Below the Surface

by Tim Shoemaker

  Tomorrow he’d tell her. He’d talk to the guys too. But it wasn’t like it would make a real difference. It’s not like they were going to actually help with the investigation. Really . . . what could they do?

  A thought flashed through his mind — and a chill crept through like the fog had entered his very soul. No, they couldn’t follow leads or help the police with the mystery. But there was one thing they could do. Had to do. Protect Hiro.

  Hiro stood on the balcony. Cooper and Gordy had already phoned to let their moms know they were safe aboard The Getaway for the night. That had been part of the arrangement. Their extra freedom came with the very small price of checking in regularly. Sometimes boys had it easier than girls did. This was definitely one of those times.

  Lunk borrowed one of the boys’ phones to talk to his mom, but the conversation had been different than the ones Coop and Gordy had. From what Hiro could tell, he didn’t call to let his mom know that he was okay as much as he called to make sure she was doing all right. Interesting. That boy could get under her skin sometimes. But under his skin she’d discovered a softer heart than his tough façade suggested.

  Had he always been like that — even back when she saw him as a bully? Or had he been changing? She was convinced he’d been changing. Little by little.

  Coop was changing too. Mostly in good ways. He no longer took people’s trust for granted. Since last October, he’d been working to earn back her trust. And he’d done that and more. Not that she was going to let him in on that little tidbit. She liked the new Coop and didn’t want him coasting or going backward.

  His panic attacks, if that was the right diagnosis, scared her. She couldn’t imagine how Coop felt. At least his dad knew about them now, and it sounded like he’d help Coop work through them.

  She touched her Chicago Police star necklace. Why did they refer to policemen who died in the line of duty as fallen? The word fallen was all wrong. It implied that her father messed up. But he didn’t fall. He stood tall. He finished strong. And the days following his death had been the saddest time of her life.

  “You’d like how Coop is turning out, Dad,” she whispered. “He’s good. He tries to do the right thing — even when he’s scared. He watches out for me, but he tries not to let me see him doing it. All three of the guys do.”

  She’d lost her dad, but Coop, Lunk, and even Gordy had stepped up to serve as her protectors. Oh, sure, they gave her a hard time. But she knew they’d protect her — with their lives if they had to.

  Was she really in danger? Maybe. But right now, standing here on the balcony and hearing the laughter coming from the other room, she felt safe. Everything looked different. Maybe she’d been taking her theory too far. Maybe the guys were right and she’d been connecting too many dots and trying to build a case where there wasn’t one.

  Could she be sure that Pom-Pom and Lynn weren’t the same girl? No. Was somebody stalking her near the river? Maybe not. Did she know for a fact that Fat Elvis and his friend were searching the lake? Yes. But for a body? What if they were just doing some illegal spearfishing?

  So what did she really have? Lunk’s words popped into her head: an overactive cop imagination. Was that it? She had to be open to the possibility, as hard as it would be to admit it to the boys. And if she were wrong — if there had been no murder — it would be safer for all of them.

  “God,” she whispered. “I pray I’m wrong. Let there be some other logical explanation.”

  She rested her forearms on top of the balcony rail and looked out over the town. No black pickup. No bearded Fat Elvis creeping around. Even after all she’d said to Kryptoski’s girlfriend at Scoops last night, nobody had come after her. Maybe she was making something out of nothing.

  Gordy tiptoed through the cabin and out into the cool night air. Coop and Lunk were totally out, which was a shame because Gordy wasn’t a bit tired. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw that pickup falling through the ice — and the woman’s body drifting in the current. Somehow he felt the cold of the water. The numbing, icy cold. It was just as real as if he’d been in the pickup with the lady. What was that all about? He was relieved that Coop hadn’t wanted to take a night swim. Thanks to Lunk, the idea didn’t sound like nearly as much fun as it had before.

  It was kind of a problem. They were supposed to be having fun. But they were way behind in that department. Coop was taking everything too seriously. He needed to loosen up. Relax. And if he did, then his problems in the water would disappear.

