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were missing. Maybe they already had. Maybe the Open House got over early. His parents might already be looking for him.
    He hoped they would call the neighbors first. They might think he had gone over to the Crowleys’ house to collect his pay and stayed to visit awhile, to hear about their trip. Maybe, when nobody answered at the Crowleys’, his parents wouldgo over there. They would see Salt and Pepper out in the pasture and know something was wrong.
    Maybe by now his parents had found the message in the dirt. Even if they didn’t find the message, they might look in the barn, because the kittens were part of T.J.’s job. Or they might hear Grandma Ruth singing.
    As soon as his parents opened the barn door and saw Grandma Ruth, they would know T.J. was in trouble. They knew that T.J. would never leave Grandma Ruth there by herself. If his parents found Grandma Ruth in the barn, they would call the police immediately. The cops were probably hunting for him already.

    The parents at the Open House talked more about the robbery and murder than they did about their childrens’ progress in school. Everyone was horrified that such a violent crime had happened in their neighborhood.
    “We need to organize a Crime Watch program,” someone said. “If we don’t, this kind of thing is going to occur more and more often.”
    Several people decided to meet at Denny’s after the Open House, to discuss ways to keep the neighborhood safe. The Stensons were invited to attend.
    “We told T.J. we’d be home right after the Open House,” Mrs. Stenson said.
    “I’ll call him,” Mr. Stenson said, “and let him know we’ll be late.”
    Mr. Stenson went to the pay phone in the hallway near the school office. There was no answer.
    “Maybe we should go straight home,” Mrs. Stenson said, “just to be sure everything is all right.”
    “T.J. probably has the volume on his stereo turned up again and can’t hear the telephone,” Mr. Stenson said. “I don’t know how he can stand to have it so loud. I’ve told him he’ll ruin his hearing.”
    “Sounds like my son,” said one of the other parents.
    “He only does it when we’re gone,” Mrs. Stenson said, “and Mother doesn’t mind. She doesn’t seem to notice that it’s full volume. Her hearing isn’t as sharp as it used to be.”
    Mr. and Mrs. Ackerley, Craig’s parents, came by on their way to their car. “Are you folks coming to the meeting at Denny’s?” Mr. Ackerley asked.
    “I’m a bit nervous about T.J. and his grandmother,” Mrs. Stenson said.
    “I know what you mean. We left our two boys by themselves tonight, too, but that’s all the more reason to help start a Crime Watch program. With a good neighborhood plan in effect, there would be less cause for nervousness.”
    “You’re absolutely right,” Mr. Stenson said. “Come on, Amelia.”
    When the Stensons arrived at the restaurant, the other parents were speculating about where the bank robber might have gone. Mrs. Stenson went to the phone at the front of the restaurant and dialed home again. She let it ring ten times before she hung up.
    When she joined her husband and the others, Mr. Stenson gave her a questioning look.
    “Still no answer,” she said.
    “Remember the day we tried to call him from the airport,when the plane we were meeting was so late?” Mr. Stenson said. “We called and called and there was never any answer and we were sure something was wrong. When we finally got home, he was right there in the den, listening to his music. He didn’t hear the phone. He didn’t hear us come in the door.”
    Mrs. Stenson nodded. She had been so certain that other time that T.J. was sick or injured, and so relieved when he was perfectly all right. No doubt it would be the same tonight; T.J. had his stereo volume cranked up to High and would be surprised to learn that they had tried to call him.
    “That pecan pie sounds too good to resist,” Mr. Stenson told the waitress. “I’ll