She was almost at the stairs when she bumped something warm and solid. She squeaked a loud yelp of surprise.
“Lacy?”
“Kimber?”
“What are you doing down on the floor? And why is it so dark?”
Lacy stood, grabbed Kimber’s hand, and dragged her into the stairwell.
“Wait,” Kimber called, but Lacy didn’t wait. She sprinted, towing Kimber behind her with alarming strength and dexterity. They burst through the doors and into the main hallway. Kimber tugged her hand free and sagged against the wall, bent over and leaning for support.
“Is that how you work out? No wonder you’ve kept the weight off,” Kimber panted.
“Someone turned off lights. Chasing me,” Lacy said. The wheezing was worse now; she could hardly catch her breath.
“Miss Steele, are you okay?” It was shift change time. Eddie and Marv were both there, hovering anxiously at Lacy’s elbow.
“There was someone downstairs,” she said, attempting to stand upright.
“We’ll check it out,” they said.
“I’m coming with you,” she said, pushing herself off the wall with effort.
“Me, too,” Kimber said, easing from the wall with a similar amount of difficulty.
The quartet descended the stairs together. In the basement, the lights were back on and nothing was amiss. The fan in the workout room was running, just as Lacy had left it. She switched it off, feeling like a fool. Eddie and Marv were being solicitous, but Lacy thought it had more to do with the fact that she was the one who signed their paychecks than anything else. Clearly they thought she had overreacted and blown whatever happened out of proportion. Maybe she had. Had anyone been chasing her? Perhaps the lights were turned off on accident. Maybe the person she saw in the window hadn’t been real.
“Should we call that detective?” Marv asked.
“No,” Lacy blurted. Nothing had really happened, certainly nothing she needed to concern Jason with, and especially not in his current mood, whatever it was. “No, everything appears to be fine. Marv, maybe you could send someone down to keep an eye on this room every hour or so tonight, just to make sure. That’s probably something we should do anyway since the basement is so remote and cut off from the rest of the hotel.”
“All right,” Marv agreed. Together, they went up the stairs. Eddie collected his check and went home. Lacy and Kimber returned to their room. The room was empty.
“Riley was here,” Kimber said.
“I know,” Lacy replied.
“She didn’t look so good.”
“She ate twelve cupcakes,” Lacy said.
“Oh, I saw all the packages and thought it was you,” Kimber said. She sat on her bed. Lacy sat on hers. Awkward silence descended between them. “I didn’t kill Summer.”
“I know,” Lacy said.
“Is that why you and Jason are fighting?”
“How did you know we’re fighting?” Lacy asked.
“Why else would you be running?”
“No, that’s not it. And we’re not even fighting. He just left.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Kimber, what’s going on? What aren’t you saying?”
“I don’t want to tell you,” Kimber said.
“Why not?” Lacy asked.
“Because it’s really embarrassing.”
“You’re talking to the Queen of Embarrassment. You’ve been present for more than a few cringe-inducing moments of mine. Your top five most embarrassing moments can’t come close to my lowest five. There is nothing, absolutely nothing that will ever change or diminish my opinion of you.”
“I made out with Travis.”
“Oh, sweet mercy,” Lacy said.
Kimber pressed her hands over her eyes. “I know.”
“Kimber, he’s twenty,” Lacy said.
“I know,” Kimber said. “It was a weak moment. Or hour. Or six hours.”
“Kimber!”
“This is why I didn’t want to tell you, and it’s why I didn’t want to tell Jason. I didn’t want Travis to get in trouble.”
“Why would he get in trouble for that?”
“Not that.”
“Then what? Start at the beginning and tell me everything,” Lacy commanded. “What did you say to him when you went outside to check on him? Did you kiss him then?”
“No, of course not. I told him I was totally out of reach and he had no reason to be nervous. He calmed down really well, and that was it. Honestly, I didn’t give him another thought until the thing with Brady.”
“What happened?” Lacy said because Kimber paused again.
“Travis was outside looking for you. He saw the blow up with Brady, saw Brady shove me, and flattened him. I mean, he went off, okay? Brady was down and he didn’t get back up, but he was conscious when we left him.”
“Then what happened?” Lacy prompted. She had a feeling that if she let her, Kimber would stop the story at any point and never pick it up again.
“Then I sort of fell apart.”
“You cried?” Lacy said. Kimber never cried. She kept her feelings close to her chest and didn’t let outsiders in. The fact that she had broken down in front of a stranger told Lacy how very upset and out of control she had been.
“I blubbered,” Kimber said. “It was awful, but he was very sweet about it. You had taken my car, so he was going to give me a ride. Somehow on the way to the hotel, we started talking. I was obviously melting down, and he was having a hard time with the Riley thing. Cans opened, worms spilled out. The conversation was going so well that we took it to his house.”
“He lives with his mom,” Lacy pointed out.
“Thank you for adding that. Anyway, our original woe-is-me mode of conversation eventually morphed into laughter. I didn’t even remember what we were laughing about. Maybe everything is funny after a breakdown. We laughed for a long time, and then we were kissing. We did that for a while, and then we went to breakfast.”
