Stealing Second (The Amendments Book One 1)

by Nicholas Antinozzi

  I had just been thinking the same thing and my breath caught in my throat. I was just about to suggest we return here, when Ace nodded his head.

  “Right,” he said. “We’ll come back here and figure something out.”

  If I had any thoughts about Ace’s ability to read my mind, I lost them at that moment, inside the garage. I suddenly wanted another drink. I stared at Ace and shook my head. “Can you read minds?” I asked.

  He laughed. “What kind of question is that?” he asked. “Hell no, that’s crazy. We’re all thinking along the same lines, Gary, so it probably seems like it. You guys have been taking the words out of my mouth all night long. Seriously, it’s a little weird. Jack, how about another nip on that flask? Can you spare a drop for us?”

  Jack reached back to his hip and pulled out the flask. “Sure thing, I’ve got half a gallon tucked away in my gear. I don’t leave home without it.”

  Ace took the flask, unscrewed the cap and took a swig. He grimaced and offered it to me. But just before he did, he gave me a knowing wink.

  I was absolutely sure of two things as we returned to the house. Jack was definitely an alcoholic and Ace was clairvoyant. I had never met a mind reader; had never actually believed such powers existed, but I was absolutely certain Ace had that ability. I was thinking that when we arrived at the door. Jack went inside first and Ace followed, but he paused in the tiny entryway and turned to face me. “Don’t tell anyone,” he whispered.

  Then he turned and walked into the living room.

  “What do you mean you gave your sleeping bag to Lisa?” Cathy asked. “She doesn’t need it. My God, it has to be seventy degrees outside and she had a mattress to sleep on.”

  Cathy and Violet were already upstairs when we returned. Neil was sprawled out on the couch and Jack and Ace were claiming their spots. Lisa looked upstairs and groaned. “That bed’s nasty,” she said.

  And like any gentleman would do, I offered her my sleeping bag. The look on her face made it worth it and she even gave me a kiss on my cheek. I had walked upstairs feeling good about that and I was offended by Cathy’s remarks. “Keep your voice down,” I hissed. “She was going to sleep on the floor. What was I supposed to do?”

  There was just enough light for me to see her shaking her head in the darkness. Violet was already tucked under her unzipped sleeping bag and it sounded like she was fast asleep. “She has a thing for you,” Cathy whispered. “Haven’t you noticed?”

  I had noticed, but I shook my head. “Look, I’m going to stretch out on the floor and go to bed. If anything happens during the night, we’ve got to get out of the house. Let’s meet behind the garage, okay?”

  “You’ll sleep next to me on the bed. I’ll sleep in the middle. I’m not going to let you sleep on the floor, not without a sleeping bag. You’ve got to quit encouraging her, Gary, okay?”

  I didn’t know how to respond to that and suddenly Cathy slipped her arms around me in the darkness and lifted her head for a kiss. Before I knew what was happening, we were locked in a passionate embrace. To be perfectly honest, she was by far the best kisser I had ever met. Slowly, she pulled away and she led me to the bed. She sat down on the edge and kicked off her shoes. I leaned over and untied my own.

  Cathy stood up and turned her back to me. “Will you unsnap me?” she whispered. She then lifted up her t-shirt to reveal the strap of her bra.

  “I don’t know,” I mumbled.

  “Don’t get the wrong idea. I can’t sleep in a bra. Have you ever worn one?”

  “Can’t say that I have,” I whispered. I reached out in the darkness and did as she asked, and I watched her as she wiggled free of her brassiere.

  “Thank you,” she said, softly. “Oh, you have no idea how good that feels. She then sat back down on the bed and slid under the sleeping bag. She held the edge up so I could crawl in beside her.

