I peeled myself off of Bones and of course he had to comment. “Phewph!! Lump, you’re thicker than I thought.” I started across the Kratzers’ front lawn doing my best Marine crawl along the ground. I looked back and Bones wasn’t there . . . because he was walking alongside of me.

“What are you doing, Bones??” I went into panic mode because I thought for sure the six-foot Bones would be spotted. “Get down, get down!” He crouched down and got on his belly next to me.

“Lump, I thought walking would be much easier. Besides, I didn’t want Gina to have to do my laundry again.” What a complete fluffoon (that’s just the next level up from a buffoon).

The bushes in front of the Kratzers’ were blocking the Suits’ view of our trail across the lawn, but we had to get up to the front porch quick before they found us. I went up the stairs on the side of the big front porch to get cover from the furniture and potted plants on it. Bones was right behind me.

As soon as Bones hit the stairs, the Suits had made it to the front area of the Kratzers’ yard. We could hear them whispering loudly in Chinese. Their flashlights were going everywhere now, looking frantically in the Kratzers’ bushes and sweeping across the front lawn.

If Bones didn’t make it up the stairs fast enough, they’d see him for sure. He needed a diversion.

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