Prove It!

by Susanne Matthews

  “Thanks, Aunt Trudy. I accidentally walked across the playing field. Sorry.”

  She chuckled. “If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that excuse...”

  Her aunt closed the door, and Hannah collapsed onto the bed. That had been a close call, but getting into trouble took second place right now. They needed to find Erik and the sooner they did, the better.

  * * * *

  Two hours later, Liam sat in his wheelchair in O’Malley’s, waiting as kids from both Central and Ivy Hills arrived. Classmates and a few old chums from public school had stopped by to say hello, and while he felt better about himself than he had in a while, the fact that his best friend had disappeared ate at him. The rumor mill had done its job, and the idea that a seventeen year old boy was missing had made its way around town, and had brought in several volunteers eager to join the search.

  Cedar Grove was a small, tightly-knit community. It wasn’t without its share of petty crime, but it was supposed to be a safe place to live. When that illusion was shattered, people reacted badly, went into denial, just as they had with his hit and run accident more than a month ago. People didn’t want to believe one of the townsfolk could be involved in something so horrible. They clung to the idea that a passing stranger had committed the crime, but now a boy had vanished. Would they bury their heads in the sand and blame a stranger once more? While Chief Richards had finally issued an AMBER alert, he’d only done so when his sister had convinced him that there was no way Erik was a runaway.

  Mr. Jenkins was a dentist, and Erik’s mother taught at the high school. They weren’t by any means the richest people in town, but a kidnapper wouldn’t know that. All a stranger would see was that the boy attended Ivy Hills, the prestigious academy for the sons of the rich, famous, and at times infamous. Locals knew Erik and Liam were essentially charity cases, but an outsider wouldn’t. The idea a stranger could be involved would mean Cedar Grove wasn’t the safe community they believed it to be.

  Here and there, families were talking to one another, but a sense of fear permeated the room. Until Erik showed up, safe and sound, every kid in town, regardless of age, would be watched like a hawk.

  Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins and Mari had arrived earlier, and Erik’s mother had almost collapsed when she realized no one had seen her son in more than twelve hours, an eternity when a child was missing. So far, there hadn’t been a ransom demand, and rather than comforting her, at the moment, it just made matters worse.

  Liam stared down at his jean-clad useless legs. Did he have any answers for her? He wasn’t sure he dared voice what he might know, because to do so and be wrong, could cause way more trouble than he could afford.

  The bell tinkled, and he looked up to see Hannah and Mina enter the restaurant.

  “Liam, how are you feeling?” Hannah asked, stepping over to him, ignoring the other kids, concern for him painted in her beautiful eyes.

  “A little tired, but I’m hanging in there. Mom and Dad didn’t want to bring me here, and there really isn’t much I can do, but I just felt I had to come. Erik spent days sitting by my bed. I owe him. How are you holding up?” he asked, including Mina in his question.

  “We’re managing, but I’m scared, Liam. What if he’s hurt, and we just left him there?” Mina asked.

  Hannah had called earlier and had filled him in on how Erik might’ve disappeared.

  “This isn’t on you. Whatever happened to Erik wasn’t your fault. If anyone is to blame, it’s me for encouraging him to snoop around.”

  “Not you,” Hannah said in his defense. “It’s whoever hurt you in the first place.”

  “Mina?”

  Liam looked up into the policeman’s face, recognizing Mina’s uncle.

  “Hi, Uncle Jim,” Mina answered, biting her lip.

  “Your mother said you saw Erik last night? Where?” he asked, pulling out his notepad.

  “I did. I mean we did. Hannah and I were on our way to Waverley. We saw him walking along the Flower Lake Road. He was right in front of Coach Snow’s cottage.”

  “How did you know it was Coach Snow’s cottage?” he asked, his voice heavy with suspicion.

  Mina reddened and licked her lips. “Because we were there for a barbecue last summer,” she answered defiantly and put her hand on her hip. “I know my way around. Besides, there’s also a sign hanging at the road that says Snow’s Chalet.”