  Steam still rose off the surface of the water, making the lake look totally different at night. The scene was almost hypnotic as it drew him in — yet it was also spooky and made him wish he were standing on shore. The mix of fear and excitement . . . he loved it.

  What Coop really needed was a distraction. Stuff to sidetrack his mind from his fears. Uncle Carson’s surprise visit had worked perfectly. Taking The Getaway out on the lake was the best day they’d had so far. Tomorrow was a whole new story, though. It was time to pull off the ultimate prank. And this would be way better than what they’d done on Kryptoski’s boat.

  Hiro wouldn’t like the idea. But then again, when did she ever like one of their pranks? She’d never seen the sense in their “Spud-zooka” potato gun, which only proved that Hiro didn’t know much about having fun. She’d shoot down this new idea too, if she could. Which was why they were going to pull it off tomorrow morning before she arrived.

  The thought of it made Gordy smile. They’d start the day with the perfect prank — and he’d get Coop to feeling better pronto.

  He clicked the remote and Black Beauty’s lights signaled in response. Kryptoski was nuts. Tonight’s little fishing expedition was proof of that. He was really tired of cleaning up after this kid. Somehow Kryptoski was going down — but he wouldn’t go down alone. He’d suck in anybody who was associated with him. Kryptoski’s old man may run a casino, but the punk was bad luck. Or was it the kids? They’d started this whole thing rolling. They were the ones who’d messed everything up.

  It was time to cut and run. Just fire up Black Beauty and hightail it out of there. He opened the driver’s side door and climbed inside his pickup. He could hit the road tonight. But to slip away in the dark didn’t seem right. There were still some things he wanted to do here. Lessons he needed to teach. Fate was handing him an opportunity that he couldn’t walk away from.

  He started the pickup. Felt the soothing rumble of the seats. He could stay on for a few more days to tie up some loose ends. To finish this. He’d just need to step up his plans and cover all the bases. He’d make his exit, for sure. But why go out quietly when you can go out with a bang?

  Wednesday morning, Lunk stood at the wheel of The Getaway and ran through the steps that Coop’s dad had taught him. Run the blower several minutes before you start the motor — just to clear out any gas fumes that could kaboom the boat. Good idea. Turn the key — after making sure both engines are in neutral. Goose the gas a bit to get both the engines running strong — and then ease the gearshift forward. Throttle up to cruising speed and hold a steady course.

  He wanted to drive The Getaway again. He hoped Coop’s dad would let him. Lunk still wasn’t a big fan of the water, but driving the boat was something else again.

  Coop stepped out of the cabin, squinted, and stretched. “Morning, Lunk.”

  Lunk let go of the wheel. “Sleep good?”

  “Like a log.” He leaned against the rail.

  “Gordy will be jealous.”

  “What happened?”

  Lunk shrugged. “He said he hardly slept. And when he did, he had bad dreams.”

  Coop laughed. “It was your story that did it.”

  “The Lady of the Lake?”

  Cooper nodded. “Her body drifting around in the currents — are you kidding me? I’m surprised he slept at all.”

  “He’s the one who wanted us to swap creepy stories.”

  “True,” Coop said. “He asked for it. Grea
t story, though.”

  “Thanks. But who says it was a story?”

  Coop laughed. “Got any more like that?”

  “I could keep Gordy awake all week,” Lunk said.

  Coop laughed, but then his face got serious. “Where is he now?”

  Lunk jerked his thumb toward shore. “Collecting dead fish for the mailboat prank.”

  “He’ll be doing it alone.” Coop watched Gordy, like he was trying to figure something out.

  “What is it?”

  Coop shrugged. “Gordy and I were both in that basement. He was alone for days. It’s gotta be affecting him somehow.”

  Coop didn’t have to say more. Lunk had wondered the same thing. How did Coop get stuck with that water-panic thing, yet Gordy somehow got through the kidnapping without any aftershocks? “You think he’s covering it up?”

  Coop nodded slowly. “Yeah, sometimes I do.”

  “How?”

  “The pranks. The constant push to have fun.”

  Lunk could see that. “Like he’s running from it?”

