I saw wasn’t your friend. Maybe he just looked like him or something.”
“I don’t know. Maybe. Is it possible that what you saw might’ve been some kind of abduction?”
“You mean like when aliens—?”
“Like a kidnapping. Maybe this guy was forcing Duane to go with him.”
“Sure didn’t look that way.”
“Did you see any weapons?”
“Huh-uh.”
“But a big guy like that, he might not need a weapon. If he was a huge, muscular guy like you said.”
“Oh, yeah, he was. But it didn’t look like any kidnapping. I mean, your friend was all smiling and stuff.”
“It’s insane,” she muttered.
Toby suddenly raised his eyebrows. “You know what? Maybe we can find them. I mean, they went off on foot. If they’re still walking and we take my car, we might catch up with them.”
“How long ago did they leave?”
“I guess forty, forty-five minutes ago.”
“That’s a long time.”
Toby shrugged. “I’m all done with my stuff. If you want, I’ll drive you around for a few minutes before I go home.”
“Thanks, but you don’t have to do that.”
“I don’t mind. You want to find him, don’t you?”
“Sure, but…You should probably be getting home.”
“It’s okay. No school tomorrow.”
“We don’t want your mother to worry.”
“Ah, she’s asleep by now, anyway. She won’t know what time I get home.”
“Well…If you’re sure you really want to do this…”
“Sure. Hop in.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Sherry hurried to the passenger door. It wasn’t locked. She opened it and climbed into the car while Toby went around to the other side and dropped down behind the steering wheel.
The doors thudded shut.
Toby smiled at her and started the engine. “This’ll be cool,” he said.
“I really appreciate your help.”
“No big deal.” He put on his headlights and backed out of the parking space. “I just hope we can find him for you.”
“Me, too.”
Toby turned his car around, drove across the parking lot, swung out onto Robertson and stopped for a red light. “This Duane, is he like your boyfriend or something?”
“We’ve been seeing each other for a while.”
“You think he’s…you know, a fag?”
Politely, she said, “That’s not a very nice word, Toby.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Just say ‘gay.’”
“Gay. Sure.”
“Anyway, I don’t think he is. Gay.”
The light changed to green. Toby accelerated through the intersection. “That’d be like a real bummer,” he said, “having a boyfriend and it turns out he’s more interested in guys.”
“Right now, I’m just interested in finding him. Which side of the road did they go down?”
“That.” Toby nodded to the right. “You watch that side,” he said, “and I’ll watch this.”
“Good. Thanks.”
Peering out the windshield, Sherry gazed at the walkway along the right side of the boulevard. It led past a branch of the public library, then past the fronts of apartment buildings and stores. A few cars were parked along the curb, but they weren’t large enough to obstruct her view. Vans and trucks were large enough, but there weren’t many of them.
It’s too soon to find Duane, anyway, she told herself. He’s had time to walk a couple of miles by now.
Unless maybe he’s on the way back.
Where the hell did he go?
With a guy?
She felt squirmy and hot inside.
He’s not gay, she told herself. No way. Not a chance.
As they passed through an intersection, Sherry peered down the sidestreet, quickly checking for pedestrians. The sidewalks looked empty.
“Maybe it was some kind of emergency,” she said.
“Huh?” Toby asked.
“The reason Duane went off with that guy. Maybe it was an emergency.”
“I don’t know. Maybe. Only they didn’t act much like anything was wrong.”
“It has to be something. Duane knew I was waiting for him. He wouldn’t just…”
I told him to forget about going for the condoms, but he insisted on going anyway.
To meet someone?
To avoid having sex with me?
No, that’s crazy, she told herself. If the rubber hadn’t broken…and I’m the one who broke it…he never would’ve left at all. He didn’t plot any of this. That’s ridiculous.
She looked down another sidestreet as they rushed by it. The sidewalks appeared to be empty.
“What?” Toby asked.
“He wouldn’t just go off with someone. Not unless there was an awfully good reason. Like maybe the guy needed his help. Or forced him to go along.”
“I don’t know,” Toby said. “Maybe.”
“I know he’s not gay.”
“There!” Toby blurted. “That them?”
Chapter Six
Sherry noticed the direction of Toby’s gaze, looked ahead and to the right, and saw two figures striding past the front of a lighted display window on the next block.
Toby sped up.
Sherry took a quick look down a sidestreet, then fixed her attention on the couple.