Chapter 38
His father sat reading the paper on the back porch under the ceiling fan. The morning heat was ferocious. Neal stepped out. His mother was at the grocery store. He planned to dart away for a walk with a nod to his Dad, but instead he sat, drawn in for a moment.
“Nice to have you visit son, always makes your mother happy,” he said, flipping through the real estate section.
His father set the paper down and turned to look at him directly. The phone rang. They both sat still. Annie had been trying to reach him ceaselessly.
“That young girl has been calling all morning,” his father said, referring to Annie. “Your friend Dewalt called three times last night when you were knocked out. We spoke. What’s going on there?”
Neal was agitated that Annie had found his parent’s phone n
