Page 121 - Ext. Listening Reading_Neat
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of Reverend Michaels. They found the man your number?” Emmitt wrote it down.
in a small office at the far end of the “You have my card?”
Education Hall from the classroom where “Yeah.”
the boys were sitting. He looked up when “Call me back on my cell. Keep moving in
they stopped at the open doorway. the same direction, and keep the river in
“Finished with the boys? I hope you got sight. We’re on the way.” Emmitt fretted
what you needed.” Emmitt smiled, through the time it took to get patrol on
pretending an optimism he didn’t feel. the road and notify the sheriff ’s office,
“Thanks for letting us come out to talk to hoping they had someone closer to the
them. Easier to have them all in one area than the WSPD. He sprinted to his
place.” The detectives said their goodbyes car after catching Phoebe at her desk. She
and returned to the car. The sun dipped slid into the passenger seat as he turned
almost to the horizon, and the bite in the the key in the ignition.
breeze rattling the leaves of the trees Emmitt handed Phoebe his cell phone,
surrounding the parking lot had Emmitt “Keep him on the line.”
wishing he brought a heavier coat. He They rode in silence except for the
switched on the heater as they pulled onto occasional word of encouragement Phoebe
the dirt road. “They all said the same spoke into the phone. She told the kid to
thing,” Phoebe said, “practically the same keep quiet, that she would do the talking.
words.” “I thought we were going to get Emmitt cursed himself for blindness. He’d
something out of a couple of them once we known the kids were scared, but not the
had them alone,” Emmitt said, “but they source of their fear. Two cruisers from the
stuck to the party line. Those kids know sheriff ’s office and a WSPD patrol car
something they’re not telling, and they’re were already parked in the church lot
scared. They’re in over their heads and when Emmitt skidded to a stop, spitting
don’t know how to climb out.” gravel from beneath the car’s wheels. One
*** of the sheriff ’s deputies stood beside his
The voice kept fading in and out, making cruiser, microphone in hand. Emmitt
it difficult for Emmitt to hear all the jogged over, “Have they located Michaels?”
words, but the fear came through loud The man shook his head, “There’s a lot of
and clear. “You gotta help me. I’m gonna woods to search. Dogs are on the way.
be next.” Young, probably black, and most We’ve got a team working its way up the
likely male, although terror raised the river from the south. Hope to catch him
voice’s pitch to a near squeak. Cradling in-between.” “The kid says the Reverend
the receiver against his shoulder, Emmitt has a dog of his own.” This information
reached for a pad on his desk. “Where are was relayed to the officers and deputies in
you son?” “In the woods down by the river. the woods.
He got a dog with him.” Emmitt had given Emmitt took his cell phone from Phoebe.
his card to each of the boys after he and “Find a place you can hide and stay put,”
Phoebe questioned them at the church. It he told the kid. “Sheriff ’s deputies are on
listed his direct office line and his cell the way up the river toward you, and a
phone. He’d figured the kids had team is coming from the direction of the
discarded them as soon as he was out of church.” Time crept past. Emmitt stared
sight. “How close to the church?” “I don’t into the woods, as if by concentrating very
know.” The kid cleared a gurgle from his hard he could manage to see what was
throat. “I’ve been running a while.” The happening a mile away. The sharp crack
Yadkin River ran northsouth about a mile of gunfire broke the tense silence. Two
west of the church property. “You heading shots echoed through the still, afternoon
north or south?” His question was met air. Emmitt gripped the phone, his words
with silence. “Are you moving with the coming close to a shout. “Are you okay?
river on your right or left?” “Right.” The Talk to me kid.” “What was that?” The
voice sounded slightly stronger. “What’s young voice was a shaky whisper, but the
boy sounded unharmed. Emmitt listened
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