Theo wasn't about to tell anyone he had Bobby's cell phone number; not that it would help. Theo was quite certain that Bobby, wherever he was hiding, was not about to answer his phone. Theo asked, "When do they tell Judge Gantry that the star witness has disappeared?"

"Who knows? If I were Jack Hogan, I'd keep it quiet as long as I could and hope like crazy that they find Bobby. Hogan has a bunch of witnesses he can put on the stand before he needs Bobby, so he'll probably keep going forward as if nothing is wrong. But by tomorrow, if they don't find him, the game is over. I don't know, just speculating."

"And there's nothing we can do, right?"

"Of course not," Ike snapped. "All we can do is wait."

"Okay, I'm outta here. Off to school. You headed to the courthouse?"

"Oh yes. I wouldn't miss it for anything. I'll call you during the first recess."

Julio was waiting by the bike rack. He and Theo whispered for a few minutes as they headed to cla.s.s. No word from Bobby. He was not answering his phone. Theo said, "I'm sure the police are searching everywhere. Maybe they'll find him."

"You think he's okay, Theo?"

Theo said, "Sure, he'll be fine." But he had no clue.

"I'm sorry I said it was all your fault, Theo. I didn't mean it."

"It's okay. Let's get together during lunch break."

"You got it."

Chapter 20.

At nine a.m., as Theo sat through Madame Monique's Spanish cla.s.s, he watched the clock on the wall and wondered what was happening in court. The trial was starting its second day. The courtroom was undoubtedly still packed. The jury was being brought in to hear the next round of witnesses for the prosecution. Everything seemed fine. No one but Jack Hogan and his team knew the truth-that their star witness had gone missing. An hour later, Theo was suffering through Geometry with Miss Garman and thinking of Bobby, who was probably hiding in the woods somewhere watching police cars zip around Weeksburg in their frantic search. He had managed to travel all the way from El Salvador, through Mexico, across the border, and into Strattenburg, without being detected. Theo had often wondered how millions of people could enter the country illegally and live and survive. They knew the secrets of moving in the shadows and avoiding the authorities when necessary.

If Bobby wanted to disappear, they would never find him.

There was a ten-minute break between Geometry and Government with Mr. Mount, and Theo rushed to the playground to call Ike. No answer. He was watching the trial, unable to talk or text.

In Government, Theo stood before the cla.s.s and gave a summary of the opening of the trial. Since the boys had seen the first day of the first trial, they had a hundred questions. Theo gamely went along, answering them all.

At noon, during the lunch break, Ike finally called. He said the morning had gone as planned without a word about the missing witness. Jack Hogan had told no one. Judge Gantry seemed oblivious. However, Clifford Nance and his defense team seemed much more confident than the day before. "They know," Ike said. "Something tells me they know." But Theo wasn't so sure. Ike tended to exaggerate at times.

Theo found Julio and explained what was happening at the trial. Julio suggested they call Bobby on Theo's cell, but Theo said no. "He's too smart to answer his phone, Julio."

The afternoon dragged by, slower than ever, and Theo suffered through Chemistry, study hall, and Debate Team practice. When the final bell rang at three thirty, he hopped on his bike and headed for the courthouse.

It was odd, watching the trial as if everything was fine, but knowing that the entire show was about to come to another shocking end. The jurors listened intently to the witnesses. The lawyers took pages of notes, scanned doc.u.ments, and took turns questioning the witnesses. Judge Gantry presided solemnly, occasionally ruling on objections from the lawyers. The court reporter captured every word. The clerks shuffled papers and kept things in order. The spectators watched it all, captivated by the drama. The defendant, Pete Duffy, sat surrounded by his lawyers, and never changed his expression.

Jack Hogan and the prosecution team did indeed look a bit frazzled, but Theo could not detect an unusual amount of confidence on the other side of the courtroom. Everything seemed as normal as you might expect in a big trial.

The last witness of the day was a banker. Jack Hogan was walking him through a series of questions about Pete Duffy's loans and finances, all in an effort to prove the defendant was desperate for cash. Thus, his need for the life insurance proceeds. Thus, a motive for murder. Some of the testimony was over Theo's head, and it became quite dull.

As Theo listened, he watched Judge Gantry, and he felt a mix of sadness and anger. He was sad because the judge was presiding over an important trial, thought things were going well, and had no idea serious trouble was just around the corner. Theo was angry because the trial was about to blow up, and Pete Duffy would once again dodge a conviction for murder. He was certain the police were combing every square inch of Weeksburg, looking for Bobby as the clock ticked and a disaster loomed. And what if they found him? Could they arrest him, and haul him to the courthouse, and force him to testify? Theo didn't think so.

Judge Gantry adjourned at five fifteen and sent the jurors home. Theo and Ike chatted for a moment outside the courthouse. Across the lawn, Omar Cheepe was smoking a cigarette and talking on his cell phone. He glared at Theo as he did so. Ike promised to call if he heard anything, and Theo said good-bye. He took his time riding back to the office. He locked his door and lay on the floor, talking to Judge, telling him how awful things were going. As always, Judge listened intently, staring at Theo with eager eyes, believing every word and ready to help. It always felt good to talk to someone, even a dog.

