The Kid On The Bike - 12. Chapter 12

They may have been good ideas, but they didn’t lead to anything. Rob found nothing online that connected Henry Chang to Waldron. Ike’s daughter Sienna never heard of him and said her friends didn’t know who he was, either. She wasn’t even interested enough to ask her dad, “Why?” when he mentioned it at dinner. Worst, Liz told Elena that before she started to investigate, Henry Chang was pretty well invisible, “Like maybe three-quarters of our students. We know generally who they are and recognize them as we see them every day. But until one stands out – in any way – they’re not distinct.”

“Exactly how Henry Chang seems to want it,” Elena reported back.

“Which couldn’t be a better cover to sell drugs,” Owen gently pointed out.

“You can’t let that go?” Elena lightly resisted.

“I’d love to,” he replied. “But you know we can’t.” He sighed. “So you’d better go see the boy again – if only to tell him that no one knows who this girl or boy is or, for that matter, who he is. And if he wants things to stay that way, he’s got to give us more – at least, the kids’ names.”

“And if he won’t? What do we do then? Threaten to call his parents?”

“Do we even know who they are? And where?”

“New York, I assume. And the school must have contact information – his father brought him here to enroll.”

“But it seems he just listed the Scotts’ address and phone number – like he wanted to make his family seem local. Isn’t that what Maureen discovered?”

Elena considered. “You don’t think his parents are drug dealers. And they sent him here to set up their business.”

“He’s fifteen – that doesn’t make sense. Especially as hard as he seems to be working in restaurants.” Owen seemed to think about that. “Though fifteen-year-olds aren’t what we were at that age – and you and I are only a dozen years apart.”

“I think they’re more like us than different,” Elena offered. “And one could be a fifteen-year-old drug dealer. But I don’t think it’s Henry.”

“I hope you’re right,” Owen admitted. “I’m getting to like the kid even though I’ve barely noticed him in Theo’s. And if it helps any, I’ll go out to the Scotts’ and tell him that myself – that we want to believe him. But he’s got to help.”

“I’d rather try again,” Elena said.

“You don’t want Don along? After all, the kid’s young.”

“Ervin Scott should be there – I’ll make sure of that. And even though Henry Chang won’t want to talk in front of her...”

“Because he doesn’t want to lie in front of her? He wants her to like him – continue liking him?”

Elena shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Owen seemed to consider. Then he asked, “Are you going tonight?”

“Yes. Just after he gets back from work.”

“Let him eat first,” Owen suggested, grinning. “He may be happier.”

“I think he eats at work.”

Owen laughed. “Then you know best.”

“Thanks.”

Elena got to the Scotts’ just before eight. She’d called ahead to make sure Ervin Scott knew she was coming and asked when Henry Chang usually got home.

“I really don’t keep track of his schedule,” Ervin Scott said. “But I know he doesn’t like riding at night, and it’s dark by eight.”

Henry was waiting when Elena arrived, though, predictably, he first tried to dodge her questions. “Is it my fault you can’t find out what you want?” he asked.

“It could be,” she answered smiling. “If you’re smart enough.” Even Pop-Pop laughed at that. He was standing in the entry with his mother.

“Oh, yeah,” Henry Chang replied. “I’m some great criminal mastermind.” He twisted his face into a snarl and waved his fingers to scare Pop-Pop. Pop-Pop just grinned, as did Ervin Scott and Elena.

“Come on,” Henry Chang told her. Then he turned to Ervin Scott. “I’ll be back in five minutes. If I’m not, call the police.”

At least he’s in a good mood, Elena thought. Though that didn’t make him help any more once they got outside. “If you can just tell me the girl and boy’s names,” she began, “you can hold me to five minutes.”

“No way,” he replied. “If I learned anything from The Crucible, and witch hunts, and Joseph McCarthy, it’s that you don’t tell on friends – or even on people you don’t like – not if it could hurt them. And I’m not saying it could. But you’re not getting their names.”

“The problem with that,” Elena reasoned, “and I’m just telling you what my boss – the police chief – said he’d tell you himself – is you haven’t done anything to show you’re not lying.”

“Why won’t you just believe me?”

“Would you?”

Henry Chang seemed to think about that. Then he asked, “Do you know how much you’re messing up my life?”

Elena considered. “How? We’re trying to help.”

“That’s what you keep saying. But if you meant it, you’d just go away.”

“And let you sell drugs?”

“I’m not selling drugs!” he yelled. Then he looked at the house to see who’d heard.

