Chapter 20

Theo was in the den watching a movie on cable when his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. It was eight thirty five, Saturday night, and the call was coming from the shelter. He flipped the phone open, said, "Hello."

Julio's unmistakable voice said, "Theo?"

"Yes, Julio, what's up?" Theo muted the television. His father was in the study reading a novel and his mother was upstairs in bed, sipping green tea and reading through a pile of legal documents.

"I've talked to Bobby," Julio said, "and boy is he scared. The police were all over the Quarry today, checking papers, looking for trouble. They took in two boys from Guatemala, both illegal. Bobby thinks they're after him."

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Theo walked to the study as he spoke. "Listen, Julio, if the police are after Bobby it has nothing to do with the murder trial. I can promise you that." Theo stood next to his father, who closed his book and listened closely.

"They went to his house, but he was hiding down the street."

"Did you talk to him, Julio? Did you tell him what we discussed today at the game?"

"Yes."

"And what did he say?"

"He's too scared right now, Theo. He doesn't understand how things work here. When he sees a policeman, he thinks bad things. You know? He thinks about going to jail, losing his job, his money, getting sent back home."

"Julio, listen to me," Theo said, frowning at his father. "He will not have to deal with the police. If he'll just trust me and my parents, he'll be safer. Did you explain this?"

"Yes."

"Does he understand it?"

"I don't know, Theo. But he wants to talk to you."

"Great. I'll talk to him." Theo nodded at his father and his father nodded back. "When and where?"

"Well, he's moving around tonight, not staying at his place. He's afraid the police might come back in the middle of the night and arrest them. But I can reach him."

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Theo almost asked How? but let it go. "I think we should talk tonight," Theo said. His father nodded again.

"Okay. What do I tell him?"

"Tell him to meet me somewhere."

"Where?"

Theo couldn't think of a place fast enough. His father was a step ahead. He whispered, "Truman Park, by the carousel."

Theo said, "How about Truman Park?"

"Where's that?"

"It's the big park at the end of Main Street where they have the water fountains and statues and stuff like that. Anybody can find Truman Park."

"Okay."

"Tell him to be there at nine thirty, in about an hour. Meet us by the carousel."

"What's a carousel?"

"It's a fancy merry-go-round with little fake ponies and loud music. It's for small kids and their mothers."

"I've seen it."

"Good. Nine thirty."

***

The carousel was still spinning slowly late on Saturday night. Its well-used speakers boomed out the notes of "It's a

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Small World" as a few toddlers and their mothers clutched the poles that ran down the center of the red and yellow ponies. Nearby there was a booth selling cotton candy and lemonade. A gang of young teenagers loitered about, all smoking and trying to look tough.

Woods Boone surveyed the area and felt it was safe. "I'll be waiting over there," he said, pointing to a tall bronze statue of a forgotten war hero. "You won't see me."

"I'll be fine," Theo said. He wasn't worried about safety. The park was well lit and well used.

Ten minutes later, Julio and Bobby Escobar eased from the shadows and saw Theo before he saw them. Bobby was very nervous and did not want to risk being seen by a policeman, so they walked to the other side of the park and found a spot on the steps of a gazebo. Theo couldn't see his father but he was sure he was watching.

He asked Bobby if he had worked that day, then went on to say that he and his father had played the Creek Course. No, Bobby had not worked, but instead had spent the day dodging cops. This opened the door, and Theo went charging through. He explained, in English, that Bobby had the opportunity to make a big change. He could move beyond being an illegal alien to a sponsored immigrant going through the process of getting proper documentation.

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Julio rendered in Spanish. Theo understood little of it.

He explained that his parents were offering the deal of a lifetime. A better place to live, with family, the chance of a better job, and the fast track to being a legal resident. No more hiding from the police. No more fears about getting shipped home.

Julio rendered in Spanish. Bobby listened with a stone face, no expression at all.

Getting nothing in return, Theo pressed on. It was important to keep talking. Bobby seemed to be on the verge of running away. "Explain to him that he is a very important witness in the murder trial," Theo said to Julio. "And there is nothing wrong with going to court and telling everybody what he saw that day."

Julio rendered. Bobby nodded. He'd heard this before. He said something, which Julio translated as, "He doesn't want to get involved. This trial is not his problem."

A police car stopped at the edge of the park, not close to the gazebo but certainly close enough to be seen. Bobby watched it fearfully, as if he'd finally been caught. He mumbled quickly to Julio, who shot something back.

"The police are not after Bobby," Theo said. "Tell him to relax."

Two policemen crawled out of the car and began walking toward the center of the park, to the carousel. "See,"

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Theo said. "The fat one is Ramsey Ross. All he does is write parking tickets. Don't know the other one. They couldn't care less about us."

Julio explained this in Spanish and Bobby began breathing again.

"Where will he stay tonight?" Theo asked.

"I don't know. He asked if he could sleep at the shelter, but there's no room."

"He can stay with us. We have an extra bedroom. You can come along, too. We'll call it a slumber party. My dad will stop and get us a pizza. Let's go."

***

At midnight, the three boys were sprawled around the den, yelling at the TV screen as they played a video game. Pillows and quilts were strewn about. Two large pizza boxes lay in ruins. Judge was munching on a crust.

From time to time, Marcella and Woods Boone peeked in. They were amused to hear Theo plow ahead with his Spanish, always a beat or two behind Julio and Bobby, but determined to catch up.

They had wanted more children, but nature didn't cooperate. And, at times, they had to admit that Theo was more than enough.

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