I ran to find Mr. Jenkins. I could not find him anywhere, but I did find Magdalena and she told me to go back to Mr. Cropps's room, and she'd find help. Five minutes later and a minute before I was ready to run out the door and find my mother myself, Izito came running into the room trailed by Shiela and Reid and Magdalena. Mr. Cropps tapped his story.
Izito said, much calmer than my racing heart could follow, "We can't jump to conclusions, but something does seem amiss. What did the man look like?"
Mr. Cropps gave a description that could only be Magdalena's dad. Only when Magdalena and I both looked at each other with our mouths open did Mr. Cropps tell that the man said he was Magdalena's dad.
"It is my dad," Magdalena said, "And he's a mean man, but I don't know why he would tell this lie."
"Is he the meanest man in the world?" asked Shiela.
"How did you know that's what we call him?" I asked.
"Lacey told me, but never mind. What would he want with Candi?"
"Needed her?" asked Reid. " Needed quick?"
"Yes," said Shiela. "He needed Candi, a medical person, quick. Why?"
"Someone hurt?" wondered Izito. "Someone hurt who cannot go to the hospital or a doctor. Something criminal? Or, someone hiding? Or missing? Missing teenagers?"
"Pregnant teenager?" tapped Mr. Cropps. He was an expert at drawing conclusions. I was thunderstruck at his perceptive skills, though I could not quite follow the train of thought being spoken out loud. Why were we talking about Sienna and Damien, and what did Magdalena's dad have to do with them?
"Thought they were in Texas," said Reid about the teenagers.
"Not anymore," said Izito, "Matty thinks he found them, and he's headed out there. He just called."
"Magdalena, your dad's been in Texas, remember the receipts?" I asked. I was making connections that were not quite solid yet.
Magdalena nodded, "Yes, Texas." I believe she was beginning to connect the dots too.
Izito said to Shiela, "Call Matty back and warn him. I'm calling the sheriff. Let's go too. Girls, you head on home. We'll stop on the way back and update you."
Magdalena and I went to get our bikes. We headed home and since we were in a hurry, we decided to take a shortcut. We didn't usually take Wards Gap Road because it was curvy and dangerous for a kid on a bike, but we were anxious to get home. We were hoping by the time we got home, my mom would be there, safe and sound.