Sing Today Die Tomorrow

Chapter Nineteen

Ms. Wentworth walked into Melody Bistro and Shantel and Ryan followed her to a blue sedan.

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Ryan worked on English prepositions at his desk in his room, thinking about Alex.

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Chase limped into Science Lab and sat down with a plop. Mrs. Mendoza left her desk, walking out of the room with a stack of papers.

"The manager of Pivot Pinks works with the manager of Fhur Room at Galapos Casino. He sent me a mimlock," said Ryan. "He keeps sending it and I almost died in an elevator crash."

Chase stared into Ryan's eyes. "Look, I read you on Monday. I know you sing at your dad's and the elevator fell. Did you get put in a phylum?"

"Ergbear," said Ryan.

"You must sing good. I'm glad you're alright."

"Thanks. I don't see the snirver on you anymore. Did you get rid of it?"

"Yeah, with my mom," said Chase.

"That's good."

"You have to work hard to sing Hard Rock. Then you can get rid of your own mimlock."

"I know. I should just audition now and do the ritual instead," said Ryan.

"Why don't you?"

"I don't think I'll banish anything."

"How does the manager of Fhur Room know you?"

"He used to manage Dar Tenian and my dad knows him."

Chase dropped his jaw. "Can you come to my house around four?"

"Why?"

"You need to see something."

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Mr. Ross parked at a gray house on Brickett Street and waited in the car. Ryan walked up the empty driveway.

Chase checked through the blinds at the front window and opened the door.

"My mom's at the mall and my dad's at the station," said Chase. "You need to read something I found in his desk."

Chase limped through the living room and went into a den. He maneuvered the bottom of a desk drawer and pulled it open with a bang. Then he grabbed a thin stack of stapled pages out and handed it to Ryan.

"My dad works in the records department."

Ryan read it:

On October 31st, police responded to a domestic disturbance at 19 Lowery Road in Aurora around ten pm. Neighbor, Ken Pines at 21 Lowery Road complained of loud, banging sounds nextdoor.

Police knocked at 19 Lowery Road with no response and heard loud, thumping coming from the locked shed in the backyard.

Police broke the lock and found fourteen, year-old, Ryan Terry inside, clenching a blanket around him on the floor. He was banging on the door with his boot. His parents reported him missing on October 16th.

Police arrested Ted Boyle for child abduction and kidnapping. He was wearing a skeleton mask and a black cape at the time of the arrest.

Police found copied lists of student names and addresses in a bedroom drawer he allegedly stole from Harvey Middle School on October 11th.

Boyle used a red pen and circled all the males who attended Harvey Middle School with Ryan as their first name. Ryan Ross, thirteen and Ryan McCormick, twelve were also circled.