The Crossing

by Serita Ann Jakes

  “Don’t drive home, Mr. Hightower.”

  “Don’t worry. My boy’ll come get me.”

  Vic walked outside into the welcome fresh air. He clicked the button on his key ring and unlocked the Camry. He couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for Casio after meeting his old man. Not that bad DNA excused Casio’s actions. Still, Vic could understand a little better why he was damaged.

  He lifted his phone and pressed speed dial one. Predictably, it went to Claudia’s voice mail. “Hi, Claude. It’s me again. I miss you and Emmy. It’s been three days. Please give me a call.”

  He knew he sounded lovesick and lonesome, and that pretty much summed up the way he felt. If he wanted to play hardball, he could insist on a visitation with Emmy, and there was really nothing Claudia could do about it. He’d do it if this continued more than another day or two, but he wanted to give Claudia the space she needed to sort through her feelings and realize that he was only investigating the case for her.

  He couldn’t just open and close investigations at will and on a whim. Now that they had started this process, they had to exhaust every lead before they sealed it up again. Besides, he had a feeling about this. Something in his gut that told him he was going to solve this thing, and the man who killed BJ and shot Casio and the bus driver would finally be put away. He was getting close to being on the right track.

  He only prayed that once it was all over, Claude would forgive him for standing his ground this time. He knew that ground was soft and precarious. If he didn’t find this killer, Claudia would never be better, and he was likely to lose his marriage. What twisted his gut was that even if he did find the killer, there was still no guarantee she would return home. But at least it would begin to close the gaping wound inside of her. The best he could do was try to focus on the case and find this guy as quickly as possible before he lost Claudia for good.

  Part Two

  Not the labors of my hands

  Could fulfill thy law’s commands;

  Could my zeal no respite know

  Could my tears forever flow,

  All for sin could not atone;

  Thou must save, and thou alone.

  Eleven

  Mama’s wearing Chanel No. 5. I’m glad my sense of smell is still with me—it’s the most comforting thing. My sight is gone, though my eyes are open. My chest rises slowly. I fight for each breath. Now that Mama is here, I don’t want to go. I want to feel her warmth. She’s singing to me, the familiar, sweet songs of my childhood—it almost makes this worth it to be in her arms listening to the sounds of her mildly off-key expression of love.

  Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,

  Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don’t you cry

  Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,

  Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that’s an Irish lullaby.

  Inside I’m smiling. I wish Mama knew I could hear her. We are not Irish—not according to my dad. But Mama’s grandmother was, and Mama has always loved the culture. I grew up on Irish lullabies. I would have raised my baby on the same songs and old classic musicals and corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day. Mama would have been the best grandmother. But now she’ll never have a grandchild.

  “Where is she?” I hear my dad’s voice, strong and steady, as though his very presence will cause me to stand up and walk away from this mess. He probably thinks that’s exactly what will happen. He’ll find out soon enough, though. He thinks he fixes things, but really he destroys.

  Lord, Daddy. You broke Mama’s heart when you cheated on her. She died a little back then and you never even noticed. You’re a killer, Daddy. And you’ve made me into one too.

  FRIDAY

  Claudia

  Claudia lay curled in her childhood bed. Her head itched and her stomach growled from neglect, but she didn’t care. Tears slowly made their way to the pillow. It seemed like all she could do these days was cry. She missed Vic, but she knew more than anything that she was no good for him right now. Not until this thing about BJ was over. She didn’t want to get into bed next to him every night, knowing that her nightmares were coming as she visualized the crime over and over, felt the warm, sticky blood seeping through her clothes.

  A shudder slid up her spine and vibrated her body. She pulled the covers higher around her shoulders and slid down into the sheets, hoping to fade into sleep. A tap at the door elicited a groan from her throat. Please, Mother, leave me alone.

  “Come in,” she mumbled.

  The door opened, and as she’d expected, her mother entered. “Vic called again.”

