Mind Games

“Which one?”

“The one that does the tricks. Somebody stole it.”

Ty topped off his coffee. “Right, forgot. We were supposed to look yesterday. Nobody stole it, Bray. It’s around here somewhere.”

“They did! Somebody stole it so I can’t find it. I need it. Get it back, Daddy!”

“We’ll look for it after breakfast. Pancakes—Thea’s kind—remember?”

“I need it. If somebody stole it, I can’t take it to school for show-and-tell. And I said I was.”

“We’ll find it. Maybe it’s in your toy chest.”

“It’s not, ’cause I looked and looked.”

While Thea laid bacon on the cookie sheet, she heard tears threaten.

“This time I’ll look and look.”

“Somebody came in my room and took it.” Devastated, Bray knuckled his eyes. “I’ll never ever see it again.”

“Bray, take a breath. Who’d do that?”

“Monsters. Bad guys.”

“Come on, man.” Ty set down the coffee, picked up the boy. “We don’t have any monsters or bad guys around here.”

“I think Grave Digger’s playing hide-and-seek.”

At Thea’s words, Bray sniffled back another whine, and frowned at her. “He is?”

“I bet he is, and hoping you’ll come find him. Did you look in the library your dad’s making, in the box of books he hasn’t unpacked yet? The box that came a few days ago?”

“No.”

“Maybe you should.”

“I’ll look now!” Bray wiggled down, raced off.

Moments later, he shouted.

“I found him, I found him. He was playing hide-and-seek in the box. His ’mote was on the floor!”

“Pretty sneaky.” Thea finished laying the bacon, reached for a dishcloth.

“Bray, take Grave Digger upstairs, play with him in your room awhile.”

“Okay.” Clutching it like a lover, he ran.

“How did you know where that toy was?”

“What?” She picked up the cookie sheet, and turning, saw Ty’s face. Everything inside her began to shake. “I just…”

“He said something about it a couple days ago, and I forgot. Then yesterday, and I got busy. I haven’t been in that room since I put that box in there, opened it. Monday. Since Monday. But obviously you have.”

“No, I—”

“Why would you go into a box of books? What else have you gone into?”