The Push

by J C Fuller

  Still actively avoiding Hattie’s General, Philip made for the mini-mart by the docks, suddenly craving a corn dog. Once there, he chatted it up with the owner Mr. Wong for a few minutes, who happily reported business was steadily improving. Pleased to hear it, Philip purchased three corn dogs and scored another two for free, as Mr. Wong was throwing them out anyway.

  Saying his good-byes, Philip headed out to his truck, taking a hesitant glance towards Bert’s Outdoor Supply Shop and Kayak Rentals…or what use to be.

  Hung from the store’s awning was a brand-new vinyl sign, a corner torn loose, flapping loudly in the breeze. Philip knew as soon as the new owner could afford it, they would replace the old signage with a new permanent logo of their own. For now, the vinyl sign boasted the new name of Ernie’s Outdoor Supply Shop and Kayak Rentals. Having bought it from the bank a few months ago, Ernie Reames never dreamed the place would be available for sale. The faithful store employee, as surprised as anyone the shop had gone into foreclosure, had scrapped up every penny he owed and borrowed a few to buy the place. Like most of the island residents, he’d always assumed the store would stay family owned. Though, by the large group of ferry visitors heading towards the door, the name change hadn’t seemed to affect business. The outdoor supply shop, under any name, was still considered the hot spot of the docks.

  Next in line to the gas pumps, a 1988 three series BMW in mint condition pulled up, blocking Philip’s meandering path back to his rig and parked at pump one. Recognizing the driver as Lucas’s father, Philip waited for him to climb out of his car as he chomped down on a corn dog.

  “Hey, Mitchell.” Dropping the corn dog back into the paper sack, Philip hastily wiped his greasy fingers on his Levi’s and took the outstretched hand offered to him, giving it a hardy shake.

  “Did I about run you over? Sorry about that, Phil.” Mitchell smiled, flipping the gas lid open with a finger. “A little distracted today.”

  “I bet.” Philip gathered Mitchell was referring to his son dealing with the loss of his best friend. “How’s Lucas doing?”

  “He’s holding up. Putting on a brave face and all that. It’s hard on him though. Heck, it’s been hard on me. I’ve known Brent since he was born. He was always a good kid.” Mitchell had taken out his wallet and pulled out a credit card, giving it a quick swipe. “Of course, they’re not kids anymore. Shame he won’t get to grow into an old man.” Mitchell started to tuck the card back into his wallet, shaking his head. “Anyway, I just got done dropping Lucas off at my brother’s place. Thought he needed to get off the island for the day.”

  “I think that was a good idea.” Philip ran his hand across the back of the car, admiring the paint job.

  “It’s Gabe I’m actually worried about though. He’s been beating himself up something terrible.”

  Philip shifted the paper bag over to his other arm, placing a resting hand on the car.

  “Yeah, I can image. He did what he could for Brent. But I don’t think the kid had much of a chance. Brent was carrying around an expired EpiPen.”

  Mitchell nodded his head as he flipped the gas latch and squeezed the handle, the black hose jerking as gas started to pump through the rubber line into the tank.

  “Gabe says he’s going to quit college. Give up medicine. Throw it all way.” Mitchell propped up the tiny stand on the handle, keeping the line open, then crossed his arms across his chest leaning up against the car. “I’ve spent a good portion of the morning trying to talk him out of it. But, after not being able to bring Danie around last summer and now Brent…” His voice trailed off as he shrugged in defeat.

  “Give him some time, wait for the shock to pass. Maybe Doctor Hadley can talk to him. I think he’s got plans for the boy.” Philip peeked into the back window of the car, smiling in happy recollection of the time’s they’d had in high school trolling the island for girls. “Can’t believe you’ve kept this car all these years. Not a scratch on her!”

  Mitchell grinned as the handle popped. “Had some good times, didn’t we?” He pulled the nozzle out, making sure to avoid spilling any drops of gas on the paint. “I only take her out on Sundays. Trying to keep the mileage low.”

  “You don’t let Lucas drive her around at all?” Philip lightly buffed his hand print off the trunk with his shirttail.

