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“There are paintings on the lifeguard tower. Ocean and surfing scenes.” Andrew painted a lot of things over his career, tires and road signs and trucks. This had to mean we were at the right house. That Andrew used to live here.

“Andrew,” Deja said softly.

It wasn’t the surfboard, but maybe it meant the board was here somewhere.

Max was now saying “Let us in” over and over again into the speaker.

I lowered the binoculars and was about to suggest a walk around the property to find a weak point, when the sound of something hitting metal rang out. Through the gate I saw a fairly large rock land on the ground, kicking up dust.

Max jumped back, and the others, who had been talking, went silent.

“What was tha—” Theo started to ask, when he was cut short by another rock hitting the iron bars.

Lee ducked and covered his head as another rock came flying, over the fence this time. “There’s someone in there.”

“Get out of here!” came the rough voice of a man from somewhere behind the trees. The voice was accompanied by another rock. This one landed by my feet, bouncing off the ground and hitting my shin.

I sucked in some air.

Theo pulled me back and behind him.

“We just want to talk!” I yelled. “Did Andrew used to livehere!”

“Leave or I’m calling the cops!” A big burly man came out from behind the trees.

“Nope,” Lee said, and rushed toward the car.

“Have you seen a surfboard?” I yelled.

We watched the man wind up this time to throw the rock, and we all ran and piled into the car faster than I thought possible.

Lee was laughing in the back seat while Theo started the car. He peeled out, tires kicking up dirt before finding purchase on theroad.

After several minutes of silence, Max burst out laughing. “We almost died!”

“We did not almost die,” Deja said. “But Theo’s pretty car almost got a few new dents.”

“Ialmost got a few new dents.” I rubbed my shin.

“You okay?” Theo asked. “You still going to be able to kick?”

“The most important thing,” Max joked.

“No, I just meant…”

I took Theo’s hand. “I knew what you meant. I’m fine.” It actually didn’t hurt anymore, but there was a dirt mark from where the rock had hit. “The ground slowed down the rock.”

“That was super exciting,” Lee said sarcastically. “Let’s not do it again.”

I nodded, but what I was really wondering was how I could get that man to talk to me, to let me see that lifeguard tower.

Chapter

thirty-one

“WHY DID YOU BREAK UP?”I asked Grandma into the microphone. I was trying to distract myself from many things: the fact that I hadn’t figured out how to get that man to let us see the lifeguard tower, the fact that I had resumed practices after a few days off and my muscles were sore all over again, the fact that in two days I’d be trying out to be kicker for the school football team.

“Me and Andrew?” she asked.