by Tara Ellis
It’s obvious that, in spite of the poor state of things, there’s been a lot of work done lately. There’s a wheelbarrow nearby full of pulled weeds, an old lawnmower on the freshly mowed front yard, and several other yard tools scattered about.
The house itself doesn’t look all that bad. It’s a massive, two-story ranch-style home with a huge wrap-around porch and fancy shutters. While the siding could use a fresh coat of paint, everything looks intact, and the roof is fairly new. Someone’s been taking care of it over the years.
Sam and Ally have never been this close to the house before. They always stuck to the trails in the woods, and didn’t have any interest in the estate.
Parked on the far side of the destroyed pond, in front of the main, double-door entrance is the old VW Bug. The blue paint is faded and it’s hard to miss the bright yellow smiley face foam ball that’s stuck to the top of the antennae.
“That’s her car!” Sam whispers excitedly, clutching tightly at Ally’s arm.
“Well, she must not have much money if she drives a clunker like that,” Hunter observes, talking a bit too loud.
Shushing him, Sam waves at Hunter and Ally to go back. But as she turns to leave, a flicker of movement catches her eye. Pausing, she looks up at one of the second-story windows, and her stomach clenches with fear as she sees a shadowy face disappear.
7
COLLABORATION
John hasn’t showered yet, and his blond hair is sticking out in every direction. His bright blue eyes are the only feature he and Ally share as siblings, and right now, they’re fixed on Sam. “So you think that this new teacher might have something to do with a multi-million dollar jewel heist?” he asks, unconvinced.
Sam notices John’s left elbow is bleeding, and the knuckles on his right hand are bruised. She didn’t realize the football players got beat up so much at practice. Focusing on the question, she tries to decide how to answer it. She really doesn’t want to be having this conversation, but she and Ally can’t keep everything to themselves anymore, not after Hunter followed them.
“I didn’t say that,” she replies. “All we know is that she was reading about it and has the same name. I believe there’s a good chance that she’s related to the stock tycoon who had the gem stolen from him. We need to find out the history of Covington Ranch, and if they’re all part of the same family.”
“Why?” Hunter asks. He’s sprawled out on a large leather sectional couch, with a bag of chips in his lap. This is the only room aside from the kitchen that the kids are allowed to eat in. He always takes full advantage of it. “Why do we have to find out anything? Who cares if they’re related? She’s just a boring teacher, it’s an abandoned, broken-down farm, and that jewel was stolen years ago.”
Glaring at her brother, Sam carefully considers her answer. While she told the boys part of what they know, she hasn’t talked about seeing their teacher crying in her car. The lecture from her mom on gossiping makes her hold back. She already feels guilty for spying on Miss Covington’s house. It’s not likely to make a difference in Hunter’s attitude, anyway. He still won’t understand why Sam feels compelled to put the pieces together. To be honest, she can’t really say why, either. Sometimes, she just has to go with her gut.
“I’m not asking for your help,” she tells him bluntly. “I’m just curious, okay? I’ve admired that place for a long time, and now that someone is back living there…I want to know why.”
Hunter just shrugs and shoves more chips in his mouth, but John pushes away from the wall where he was leaning.
“Uh huh,” he says slowly. “I have a feeling there’s more to it than that, Sam, but I’m too busy to help much. Between football and homework, I’m slammed. If anything comes of this, though,” he continues, turning now to his younger sister, “you promise to let us in on it. Deal?”
“I promise,” Ally says without hesitation. The boys were a critical part of helping them solve their last escapade. Ally is serious about telling John and Hunter if they find out anything remarkable. She knows that while Sam doesn’t always act like it, she appreciates their assistance, too.
Looking at the clock on the wall, Sam groans. “I’ve got to run home for dinner. I’m already late. I haven’t even started my homework yet!”
“When can we go to the city library?” Ally asks, as the two of them walk to the front of the house.
“Tomorrow is Wednesday,” Sam thinks out loud. “I’m probably going to have to stay home after school so I can get caught up on my work. Friday is the first football game, plus Cassy will hopefully be spending the night. Why don’t we ride our bikes there on Saturday?”
In their small town of Oceanside, nothing is too far away. Although the library is on the far end, it’s still less than five miles. It doesn’t take long to bike it.
“Okay,” Ally agrees. “Sam,” she calls, holding one side of the double-door entrance open.
Sam picks her bike up, but doesn’t get on yet. “Yeah?” she can tell that Ally is troubled by something.
“Do you think that Miss Covington is somehow involved in the theft of the Eye of Orion? Could that be how she suddenly has enough money to get the ranch back?”
Shaking her head, Sam throws a leg over the bike. “It doesn’t make sense. If she was the family member involved, then it wasn’t as a suspect. The article said the police didn’t have any, other than the John guy who used a fake name. Plus, the insurance company would never pay out if there was any suspicion like that. No,” she adds, looking up at the tall evergreens along the edge of the property, thinking back over everything they know so far. “But things don’t add up. I’m afraid that she could be in some sort of trouble, and we need to figure out how to help her.”
