Weak

Chapter Eleven

It's a little after one o'clock in the morning now. We've been on the road for about fifteen hours. The estimated arrival time on the GPS is now 10 minutes. We're almost there. I say in my mind. We turn down Peartree Street and go all the way down. The houses here look relatively new. I guess the place has really developed since Murv was last around. Next we drive down Cedar Street. 4 minutes. Right turn on Sycamore. On the left side of the street the addresses increase starting with 7551. This must be a long street.

“We're getting close.” Mom says from the back seat. Leslie is in the passenger seat sleeping with her head resting on the window.

“Yeah I know.” 9965 Sycamore Street- less than one minute. “Can you look out for the address?”

“Sure thing.” I slow down a bit. “Wait, Chase, that's the house right there!”

I turn to my right and see a huge modern house. There are windows windows everywhere, it looks like the top floor is entirely made of glass. This cannot be Murv's old house. I say to myself.

“I don't think this is right.” I say pulling the car on the curb in front of the house and turning off the engine.

“This is the address, Chase. Where's the key?” I think for a moment. He never gave me a key.

“Chase, you do have the key right? Please tell me we didn't come all this way without a key!”

“He never gave me one! Maybe we don't need one.”

“So how else would we get inside, Chase?”

“I don't know...break a window?”

“Oh my goodness. For all we know someone could live here. Whose house did he say this was for?”

“He said it was his.”

“He has a house all the way out here. Why?”

“He owned it before he moved to Colorado. There's a story but I don't feel like telling it.”

“Chase this home could have been foreclosed and sold many times since he's been away!”

“There's a reason he sent us here, Mom.”

“Okay, so what do you suggest we do. You can't go break a window! If someone lives there you'll only go to jail.”

“I'll go ring the doorbell.” I take off my seat belt.

“Chase, you can't just go ringing doorbells at one in the morning.”

“It's worth a try. I get out of the car and walk toward the door. “Stay with Leslie.” I look back at Mom. She's giving me a slightly angry look.

I go up to the door. It's painted a bright orange color. I ring the doorbell. I'm unsure as to who's going to open the door; but I'm hoping that it's someone with answers. I'd feel very bad to have made a blank trip. There's a rustling at the door and the huge peep hole glides open.

“What do you want?” A voice comes from behind the door.

“Um,” I don't know what to say.

“Um? You came knocking at my door and all you can say is 'um'?” He says.

“I was given this address. Someone wanted me to come here.” My palms are getting kind of sweaty. He sounds like a big guy. I don't think he's too happy to have been awakened in the middle of the night.

“Someone gave you this address?”

“Yes. 9991 Sycamore, right?”

“Who gave you this address?”