Someone Knows Something

by Christa Weisman

Caleb threw a can in Ethan’s direction, only to have it tossed back to him. “No, thanks,” Ethan said dryly. He stood back against the railing, facing his one-time friends sitting on the bench two rows up.

  “Come on, Deadman. Lighten up.” Caleb popped the top of his beer and guzzled back a drink.

  “Fuck off, Caleb.”

  Caleb lifted a brow. “So that’s how it’s gonna be. You’re done with us now?”

  “I should have been done with you a long time ago,” Ethan smarted back. “I listened to J.R. instead of my own instinct.”

  Caleb huffed and took another drink, wiping the booze from his lip with the back of his hand.

  “This isn’t helping,” J.R. said, assessing the situation. He needed his friends on the same page. They were a team. “We messed up, Ethan. Big time. Caleb had some X and—”

  “I don’t want to hear your excuses!” Ethan yelled, his voice echoing through the stands. “Jesus, J.R. When are you going to start thinking for yourself? When are you going to realize that Caleb is fucked in the head?”

  Caleb threw Ethan a look of warning. “Watch it, Deadman.”

  “Stop calling me that,” Ethan spat back. He leaned forward, one knee on the bench in front of them. “I’m not afraid of you, Caleb. You think you’re big and tough, but let me tell you something: I think you’re weak. Just sad and pathetic. Someone who likes to hurt other people to make themselves feel less small.”

  Caleb jumped to his feet, but J.R. grabbed ahold of him and held him back.

  “What did she do to you, Caleb? Huh?” Ethan pushed. “Was it because she rejected you? You ruined her life, you sick fuck. And you act like you don’t care. Probably wasn’t even your first time.”

  Caleb growled loudly as he thrashed from J.R.’s hold. “I’ll fucking kill you, Ethan!”

  “Go ahead, asshole,” Ethan taunted. “Beats going to jail. Which is exactly what’s going to happen to us.”

  Caleb roared with laughter, startling J.R. “You are always so fucking scared! You have always been a pansy-ass, Ethan, following all the rules, making it so no one else can have fun.” He threw his hands in the air. “No one is going to jail!”

  “You don’t know that, Caleb.” J.R. shook his head, letting go of Caleb’s shoulders and sitting back down on the bench.

  “Don’t let him get in your head,” Caleb said with a roll of the eye. “You don’t know if she said anything. Chief Puss was just trying to scare you into thinking he knew something. If he really did, he would have done something by now. You both need to chill the fuck out.” He pulled out a plastic bag from his coat pocket. He lit the joint before handing it to J.R.

  J.R. shook his head. “That shit’s been making me paranoid all week.”

  “You gotta get out of your own head, quarterback. You keep acting up and people will get suspicious. That’s when we’re in trouble.”

  Ethan crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the railing. “What do you call taking a player down last night on the field?”

  Caleb took a drag from his joint, looking down at Ethan. “He was mouthing off. Besides, people expect it from me, right, Ethan? I’m the fuck-up.”

  Ethan couldn’t argue that point.

  “Knock it off,” J.R. reprimanded. “We need to come up with a plan. Chief knows that it was my jacket. Either she told him or he figured it out. We need to be on the same page so when he comes around asking questions again, we have the same story.”

  Ethan huffed as he kicked at a rock at his feet. “I’m not sticking up for you.”

  J.R. leaned forward, toward Ethan. “I know, but she will tell him that you were there.”

  Ethan felt the blood rush to his face. “I should have never left her alone.”

  “Listen,” Caleb cut in. “Who gives a rat’s ass what she says. It’s her word against ours.” Caleb slapped J.R. on the back. “It’s not like your dad hasn’t gotten us out of shit before.” He smiled. “You’re the golden boy.”

  “You’re sick,” Ethan snapped.

  “You got a better idea?” Caleb asked, taking another drag.

  J.R. cracked open a second beer. The last thing he wanted to do was tell his dad any of this. “I don’t know, Caleb. My dad is pretty pissed at me right now.”

  “I’m not saying you tell him yet, just if it comes down to it.” Caleb leaned forward in his seat, his elbows resting casually on his knees. “Look, here’s what happened. She got sick. Ethan left to find us to help take her home.”

