"A friend of mine was hurt. We need to go see him in the hospital."
"My mommy's in the hospital. That's why I'm staying with Grandma today."
"Is your mommy sick?"
She shakes her head. "She's having a baby. Daddy's there too."
"That's exciting," I say, trying to sound happy for her.
"He's not there," Danny says, coming around the side of the house. "They boarded up the back door. He must've broke it getting in." Danny heads to the truck. "Let's go back to the hospital."
"We have to go," I say to the little girl.
"That man yelled at Sprinkles." She pouts as she pets the dog.
"What man?"
"The man in the truck. Sprinkles went outside to potty and when he barked the man yelled at him."
"Brook, come on," Danny yells from inside the truck. "Let's go!"
I open the passenger side door. "Just a minute." I turn back to the little girl. "Did this happen this morning?"
She nods.
"Was the man here? At this house?"
She nods again.
"Did you see him go inside?"
"He went to the back. He yelled at Sprinkles so I went and got Grandma and she made Sprinkles come inside."
"Did your grandma see the man?"
"No. She doesn't like going outside. She gets cold."
"Tammy!" a woman yells. "Where'd you go?"
"Here, Grammy!" the girl yells.
I look up and see the old lady standing in the doorway.
"Get back here right now! I told you not to leave the yard!"
"I'm coming!" She runs off.
"Wait!" I catch up to her. "What did the man look like?"
She shrugs. "Like a man."
"Do you know how tall he was?"
"He was big. He looked like the other man."
"What other man?"
"The one that was with you last time I saw you."
