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CHAPTER TWELVE
THEY CALL IT STEAM
1
John turned on his cell as soon as he and Dan emerged from the jetway at Logan Airport late Thursday
afternoon. He had no more than registered the fact that he had well over a dozen missed calls when
the phone rang in his hand. He glanced down at the window.
“Stone?” Dan asked.
“I’ve got a lot of missed calls from the same number, so I’d say it has to be.”
“Don’t answer. Call him back when we’re on the expressway north and tell him we’ll be there by—”
Dan glanced at his watch, which he had never changed from Eastern Time. “By six. When we get
there, we’ll tell him everything.”
John reluctantly pocketed his cell. “I spent the flight back hoping I’m not going to lose my license
to practice over this. Now I’m just hoping the cops don’t grab us as soon as we park in front of Dave
Stone’s house.”
Dan, who had consulted several times with Abra on their way back across the country, shook his
head. “She’s convinced him to wait, but there’s a lot going on in that family just now, and Mr. Stone is
one confused American.”
To this, John offered a smile of singular bleakness. “He’s not the only one.”
2
Abra was sitting on the front step with her father when Dan swung into the Stones’ driveway. They
had made good time; it was only five thirty.
Abra was up before Dave could grab her and came running down the walk with her hair flying out
behind her. Dan saw she was heading for him, and handed the towel-wrapped fielder’s mitt to John.
She threw herself into his arms. She was trembling all over.
(you found him you found him and you found the glove give it to me)
“Not yet,” Dan said, setting her down. “We need to thrash this out with your dad first.”
“Thrash what out?” Dave asked. He took Abra by the wrist and pulled her away from Dan. “Who
are these bad people she’s talking about? And who the hell are you?” His gaze shifted to John, and
there was nothing friendly in his eyes. “What in the name of sweet Jesus is going on here?”
“This is Dan, Daddy. He’s like me. I told you.”
John said, “Where’s Lucy? Does she know about this?”
“I’m not telling you anything until I find out what’s going on.”
Abra said, “She’s still in Boston, with Momo. Daddy wanted to call her, but I persuaded him to
wait until you got here.” Her eyes remained pinned on the towel-wrapped glove.
“Dan Torrance,” Dave said. “That your name?”
“Yes.”