PROLOGUE Zach didn’t cry He wanted to but he willed his eyes to hold back the tears His mom however let them go She had been crying daily for almost a year it seemed and today was no exception Zach’s dad even managed to shed a tear or two This was only the second time in his life Zach had seen him cry The other was when the policemen called Zach’s house to tell his family that the search had been suspended The church was packed Friends relatives and even some of Zach’s teachers had come He sat in the front pew next to his parents staring at the photograph of his little brother Chris above the pile of flowers Chris’s pale green eyes seemed even bigger through his thick glasses a year after his disappearance The pastor spoke of Chris’s kind heart and intelligence But Zach didn’t listen He just sat staring into his brother’s eyes his mother sobbing in his ear
PART 1
CHAPTER 1 Zach knew what he wanted One more ace Just one more and he would have a full house I need two he said looking up at Logan who was dealing the cards Leaning over the back of the bus seat Logan handed him two cards Zach grabbed them from his best friend his round dark eyes never leaving his own set He strategically placed the two new cards in his hand The back of the bus was bumpy and nearly everyone had dropped his cards at least once Everyone except Zach He was not about to reveal his hand before it was winning time Logan Mitch and Adam drew their cards Whatcha got Logan asked to no one in particular Mitch and Adam glanced at Zach You first Zach said still staring at his own cards But don’t put em on the seat again They’ll slide off Adam flipped his long black hair out of his eyes He showed his cards first holding them firmly in both hands Beats mine Mitch said his thin Hmong eyes showing his disappointment Crappy pair of fours Mitch flipped his cards revealing the weak hand Zach looked up at Logan who had slumped down a bit his cards hidden behind the tall seat Slowly the cards rose above the top of the slick vinyl Logan flipped them over slowly Three tens Zach slumped back in defeat Crap he said staring at the towering green pine trees whizzing by Logan grinned They had played six games of poker on the bus ride and Zach had won every one of them As Logan reached down to grab his winnings of candy bars and
Jolly Ranchers that had nestled up against the crease of the bus seat Zach grabbed his hand Hold on just a second he said You had three tens right Logan nodded but said nothing I must have forgotten the rules for a second because a full house beats three of a kind doesn’t it Zach flipped over his cards to reveal three eights and two aces Suckers I’ll take these thank you very much Zach grabbed the candy and threw it on the pile he had already accumulated in his backpack I believe that makes seven consecutive wins doesn’t it Zach hopped off his seat giving high-fives to two giggling girls across the aisle He didn’t stand as tall as Logan but he wasn’t short either He had a long narrow mouth which allowed him his famous Zach smile His light freckles surrounding his rounded nose gave him a look of innocence and youth The girls loved Zach’s freckles Logan rolled his eyes a slight grin on his face All right I’m done said Logan But you haven’t even seen my victory dance yet Zach said trying to stay balanced as he swayed his hips back and forth in the bus aisle Logan laughed Zach Sutton sit down Mrs Lomeier yelled from the front of the bus Whatever you say Mrs Lomeier Zach called back When she turned her back to him he laughed softly While dancing in the aisle the jerkiness of the bus tossed him into other groups of kids knocking his Twins baseball cap off of his head He bent over picked up his hat and smoothed out the
