Michael parked the Aston near the big roll-up door.
"This car is incredible!" Willy said as they got out. He placed his hand on a roof so low that even he could see over the top.
"You know what?" Michael said. "You're a bright young man. I'll bet someday you'll own one just like it."
Willy smiled. He thought that sounded just fine. "It's over here," he said, then walked over and pulled aside the sheet metal covering the secret entrance.
Michael checked the street then followed him inside.
– Pinstripes of dusty sunlight wrapped the high interior walls. The quiet was complete.
"I don't think anyone's here," Willy whispered, unnerved. The air was very warm, and as he tugged off his sweatshirt he saw that Aaron's BMX bike still leaned against the same wooden post where he had left it. He walked to it and draped his jacket over the seat.
There was a plain white van parked in the warehouse; they checked it, but it was empty.
They searched the rest of the main floor and then outside in the shipping yard and the boiler house, but Aaron was nowhere to be found. They went back inside and climbed the rough stairs to the cannery's second floor.
They checked the maintenance room, but it was empty.
They tried the office, and Michael found a soft drink cup with a ring of condensation around its bottom edge. He thumbed off the lid and saw a few small pieces of ice floating in the bottom.
"Someone was here," he said, "and not too long ago."
Willy looked at Michael with fear growing in his spectacled eyes. "Do you think they have Aaron?"
"I don't know. Probably."
"Do you think they'll come back?"
"Yes, Willy, they'll most certainly be back."
They left the cannery and agreed to meet again later in the day.
Michael dropped Willy off at his home and drove off in search of Aaron — hoping he might get lucky this time.