Music in the Night (Logan 4)

Suddenly, I heard a deep, long creak in the ceiling and my heart stopped.

"Wait," I said, pulling him back under the canopy.

"What?" He studied my face. "Do you want me to--"

"No, no, just be quiet for a minute," I ordered.

"What?" He smiled with confusion. "Why?"

There was another creak and then another, then . . . footsteps.

"Cary's upstairs," I said in a low voice.

Robert's eyes widened.

"Huh? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know he was there."

"I never heard him come in and go upstairs, Laura. And your door's open. We would have seen him go by, wouldn't we? Or," he added with a dreadful pause, "he went by while we were. . . occupied."

"No, he must have been there the whole time, Robert. We would have heard him coming in and up the steps. Those steps creak so loud it sounds like Cary might step right through them sometimes."

Robert shook his head.

"I don't understand. I thought no one was home. You said--"

"I guess he came back when I was outside waiting for you."

"So?" Robert said, shrugging after another moment's thought. "He's been upstairs. What of it? No harm done. We'll just get back to the books." He smiled.

How could I explain? How could I tell him about the peephole in the ceiling, when I couldn't face Cary about it myself? Now I had to, I thought. More than ever, now I had to.

"But first," Robert said, "I'd better cool off." He went into the bathroom.

I rose and went to my doorway, listening. Cary was as silent as a ghost now.

"Okay," Robert said, emerging, "let's get back at it."

I looked once more at the attic doorway and then I returned to my desk.

We did study and talked and studied some more. We made plans for the summer months, and Robert talked about his college plans, his desire to become an architect. His drawings were all over the bulletin boards in the art classroom.

"Actually, you and Cary have a lot more in common than Cary wants to admit," I said. "I bet you could design a boat he would like."

"Maybe. I would for the fun of it, if I didn't think he would bite my head off," Robert said.

"He won't. He and I are going to have a real heart-to-heart talk," I promised.

The front door slammed and we heard Mommy and May talking in excited voices.

"It's getting late. I'd better get back.Ill just go down and say hello to your mother. Cary's still upstairs?" he asked. "Yes," I said, gazing at the ceiling and the hole that, fortunately, Robert had not noticed.

We went downstairs and Robert talked to Mommy and signed to May for a while. He learned some new words with her and then I walked him out to his car.

"See you tomorrow," he said. "I'll get away in the afternoon for that walk on the beach."

"Okay."