Last Man Out

After the game, Tommy hosts teammates Greck and Mike at his house, and they play with the game ball that Coach Fisher awarded to Tommy. His mother asks him to babysit his sister while she takes a walk. She gives the boys permission to go outside but tells them to stay in the neighborhood, wear their gear while skateboarding, and check on Emily.

Mike suggests skateboarding on Danforth Street, a steep dead-end nearby. Tommy checks on Emily before they leave, and she dismissively says that she’ll “try not to miss [him] too much” (134). At Danforth, Tommy falls on his first run but is protected by his gear and improves with each try. When they return home, Tommy calls for Emily but gets no answer. Greck checks her room and reports that she’s gone.

Tommy calls his mother, who rushes home. As guilt builds, he waits outside with Greck and Mike. His mother arrives and uses their family Apple ID to track Emily’s phone, but it only shows its last location as their house. She calls Emily’s friends, but none of them have seen her.

Tommy sees that Emily’s bike is missing from the garage. His mother is about to call the police when Brendan calls and tells them that Emily is safe at the firehouse.