  He nodded. “Don’t get angry. I’m just doing my job. What time was that?”

  “Around eight, maybe a little bit before.” The bravado was gone from her voice, replaced with concern.

  Liam hoped she wasn’t going to break down again the way she had on the phone when he’d been talking to Hannah.

  “What were you doing there?” he asked, his forehead creased. “That would’ve been too late to go to a movie and get back before curfew.”

  “There wasn’t anything on we wanted to see, so we decided not to go to the show and drive around instead. We went to Smarty’s for a drink and then came back home. On our way back—it must’ve been around nine or so—we stopped to talk to Coach Snow about a booth at the Christmas fair, but we didn’t see Erik. The coach gave me some pictures of him and the team to use for the display. They’re in the car if you want to see them.”

  Mina’s uncle laughed. “No, that’s okay. I believe you.” He turned to the people who’d assembled at O’Malley’s when rumors of a search party got around. “Listen up. Thank you all for coming. Erik Jenkins was last seen near the Snow’s chalet out on Flower Lake Road. We’ll meet there and divide the area into search grids. Everybody works with a partner. I know you kids want to help, but no one goes off on their own. You’ll be given whistles when we get there, and I assume most of you have cellphones. Call 9 1 1 if you find anything. Check in with the search captain before and after you go into the woods. We don’t want to lose anyone else up there. When last seen, Erik was wearing...”

  “He’s my best friend, and I can’t even help,” Liam said frustrated, his eyes bright with tears he couldn’t shed here. “He’s missing, maybe even dead because of me, and I’m stuck in this damn thing.”

  “It’s not your fault, and he’s not dead,” Hannah said.

  He read the compassion in her eyes. The last thing he wanted from her was pity.

  “Mari would know if he were dead,” she whispered, reaching for his hand and twinning her fingers in his.

  Eric nodded. “The twin connection. I talked to Erik on Thursday night. He claimed he was onto something, but wouldn’t tell me what it was. The restaurant vanished as the memory of the last words he’d spoken to his friend filled him.

  “We’ve got him, Liam. I can prove it,” Erik says, both angry and excited.

  “Prove it how? You know what the chief said. We can’t rely on my memory alone. Dr. Miller insists I could be remembering things I’ve heard and mixing it all together.”

  “Look, I’ve spoken to the police twice, and they won’t even look into Mr. Snow’s truck because he claims the man has an iron-clad alibi, but what you remembered today—that’s the best clue we’ve had to date.”

  “How?”

  “Let me work on it. I saw something recently. I know I did. I have to go back over the information we have, but I’m sure we’ve got him. I’m going to talk to Craig and snoop around a bit on my own. I’ll let you know how it turns out on Sunday. Once we have irrefutable proof that the coach is implicated, the police won’t be able to ignore it.”

  “Earth to Liam,” Hannah said, ending his musing.

  “I’m sorry. I was thinking. So the last time you saw Erik, he was walking along Flower Lake Road?”

  “Not exactly,” she said, lowering her voice and looking around the crowded room, as if she expected everyone to be eavesdropping on their conversation. “He asked Mina to give him a ride to the coach’s house. We dropped him at the end of the driveway.” She explained exactly what had happened. “We never saw him again.”

  That bad f
eeling he’d had earlier when he’d first learned of Erik’s disappearance was stronger than ever.

  “Liam,” his mother came over to them and smiled weakly. “Sorry to interrupt. Dad’s getting the van. We have to get you back before Larry gets to the farm.”

  She turned to Hannah as if recognizing her for the first time. He groaned inwardly and wished the floor would open up and swallow him. He could see that matchmaking gleam in his mother’s eye again—the one she’d gotten when Hannah had first visited him in the hospital.

  “Hello, Hannah. Nice to see you again. We’re so grateful for everything your father did for Liam. We would’ve lost our son otherwise.”

