Summary

In Chapter 16, Joe buys Jeremy a cell phone and teaches him how to use it for emergencies. When their mother finally arrives late in the afternoon, Joe yells at her for leaving Jeremy alone. When Larry tries to poke him, Joe takes the man to his knees and tells him never to touch his brother again. Joe's mother complains that Jeremy is 18 and she only left for a couple days, but he reminds her that Jeremy will never really be an adult and warns her that they could be evicted. Though he ignores her quip about how he abandoned Jeremy, Joe is bothered by the sadness in his brother's eyes as he leaves.

In Chapter 17, Lila wakes Joe from a nightmare the following morning to announce that she has finished reading Crystal's diary. Fifteen entries mention her neighbor, Creepy Carl, watching her from...