  “You kidding? Ever see how many dents his truck has? I only bought him the damn thing a year ago. Treats it like some kind of tonka toy!” Mitchell roughly put the nozzle back into the cradle on the pump. “I’ll get buried in the damn thing before I let him touch it.”

  Philip could relate. Kody wasn’t much better than Lucas when it came to dents.

  “I remember us putting a few dings in your dad’s car a time or two.” Philip teased, taking a step away from the BMW as Mitchell sat down into the driver seat. “He’s a good kid, Mitch.”

  Mitchell rubbed the car’s dash affectionately before looking up at Philip.

  “Yeah, I know. I just wish he had the drive Gabe does. If he’s not outdoors playing, he’s indoors wasting away on those damn video games. I actually had to change the wi-fi password in an effort to get him out of the house. Let me tell you, made for one hell of a long Labor Day weekend!” Mitchell shut the car door and rolled down the window. “If you’re not busy next weekend, I’m planning on taking the boat out.”

  “Sounds great!”

  “Oh, and tell Harry? He’s always good for a laugh.”

  Philip smiled a tight smile, “For sure.”

  CHAPTER 33

  Having lived without an oven in the old apartment, Lane was overcome with a sudden desire to bake in her new kitchen. Excited with the prospect, she dug out her never before used Betty Crocker Cook Book, searching for a recipe and decided on chocolate chip cookies. Reading the ingredients, she did a quick inventory of her fridge and pantry, discovering she needed eggs, butter, sugar, flour, salt, baking soda, and…chocolate chips.

  Undeterred, she was on her way to Hattie’s, when she spotted a bicyclist on the road. Taking a wide berth around, she carefully passed and recognized the rider to be Gabe. Seeing an opportunity, Lane drove a little further before pulling to the side, letting the truck roll to a slow stop. She then hopped out, waving him down, indicating she wanted to have a word.

  Bringing the big wheeled mountain bike to a skidded halt, Gabe planted his feet, leaning against the handlebars, his breath labored.

  “Hi, Sheriff. Everything, okay?” Large beads of sweat were pouring down Gabe’s face, soaking into his shirt, plastering his hair to his forehead.

  “Saw you riding and figured with it being such a hot day, you might want a lift? Why don’t you toss your bike in the back and I’ll take you the rest of the way into town?” Lane offered, watching Gabe use the bottom of his t-shirt to wipe his face dry.

  “Thanks.” Gabe got off the bike and walked it over, easily lifting the bicycle onto his shoulder as Lane pulled down the tailgate.

  “Looks as if you got a good workout.” Lane shut the tailgate and motioned for him to head front to the passenger side of the vehicle.

  “Yeah, I needed to get out of the house.” Gabe took his backpack off, dumping it on the floorboard. He suddenly looked around him as if he didn’t know where he was.

  “You went farther than you meant too, huh?” Lane climbed in herself, giving the young man an understanding smile. “I like to drive when I need to think things through. Usually find myself a good hundred miles or so away from home if I’m upset about something.”

  Gabe smiled back and nodded, then looked down at his backpack.

  “Been thinking about Brent’s death?” Lane winced as she turned the key, wishing she had been a little more thoughtful in her choice of words. Gabe stayed quiet, his eyes downcast, focused on the knapsack. “I don’t know if they told you, Gabe. His EpiPen was expired. There wasn’t anything you could have done.”

  Gabe’s brow furrowed, but he still didn’t look up.

  “Sorry. You prob
ably don’t want to talk about it,” Lane apologized, pulling out onto the road. “Just don’t want you blaming yourself.”

  “Appreciate it, ma’am,” Gabe said quietly, and then hefted the backpack up onto his lap. Lane grimaced at the title of ma’am, feeling all of her thirty-five years. “Sheriff, remember when we talked yesterday? And you gave me your card, so my friend could call you?”

  Lane nodded yes, slowing the truck down a little, suddenly not in hurry to pull into town.

  “I do.”

  “Well, I’m my friend.” Gabe gave her a sideways glance, unzipping the backpack.

