Page 34 of Middle of the Night

As I go upstairs and take a shower, I consider what my next step should be. Since the appearance of the baseballs has occurred during nights when the lights mysteriously flicked on above the garages of Hemlock Circle, I assume the two are related. Perhaps whoever’s leaving the baseballs is triggering the lights on their way to my yard. Still unknown is how they’ve managed to remain practically invisible while doing it. Along with who they are and why they’re doing it.

The only way to find out any of those things is to catch them in the act. Luckily, I have an idea for how to do that—not to mention a friend who can help.

I dress quickly, head downstairs, and grab my phone and car keys. I’m halfway to the garage when the doorbell rings. I reverse course and head to the door, determined to tell whoever it is to go away. But when I open it, I find Ashley on the front stoop with Henry standing a few feet behind her, a book in his hands.

“Hi!” she says in that too-bright way used by people who know they’re intruding. “Are you doing anything right now?”

“I was just about to head to the store.”

A frown crosses her face. “Oh, okay. Never mind then.”

“Do you need help with something?”

“I need a favor, actually. A pretty big one.” Ashley bites her bottom lip, stalling. “I need to take my dad to the doctor. He’s…in pretty bad shape this morning. Normally, I’d leave Henry with Alice Van de Veer, but she’s not home. And since he doesn’t really know the Chens or the Patels, I was wondering if you could watch him for a few hours.”

Behind her, Henry pushes his glasses higher onto his nose so hecan gaze at me with undisguised skepticism. Which is fine, since I’m doing the same to him.

“I’m not very good with kids,” I say.

“He’s well-behaved, I swear,” Ashley says. “You won’t have any trouble.”

“I’ve been told I’m inconspicuous,” Henry adds.

It’s still not a good idea. I have never been alone with a child since, well, I was one myself. And I’m daunted by the prospect of keeping Henry occupied—of keeping himsafe—for even the smallest amount of time.

“Are you sure there’s no one else?” I say.

Ashley comes closer and whispers, “I know this is sudden and, well, a lot right now. But what’s happening to his grandfather is scary, and I want to shield Henry as much as possible. Please. You’re my only hope.”

I give Henry another wary look, thinking about when I was his age and how Ashley watched me every weekday until Billy was taken. If she could do it at fifteen, then I can manage the same thing with her son now.

“I guess I can watch him for a little bit,” I say.

“It’ll be two hours, tops. You won’t even need to feed him lunch.”

That’s a relief, seeing how I have no idea what kids eat nowadays.

Ashley kneels in front of her son, straightening the collar of his polo shirt and smoothing the sleeves. “Ethan’s going to watch you while I take your grandpa to the doctor. You two are going to go to—”

“Russ’s sporting goods store,” I say.

“Exciting!” Ashley says, feigning enthusiasm. “Isn’t that exciting, Henry?”

Henry looks as excited as a cat facing a bathtub full of water. “Can’t we go to the library instead?”

“I’ll take you to the library when I get back,” Ashley says. “How does that sound?”

“Acceptable, I guess.” Henry turns to me, his shoulders slumped in resignation. “Well, Mr. Marsh, I guess I’m coming with you.”

Ten minutes later, we’re heading to Russ’s store. The mood in the car is awkward at best. I’m at a loss over what to say to a ten-year-old I’ve met only once, and Henry clearly has no idea what to make of me. So we ride in silence, me staying five miles under the speed limit.

“You doing okay back there?” I say to Henry, who I relegated to the backseat because I’d once read it’s safer there.

In the rearview mirror, I see him look up from the book he’s reading. Part of the Goosebumps series.The Werewolf of Fever Swamp.

“I’m fine, Mr. Marsh,” he says.

“You can call me Ethan, you know.”

---