Father Knows Best (A Parker Brothers Mystery) continues
FATHER KNOWS BEST
PART ONE (continued)
“Good game.”
Allen looked over his shoulder to see Sarah Jones leaning against the chain link fence separating the field from the stands. Buried inside an oversized hooded sweatshirt, she looked cold, her normally pale cheeks were a rosy red to match her hair. Allen crossed over to her and slipped off his stadium jacket and slid it over her shoulders. It nearly swallowed her whole.
“Are you kidding me?” he replied. “You did notice the scoreboard, right? We lost.”
“Winning? Losing? None of that matters. It’s how you play you play the game, Allen Parker. And you left it all on the field tonight.” Sarah leaned across the field and gave him a peck on the cheek. “You should be proud.”
“Well, I’m not feeling it.” Allen kicked at the loose gravel on the track surrounding the football field. “That one hurt, Sarah. I was so close.”
“That’s not it. You’re not bummed because you didn’t score the winning touchdown. You’re bummed because your pops wasn’t here to punch you in the arm and say you did good.” Sarah slugged him, hard. “But I am,” she added with a smile.
Allen smiled back and took her hand, the two of them walking off together. “Thanks, I needed that.”
“My pleasure,” she said with a wink. “Now, why don’t you hit the showers, then we can make a run into town and grab some hot cocoa at Cain’s.”
“Sounds good. Who knows, maybe after we could…”
“Yo, Parker!” Coach Tuttle cut him short, waving from the team office. “Phone!”
“Thanks, Coach.” Allen trotted through the gate and over to the office entrance where Tuttle thrust the receiver into his hands. ”Allen Parker here.”
Someone was on the line, but heavy static kept cutting in and out making it hard to hear.
“Hello?”
“… get over… need… nors… Allen… hurt…”
“Dale? Is that you?”
“…nasty… apparition… dad’s in… g trouble… g… here fast…”
“Dale, are you there?”
“… … … …”
“Dale!”
“Allen, what is it?” Sarah asked, running up beside him.
“It’s dad and my brother,” Allen replied, a worried look on his face. “They’re in trouble.”
***
Continued next week