  I was tired and we were both adults, but I still felt uncomfortable crawling in next to her. Thankfully, she turned to face Violet and I laid flat on my back and stared up at the dark ceiling. After a long moment, Cathy rolled over and draped her arm over my chest. Her fingers slowly traced circles there and she exhaled in passionate gasps of air. I thought of Violet on the other side of the bed and closed my eyes. Gradually, Cathy’s fingers quit moving and we both drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 13

  I awoke the next morning to the sound of footsteps on the creaky staircase. A pale light shone in the window and I wasn’t sure if it was from the moon or from approaching daylight. I climbed out of bed and tiptoed to the door. I had left it open a crack and I saw Ace opening the door to Lisa’s bedroom. He whispered something to her and quietly closed the door. He turned to me and without a word pointed his right index finger to the top of his left wrist. It was time to move.

  I slipped on my shoes. I was still tired, but I had slept all night without waking up and I quietly thanked God for that. I sat on the bed to tie my shoes and I felt Cathy slide over. She wrapped an arm around my waist. “It must be that time, huh?” she asked.

  I nodded my head. “How did you sleep?”

  “Like a rock. I was so tired. Will you hand me my bra?”

  I spotted it lying on the floor, snow white in the shadows of the floor. I got up and retrieved it for her. Cathy sat up and without an ounce of modesty she stripped off her t-shirt to reveal her bare breasts. She picked up her bra, adjusted it, and she slipped it on and turned her back to me. I fumbled with the two snaps, but I finally had them locked into place and turned to leave as she leaned over to wake Violet.

  “We’ll be down in a minute,” whispered Cathy.

  I left the room and closed the door, suddenly feeling wide awake. That sort of thing had never happened to me before. Despite everything that had happened with Todd and Kyle, I knew I was developing strong feelings for her. I hadn’t been in a relationship in nearly five years. I had secretly yearned to meet a woman for a long time. I knew in my heart that if Cathy was capable of making a commitment, I could forgive her for what was in the past. I had grown quite fond of Violet and the thought of becoming a permanent fixture in her life appealed to me.

  Lisa stepped out of her room and turned away from the stairs to face me. She had rolled up and tied my sleeping bag. She shoved it into my arms. “Here,” she grunted. Then she spun around and stalked off down the stairs.

  I waited there for a moment. Cathy had been right about Lisa, I knew that. I shook my head and smiled. Before the crisis, I had been in the worst drought in my life. Now, I had two attractive women who were obviously interested in me. This had only happened once in my lifetime. The last time had been ninety pounds ago in junior high school. I’ve got to admit, at that moment I felt like a Hollywood movie star. I tucked my sleeping bag under one arm and walked down the stairs.

  We ate a quick breakfast and with the exception of Jack, we washed it down with what was left of the iced tea. I was saddened to see Jack already working on his flask. I walked outside to use the outhouse and met Ace on my way back. “We’re going to have to take that away from him,” he said. “I won’t go to war with a drunk.”

  “You read my mind,” I said. “Admit it.”

  “I already did, last night. Get over it, Gary. Just promise me that you’ll keep it to yourself.”

  “Why?”

  “Because, yours isn’t the only one I can read. You’re a good guy and I’m going to tell you something you need to know. I hope you can handle it.”

  My heart sank. Whatever he knew, I suspected had been someone else’s private thoughts. There seemed to be something dirty about hearing what they were. But the need to know outweighed my sense of propriety. “Go ahead,” I said.

  “She knows about the gold.”

  My shoulders sagged under the weight of the statement. Everything I had been thinking about Cathy was suddenly turned upside down. “You’re sure?”

  “I’m sorry, man,” Ace said. “I mean it, Gary. This is our secret. If you tell
anyone I’ll never trust you again. I mean it. I didn’t ask for this gift and it doesn’t always work, but I’ve found that the fewer people that know about it, the better. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to see a man about a horse.”

  Things began to fall into place as I walked back to the house. Violet must have told Cathy about the gold; there was no other way she could have known. Still, that alone didn’t prove anything. Cathy could still have feelings for me, even if she knew about my buried treasure. And so what if she did know. I couldn’t imagine her as the type to try and take it from me. Men used money to attract women like fishermen used minnows to attract fish. There was no doubting that. I thought about that as I approached the house and a thought suddenly stopped me in my tracks: Lisa did not know about the gold and she also had feelings for me.