  Coop shrugged. “Something like that. I mean, he always liked a good prank. We both did. But it’s getting worse. The mailboat idea is way over the top.”

  “You think the nightmares could be part of it?”

  “Maybe.” Coop thought a moment. “Your story triggered the fear, I’m sure. But I’d be interested to know what he was actually dreaming about.”

  Maybe everybody had their fears. Some people were just better at hiding fear than others. Lunk looked down at his lifejacket. Then again, some fears weren’t quite so easy to hide. “So what are we going to do about it?”

  “We have to talk to him. Before we go home.”

  Lunk nodded. They’d have plenty of chances. “But what about the mailboat prank? He thinks we’re doing it this morning.”

  “There’s no way. Somebody could get hurt. We could get arrested. It’s just a bad idea all the way around,” Coop said. “And if it has anything to do with being locked in that basement . . .”

  Lunk waited to see if Coop would finish his statement. But he didn’t have to. Lunk had a pretty good idea where Coop was going. What kind of a friend would Coop be if he helped Gordy run from his fears instead of facing them? Lunk left Coop to his thoughts and studied the instrument gauges.

  “You handled the boat like a pro yesterday,” Coop said. “Itching to drive again?”

  Lunk grinned. “Definitely.” Then again, was it really the driving that he hungered for, or was it something else? He relived the drive in his mind — like he’d done before he fell asleep last night. No, it wasn’t just the driving. It was Coop’s dad and the way he’d taught Lunk what to do. The way he’d encouraged him, trusted him with the boat. It was the way he’d put his hand on Lunk’s shoulder and called him “Skipper.”

  The only thing Lunk’s dad had taught him was how to hit. And truthfully, it had come in pretty handy. Especially when Lunk got big enough to force his dad to leave the house — for good. Somehow he knew he’d saved his mom’s life in the process. Gave her back her life, anyway.

  “Here he comes.” Coop pointed toward Gordy pushing the inflatable off the beach. “You ready to help me talk him out of it?”

  Lunk shielded his eyes against the sun. “It isn’t going to be fun.”

  “Got that right,” Coop said. “How about you, Lunk? Having fun? On the vacation, I mean.”

  Lunk glanced at him. He didn’t need to pull pranks or go water-skiing or do anything to have fun. Just being with friends was enough. It was something he’d never had before. “I’m having the time of my life.”

  Coop laughed as though Lunk were joking. If he only knew. Lunk just hoped his three friends were as happy to have him around as he felt when he was with them.

  Hiro stood on the pier and leaned on the wooden rail just outside the Riviera building as the Walworth II approached the docks. She was a little early to meet the boys, but that was okay. She liked it here. Liked watching the people.

  Hopefully the guys had as good a morning as she had. The time spent with her mom had been perfect. And needed.

  Tourists stood in line at the Gage Marine ticket booth, looking up at the list of excursion boat options and pricing. They all looked good: Louise, Grand Belle of Geneva, Walworth II, and Lady of the Lake. Okay, maybe the Lady of the Lake wouldn’t be her first choice right now — at least not after hearing Lunk’s story last night.

  It was ironic that his story included a woman drifting silently in the currents of the lake. Which is where Wendy Besecker might be right now. She shuddered. Or maybe Wendy swam to shore and went into hiding, afraid to report Kryptoski’s actions to the police. The jerk came from money — and that bought him some clout. He seemed to be one of those guys who had no shortage of cash. He definitely had a shortage of character, though.

  If Wendy had swum to shore, then it was likely that she had the camera. That would explain why nobody had found it yet. But if Wendy never made it to shore . . . Hiro didn’t want to go there.

  Still, the cop in her wanted to know. She wanted to figure it out and put it all together like a puzzle. No, that wasn’t it. It was more than that. It was about justice. It was about helping others. If Kryptoski was half the creep she thought he was, then she had a moral duty to protect others from him.

  Which brought her back to what she could do about it. Nothing. Not unless she could find that camera. She’d talk to Coop. Maybe they could do a little snorkeling out where they’d seen Krypto Night making its loops in the water. If the camera housing was damaged — took in water and sank — the camera card could be salvaged. That was all she’d need.