Mrs. Boone was in her office with a late appointment. Mr. Boone was upstairs, smoking his pipe and reworking the language of a thick doc.u.ment. "Got a minute, Dad?" Theo asked, interrupting.

"Well, sure. What's on your mind?"

"You're not going to believe this, but Bobby Escobar has disappeared."

Mr. Boone's jaw dropped. Theo told him the rest of the story, even the part about having Bobby's cell phone number.

It was Tuesday night, and the Boones walked a few blocks to the Highland Street Shelter to visit the homeless. As always, Theo worked the food line, serving hot vegetable soup and sandwiches to people who had no place to go. Many of the faces were familiar, sad folks who had lost everything and somehow survived without a place to live. They slept on park benches, and under bridges, and in cheap tents hidden in the woods. They rummaged through Dumpsters and begged on the streets. The lucky ones, about fifty in all, lived at the shelter, but most would eat their dinner, slowly, and leave to return to the darkness. Some abused drugs and alcohol. Some were mentally ill. Volunteering at the shelter always made Theo stop and remember how lucky he was.

After everyone was served, Theo, his parents, and the other volunteers had a quick dinner in the kitchen. Some of the volunteers began washing dishes and storing the leftovers. The Boones drifted away. Mrs. Boone went to her little room to meet with clients. Mr. Boone set up shop in a corner and began reviewing Medicare forms for an elderly couple.

Theo was tutoring a fourth grader in math when his cell phone vibrated. It was Julio. Theo excused himself and stepped outside where he could talk. Julio explained that he had just talked to Bobby. He was hiding in an apple orchard far from town, in an old warehouse where other undoc.u.mented workers were living. The police had stopped by once, but the workers knew how to avoid them. He was in the process of arranging a ride back to Texas where he would recross the border and head home.

"Did you tell him he needs to stay and to testify tomorrow?" Theo asked, though he knew the answer.

"No, Theo, I did not. Bobby's gone."

Later, when they were home and Theo was getting ready for bed, he told his parents about the phone call.

His father said, "Well, tomorrow should be a very interesting day in court."

Theo replied, "I think I should be there." Though he was telling himself he had no interest in the trial and didn't care what happened, he couldn't deny the truth.

"And why is that?" his mother asked.

"Come on, Mom. Why can't you admit that you and Dad and every other lawyer in this town would love to be in court when Jack Hogan is forced to announce that his star witness has disappeared? Talk about high drama. Clifford Nance will go nuts and jump up and down demanding a mistrial. There'll be a big fight, everybody yelling, everybody shocked at what's happening. You know you would love to see that."

"I'm very busy tomorrow, Teddy, and so are you. You've missed enough school and-"

"I know, I know. But school is so boring. I'm thinking about dropping out."

"Might be a bit tough getting into law school if you don't finish middle school," his father observed wisely.

"Good night," Theo said, already headed for the stairs with Judge at his heels. He locked himself in his room, stretched out on his bed, and stared at the ceiling. There was only one thing left to do and he'd thought about it all afternoon. The idea was to send Bobby a text, a final, desperate plea to do what was right. He was convinced he could do it and not get caught. Bobby wouldn't tell anyone; in fact, Bobby was probably racing across the country now, stuffed in the back of a truck full of apples headed for Texas.

Or maybe he wasn't. Maybe he was still hiding, and his only means of contact was his cell phone.

Theo opened his laptop and wrote a message: Hi Bobby, Theo here. The trial is almost over. Tomorrow is very important. And we need you to be here. You will be safe and you will do a great job in court. Please come back. Your friend, Theo.

He pulled up a Spanish dictionary and began translating. Madame Monique always said that language learners make the mistake of trying to translate word for word, but at the moment, Theo had no choice. He tinkered with it for half an hour, certain it was full of little mistakes, then punched it into his cell phone. He hesitated, knowing he was doing something wrong, but sent it anyway.

After an hour of fidgeting and tossing, he finally fell asleep.

Chapter 21.

Theo awoke, well rested and ready for the day. In the shower, he thought about Bobby, but managed to dismiss all thoughts of the trial.

As he was getting dressed, he thought about Jack Hogan, but managed to dismiss all thoughts of the trial.

As he fixed two bowls of Cheerios, he thought about Pete Duffy, but managed to dismiss all thoughts of the trial.

As he was riding his bike to school, he crossed Main Street and saw the courthouse in the distance, but he managed to dismiss all thoughts of the trial.

As he was listening to Madame Monique talk about Spanish adjectives, he thought about his last text message to Bobby. Of course, there had been no response. But he managed to dismiss all thoughts of the trial.

As he was sitting in Geometry, and daydreaming about an upcoming camping trip, someone knocked on the door and it swung open. A grim-faced Mrs. Gladwell stepped into the room, ignored Miss Garman, looked straight at him, and said, "Theo, please come with me." His heart and lungs froze and his knees were weak as he headed for the door. Outside, waiting in the hallway, were Officers Bard and Sneed. Neither smiled, and Theo's hands and wrists froze, too, just waiting for the handcuffs.