  The emotion in her voice was strong, and Liam saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes. Mom cried far too easily these days, and with Erik missing, there were even more sad things to focus on.

  “How are they enjoying their trip?” Mom asked.

  Hannah smiled. “Very much. They sent a postcard from Athens last week.”

  “I’m sure they miss you.” She handed him his coat. “I hope we’ll see you again soon,” she said, moving behind the wheelchair, waiting as people left the crowded restaurant.

  “Actually, Mrs. H,” Hannah smiled nervously, melting him inside, reminding him of the one could thing that had come out of the accident, “my cousin Mina and I were wondering if we could come over to visit Liam after church tomorrow. I don’t have a shift at the hospital this week. Would that be okay?” she asked nervously.

  Mom beamed, looking happier than before, and Liam relaxed.

  “Can she Mom? I mean, can they?” His cheeks heated at his slip of the tongue.

  “Of course they can.” She turned to Hannah. “You’re welcome to stay for supper, too.”

  “That’s very kind of you to offer, Mrs. Howard,” Mina answered. “I can ask, but my mom makes a big deal about us being home by five-thirty on school nights, and I’m sure if Erik hasn’t been found, she’ll want us back before dark.”

  “Of course. Come any time after two. Liam will have finished with his therapist by then.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Liam said, squeezing Hannah’s hand slightly before releasing it. “Hopefully, by then, they’ll have found Erik, and everything will be back to normal.” Even as he said the words, he was afraid that wouldn’t be the case. Nothing would be back to normal for a long time to come. He slipped his arms into his jacket.

  “I hope so, too. I’ll call you as soon as we know something,” Hannah said, smiling down at him. “I’ve got to go. Mina and I are getting in with Mari and her parents.”

  Liam nodded and watched her walk away, wishing he wasn’t condemned to this chair right now. He’d give anything, including his shiny new front teeth, to be able to help.

  Chapter Eleven

  Two grueling hours later, exhausted and worried because he didn’t know how the search was going, Liam leaned back against the workout bench and released the multi-grip lat bar.

  “I’m done. I can’t do another repetition even if you promised me I’d walk when I was finished.”

  Larry chuckled. “Not yet, buddy, but soon. Your legs are strong enough, but your brain isn’t getting the message. It’s a matter of re-teaching it, you know, like that little train engine. Right now, it doesn’t think it can do it, but in time, it’ll realize it can.”

  “You make it sound as if it’s just a case of mind over matter,” Liam answered, unable to hide his anger. “Do you think I don’t want to walk? Is that it? Well, you’re wrong. I’d give anything to be out of that chair right now.”

  “Calm down. There’s a little more to it than that, and we both know it. You did really well today,” he said, helping Liam back into the wheelchair. “Considering neither your mind nor your heart were on the task at hand, you stood on your own for almost thirty seconds. That’s three times longer than yesterday.”

  Larry settled him into the chair and steered it into the bathroom.

  “It felt like a lot longer than that,” Liam grumbled. He wasn’t in the mood for what his teacher would call a Pyrrhic victory. Sure he’d made progress, but at what cost? The fact that Erik was out there somewhere, probably in pain or worse, destroyed any sense of accomplishment he might’ve felt.

  “It’s the missing kid, isn’t it? I heard about it over the radio. He’s the boy I met at the hospital a couple of weeks ago, right?”

  Liam nodded, almost too tired to speak now that the exercise induced adrenalin rush was over.

  “I’m sure it’s all a big misunderstanding. There were a few parties in the area last night, celebrating State’s football victory. Maybe he dropped in on one of them. But you need to focus on yourself right now. Mark my word. At the speed you’re improving, you’ll be running again by Easter.”

  “If I could manage that, it would be a miracle, a resurrection of sorts,” Liam joked, as Larry helped him out of the chair and into the double shower stall, specifically equipped for someone unable to stand on his own.

  “Can you manage by yourself?” Larry asked.