  “But we didn’t take her home,” J.R. said. “We don’t know how she made it home.”

  Caleb thought for a moment. “We wanted to take her home, but she wanted to be with her friends, whatever their names are, so we left.” Caleb gave a sloppy grin, his eyes heavy and glossed over. “It will work, I’m telling you.”

  J.R. took another drink. He could feel the alcohol running through his bloodstream. It calmed him. “Yeah, that could work.” He cocked a smile while nodding his head. “Caleb, you’re a genius.”

  Ethan’s mouth dried up. How could these two be chummy right now, like they’d made a plan to ditch class, not get out of a rape charge? “I can’t listen to this.”

  “Come on, Deadman,” Caleb jabbed. “You came here tonight for a story. You need a way to clear your name, so don’t act like you aren’t happy about me providing you with an out.”

  “Fine,” he said sharply. “We’ll go with your story. But don’t accuse me of being happy about it.”

  “So we’re on the same page, then?” J.R. lifted a brow to each friend. Ethan gave a short nod as Caleb took another swig. J.R. let out a sigh of relief.

  Caleb finished up his beer and then checked his watch. “It’s only eleven. I bet Tommy Hoffman’s party is just getting going.”

  “I can’t show my face at that party,” J.R. scoffed. “I’m the butt of the joke at school.”

  “Nah, bro. No one laughs at you.” Caleb handed him one more beer. “You go there and show them you’re still king. They will give you mad respect.”

  J.R. took a drink of beer, thinking about what Caleb said. He wondered if Grace had ended up at the party and he could have a moment alone with her to talk. He looked up at Ethan. “What’d ya say?”

  Ethan glared at him. Did they really think he could be won over? How could they possibly talk about celebrating? “Take me home first.”

  J.R. looked hurt, but Caleb chuckled at him. “Alright, have it your way. But you’ll come around again.”

  Ethan seriously doubted it. They may have collaborated on a story, but that didn’t make them friends again. No words could ever be said for Ethan to forgive them for what they had done to Lila. He didn’t even know how he was going to forgive himself for letting it happen.

  They got back in the car, and this time Ethan took the back seat while Caleb sat shotgun. He was going on about who would be at the party, like nothing had ever happened. J.R., with the help of the booze, fell right into step with Caleb and it made Ethan sick. J.R. punched the gas and the car lunged forward. He spun out of the parking lot in a squeal of laughter, missing the stop sign and speeding through the red light. He wasn’t heading to drop Ethan off, but out of town, toward Tommy Hoffman’s house. Ethan yelled at him to stop, to pull over and let him out. And that’s when flashing red and blue lights lit up behind them.

  The night of

  Rex saw the car pass by him in a blur as J.R. ran the red light. He whipped around, heading back in the direction in which he had just come from and got behind the speeding BMW. J.R. swerved erratically on the empty road, and that’s when Rex knew he must be intoxicated and threw on his lights. This would be the second time this year he would be pulling them over for drunk driving, and this time he wouldn’t let the mayor talk him out of the consequences.

  Instead of slowing down and coming to a stop, J.R. sped up, doing his best to outrun the chief. But Rex kept up, staying on his tail as J.R. passed the party and continued down the barren road.
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  What are you running from, Rex thought. He knew Ethan Young had not been truthful with him. He could see it in his eyes, the way he wouldn’t look at him when Rex asked him why he was calling Lila, or when he asked whom the jacket belonged to. The same jacket Rex had found on his daughter while she lay on the side of the road in the middle of the night. Something had happened to her. Something awful that had caused her to shut down, to wither away in her room and refuse to eat or speak of her torment. He heard her cry behind closed doors. He heard her screams when she slept. It was agonizing to him to have to sit back and do nothing while his child suffered. She was in pain. And he had a sickening feeling that the boys in the car in front of him were to blame.

  He was close enough that he could see the way Ethan looked at him through the rear window. His expression of terror as though he were helpless. But he wasn’t helpless, was he, Rex thought. He had chosen to get in the car with Caleb and J.R., and even if he wasn’t driving, he sure as hell wasn’t doing anything to stop the driver.

