Missing Pieces Read Online Free Page A

His pillow was lumpy, and I found a bunch of trains stuffed inside. Bryce went out while I sang to Dylan and tucked him in. I guess we had worn him out, because instead of asking a million questions about what we were having for breakfast the next day and wanting more songs, he was snoring within five minutes.
    Later, down in the living room, I told Bryce, “We can’t accuse Randy of anything until we have proof.”
    Bryce bit his cheek and took a deep breath. I could tell it was a struggle not to tell me off.

Chapter 24

    The next morning I jumped in the shower, then dressed and went downstairs. Pippin and Frodo scratched at the back door, and I let them outside and grabbed the paper. I love looking at the Sunday paper for the comics (the first section I read) and to see what’s coming out on DVD.
    In the middle of the Metro section I found a picture of a smashed mailbox with a sad woman from Red Rock next to it.
    Vandalism Causes Heartache
    A wave of mailbox vandalism has hit the Red Rock area hard in the last week. Another round of smashed boxes was reported last night.
    The local postmaster, Arlin Hempkin, said area residents have reported numerous problems in the past few days, with many mailboxes damaged or destroyed.
    “My husband and I moved here from Denver to get away from this type of thing,” said one resident who wished not to be identified. “People should have more control over their kids.”
    The article went on to give tips on what to do and not do when repairing a mailbox, but I could only think of one question.
    Where had Randy been last night?

Chapter 25

    After church I got an idea about Mrs. Garcia. If she had lived in Pueblo, maybe there was a story in that local newspaper about the fire. On the Internet I found that the Pueblo paper wasn’t available online. I racked my brain, then turned to the best source of information I could think of—the local library.
    I called and asked for the reference department. A lady answered, and I said I was looking for information about a fire in Pueblo that had happened in the last few years. I gave her the date and Mrs. Garcia’s name. I said she could just send it via e-mail if she found anything.
    Suddenly I felt a little hope that I’d find out the truth about Mrs. Garcia.

Chapter 26

    Ashley rode ahead of me to school the next day, and as we pulled up to Mrs. Watson’s barn I noticed something strange in her front yard. She has one of those cheap plastic mailboxes with the little flag that never goes up right. The mailbox was gone, and black stuff ran down the metal pole. A black wire covered with plastic lay at the bottom.
    “Looks like a sparkler,” I said.
    Mrs. Watson came out in her robe, and I showed her the mailbox. “That must have been what Peanuts was barking at last night,” she said. “He was going crazy around midnight. Guess those hooligans have been at it again. This used to be such a nice little town. You could leave your doors unlocked. Now I have to keep my pistol loaded.”
    “You really have a gun?” Ashley said.
    “Second Amendment, my dear.”
    We’d studied the right to bear arms in school. Half the class thought everybody should have guns, and the other half thought nobody should have them. “Guns don’t kill people,” somebody said. “People kill people.”
    I pictured Mrs. Watson and a group from the sewing circle at church organizing a militia of gray-haired ladies. Maybe there would be fewer smashed mailboxes.
    “Bryce, could you and your dad help me put up a new mailbox?”
    “Sure.”
    At school Randy’s little brother, Derek, was near the flagpole with a bunch of his friends.
    “How’s your brother?” I said.
    “Okay, I guess.”
    “What happened to him Saturday night? He said it was kind of an emergency.”
    Derek shrugged. “He went out with a bunch of his friends from the softball team, I think.”

Chapter 27

    I raced home to look at my e-mail, but Leigh was on the computer. “Wait your