***
The next day at school, Sam is anxious about fifth period. She suspects that her teacher was the person in the window at the ranch and might have seen them. So when Miss Covington calls Sam up to her desk before the end of class, she isn’t surprised.
Lisa Covington watches as the tall pre-teen approaches, and tries to decide how to handle the situation. Sam seems like a nice enough girl, but there’s something about her….something different from the other kids. Perhaps she reminds her of herself.
“Were you and Ally at my house last night?” Lisa asks pointedly, deciding not to mess around with niceties.
Sam’s eyes widen, even though she was half expecting the question. Miss Covington doesn’t look mad, but curious. Nodding, Sam swallows hard. “Yes. I’m sorry for snooping. I wanted to see if you moved into the ranch. Ally and I used to hike there all the time, and I figured your name had to be more than a coincidence.”
Lisa taps a pencil against her chin, and Sam can tell she’s trying hard not to smile. “So why didn’t you come to the door, rather than hide in the bushes?”
Blushing, Sam picks at some tape stuck to the laminate on the edge of the desk. It’s a good question, and not an easy one to answer. “My mom told me not to bug you.”
Sam is surprised to hear Miss Covington chuckle. When she looks up from her nervous picking, she sees that her teacher is smiling at her.
“Sam, you’re welcome to hike on the property whenever you want. My aunt put those no trespassing signs up when hunters began going after the deer. She was concerned for people’s safety. Just be careful, okay?”
“Really?” Sam blurts out. “I mean, yeah. We’ll be careful,” she adds more quietly. “We know most of those trails really well.”
Sam can’t believe her good luck. Wait until she tells Ally! She turns to go, but Miss Covington puts a hand out to stop her.
“In fact,” the teacher says slowly, “how do you feel about yardwork?”
“Yard work?” Sam repeats.
“Yard work. I’ve got a bunch of it to do, and not enough time or money to pay professional landscapers. If you and Ally are interested in making a little cash, I could really use a hand.”
“Sure!” Sam exclaims. This will provi
de the perfect opportunity to learn everything she needs to know about the ranch, Miss Covington, and maybe the stolen jewel.
“Great. Here,” Lisa says, scribbling on a piece of paper. “This is my number. Have your mom call me so I can speak with her and make sure it’s okay. If you’re free Saturday morning, we can start work at ten.”
Taking the paper, Sam’s spirits sink. Her mom is not going to be as understanding when she finds out Sam was sneaking around at the ranch!
8
A PAINFUL PAST
“How did it go?” Cassy asks as she joins Sam and Ally at the lunch table.
It’s ‘Football Friday,’ and all three girls are wearing their school colors of red and white. Even though the middle school team doesn’t play on Friday nights, the younger students still get in on the district-wide school spirit.
Cassy is referring to the dreaded conversation that Sam was putting off with her mom. But in order for her to be allowed to work on the Covington estate, she had to fess up about going against her mother’s orders.
“Not so great,” Sam replies, picking up a French fry. “Mom was mad that I went to the ranch, like I knew she would be. She was going to say no, but I came up with a plan she agreed to.”
When Cassy raises her eyebrows questioningly, Sam smiles in return. They’ve gotten to be surprisingly good friends over the past few days, even though they only spend a half hour or so at lunch with each other, and talk occasionally in PE. They seem to be a lot alike.
Cassy’s reduced lunch application was accepted, and she started getting the free meals yesterday. Her mood has already improved, and her eyes are a little brighter.
“I suggested that I do the work for free for Miss Covington, as punishment for going on the property. When I told Mom how badly she needs the help, she finally came around. She was on the phone with her for a long time. I think I’ve been committed to manual labor for the next few months.” Sam’s enthusiasm slips a little, and she hopes that it’ll be worth the blisters.
“Well, at least you get to go!” Cassy replies. “So,” she continues, “do you want to hear the story now, or after school?”
Cassy’s talking about the family history of Covington Ranch. Turns out Cassy happens to know a bunch about it, and is eager to share it with them. Sam didn’t tell her anything about Miss Covington until the day before, because she’s still concerned about being a gossip. But when Cassy suggested that they all hang out on Saturday, after she spends Friday night, Ally slipped and told her they were supposed to go to the ranch that day. Not having a choice, Sam told Cassy how they went up there to nose around. But she doesn’t mention the Eye of Orion, or seeing their teacher crying. Much to Sam’s frustration, lunch ended yesterday with her being kept in suspense.
Cassy doesn’t have a cell phone, and apparently, her home phone has been shut off. So they have no way to talk to each other, except at school. She had to bring a note from her grandma for Sam’s mom, giving permission to ride the bus home with them and stay the night.
Sam has been on pins and needles all day, waiting to hear the details behind the failed horse ranch. Now, she turns to Cassy eagerly. “I don’t think I can wait another minute!” she breathes dramatically.
Chuckling, Cassy finishes her corndog, and wipes her hands with a napkin. When she starts smoothing out her t-shirt, and fixing her hair, Sam finally punches her lightly in the arm.
“Okay!” Cassy laughs.
Sam notices how much Cassy has relaxed around them in the past couple of days. She never expected her to have such a sense of humor. It’s great to see the transformation, and she’s really looking forward to getting to know her better. Cassy is one of those people who have many layers, and the first one is the thickest.