  Rex motioned for him to pull over. Ethan saw him and leaned forward to speak to J.R. But J.R. only jumped on the gas, and for a moment got a good lead on Rex. A deer stepped onto the pavement and Rex slammed on his brakes and swerved around, bypassing the animal by mere inches, allowing the boys a devastating lead. When he rounded the bend, miles from Timber Falls, he caught sight of red tail lights turning off the main road and up a gravel path. They were trying to hide from him, but they weren’t slick enough. Rex jumped on the side road that took them to the top of Oracle Point. He slid his car into park at the top of the ledge and jumped out of his vehicle. The night was black, with only a shimmer of moonlight to see before him. It was silent besides the rustle of trees as they caught a gust of wind. He flicked on his flashlight and patted his gun on his hip. He circled around, looking for any sign of the car, and that’s when he saw the tire tracks that led to the forest. He walked carefully, calling out to the boys as he stepped over branches and fallen debris until there, camouflaged inconspicuously under the tree, was J.R.’s black BMW. Lights off, engine cooling, as though it was trying to hide from him.

  Rex crept up to the side. He could see the outline of the boys still in the car, trying their best to stay still as possible. When Rex finally tapped on the driver side window, J.R. jerked back so hard he hit his head on the seat.

  “Get out of the car,” Rex commanded.

  J.R. shook his head, but a door did open. Ethan stepped out from the back.

  “Stand right over there.” Rex pointed to the side of him. He turned his attention back to a trembling J.R. Looking past him, he saw Caleb, sitting relaxed and unbothered, and it reminded Rex of the last time he’d picked the boys up and driven them to the Hudson home. Caleb had known that the mayor would make their problem just disappear. Well, not this time. Rex wouldn’t be getting the mayor involved tonight.

  Rex leaned forward until he was eye to eye with J.R. “You understand that running from a cop is a felony? You risk a permanent record as well as possible jail time.”

  J.R.’s eyes widened. Caleb leaned forward and whispered something to him. J.R. came back to the chief. “I want my dad here.”

  Rex shook his head. “Your dad isn’t going to bail you out of this one, J.R. Now get out of the car.”

  J.R. sighed and then slowly opened the door. Rex grabbed him by the collar and pulled him out.

  “Hey!” J.R. complained. “Watch it.”

  “Take your hands off him,” Caleb warned as he came around the back of the car.

  Rex was unfazed. “Keep your mouth shut, and get in line over there.”

  Caleb muttered something under his breath that the chief didn’t understand, but did as he was told. They stood in a line together, and Rex debated handcuffing them right then and taking them to the station, but he wasn’t ready to let them go just yet.

  “Move it,” he said, nodding in the direction of the cliff.

  J.R. looked confused. “Why?”

  “Take a seat, and stop asking questions,” Rex huffed.

  The boys shuffled to the edge, taking a seat on the concrete half-wall. Caleb and Ethan sat on the outside, with J.R. in the middle. Rex stood before them. He wanted to be able to look down on them, not the other way around. He wanted them to feel his power as they looked up to him. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at them. He waited until their strength weakened and he had them in his control.

  “You boys have caused a lot of trouble,” Rex started. “And yet, time after time, your asses get bailed out because of who you are. You think the real world works like that? You think that once you leave Timber Falls you can screw up and Daddy will rush to fix it?”

  J.R.’s face twisted in apprehension. Rex believed without a doubt that J.R. thought his dad could get him out of any tough situation.

  “There are consequences for your actions,” Rex continued. “You want to break the law, you want to push the limits, then you have to be willing to pay the price.”

  “I’m not going to jail,” J.R. rebuffed. No way would his dad let that happen.

  Caleb nodded in agreement. “You’re in over your head, Tourney. Once the mayor hears about this, you’re toast. You think you’ll be able to keep your job if you throw us in jail?”

  Rex glared down at the boy. He may have had a point, but that didn’t stop Rex from wanting to do what was right.

  “Shut up, Caleb,” Ethan spat. He turned his attention back to Rex. “We’re sorry, Chief. I swear, it won’t happen again.”