  I opened the door, feeling more confused than I ever had in my entire life. Everyone had congregated in the kitchen, readying themselves for the day. Cathy smiled at me and Violet gave me a blank stare. Lisa pretended not to notice me and couldn’t have been any more obvious about it. Neil was bent over, tying tennis shoes that looked big enough to fit an NBA center. Jack stood with his flask in hand and I tapped him on the shoulder as I walked by. “Got a sec?” I asked.

  “Actually,” he replied. “I have lots of secs.”

  I stared at him and shook my head. He chuckled and turned to follow me. I walked to the far end of the living room and stood facing the paned glass windows. Daylight was fast approaching and I knew we needed to get moving.

  “What’s on your mind?”

  “Your drinking, Jack, I want you to put away that flask until we hole up for the night. There’s too much at stake here.”

  Jack’s face darkened and he stuffed his flask back into his pocket. “There,” he said, angrily. “Are you happy, now?”

  “You’ve got to understand my position.”

  Jack’s eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. “Listen here, punk,” he spat, “I served two tours over in Vietnam. That was before you were even a twinkle in your daddy’s eye. As far as I know, I’m the only one here with any combat experience. You get your mind around that. I’ve got two Purple Hearts at home. I’ll put away my booze, but don’t you ever even think about giving me another order. Do we understand each other? I could drop you like a sack of feed corn. Don’t push me.”

  I stood there with my mouth hanging open and Jack spun around and walked away. I suddenly had a new respect for the man, but I was also afraid of him. He was not only an alcoholic, but he was a loose cannon. I could see it in his steel-colored eyes. There was emptiness there; a look that told me that he would do whatever he thought was necessary to achieve his own goals. I thought I now understood his flash of hostility he had shown to Lisa the night before. Old Jack’s time in the service had turned him into a racist; I was sure of it. I sighed and followed him back to the kitchen.

  Cathy looked at me expectantly, and I walked over to join her. Once again, Lisa turned her back to me and pretended to be interested in something on the kitchen counter. Thankfully, Jack had already walked outside. I stood at the kitchen window and saw that he and Ace were having a heated exchange in the middle of the yard. Cathy walked behind me and stuck her head on my shoulder and wrapped her arms around me. “What’s going on?” she asked.

  “Ace and I want him to stop drinking. Jack isn’t too happy about that.”

  “Jack’s an asshole,” said Lisa.

  “Jack did two tours in Vietnam,” I said. “I think he came back a little messed up, so cut him some slack. We need him.”

  “My dad fought in Vietnam. He’s not like Jack. He’s not a booze-hound.”

  “Just let it go,” I said. “Jack is a good man, but he was offended when I asked him to put away his bottle. We don’t know what demons he’s fighting.”

  “Who drinks booze first thing in the morning?” asked Neil.

  “Jack does,” said Violet. “Maybe we should call him Jack Daniel’s?”

  The little quip was enough to break the tension in the kitchen and everyone laughed. I turned around, but Cathy remained where she was and she took the opportunity to give me another kiss. I couldn’t help but think what Ace had told me. I told myself that at the first opportunity, I was going to call Cathy out on it. I wanted her, but only if she wanted me for whom I was. If she was only interested in my gold, I would turn my back on her and take my chances with Lisa.

  The door popped open and Ace stuck his head inside. “Are we ready?”

  “Let’s move out,” I said.

  We took up the same positions as we walked with Ace leading the way. The morning was warm and the morning sky was partially obscured by clouds. A brilliant sunrise lit the sky at our backs as we marched west. Ace paused for nearly a minute at Highway 61 and finally jogged across it. After he was safely in the ditch, he waved the rest of us across. We entered a buffer strip of forest that lay between the highway and the interstate. Without a breeze, the only sound I heard was the sound of snapping twigs and our feet ruffling the fallen oak leaves. I kept my ears peeled for the sound of gunfire, but the morning air was absolutely still.