“He’s twenty,” Lacy repeated.
“Lacy, I know.”
“And he’s impressionable and sweet,” Lacy added.
“I know all that, too, but you don’t have to worry. It wasn’t like that; it’s not like he has some undying crush on me. The night was a blip for both of us. It was about filling a temporary need. We agreed to never mention it again and move on. The end.”
Lacy wasn’t over her shock, but Kimber wouldn’t appreciate it if she kept reliving her monumental error in judgment. Lacy had made plenty of mistakes during the course of their friendship; now was the time to bestow grace and not judgment. Besides, if what Kimber said was true, then Travis was doing okay. If no one was hurt, then what was the harm? “What do you want to do tonight? I heard people are meeting at Grigsby’s.”
“Honestly? I would love nothing more than to get some Chinese takeout, put on our pajamas, and watch a movie,” Kimber said.
“So, you want to pretend we’re back in college.”
“Exactly,” Kimber said. “Is that okay?”
“It’s better than okay; it’s perfect.” Lacy was exhausted. A girls’ night with Kimber sounded like a prescription for complete recovery. Tomorrow promised to be a big day. The governor was coming to make his presentation before the alumni game. She would march in the band but, more than that, she would see Jason. Would he break up with her after her penguin confession? She tried to do what he said and trust him that he wouldn’t. Only tomorrow knew for sure. Lacy pushed all thoughts of Jason from her mind and picked up the phone to order their food.
In the morning, Kimber and Lacy both felt groggy, even though they had gone to bed early the night before.
“Maybe this is our version of therapy,” Kimber said from her bed. “Confronting all these old ghosts from our pasts. No wonder we’re exhausted.”
“Maybe,” Lacy said from her bed. “Or maybe we’re old now. Maybe we need to find some painfully young kid and siphon his youth and energy…oh, wai
t. You already tried that with Travis.”
Kimber threw a pillow at her. “Shut up. You are banned from ever bringing that up again from this moment on.”
“Good luck with that,” Lacy said. “This incident is going in the vault, to be mined at your bachelorette party and any other time I deem humiliation to be necessary.”
“I don’t think you want to go comparing vaults,” Kimber said.
“Yeah, probably not,” Lacy agreed. Kimber had more than a few embarrassing stories about her tucked away for safekeeping.
“Did Jason call last night?” Kimber asked.
“No,” Lacy replied. Her phone was still on her pillow where she had fallen asleep waiting for his call. It was the first time they hadn’t said goodnight to each other since they started dating. Touching base at the end of the day had become a small but important part of their relationship. She supposed she could have called him, but he had been the one who walked away; he should be the one to come crawling back.
They decided Lacy should go first in the shower because she had to wash her hair. Kimber’s hair, with its network of intricate braids, hardly ever had to be shampooed. Lacy finished her shower and slipped into a pair of khaki pants and a ubiquitous white oxford shirt. This time the boring outfit wasn’t her choice. Since the alumni band was too large for uniforms, they had agreed to all wear the same thing. Lacy decided to accessorize with jewelry and a scarf for some added flair. The day was set to be a hot one, so after she styled her hair, she tucked some pins in her pocket. If the humidity overpowered the tenuous control the pomade gave her over the frizz, she wanted to be prepared. There was also the possibility that she might become too warm while marching.
She and Kimber grabbed a bowl of cereal from the hotel’s breakfast area. Lacy picked up a couple bottles of water for them, and they were off. The band was having one final practice before the game. Chester Campbell caught Lacy’s attention and waved as she took her place in the formation. She gave him a halfhearted wave in response. He had been noticeably absent the last couple of days, but he was probably busy with band stuff. He and the other field marshals seemed bent on making sure they played perfectly.
It was early morning, and the day was already a scorcher. Lacy and some other members of the band sat in the shade, sipping water. About a half dozen police cars showed up. Officers tumbled out and began swarming the stage, bleachers, and field. Lacy knew most of the local officers, and these weren’t them. Their purposeful, unhurried stride resembled caution more than adrenaline-fueled frenzy. After a few seconds of watching them, she realized they were setting up security for the governor’s arrival. They had even brought a bomb-sniffing dog for the occasion. Lacy leaned against the bleachers and watched in fascination while it made its rounds.
On the field, the players were beginning to stretch. The alumni were playing the high school kids. The mood of the assembling crowd was high as they began to flow into the bleachers. She was glad her seat was already assigned with the band because the event looked like it was going to be extremely crowded.
A short while before the ceremony was set to begin, a long, black limousine arrived. Lacy squinted as a familiar face stepped out. He turned and scanned the crowd, pausing when his eyes landed on her. He raised his hand and beckoned to her.
“That guy is waving at you,” Kimber said.
“That’s what I was afraid of,” Lacy said.
“Who is he?”
“Ben Montgomery, the governor’s aide.”
“Go see what he wants.”
“Are we sure he’s not just waving hello?” Lacy asked.
Kimber gave her a shove. “Lacy, go see what he wants.”
Lacy stood and wiped her sweaty palms on her pants. She walked as slowly as possible toward Ben, both because she was in no hurry to reach him and because she was trying to be careful. Now, of all times, she didn’t want to trip.
