Hoot

On Monday, Curly reports to Muckle on the arrest of Dana and the loss of the construction vehicle seats. Muckle fumes but admits that since Dixon’s film schedule has moved up the groundbreaking ceremony will take place on Wednesday, and Curly does not have to prepare the lot after all.

Having seen one recently flying over the lot, Curly asks about the owls. Muckle says the burrows are abandoned. Curly worries that the nests might still be active. Muckle shouts, “There are no owls on that property and don’t you forget it” (214). He orders Curly to say they are some other type of bird.

Beatrice is gone when Roy wakes. At breakfast, his father reads aloud the newspaper report on Dana’s arrest. At school, the other students want Roy’s reaction, but he is evasive, knowing Dana might announce that Roy lured him to the trailer. Garrett says Dana was caught because he stepped in huge rat traps that broke his toes. Roy asks if Dana discussed what he was looking for. He says he wanted cigarettes, but the police do not believe him.

Roy does not see Beatrice anywhere. At lunch, he asks the soccer girls’ table.