  Claudia didn’t respond. She couldn’t even open her eyes. Had no desire to.

  “Did you hear me, Claudia?” Elizabeth King was not the timid sort of mother who would be easily put off by a sullen daughter. No matter how grown that daughter might be.

  “Yes, Mother. I hear you.”

  “Well, you don’t have to use that tone.”

  Oh, yes, she did. She did have to use that tone. It was the only one available to her when her mother walked into the room. “Sorry, Mother.”

  The bed moved as her mother sat. She reached forward and smoothed Claudia’s hair as she used to when Claudia was still a child. At one time she craved that touch more than anything. Now all she wanted to do was jerk away and order this stranger-woman out of her room. But of course she wouldn’t.

  “Honey,” Elizabeth said, “don’t you think you ought to return your husband’s call?”

  “If I did, I would.”

  “Tone, Claudia.”

  Sitting up, Claudia leaned back against the headboard and pulled her knees to her chest. “I’m not ready to go home. I can’t while he’s working on BJ’s murder case.” And even then, she didn’t know if she’d ever go back. “It’s too much, Mother. Please try to understand.”

  “I’m not the one you need to convince.” Elizabeth crossed her slim legs. “You do not just walk away from a good man like Victor. He loves you and Emily so much.”

  “Oh, Mother, please. You are not going to lecture me about staying with a good man. Not after what you did, Liz.”

  Her mother’s face drained of color. “What are you referring to, Claudia?”

  “I think you know. The day we started cleaning out the attic, I found a letter to your ‘darling.’ ”

  “That was many years ago, Claudia, and I’ve paid for my sins many times over. It took years for your father to truly forgive me and trust me again. And it took many tears before I felt like God truly forgave me as well. It’s the most painful thing anyone can do to a spouse. Perhaps I’m trying to spare you and your family the same pain I caused.”

  “And perhaps you are trying to spare yourself the embarrassment of the town bringing up your past because your daughter has left her husband the same way you almost did.” The words flew out of her mouth, and Claudia didn’t try to stop them. “Only I didn’t leave Vic for another man like you almost did.” She knew she was causing the sort of harm that comes from only spiteful, cruel words, but she suddenly didn’t care. Years of pent-up frustration with her mother’s drive for perfection were finally being released. “So there really isn’t much of a comparison. And if anyone asks, you can be sure I’ll inform them of that fact.”

  Elizabeth stood up, her chin raised, shoulders back. Claudia held her breath for a moment. “Well, I’m pleased to hear you intend to get out of that bed eventually. Be sure to shower before you leave the house; you’re not pleasant to be around. Your father and I are taking Emily out to dinner. I’ve invited Victor to join us. We’ll bring you some dinner from the restaurant.”

  Claudia watched her mother leave the room. Elizabeth King had once again gotten the upper hand. Even when she should be hanging her head in shame, she still managed to emerge the victor. For the first time in her life, Claudia wished she had inherited at least that one trait from her mother. Resiliency that refused to be destroyed.

  Hearing the front door close, Claudia glanced at the cl
ock. Almost six. She’d been listening to the high school band practice for the past hour. That meant there was a home football game tonight. Her mother was right. It was time to get out of this house.

  Casio

  Casio stood on the sidelines watching the cheerleaders try to muster up some team spirit for a bunch of guys that hadn’t won a single game all year. In the past five years, they’d been lucky to walk away with two wins each season. The new coach was barely out of college and definitely didn’t have the chops to turn this team into winners. Whiners was more like it.

  “They’re nothing like the team we had when we were here, are they?”

  Casio was accustomed to girls approaching him, but he never expected to find Claudia at a game. She looked good too, her head wrapped in a turban and wearing jeans and a tight sweater. “Hey, baby. What are you doing out and about?”

  “Same as you, from the looks of it. Killing time.”

  “I was about to head to the concession stand,” Casio said. “Can I buy you some nachos?”