  “I kind of already figured, Gabe.” Lane kept her eyes on the road.

  “Guess I wasn’t being as clever as I thought.”

  “It’s alright. It’s hard to know what to do sometimes.” Lane gave him a quick look, noticing he’d opened his backpack, rooting around for something. “What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

  “This.” Gabe pulled out a memory card. “I thought you might want it.”

  Lane slammed the brakes and yanked the patrol truck to the side of the road, throwing it into park.

  “Is that what I think it is?” She leaned over and popped the glove box, pulling out a plastic evidence bag. “The missing memory card from Janie’s camera?”

  “It’s damaged,” Gabe said somberly, dropping the small card into the open evidence bag. It stopped halfway, sticking between the plastic sheets. Lane quickly sealed the bag, before bringing it up to her face.

  “You’re right. Somebody has scratched the living tar out of the metal prongs.” She again leaned into the glove box and grabbed a black sharpie, scribbling the time and date on the bag. She then tossed the bag and pen back, banging the little door shut. “Where did you find it, Gabe?”

  “I didn’t. Lucas did.”

  “He did? Where? Why didn’t he tell me? When did he give it to you?” Lane reached for her back pocket, realizing she’d left her leather notepad on the kitchen table.

  “He said he found it the day before yesterday at Brent’s house. We’d gone over to play video games. He said he found it on the floor next to a pair of hiking shorts.”

  “Did he ask Brent about it?”

  “Yeah. Brent said he’d found it by where Janie had fallen. Said he was going to give it to you, but he didn’t even try to talk to you at the memorial. I started to worry he was lying.” Gabe fiddled with his backpack, “I was going to come see you on Monday and give it to you, but since we’re here…” Gabe started to zip the backpack up.

  “I’m glad you did,” Lane said distracted, several questions racing through her head.

  “Lucas didn’t want me to tell you. He was scared it would get Brent in trouble.” Gabe looked out the passenger window, “I was worried about that too. But…since Brent is gone.”

  Lane gave Gabe a long stare as she waited for him to add more, noticing he was fidgeting and moving his knee up and down in a nervous gesture.

  “Gabe, is something else bothering you?” Lane pressed, deciphering his body language. She’d seen this a time or two in an interrogation room. He was holding something back.

  Gabe nodded his head, a heavy frown on his face.

  “I feel like a jerk for even thinking it.” He turned his gaze to Lane.

  “Gabe, you shouldn’t feel ba—”

  “But if he did hurt her,” he sighed heavily, interrupting her, “It’s not right.” He licked his lips. “When I saw Brent Thursday morning in the park, the day they said Janie was pushed? He seemed like he was in a big hurry. Like he didn’t really want to stop and talk…and…I’ve been thinking about that. Made me wonder if he knew Janie was going up The Mole Hill and he was trying to catch up to her.” His words were said in a rush as if scared he’d lose his courage.

  Lane nodded her head, knowing it was pretty much what Brent had told Philip.

  “And…well, I hate to even think it. It’s pretty off the wall.”

  “Think what, Gabe?”

  “I’m starting to wonder if Brent pushed Danie off the point last summer.”

  Lane felt goose bumps ripple up her arm, “What makes you think that?”

  “Janie avoided him like the plague after her sister died. I would think, after something so traumatic, you’d cling to the man you loved. It’s just been something in the back of my mind I’ve not been able to shake.”

  “But what would be Brent’s reason to kill Danie?” Lane was desperately missing her leather notepad.

  “Money. Lots and lots of money.”

  Lane nodded her head, understanding Gabe’s theory. With Danie’s death, her money had automatically gone to Janie. If he and Janie were to get married, he’d have enjoyed the wealth as well. It was an angle she had considered, but had dismissed since Brent came from a wealthy family himself. But now, faced with the theory again, she realized just because his family was wealthy, didn’t mean Brent was personally.

  “Gabe, you also said something about odd comments. What was said to catch your attention?”

  Gabe swallowed hard before answering, thinking his words over.

  “I’d rather not say. It has nothing to do with Brent.”

  Lane decided to take a stab in the dark.

