“I’m not doing that race; I have to work.”
“You just said you don’t. Plus, you’re the boss, delegate,” Tex said. “Or are you just scared we’ll all beat you?”
“That only works on fifth graders.”
“Okay, well if you’re sure, I’ll ask Lani to do it with me, as Annabelle is not up to it.”
He swallowed the words he wanted to say and nodded. “You do that.” Noah walked away and knew his friends were watching.
He checked on the staff, and as he’d known they would, they had everything under control, so he wandered off… away from Lani.
She was a closed book, and he wanted to know what was written on those pages. She was hiding something, but what?
“Noah, you got a minute?”
“Sure, Katie. What’s up?” The sheriff’s girl was carrying a small bag of something.
“Want some?”
Looking inside, he found fudge. The McBrides loved the stuff. He took a piece and popped it into his mouth.
“What do you know about Lani?”
His eyes shot that way automatically. Her hat had fallen sideways, and she was busy. Mrs. C was there too now.
“Not much. Why?”
“Not sure, really. Cop instinct, maybe. But I’m sure she’s running, or something like that.”
“What exactly do you mean by running?”
“Something bad in her past that she’s getting away from.”
“That’s some speculation, considering she hasn’t said a word on the matter.”
“It is, but then you’ve talked to her, so I’d hoped you could shed some light on her past.”
“I know she likes to bake and is devoted to peanut butter.”
“Who isn’t?”
“People who don’t like peanut butter, is my guess.”
“Tell me you’re not one of them, because I don’t honestly know if we can still be friends if you are.”
“No, we’re sweet. I like it.”
Katie exhaled loudly.
“So, getting back to Lani. I think you could be right and she’s running, but how do we get her to talk?” Noah said.
“Not sure we can, especially as she’s leaving soon. My worry is the same as Cubby’s. If she’s in danger—”
“Do you think she is?”
“I don’t know that, Noah, I’m just sayingifshe is. The worry is that it follows her here.”
“She’s been traveling for a while.”