Mrs. Gladwell said, "I just spoke with Judge Henry Gantry, and he would like to see you in his office, immediately. He's sent these two officers to drive you over to the courthouse."

Theo couldn't think, couldn't talk, couldn't do anything but stand there like a frightened little boy who really wanted his parents. "Sure," he finally managed to say. "What's going on?"

Oh, he knew. Somehow his two text messages to Bobby had been discovered, and he was about to be charged with witness tampering. Judge Gantry was furious. Clifford Nance was demanding an arrest. His life was over. He was headed for Juvenile Detention.

"Let's go," Bard said. They marched him down the hall like a man being led to the electric chair, or the gas chamber, or the firing squad. Theo was often amazed at how quickly gossip spread through Strattenburg Middle School, so he was not that surprised when several nosy teachers were standing in their open doorways, watching. In the front lobby, some seventh-grade students were arranging art on a bulletin board. They stopped and gawked at the prisoner as he was led away. A black-and-white police car, complete with logos and lights and antennas, was waiting at the curb.

Sneed said, "Just hop in the backseat."

Theo climbed in and sank low. He could barely see out the window as the car began to move, but he managed to glance back at the school. Dozens of students were standing at the windows, watching young Theodore Boone get hauled away to face the fury of the criminal justice system.

After a few minutes of total silence, Theo asked, "So what's up, guys?"

Bard, the driver, said, "Judge Gantry will explain everything."

"Can I call my parents?"

"Sure," Sneed said.

Theo instead called Ike, who answered. Theo said, "Hey, Dad, it's me, Theo. Look, I'm on my way to the courthouse to see Judge Gantry."

Ike said, "Okay, I'm outside the courtroom. There's a recess; the jury is still out. Nothing has happened in the courtroom but I suspect Jack Hogan finally had to admit that Bobby Escobar has disappeared. Things are pretty tense."

Tell me about it. "Well, I'll be there in a minute. Guess you'd better tell Mom."

"Will do."

They parked behind the courthouse and entered through a rear door. To avoid everyone, they took an old elevator to the second floor and hurried into the outer room of Judge Gantry's chambers. It was packed with lawyers-Jack Hogan and his gang and the entire defense team. Hogan and Clifford Nance were in one corner, whispering about something that was terribly important. Everyone stopped and stared at Theo as he followed the two policemen to the big door.

Inside, Judge Gantry was waiting, alone. He dismissed Bard and Sneed and said h.e.l.lo to Theo. He didn't seem particularly aggravated, just tense. He said, "Sorry to bother you like this, Theo, but something important has come up. It seems as though Bobby Escobar has disappeared. Do you know anything about it?"

At that point, Theo wasn't sure what was right and what was wrong, but he couldn't change what had been done. And, he trusted Judge Gantry. He said, "Yes, sir. His cousin Julio Pena called me around midnight Monday and said he'd just talked to Bobby, said he had left the motel and was hiding."

"So you've known about this since Monday night?"

"Yes, sir. I wasn't sure what to do. I'm just a kid, you know?"

"Did you tell your parents?"

"I told Ike yesterday morning and my parents yesterday afternoon. We were hoping they would find Bobby and everything would work out."

"Well, they haven't found him. Any idea where he is?"

"Last night he called Julio and told him he was hiding in an apple orchard somewhere around Weeksburg, said he was planning to go back to Texas and cross the border. Julio called me and told me this."

Judge Gantry removed his gla.s.ses and rubbed his eyes. He was sitting behind his ma.s.sive desk in shirt sleeves and a tie. Theo was sitting in a chair across from him, his feet barely touching the floor. He felt very small. "There's something else," he said, removing his cell phone. He found the two text messages to Bobby and handed the phone across the desk.

Judge Gantry read the texts and shrugged. "These are in Spanish. Did you write them?"

"I had help translating the first, but I wrote the second one."

"What does it say?"

"I just told Bobby that today is an important day, that he's needed here in court, that he'll do fine and he'll be safe. That's all. I wasn't trying to tamper with a witness. I promise."

Judge Gantry shrugged again and slid the phone back across the desk. "I'm impressed with your Spanish."

Theo grabbed the phone and felt his entire body relax. What, no handcuffs? No jail? No yelling at me for sending text messages to a crucial witness? He took a deep breath and managed to fully exhale. The knot in his stomach loosened a bit.

"Did he respond in any way?"

"No, sir."

"Have you talked to Julio this morning?"

"No, sir."

"Well, it looks like I'm staring at another mistrial. Jack Hogan described Bobby's testimony to the jury in his opening statement, and now the kid is gone. I can't believe the police allowed him to get away."

"Hard to believe," Theo said, but only because he couldn't think of anything else.

"You'd better hang around for a while, just in case he decides to call. Unless, of course, you want to go back to cla.s.s."

"I'll stay."