  Claudia grinned and Casio grinned back. Her favorite snack had always been the nachos. “I don’t do those anymore,” she said. “But I’ll take hot chocolate.”

  “Deal.” Casio took her elbow and guided her toward the booth. Amazing how familiar it felt even after ten years. “Where’s Vic?”

  “Come on. You two are working together. He didn’t tell you I left him?”

  “For real?” Casio frowned and stopped, turning her to face him. “Vic never said a word. How long’s it been?”

  “A week.”

  “Poor Vic. You know that guy is crazy about you. Almost too crazy.” He shrugged. “I think you and Vic are the real deal. It’s none of my business, but he might be worth hanging on to and working out the issues.”

  She averted her gaze, but not before Casio recognized a flash of pain. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

  She gave him a rueful smile. “No, Vic is too much man to raise his hand to a woman. I left because of the investigation.” She glanced up at him. “I can’t stop the nightmares and this makes things worse.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean. But he’s doing it for you, you know.”

  “Hey, do we have to talk about him?” Claudia’s smile didn’t come close to her eyes.

  Casio shrugged. “Fine by me. I’m not exactly the relationship expert.” He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and shifted his feet. “Hey, do you want to go get a drink? For old times’ sake? No strings.”

  She hesitated, then shrugged. “Sure. I guess there’s no good reason not to.”

  “Look at the two of you cozying up just like old times.” Casio didn’t recognize the woman who nudged her way into their conversation, but apparently she knew him. He glanced at Claudia for support.

  She picked up on the cue. “Hey, Georgie,” she said. “How’s your dad? I think he’s the only adult left at the high school that was there when we were there.” She gave a fake laugh. “I guess being the principal, he has more longevity than a regular teacher.”

  Okay, now he knew and he needed to say something to counteract Claudia’s awkward moment there. “Wow, Georgie. I never would have recognized you. You look really good.”

  The young woman looked pleased. “Thanks, Casio.” She pressed her manicured fingers to his bicep. “Although I guess I should be a little insulted that you thought I looked so bad during high school.”

  “It’s not that.”

  “Oh, I’m kidding.” She giggled. “I know I was a chunk back then. I’m over all that.”

  Casio had no idea what she was talking about. His deer-in-the-headlights look must have raised Claudia’s sympathy. She tagged in. “Casio and I were just going to get a drink. Want to join us?”

  He’d actually just wanted to share some old times with Claude and maybe talk about the stuff she’d been going through. Maybe make some sense of his own issues. Maybe they could help each other out.

  But now Georgie “Fat Face” Newman was going to charge her way in like the rhino she once was. He could tell by her stupid grin. “That sounds great. I saw Blake and Tara about to leave the game too. Want me to invite them?”

  Claudia shrugged. “Sure, the more the merrier. It’ll be like old times, right, Casio?”

  Forcing a polite smile, Casio nodded. Although it wouldn’t be like old times at all. He and Blake had never been friends, he barely knew Tara or Georgie, and all he’d really wanted was to try to figure out why he couldn’t stop hurting the woman he loved. Clearly, this wouldn’t be a night for reflection and answers. “We’ll meet you at Burt’s in the city, sound good?”

  Georgie laughed. “Isn’t that a cop bar?”

  “Yeah. And I’m a cop.”

  “True. I’ll ask them and we’ll meet you there.”

  “You want to ride with me?” Casio asked Claudia after Georgie left them in the midst of laughing kids and parents on their way to the concession stand. “I’ll bring you back to your car.”

  “I have a better idea. How about if you follow me and I’ll drop it off at my mom’s house. I want to go in and change my shoes anyway. These are appropriate for a ball game, but I need something a little more girlie to wear out.”

  “Obviously you’ve never been to Burt’s.”

  “You only make a first impression once.”

  “True.”

  Summer heat had finally given way to cooler fall air. Not cold or midwestern fall air by any stretch of the imagination, but it was nice to smell bonfire smoke and eat caramel apples and sip warm drinks at a football game. Too bad the current team couldn’t get a ball into the end zone without fumbling.