Elena hesitated. “Again,” she continued quietly, “the problem is we can’t believe you without proof. And if you'd give us the slightest reason...”

“So now I’m supposed to be helping you?” He almost laughed. “You need to keep your stories straight. Then maybe I’ll believe you.” And he started towards the house.

Elena was unsure where to go. But she knew she hadn’t meant to get him angry. Then, just as Henry Chang was about to go in the door, he turned back – it seemed to bargain.

“Look,” he offered, “if I tell you how much you’re gonna mess up my life, will you believe me without my giving you names?”

Elena quickly nodded and joined him on the porch. Closer, she realized the boy was shaking. And it wasn’t just because she had on a jacket, and he was only wearing a shirt.

“Let’s go inside,” he said. “I can work it so Mrs. Scott doesn’t hear.”

Elena again followed him, and he went off to find Ervin Scott. Five minutes later, he came back with two mugs of what turned out to be tea, and Elena tailed him into a clearly well-insulated side porch set up like a beauty parlor.

“Want your hair curled?” he asked. “She cuts mine for free – or maybe as part of my rent.”

He seemed to be trying to relax, but Elena wasn’t sure if it was to set up more lying. He pointed towards one of the shop chairs and turned it to face him. Then he turned the next one and sat in it sipping his tea.

“The way you could hurt me most,” he began, “is getting me kicked out of school. Then I’d go back to New York.”

“To your parents?” Elena risked.

He nodded. So at least she confirmed where they lived.

“I don’t wanna go home – not to live. Visits are fine, and my parents love me – a little at a time – when I don’t get in their way. But we found this place while we were looking at prep schools – the winter version of camp.” He smiled. “I’ve been going to those since I was four – along with day care and pre-school.”

“Did you have a nanny?” Elena lightly replied.

“I’m sure she was hired before I was born.” This time, he grinned.

“At least, you weren’t adopted.”

“Were you?” he shot.

“No.”

“Then why bring it up?”

Elena shrugged. “Just keeping you relaxed.”

He considered, then grinned again. “No – I’m absolutely my parents’ kid – just as independent and self-centered as they are.”

He stopped and sipped his tea again, not seeming uncomfortable that he was talking.

“Anyway, we were looking at prep schools,” he went on. “And the more I saw of them, the more I realized they were all gonna suck – at least, for what I needed.” He paused then explained. “In New York, I could do anything I wanted – as long as I turned up when my parents wanted pretty family pictures. And that worked till I was twelve or thirteen.”

“When you started getting in trouble?”

He laughed. “I’m not that stupid. But that’s when they started to worry.”

“About what?”

“Teenage boys – everything they thought they’d be. They read a lot.”

“What happened?”

He sighed. “Well, so much of what they know they from research – online and magazines and books. From the ‘experts.’ They’d never think of asking me ‘cause I’m just the kid. They also asked their friends.”

“You seem to know your parents well.”

“Because I watch. Not to fit in – because I already do. And not ‘cause I want them to love me, because they do that as much as they can. With anyone, including each other.”

“Is that your therapist talking,” Elena asked smiling.

“I’ve never been to one,” Henry Chang rebuked. Then he grinned. “It’s been offered. But like drugs, it’s not something I need.”

“Have they been to therapy?”

“They don’t have time – and it’s not something they need, either.”

Elena wanted to ask, “What are they so busy with?” It was obvious the family had money. But she knew that in New York, there were thousands of ways to earn that.

“Anyway, we were looking at prep schools,” Henry Chang backtracked. “And with every one, I saw what I was going to lose. Till then, I’d always been on my own. And I made good decisions because I learned to from watching my parents. I listened to them – whether they were talking to me, or to each other, or with friends – to company at dinner. I was always there, and everyone would compliment them on ‘how well Henry is behaved’ – and ‘how mature he is’ – and how ‘he knows not to interrupt.’ But I kept doing that so I could be there. And I was gonna lose all that by being locked up in some prep school.”

“They’re not all that rigid.”

“I know just what they are. Because while my parents were talking with admissions counselors – and teachers – and sometimes heads of schools – I was listening to the kids. And all the freedoms they had were from sneaking around. Half the time, they were sent to these places as a way to get into good colleges – because their parents were afraid they couldn’t do it alone. And the other half, they were just stupid so needed the help. Or they were already getting in trouble, and their parents wanted them out of the way.”

“Not like you?”

“No. I was going to prep school because the experts and my parents’ friends thought it was a good idea.”

“Then how did you end up here?”

