“Mama!” I barked. “What’s going on?”
“Trey’s here with me. That girl, Iris, too. They’re right as rain.” She lowered her voice. “Trey’s a bit shaky, but he’s puttin’ on a good show in front of the young lady. She’s a pretty thing, but she’s had a hard time of it and looks like she’ll keel over any second. I fixed them some sandwiches and left them in the living room. Trey wanted to call you right away, but I knew you’d want me to settle him down some first.”
I thanked her, grateful that my mother lived close to the co-op and would take excellent care of Trey. “So did the cops find the ’shrooms?”
“They sure did. Your good-lookin’ policeman wasn’t with them, though. Guess he’s got his hands full lookin’ for another bad man. Anyhow, a handful of kids are gonna have to call up their mommies and daddies and confess to bein’ real stupid, but the adults of Red Fox are in much bigger trouble.”
I sighed in relief. “Then Jasper’s been arrested?”
“No, hon. Jasper slipped away in the dark. The police went after him, but he knows those mountain trails better than anybody.”
This was not what I wanted to hear. “Does he have any idea that Trey was responsible for the raid?”
“Yes, indeed, he certainly does. Trey told him off good. He didn’t want to go into too many details with me, seein’ as Iris is Jasper’s sister and all, but I could tell that he’d needed to speak his piece and he spoke it.” She cleared her throat. “Unfortunately, Jasper skedaddled right after that.”
I groaned in frustration.
My mother was quick to assure me that Trey was perfectly safe. “There’ll be cops crawling all over these parts for ages. Nobody’s gonna come and go from Red Fox without their say-so.” She sighed. “There were good folks up at the co-op, too, Lila. They’re all gonna leave as soon as the cops let them. Head farther west with the goats and all their gear. When they do, I’ll lose some of my favorite clients.”
“It’s sad,” I agreed. “But I can’t pretend that I’m not relieved. The thought of Trey spending the winter up there was giving me nightmares. Those portable heaters only do so much, and what would happen if he got sick? Or injured?”
“Don’t say anythin’ like that to him, ya hear?” she cautioned. “This is a raw wound. No need to rub salt in it.”
I spluttered. “Give me some credit. It’s not like I’m glad that Trey’s happiness was shattered by a charlatan. My poor boy. His own dad ran off when he was a baby and then this pseudo–father figure betrayed his trust. I hope he won’t be affected too adversely.”
“The young are tougher than we think. They bounce back better from these sorts of things than older folks do. Why, Trey’s already mentioned college. He’s tryin’ to convince Iris to visit the campus with him and meet with some folks there about applyin’.” My mother made a sympathetic noise. “Guess her brother took off with all the cash, though. Don’t know how she can pay for school unless the cops run him down.”
Could Jasper successfully evade the police? He was on foot, and it was cold, especially at night. He didn’t have clothes or shelter. Even if he found refuge in a cave, he’d eventually have to come down from the mountain in search of food.
“Maybe you should all come stay with me after tonight,” I suggested.
“No, no,” she quickly replied. “We’re fine here. Jasper’s long gone. But you should join us. The sooner the better.”
I didn’t like the edge to her voice. “What makes you say that?”
My mother answered in a hushed tone. “The mirror. Remember when you broke that mirror on moving day?”
My shoulders sagged. I really didn’t want to rehash my mother’s dramatic reaction upon seeing the glass scattered across the floor of my front hall. “Yes, I do. I also remember your ominous prediction that trouble was headed my way. And you were right—it’s hardly been a peaceful autumn—but why are you bringing that up now?”