“You guys know that I live with my grandma,” Cassy begins. “Well, Grams was always obsessed with Covington Ranch for some reason. She used to tell me the same story over and over again, and I’d have to remind her that I already knew it.”
“She doesn’t talk about it anymore?” Ally questions.
“Grams doesn’t talk about a lot of things anymore,” Cassy states, her face clouding. “Her memory…isn’t that good. Back when Grams could still drive, she would always slow down when we passed the entrance to the ranch. Then the history lesson would start. But that hasn’t happened now in a couple of years.”
Sam wonders about Cassy’s home life, but doesn’t want to pry. Hearing now that her grandma’s health is bad, and that she can’t even drive, causes more concern.
During the first week of school, Cassy has only worn two different shirts, with the same small jeans and worn out shoes. It’s obvious she doesn’t have enough food for lunch, and her health is suffering because of it. If her grandma is the only adult raising her, and isn’t well…that would explain a lot.
“Ally! Sam! We didn’t know you have this lunch!”
The loud greeting interrupts Sam’s thoughts, and she looks up to see two girls and a boy standing beside them. She recognizes all of them as classmates from the elementary school. Heather, the girl that called out, is now looking at them curiously.
“We would sit with you, but it looks like the table is already…ummm…taken?” she sneers, staring pointedly at Cassy, and making a show of looking her over from head to toe.
Cassy blushes furiously, and jumps up from the table, stumbling back a couple of steps. “I can sit somewhere else,” she mumbles, reaching down for her backpack. “I’m done eating.”
Sam clearly remembers a day back in the third grade, when Heather made fun of her for wearing boy’s tennis shoes. She had gone home crying, because they were her favorite sneakers, and the wider sizes fit her feet better. After a good talk with her mom, Sam got some markers and decorated them, to make them more unique. When the other kids at school all commented on the ‘cool’ shoes, Heather never brought it up again.
Now, Sam can’t stand to see the same defeated look on Cassy’s face. An uncharacteristic wave of anger washes through her.
“Sit down, Cassy!” Sam shouts, slamming her hands down on the table at the same time. Everyone jumps, and several nearby tables fall silent.
Uh-oh, Ally thinks, staring at Sam with wide eyes. She knows it takes a lot to get her best friend mad, but when she does…it’s best to get out of her way. Wringing her hands nervously, she watches as Cassy follows the order and sits down without a word.
“You’re right, Heather,” Sam states evenly, standing up. She’s a good three inches taller and even looks down on the boy, Kevin. “This table is full. I guess you’ll have to find someplace else to eat.”
Heather gapes at Sam in disbelief, her mouth open. When Sam doesn’t back down, she finally rolls her eyes and flips her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “Whatever, Sam. Have fun with your new…friend.”
As the three of them walk away, Sam turns to Cassy. “Don’t worry,” she says loud enough for the retreating kids to hear. “They’re just bullies.”
Sitting back down, Sam realizes she’s flushed and suddenly sweating. Wiping at her forehead, she takes a drink of water and tries to calm down. The normal chatter returns to the other tables, but Ally and Cassy remain silent. When Sam looks up, she finds both girls watching her.
The girls sit there for a moment, regarding each other in a way that only close friends do. The experience has changed their relationship, much the way playing a sport on the same team does. They’re united now, and Sam just made it clear to the whole school.
“Well, that was interesting,” Ally finally whispers. It breaks the tension, and the three of them laugh.
“Thank you,” Cassy says simply. No one has ever stood up for her before, and she doesn’t really know what to think about it.
“There’s nothing to thank me for, Cassy,” Sam says. “Heather is mean. I don’t know why she does it, but she’s always picked on other kids, including me.”
“Sam is right,” Ally adds. “She can be nice when she’s by herself, but she�
�s different at school. Don’t let it get to you. Let’s just forget it happened, okay? We’re going to have fun tonight!”
Nodding, Cassy takes a deep breath and sits a little straighter. “Still want to hear the story?” she asks, deciding to take Ally’s advice. When both Sam and Ally nod, she cups her chin with one hand, and scrunches up her nose in concentration.
“I guess the best place to start is with the parents. I think their names were Jack and Melissa Covington. Jack got some sort of big inheritance from his father, and used it to purchase the ranch back in the eighties. My grandma used to live here then, but moved not long after they showed up. The ranch was a big deal to the town. There wasn’t anything on the hill until they built the place, and it was a huge attraction.
“So, everything was great and all for a long time. The horses they bred and trained were some of the best in the country. Then, Jack and Melissa were on their way to look at a horse somewhere back east, when the charter plane they were on crashed. There weren’t any survivors. Lisa was just sixteen at the time.”
“How horrible!” Ally exhales, completely caught up in the story. “Oh my gosh,” she gasps, making the connection. “Miss Covington must be the daughter!”
“Yeah,” Cassy confirms. “Grams still has the newspaper clippings. It happened nine years ago, so that would make Lisa Covington twenty-five now. It must be her. She went to live with her aunt after the accident.”
“Why would she wait so long to come back?” Sam questions. She feels horrible for Miss Covington.