  Two sharp blasts of the steam whistle on Lady of the Lake brought her back to the moment. Now filled with a new group of passengers, the old-fashioned riverboat backed away from its berth at the pier. Did they have any idea about what might be drifting just below the surface of the lake?

  Cooper skidded to a stop in the grassy area in front of the Riviera. Gordy and Lunk pulled up alongside him. “Anybody see Hiro?” Cooper leaned his bike against a tree. There were plenty of tourists around, but no Hiro. He checked the time. They’d gotten to town quicker than he’d figured.

  “Maybe she’s in Scoops,” Lunk said.

  Gordy grinned. “Maybe you want to go check.”

  Lunk gave Gordy a look that shut him up — but didn’t stop him from laughing.

  At least he was doing okay. At first Gordy seemed crushed when Cooper told him they weren’t pranking the mailboat. But once they got his mind on going to town for food he brightened right up. They still didn’t talk to him about the fear thing. But that talk would come.

  A black-and-white Ford Crown Victoria turned off Main and onto Broad Street. The squad car pulled up to the curb not more than fifty feet away. The cop got out and headed right for them.

  “It’s Officer Tarpy,” Coop said. “I don’t know about you guys, but I am really glad we didn’t prank the mailboat.”

  Tarpy had his cop face on. No emotion. No telling what was going on inside his head.

  Gordy turned dead serious. “You don’t think he wants to ask us about the fish we planted inside Kryptoski’s boat, do you?”

  “Hello, gentlemen.” Tarpy stopped and put his hands on his hips. “You’re just the guys I wanted to see.” He squatted down and unfolded a full sheet of paper and laid it face down on the ground.

  “It won’t happen again,” Gordy blurted.

  Tarpy looked at him with a slight smile. “What won’t happen again?”

  Gordy looked at Cooper — his eyes pleading.

  “Tell us what you wanted to see us about,” Cooper said. He wasn’t about to lie, but there was no sense in confessing before they even knew what the issue was.

  Officer Tarpy hesitated. He clearly wanted to follow up on Gordy’s comment, but instead he turned the sheet of paper over. It was the same flier that Hiro had picked up at Culver’s. The smiling face of Wendy Besecker looke
d up at them. Okay, this wasn’t about the dead fish. Gordy looked as relieved as Cooper felt.

  Tarpy tapped the picture. “Your friend Hiroko thought she may have seen this woman getting into Tommy Kryptoski’s boat on Sunday afternoon. Then she wasn’t so sure.” Tarpy paused, choosing his words carefully. “She told me the rest of you weren’t in the boat at the time — and you didn’t get a good look at her. Is that right?”

  Lunk raised his hand. “I wasn’t in town yet.”

  “Okay.” Tarpy turned to Gordy.

  “I saw her,” Gordy said. “But I didn’t really pay much attention.”

  “A pretty girl like this sails past and you didn’t pay attention?”

  Gordy’s face turned red. “I was kinda far away — and busy.”

  Tarpy turned to Cooper. “How about you?”

  What was he supposed to say? Gee, Officer, I was having some kind of panic attack at the time. “Hiro was the only one of us who got a good look at her.”

  “When you were on the beach and Lynn walked up, did you wonder — even for an instant — if she was the same girl that you saw on the boat?”

  Cooper shook his head. “It never crossed my mind.”

  Tarpy nodded like that was all he needed to hear.

  “Do you think she could have been kidnapped?” Gordy’s voice sounded weak.

  “Unlikely,” Tarpy said. “Most missing-person cases turn out to be runaways.”

  Cooper believed it. “You think she ran away?”

  “We got an anonymous phone call early Monday morning from a guy who claimed to be her boyfriend. He said the two of them were together, and he didn’t want her family to worry. Young love and all that.” Tarpy folded up the picture. “We traced the call to a cheap motel in Milwaukee. The night manager saw a couple go in late Sunday night. The girl matched the description.”

  Cooper wished Hiro was around to hear this.