Another man was exiting the vehicle as she approached. Ben hailed her closer with a smile. “Lacy, this is Governor Rick Stone. Governor, this is the woman I was telling you about.”
Lacy smiled and held out her hand and the governor did the same. Like Ben, he had a politician’s innate friendliness that put Lacy at ease sooner than she would have believed possible. “We’re very interested in what you’re doing in the town, Miss Steele,” the governor said.
“I’m certainly not alone,” Lacy said.
“You’re leading the charge, from what we hear,” he replied. What did they hear, and from whom?
“I’ve been very pleased with how things are going so far,” she said.
“Perhaps sometime we’ll have you to the capital for a conversation,” he said.
“I can’t imagine that I would be able to tell you anything you don’t already know, but I would be delighted by the invitation,” Lacy said. The governor smiled and nodded and walked away. Lacy stared at him until he was out of sight.
“You can breathe now,” Ben said.
She sagged with relief and took a few gulping breaths. She did it; she had actually had a full conversation with an important official without humiliating herself. Maybe there was hope for her yet.
“Just because I gave you a pass with the governor doesn’t mean I won’t seek retribution at some future point,” Ben warned. “Mrs. Madsen talked to me about the town charter for three and a half hours. Apparently someone told her I was a history buff.”
“Was that a secret?” Lacy said.
“It’s a good thing you have a cop for a boyfriend. Something tells me you’re the type who needs a lot of protection. He is your boyfriend, right? I didn’t misread that, did I?”
“He’s something like that,” Lacy said.
“Hmm,” Ben said. “Note to self: become a cop again. They get all the best women. Have a good day, Ms. Steele.”
“You, too, Mr. Montgomery.” She was glad he was leaving after he flustered her so. She took her place with the band a few minutes before the ceremony was ready to start, but it wasn’t to be. She had just taken her seat when Jason, dressed in full pads and a helmet, made his way across the field and into the stands.
“I need to talk to you. It’s an emergency,” he said. He didn’t give her a chance to refuse as he clasped her hand and hauled her away.
Chapter 12
He led her to a deserted spot under the bleachers. “Jason, what is it? Is this about the murder?”
“I did it,” he blurted.
“You killed Summer?” she said, thoroughly confused.
“No, the penguin prank. I did it.”
“No, I’m pretty sure I did it. I have the tape to prove it.”
He whipped off his helmet and tossed it aside, caught her clarinet and placed it gently inside. Until then, she had no idea she had brought it with her. He clasped her shoulders and pressed his forehead to hers. “Listen to what I’m saying, woman, and understand the words coming out of my mouth. I planned the penguin prank. It was my idea.”
“You?” she said.
He nodded. He looked miserable. There were telltale bags under his eyes that she hadn’t seen since he switched his schedule from midnight to day shift. “I told you I ate lunch with that group every day. Sometimes between sports, I connected with them and hung out. Sophomore year, we were brainstorming prank ideas. I came up with that one. They wrote it down word for word. The part about making your own costume and putting something of yourself in the routine? That was all me. Then baseball started, and I didn’t give it another thought until yesterday when you told me it happened to you. All this time, I’ve been saying that the stuff from our past didn’t matter, but I was secretly proud of the fact that I had never personally done anything to hurt you. And then it turns out that I’m responsible for your most embarrassing memory. Lacy, I’m so, so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”
Lacy blinked up at him a few times, turning it over in her head as she digested the new information. Then she launched herself at him. He caught her, and she kissed him. Sh
e needed to say a lot with the kiss, to convey all the things bottled inside that were so hard to express. It was a testament to Jason’s athleticism that he caught her, held her, and didn’t falter, even when it became necessary to lean against a pole and slide to the ground.
Finally, it was over. “Geez,” Jason breathed. “I thought it was the girl who was supposed to get all weak-kneed.”
“I did,” Lacy said. She sat in his lap, drained and shaky.
“That wasn’t exactly the response I expected, but it was better than I could have hoped for,” Jason said. “Not that I’m complaining, but would you like to explain? I thought you would jab me in the solar plexus, at the very least.”
“Jason, I know you. You are good and kind and you stand up for the little guy. If you had stuck it out while they followed through, then I know you would have intervened and saved me.”
“I don’t know, Lacy. I was a stupid kid.”
“Who wasn’t? But you’ve always had a good heart, and you would have done the right thing. I have confidence in that, even if you don’t. I could never hold a grudge against you for something you didn’t mean to do. The reason I was so angry at them wasn’t because of that one event; it was for day after day after day of harassment and teasing.”
“I guess you really do trust me, huh?” he said.
“With all my heart,” she said.
“Enough to go for a run later?”
“Don’t push it, Cantor.”
He smiled. “Maybe we could skip the game and stay down here. I always dreamed of spending some time under the bleachers with a hot cheerl…band kid.”
“Me, too,” she said, and he poked her.
“Do you want me to retrieve Chester Campbell for you? I could probably fit him in my pocket.”
“I think I’m content with what I’ve got.”
Class Reunion of Murder Page 13