  “You want to know what I’m going to do?” the chief said as he eyed each one of them. “I’m going to start by putting each of you in handcuffs. Then you will ride with me to the station where you will formally be charged with drunk driving, minor in possession, and evading arrest. From there, a judge will decide on jail time, financial obligations, and suspension of license. There goes your football careers.” He watched as they withered in discomfort. Even Caleb was starting to believe him. “Unless…”

  J.R.’s eyes widened. “Unless what?”

  Rex stepped forward, meeting his gaze. “Unless you tell me exactly what happened to my daughter last Saturday night.”

  “Fuck this,” Caleb sneered, standing up. But Rex was quick on the draw. His gun was in his hand and pointing in Caleb’s direction. Caleb threw up his hands. “Whoa.”

  “Sit. Down.”

  Slowly, Caleb did as he was told, keeping his eye glued on the gun.

  J.R. started to tremble. “We don’t know anything, swear!”

  Rex cocked a brow. He lowered his gun but kept it visible by his side. “That’s not what she told me.”

  J.R. swallowed hard. The fear was sweating out of him, even in the cold November night. “What did she tell you?”

  Caleb snapped his head toward his friend. What had happened to their story? “Shut up, J.R.!”

  Ethan moaned, resting his head in his hands. “This is so messed up.”

  “It doesn’t have to be,” Rex encouraged. “Just tell me what happened, and I’ll let you go. No one has to know we were up here. No jail time, no drunk driving record. Easy choice if you ask me.”

  Ethan lifted his hands from his face and looked at J.R., who returned the hesitant look.

  “He’s bluffing,” Caleb said to them.

  “Try me, Weston,” Rex said, cocking a brow. “What do you have to lose, besides your future?”

  “I was high,” J.R. started. He was drunk, not thinking clearly. And if it ever got out what he was saying right then, he would just blame the alcohol.

  Rex sucked in a deep breath. Finally, they were getting somewhere.

  “Fuck,” Ethan breathed.

  “I swear to god, Hudson,” Caleb growled. “Say one more word and I’ll kill you.”

  J.R. looked at Caleb and then back at the chief, who nodded at him encouragingly. Rex could see the burden on J.R.’s face from keeping whatever secret he had in. Rex would remain patient, diligent, until he
got the answers he wanted. Then he would decide what to do with them.

  “Look at me, J.R.,” the chief said, keeping his voice even and level. And when J.R. finally settled his gaze on him, Rex could see the tears in the boy’s eyes.

  “It was a mistake,” J.R. cried. “I didn’t know what was going on. I saw Caleb on her and then he told me it was my turn.” He looked up at Rex, pleading with him to understand. “I didn’t even do it. I swear.”

  “Because I stopped you!” Ethan yelled. If J.R. was going to tell the truth, Ethan was going to make damn sure he told the whole truth. “If I hadn’t shown up, you would have done it, too!”

  Rex stumbled back a step. He’d had his suspicions, but never wanted to bring the thought to light. He looked at Caleb, who sat there panting in anger.

  “That’s not true!” J.R. wiped the snot running from his nose with his jacket, as the tears fell. “I swear. I swear I wouldn’t hurt her.”

  “You’re a fucking coward, J.R.,” Ethan sputtered.

  “Shut up!” Rex bellowed. The boys went silent, looking up at him, except Caleb, who kept his eyes on the ground. “Is it true, Caleb?” he asked him, his voice shaking in rage. “Did you rape my daughter?”

  “I want a lawyer,” he muttered.

  Rex’s eyes glazed over, making everything a blur. He ran his arm over his face, muffling the cries in his throat.

  “I’m so sorry I didn’t save her.” Ethan choked back the sob in his throat. “I tried, but I was too late. I should have never left her alone. She begged me not to leave her.” He leaned forward. “Please, you have to tell her how sorry I am. I called every day and I even wrote her this note.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the folded paper. He tried to pass it to the chief, but he wouldn’t take it. The paper fell to the ground. Rex didn’t want his apologies. He wanted answers. He wanted justice for his daughter.

  He pushed the rage down his throat into the pit of his stomach, where he felt it burn. He stood up straight, and drew in a deep breath. He stared down at Caleb, daring him to meet his eye. He kept his voice deathly calm as he asked again, “Did you rape my daughter?”