He laughed. “We were passing through. We’d just been to Northfield-Mount Hermon and were having lunch. And while my parents were busy with their phones, I wandered onto Main Street. And just walking, I realized how perfect this place was – at least, for me. I mean, you know it’s not perfect, and it’s pretty boring after New York. But I just wanted to live here. So I went back to the restaurant, and got my parents’ attention, and then convinced them to take me seriously. That’s pretty easy because I never really ask for anything. I don’t need to ‘cause I know it’ll be there. And I said, ‘Look, I don’t want to go to a fancy prep school. And I don’t want to go to another one in New York. I just wanna go to an ordinary high school and live in a place like this. So give me one year to show you that I won’t mess up – because no one pays attention to ninth grade, and I can always fix what I accidentally wreck by going to a really good school for the next three years. Besides, you know I’ll get into a decent college. I may not as bright as you are – separately or together – and I’d rather go to someplace plain like UMass – which is only like ten miles from here. But I’ll probably get trapped somewhere like Amherst.’” He grinned. “Yeah, I know – privilege out my ears. But I’m just not worried about my life, and...”

And he stopped.

“And ‘what?’ Elena finally had to ask.

Henry Chang looked embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to say all that. I got pretty far off.”

Elena smiled. “Anyway, I guess your parents agreed.”

Henry Chang nodded. “Yeah, they laughed at my little speech, but, as I said, they trust me. Then we lucked out and ran into Mrs. Scott while we were asking directions.”

“She told me.”

He laughed. “She would. She tells everyone the most personal things.” He laughed again. “Just like Pop-Pop. I love Pop-Pop. Mrs. Scott’s great, and she’ll do anything for me – even when I don’t need anything done. But Pop-Pop always makes me smile.”

“I’ve seen how you are with him.”

“How could anyone not be?”

Elena hesitated. “That’s kind of when I knew you weren’t lying.”

Henry Chang looked at her, seeming confused. “Then if you believe me...”

Elena interrupted. “Well, I couldn’t take Pop-Pop to the station and say, ‘The boy likes him. The boy’s good with him. How can the boy be lying?’” She hesitated. “And to be honest, I can’t really believe you – not completely. Lousy people can be good to one person – to someone who can’t hurt them – and still be rotten to everyone else.”

“I’m not like that.”

“I’m convinced... almost.”

Henry Chang seemed to absorb that then asked. “What will you do now?”

Elena thought. “I told you – I still have this problem. You haven’t told me one thing I can prove – not to my boss or even to myself. You tell a very nice story. But it’s a little too ‘poor rich kid’ to believe.”

“You know what’s gonna happen? As soon as you talk with my parents? It’s home to New York then off to Northfield.”

Elena considered. “Is there anyone else who can back up what you say?”

Henry Chang shook his head. “No one who won’t tell my parents – and how could they not? ‘Hey, the police just called me about Henry ‘cause he didn’t want them phoning you.’”

Elena smiled. “I see your point.”

Henry Chang didn’t smile. “But I don’t see yours.”

Elena again explained. “It’s all about the rumor – why did it start? If you’ve honestly never used drugs – and I’m not even asking if you just gave them away...”

“Free samples? Are you’re nuts?”

Elena waited.

“Drugs mean losing control,” he insisted. “My parents... my family... we’re all about control. Staying calm and using your brain.”

“Like you’re doing now?”

“You’ve got me all wrong.”

“Then how did the rumor start?”

“I don’t know.” He suddenly seemed helpless and a little depressed.

“You’ve got to,” Elena gently went on. “Did you do something? Or say something to someone?”

“Screw it,” he told her quietly. “You’ve just totally messed me up.” And he looked around for something, then pulled a pad and pen off a side counter and wrote down what turned out to be numbers. “My father at work. My mother at work. My father’s cell. My mother’s. Our home phone. Our New York address. Don’t try their cell phones first. They won’t answer, and then you’ll get blocked as spam. I’ll tell them you’re going to call, and I’ll start packing.”

He stood, picked up his mug of tea, and was reaching for hers when Elena said, “Wait.”

“You’re not finished with me? You need me naked on a rack?” He’d gone back to being borderline rude.

“I mean, wait before you call your parents,” Elena continued calmly. “Let me talk with my boss first – and some other people at work.”

She looked at the note pad more carefully. “You didn’t give me your parents’ names.”

Henry took the paper back and immediately listed his mother and father. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to leave them out. I thought you already knew.” He managed to grin though combined it with a sigh. “They’re not part of the witch hunt.”

Elena laughed at that and repeated, “Let me see what I can do.”

He just looked at her. “And now, I’m supposed to trust you.”