"My parents' last names are different."
"Really? Did you find out where he lives?" Joanie asked.
"Yes."
"Where?"
"In Granville."
"Is he the only one?" Joanie asked.
"No, they gave me several addresses. We'll go tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? It's best we go Saturday since we can go out all day and no one will worry. I'm not sure about tomorrow."
"I'm going tomorrow and you don't have to go with me."
"Tell you what, we both have lunch at the same time, we'll meet by the doors and I'll tell you if I'm going or not."
"Fine." Deena left happily as Joanie went upstairs.
The next day 12:00pm—
They met in the cafeteria and Joanie decided to go. They walked to the bus stop and waited for the bus.
"I'm so ready."
"I am too," Joanie said nervously then continued. "You do realize we will have to tell them where we went and that if they call the police we will have to tell the truth."
"It'll be fine. When we come back it will be dinner time."
"Make sure you have enough money."
"Relax will you." Deena was excited as they rode to the northern side of Milwaukee.
Each time they got off the bus, Joanie took a bus schedule with her, and circled the stop where the bus arrived to memorize the surroundings.
"Will you stop?"
"I'm just planning ahead when we get home."
2pm at the Cunninghams—
Marion picked up the phone since it rang, and Richie walked in.
"Hello. Yes, Jenny? What, she didn't? No, I've been home all day and I didn't hear her. Richie is going to check upstairs." Putting her hand over the receiver, she asked, "Richie, can you go look for your sister upstairs, please?"
Richie went to check upstairs then when he came down he shook his head. Marion continued, "Did you see her in school today? You didn't see her after 12, do you normally see her after 12? And she wasn't at cheerleading practice, oh dear, thanks for letting me know, bye." Marion hung up worriedly then Richie went to the phone.
"I need to speak to Howard, please. Dad? Joanie didn't go to cheerleading practice and no one has seen her since noon today. I'm going to find Fonzie, Potsie, and Ralph and see if we can find her and I'll let you know if we are able to." Richie hung up the phone then left.
"Oh." Marion whined.
2:30pm at Granville—
It took them longer to get there because of an accident on the highway but they went to a diner to get a drink then walked over to Ward Hildebrand's home. Deena was very excited to meet her dad and Joanie was happy for her but nervous with the trouble they both would get into when they got home.
They knocked on the door but there was no answer. They sat on the porch and waited and talked.
"I think he's working, Deena. We will be waiting for awhile. My dad gets off work at 5."
"If you want to go home, go ahead-."
"No. But if he doesn't come home by 6, we have to go home, I'm not staying here all night."
"Okay. We leave at 6."
Joanie looked through the bus schedules. "No, we have to leave no later than 6:15 because the last bus for this area is at 6:30."
"Okay."
Joanie thought to herself Got a bad feeling about this.
3pm at the Cunningham home—
Howard came home early since he had already called the police because he couldn't wait. After he got home he went upstairs to change into his casual clothes and he said to himself, "Please don't let anything happen to my baby." He stifled his tears away then calmed down and went downstairs and talked to Marion.
"I called all her friends and the boys are still out and I don't know where she is." Marion sat on the couch.
"She didn't even go to cheerleading practice!" The doorbell rang, and Howard went to get it. A police officer was there responding to his call. After a few minutes he finished the report, and said, "Seems like we have two girls missing."
"What?" Howard and Marion said at the same time.
"Do you know this girl?" He showed them a picture.
"Yes. She came over a few days ago to see Joanie." Howard asked.
"What was her name?" the officer asked.
"It was Deena, we never knew her last name," Marion said.
"Her name is Deena Collins," the officer replied.
After the report is made, the officer stayed and made phone calls. He would remain until Joanie was home safe. The city of Milwaukee was looking for Joanie Cunningham and Deena Collins.
3:45pm at Granville—
"Let's go to the burger joint that is a few blocks down. I'm hungry and I have to go to the bathroom," Joanie said.
"Go. I'll wait for you," Deena said.
"Okay. But don't go anywhere." Joanie put her books on the bench and left for the burger joint.
"I won't." Deena then got up, took her and Joanie's books then continued, "Joanie, wait. I'll go with you."
"Okay."
She wondered if Joanie was right, maybe it wasn't a good idea, since it seemed like it was getting late even though it wasn't 4pm yet.
4pm at the Cunninghams—
"I can't take this, Howard." Howard sat on the couch, and put his arm around Marion. "I know, sweetheart." Howard was also very worried and they both wondered if Joanie and Deena were together.
"I just don't get what made Joanie just leave after lunch," Marion said. The phone rang, Howard jumped up, walked over to the counter, and picked it up.
"Hello. Oh, hi Richard. Yeah, I decided I couldn't wait and called the police. You couldn't find her? Okay. See you then." Howard hung up.
Howard sat back down, put his hand on her hand, and patted it.
"I'm so scared, Howard. What if someone has her and he is mad at you?"
"Marion, I don't know anyone who has a vendetta against me and I don't think they would be that smart to go after her."
The door opened, they quickly turned to see Richie, Potise, and Ralph walk in then Fonzie came through the kitchen door.
"Sorry, Mom, Dad." Richie sat on the couch next to Marion while Ralph and Potsie sat on the chairs and Fonzie leaned on the counter as he faced Ralph and Potsie's back. They were very quiet.
"You tried, Richard."
"I want my baby, home." Marion sniffled a few times.
"I know. I know."
The phone rang.
"I got it," Potsie picked up the phone.
"Well?" Marion and Howard looked at him and Fonzie sat in Howard's chair that faced the front door.