  He led Claudia through the parking lot to her Tahoe and opened the door for her. “Thanks, Casio,” she said softly. “I hope I didn’t overstep my invitation from you by asking Georgie to come along. We’ve sort of become friends lately.”

  The uncertainty in her eyes touched him. “It’s okay. Probably better if we’re chaperoned anyway. I’d hate for Vic to hear about us being together and get the wrong idea.”

  “Me too.” She climbed up into the Tahoe and Casio shut the door. He followed her to Pastor King’s house and parked alongside the curb while he waited for her to go inside and change her shoes. When she returned, her arms were loaded down with photo albums and yearbooks.

  “What’s this?” he asked.

  “My mother has been forcing me to clean out the attic—as my keep, you might say.” She shrugged. “I found these and thought it might be fun to look through them. Georgie will be on cloud nine.”

  Casio gave a short laugh. It didn’t make sense to want a trip down memory lane. “Are you sure you want to go there?”

  “Why not?” she said recklessly. “It doesn’t all have to be about that one bad night.”

  The one bad night that she couldn’t even describe as the night Miss Remington died, or the night on the bus when everything changed, or the night that he lost his chance to get out of this town and away from his overbearing dad and prove to his mom he could be a somebody worth loving. The night that changed them forever. He seriously doubted a bunch of photos and teen memories of football and cheerleading were going to fix what had broken in them all that night.

  But clearly, Claudia was going to do her best to deflect conversation. Two hours later, her plan had succeeded as the waitress in a pair of tight Levis, a short vest, and a cowboy hat brought them their fourth pitcher of beer. Georgie opened the last photo album in the stack Claudia had brought from her parent’s house. “Oh, here are some pictures you didn’t put in albums.” She held up an envelope filled with photographs.

  Claudia shrugged. “Probably from graduation. My mother never was one to keep up with scrapbooks and albums.” She smiled at the waitress and poured herself another glass of beer.

  “I don’t think so.” Georgie held up a picture. “Look, it’s Miss Remington. Oh my gosh. It’s from the game that night.” Georgie’s eyes studied Claudia, and Casio wa
s a bit surprised to see the compassion. “Should I put these back? We don’t have to look at them.”

  Claudia shook her head. “I-I want to.” Claudia’s face grew pale as she took the photograph. After Georgie looked at each one, she handed it over to Claudia, but Claudia barely glanced at it before setting it on the table.

  Casio reached for the stack. “You mind?”

  She gave a little wave of her slender hand. “You may as well.”

  There were photos of the field and the players, of the cheerleaders. Claudia obviously hadn’t taken these. “Where’d they come from?”

  She swallowed down the last of her glass. And Casio deftly took the pitcher before she could refill.

  She turned and caught his gaze. “BJ had a disposable camera that night, and on the way home, she asked me to put it in my purse. My mother must have been snooping through my bag and found it. I didn’t get them developed.”

  “Sounds like she didn’t show them to you because she knew it would upset you.” Georgie’s soft tone was gentle and filled with understanding. Again, that impressed Casio. Maybe she was the friend Claudia needed to help her through this while he and Vic finished up with the investigation.

  “Either that or she didn’t want me to know she was snooping in my purse.”

  Casio’s eyes caught the last photograph in the set. Someone had taken a photo of Claudia with Miss Remington in the bus after the game.

  In the window, behind them, Casio noted the stadium lights and other cars, so it was just after they had filed onto the bus. Just before they pulled out, went to Pizza Hut for a victory meal, and headed home. The teacher’s arm was slung over Claude’s shoulder, drawing her close. They were both laughing, and Claudia was sticking out her tongue. Miss Remington’s arm was in plain sight up to her elbow. The bracelet Mr. Newman had spoken of dangled from her wrist, the love knot resting over the back of her hand.