26
My mom was still at work when Halli got home. She quickly chopped up some vegetables, got a stew started, then went into my room to get to work.
There was a message on my laptop from Professor Whitfield. Halli returned the call.
“Any sign of her yet?” he asked.
“None,” she said.
The professor looked bad. Like he hadn’t been sleeping very well. His beard looked a little too wild and bushy. His hair wasn’t much neater.
Albert stuck his face in front of the screen. “Hi, Halli. How are those worksheets working out?”
“Great,” she said. “Keep sending them. I really appreciate it.”
Albert retreated again, leaving just the professor in front of Halli. He rubbed his eyes. He really looked tired.
“I’ve been doing some calculations,” he said. “Everything I can think of. I reviewed all the
