could gather the gang in the morning. We could sweep the hills, see what we find.” “I don’t want to put those kids in harm’s way. We got three yokels with rifles and a moron with a badge, with a lot to hide.” I turned to Eve. “Ask Kent if he can file directly with the wire.” “Oh, Randy, I love it!” “Watch the wording.” “Roger that, Randy. Jeffery Kent had better: a college friend with connections to the local morning newspaper. I was surprised and suggested I thought Kent had gotten his degree from a cornflake box. “You should just be glad I have no allegiance to the truth. Private citizens, huh?” He eyed Eve’s keyboard. “Nice setup.” I laughed when Kent said: “Stop the presses,” into the telephone. “Do you guys really say that?” “No, it’s a joke.” Kent made small talk with his friend and then cut a deal. As he was talking into the telephone, he composed the story for the front page, with the picture of Lisa Corning. The actual story didn’t say anything, Kent a master of applying words that meant nothing. The story implied some vague authority had good intelligence on the whereabouts of the teenager missing for almost six weeks and anticipated her recovery within a day. The tradeoff was Kent had to supply an exclusive to the real story when all the information was in. He had to agree to share the byline. Eve was concerned about my shoulder and my lack of sleep. I assured her I was OK. Roger and Kent hit it off, trading war stories. Eve and I sat outside the cottage. “There’s something I didn’t tell you.” “That Joey Lichen and Lisa Corning are lovers? Jezebel Crammer said as much.” “Rumor has it, yeah.” “And Jack Pratt has a crush on which? Joey?” “Lisa. The gang said the three of them got along OK. They kinda think they’re camping out but they ran down all the usual place.” “But for where the space guys hang out. Your gang.” I snickered. “Are OK with it?” “Yeah, Randy. I believe they are.” “Jack Pratt killed Joey Lichen because she stood between him and Lisa Corning?” “That was my thought.” “Jack Pratt lured the two girls out in the middle of the night.” “No carrot needed. The kids sometimes hang at the roadhouse but not all that often.” “Too many adults.” “Something like that. They have a sanctuary.” “Of course. A place only the kids know about where they can hang out, drink and just do what they want.” “They sneak out at night all the time and just get back in their beds before morning.”  “The night they disappeared they never showed up in sanctuary?” “Right. Jack Pratt was kinda like asked not to come.” “Because he was out of hand when he was drinking, like his father.” Eve smiled. “More information you didn’t share with me.” “I thought it was obvious. Scotty implied as much.” I checked the sky, looked back at the cottage and slung my bag over my shoulder. “I’ll send a flare up.” “Roger that, Randy.”