  “Lucas said something you found odd?”

  Gabe gave her a hard look, hesitant to say anything more.

  “Come on, Gabe. It could be important. Or it might be nothing. Let me be the judge. Lucas doesn’t have to know we even had this conversation,” Lane coaxed, trying to put him at ease.

  “You’ll keep it between us?”

  Lane nodded, avoiding a verbally promise.

  “Okay.” He started to fidget with the zipper on his backpack. “Lucas told someone he’d been playing video games the day Janie died and then he told someone else, he’d been on his dad’s boat. I thought it strange.”

  “You didn’t ask him about it?”

  “I did. He just told me I heard wrong.”

  “Gabe, Janie told a friend Lucas was stalking her. Know anything about that?”

  Gabe looked surprised. “No! How? Janie hasn’t been around all year.”

  “Well, apparently he’d been driving over to Seattle and stalking her there.”

  Gabe shook his head, not liking the idea.

  “I know he and she were fooling around last summer, but I didn’t think it had gone to that level.”

  “What?” Lane’s eyebrows shot up. “Lucas and Janie?”

  Gabe nodded his head, giving Lane a sheepish look. “Yup.”

  “Did Danie know? What about Brent? Did he know?”

  Gabe shook his head no. “Lucas swore me to secrecy.”

  “Were they serious?”

  “Drunken one-night stand. Nothing more.” Gabe looked at Lane, worry in his eyes. “Then again, if Lucas was stalking her. Maybe it was more serious than he told me?”

  “Gabe, the day we found Janie’s body. The day of the search? At the end, before everyone left, I noticed you and Lucas were having a heated discussion with Brent. He seemed to want to have a word with Deputy Pickens, but the two of you were stopping him? What was going on there?”

  Gabe blushed, letting go of the zipper and lightly kicking his backpack.

  “I know what you’re talking about. Brent had showed up to help look, but we had to tell him we’d been the ones to find Janie. He wanted to tell the authorities he was the last person to see her. He was convinced she’d taken a mis-step off the ledge.”

  “And you guys thought it was a bad idea?” Lane’s voice had an edge.

  Gabe’s eyes went wide.

  “I didn’t! It was Lucas who said it was a bad idea. He thought it might look bad for Brent and I reasoned it would look bad if he didn’t come forward.”

  “Anything else you can think of, Gabe?” Lane’s head was whirling.

  “No. I’m pretty sure that’s it. I mostly wanted you to have the memory card. Hopefully you’ll be able to find something?”

&nb
sp; “I doubt it.” Lane pulled back onto the road. “Any idea how it got so scrapped up?”

  “No. I’m guessing that’s how he found it.”

  “Who, Brent or Lucas?”

  “Lucas,” Gabe said the name slowly, as if an idea had suddenly popped into his head. “Lucas might have…”

  “What, Gabe?” Lane frowned, as they hit the main street.

  “Nothing.” Gabe shook his head and then smiled. “You can drop me off here.”

  “Do you know where I could find Lucas?” Lane pulled in front of Hattie’s General. “I’d like to talk to him about the memory card.”

  “He’s over at his uncle’s place on Mercer Island. He’ll be back tomorrow. Late in the evening, probably on the eight o’clock ferry.”

  “Thanks. I’ll try to catch him at the docks for a quick talk.” She had several burning questions for Lucas and she wouldn’t forget her notepad this time.

  Chapter 34

  Philip made a U-turn at the end of the road having driven past the sheriff’s office, finding the windows dark and parking spots empty. After leaving the mini-mart, he’d headed downtown, curious to see if Lane had decided to work on her day off as well. Seeing she hadn’t, he now was heading home in hopes of catching the last half of the Seahawks game.

  Coming back up the road, he happened to spot Doctor Hadley stalking out of his office. The elderly doctor was wearing his stethoscope over his white coat and a stern expression. He had taken off his dark rimmed glasses, waving them in the air, trying to garner Philip’s attention.

  “Phil, I need a word!” The white-haired doctor walked out to Philip’s pickup, ignoring the fact Philip was now parked in the middle of the road.