  The woods were open and airy and we walked unimpeded by clinging vines and the tangles of scrub brush. Yesterday it seemed like we had to fight for every inch of the ground we gained. I was thankful for the change of terrain. Ace stopped twenty feet away from the fence at the side of Interstate 35. He motioned for us to be quiet and to stay where we were. He then crept up to the fence and gazed up and down the empty freeway. Jack brushed past me and joined Ace at the fence. The two whispered together and Jack waved me up to join them. I got to my feet.

  “Be careful,” whispered Cathy.

  I nodded to her and crouched low and made my way to the fence. Jack patted me on the shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he hissed. “I was a complete jerk back there and I had no right treating either of you like I did. I understand how you guys feel, and honestly I’d probably be saying the same things to you if the shoe was on the other foot. I promise not to take another drink until we’re back at the farm. I mean it.”

  I looked to Ace as he studied Jack’s face. He smiled and gave me the slightest of nods. “Thanks,” he said, “apology accepted. Let’s all just put it behind us. We need you, Jack. I’m proud to fight alongside of you.”

  “Me too,” I said. “Don’t worry about it. No hard feelings.”

  A tear slid down Jack’s stubbled cheek and he angrily brushed it away. “I just want my Helen back. Thanks guys for helping me get her out of there.”

  “We’re all in this together,” said Ace. “We’ve got to get moving. Gary, how would you feel about being the first to cross the freeway? Jack and I will cover you. I hate to ask, but somebody has got to go first.”

  I nodded my head and handed Kyle’s .45 to Ace. I then slipped off my pack and handed it to Jack. “Pass them down to me when I’m on the other side,” I said.

  “Will do,” said Ace. “Be careful, and when you reach the blacktop, run like hell.”

  I rolled my eyes to Jack and he chuckled. “I don’t think you needed to tell him that,” he said.

  Ace nodded his head and smiled. “I just wanted to be sure we were on the same page.”

  I climbed the fence and without the heavy pack, I felt young and strong. I swung my legs over the side and dropped down effortlessly. Ace tossed me my gun and Jack dangled the pack over the fence and I caught it when he let go. I strapped into it and began to gulp in the sweet morning air. I gave my group a quick salute and began to jog down the steep bank that led to the empty interstate. The weeds were knee high and it was all I could do to keep from tumbling forward. The pack felt like a large hand on my back, pushing me down the slope.

  I made it all the way down and crossed the dry ditch at a jog. With my heart in my throat, I clomped up onto the asphalt and began to run as fast as I could. I didn’t dare look from side to side. If I was spotted I thought I’d be dead before I knew what had happened. I cr
ossed the narrow grass trip of median and reached the southbound lanes. I felt open and exposed, but the feeling was strangely exhilarating. I felt more alive than I had ever felt and my muscles were responding with forgotten energy. I dashed across the far shoulder and down into the ditch. My feet splashed in the soggy bottom, but there was very little standing water. I slowed to a jog as I began to climb the opposite bank. I didn’t stop until I reached the fence. I set down the .45 and slipped off the pack. I then turned to face the others. I could barely make them out on the far side of the freeway.

  I saw two forms scaling the fence and when they began jogging down the bank, I could see that it was Cathy and Violet. I was still catching my breath, but the realization that they were about to cross the interstate caused my heart to skip a beat. I held Kyle’s .45 at the ready and watched as they ran, hand in hand, down to the bottom of the bank and up through the ditch. I held my breath as they bounded up onto the freeway. I prayed as they crossed the asphalt shoulder and scrambled out onto the concrete lanes. I bit my lip as they skittered through the grassy median and down into the ditch. I could see the fear on Cathy’s face as she ran across the southbound lanes and down into the ditch on my side of the road. Obviously winded, they jogged their way up the last hundred feet to the fence. Cathy took Violet into her arms and kissed her forehead. She then took a series of deep breaths before she leaned over and gave me a quick kiss.

  “Oh my God,” she said. “That was the scariest two minutes of my life.”

  “It wasn’t so bad,” said Violet. “I could’ve run further if it wasn’t for the fence. I’m the best runner in my class.”

  “I’m sure you are,” I said, watching two more figures as they scaled the fence on the opposite side of the freeway.