He made his way back to the park where he’d spent the day. There he used the Swiss Army knife to open a few cans and have his belated dinner. Then wary of muggers he retreated into the trees and holed up for the rest of the night.
In the morning Alan rented a storage locker to which he consigned his soccer ball, winter apparel, one of his blankets and a few other odds and ends. Then he waited on pins and needles for eleven o’clock to finally roll around. The second it did he dialed the girls’ house.
The phone was picked up on the first ring.
“Hello, Alan.”
“How did you know it was me?” He recognized Shanna’s voice. It was slightly higher pitched than Sara’s, and had a coy, almost seductive tone to it this morning.
“We told you to call at eleven. And you’re very obedient, aren’t you, A