  Liam nodded. “Dad helped a couple of times, but I’m good now.” He chuckled. “Mom offered, but there are some things a guy has to do for himself.”

  Larry laughed. “Not surprised you feel that way. You’re tough and independent. That’s why I know you’ll beat this. I’m going to straighten up the gym. Yell if you need help getting back into the chair. Remember. No dumb tricks like the one in the hospital.”

  Liam chuckled humorlessly. “I learned my lesson. I hope you’re right about Erik, but his going to a party would be really out of character.”

  Larry shrugged. “People can surprise you. Don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll turn up safe and sound.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  He saw the doubt quickly hidden on his therapist’s face before he left the bathroom.

  Liam turned on the taps and let the hot water wash away the sweat and the ache in his muscles, but it couldn’t do anything to ease his sore heart.

  Half an hour later, dressed in clean clothes and feeling a little less discouraged, Liam sat in the open doorway, breathing in the cold, damp air. How he missed being able to go out there and run. If he ever did get the ability back, he would never take it for granted again. He waved at Larry as his therapist drove off.

  The sky was dark and heavy, and the wind had picked up, rattling the bare branches in the trees, the way they had that fateful day. An owl hooted, and he shivered. The last time that had happened, he’d ended up in a coma. Backing the chair into the house, he closed the front door, spun the chair around, and returned to his room. He needed to do something to keep his mind off Erik and the search.

  The massive pile of homework on his desk didn’t look inviting, but the sooner he tackled it the better. He hoped to return to Ivy Hills after Christmas. The school had sent everything over he’d missed to date yesterday, and he would be allowed to write the end of semester exams, hopefully passing his courses and salvaging this half of the year. The principal was making arrangements for him to video conference with his teachers. Math would be okay, but he dreaded having to tackle the rest of it. Erik had promised to help him, but to do that, they had to find his best friend alive and well. Shaking off the bad vibes, determined not to let his mind wander over to any more gruesome possibilities, he reached for a copy of Hamlet. It wasn’t exactly an upbeat book, but it required him to focus, so it was a good choice at the moment.

  He was immersed in the third act of the play, surprised to find it almost familiar when his cellphone rang, playing the song indicating it was Hannah. He hoped whatever she had to tell him was good news.

  “Hi, how is it going?” he asked, ignoring the usual chit-chat.

  “You don’t have to call me that,” she said, and he could imagine her blush.

  “They haven’t found Erik, but they found his backpack. There’s blood on it—lots of blood,” she said softly.

  He could hear the barely suppressed tears in her
voice, and his hopes plummeted.

  “Maybe it isn’t his,” he offered knowing it probably was. “Did they find anything else?”

  “The truck.”

  “The truck? You mean the truck that hit me?” he asked. What other truck could it be?

  “Yes. Someone torched it over at the far edge of the vacant lot not far down the road from Mr. Snow’s. Chief Richards thinks no one noticed the smoke because of the weather around the same time as the accident, plus a lot of the places on the lake up that way were already closed up for the winter. He doesn’t think they’ll get much evidence off of it, but whoever drove it here had to have an accomplice.”

  “Are they sure it’s the right truck? I mean I just remembered it was a new one the other day.”

  “I didn’t see it myself, but one of the guys from school took pictures. Even with all the fire damage, the front end is all banged up. His father was with him and claims the truck had high end halogen lights. Didn’t you tell me the truck that hit you had some of those?”

  “Yeah.” He shivered, seeing the brightness coming toward him once more. “So whoever did this to me had to know the area? How else would they have known where to get rid of the evidence? Erik’s right. Someone local put me in this chair.” Anger filled him. “What did I ever do to them to deserve this?”

  “You didn’t do anything to anyone. The person who did this to you and who may be responsible for Erik’s disappearance is in the wrong. While he may be local, there’s a good chance he isn’t. He could be one of the tourists who visit here each summer or he has a friend in the area. The police say he had to have help, remember?”

  “Did they find Erik’s backpack in the same place as the truck?”