Code of Silence: Living a Lie Comes With a Price

by Tim Shoemaker

  “Stopping the police investigation. Your mom is the one who started the whole attorney thing. Mr. Slimeball, I think. Right?”

  “Mr. Martin Slimhall.” Lunk took a bite of his hamburger and nodded. “She got the ball rolling. Yeah. But she’s not the only one. You saw the people out front this morning.”

  “And what was that little act in the gym last Friday, about you wanting so badly to see the person responsible caught?”

  Lunk looked at her like she was crazy. “I do want them caught. In fact, I’d like to catch the scumbag myself and have ten minutes alone with him before I call the police.”

  He didn’t care what she thought. She wasn’t much more than an annoyance to him. She could see that in his face. Like she didn’t bother him. Like she was a mere bug to be swatted away. Dismissed. Well if she was a bug, she’d be a mosquito—and she’d draw blood. “Then why slow down the investigation?”

  “I’m not slowing it down.” Lunk wolfed down another bite.

  “Right. The cops are out writing speeding tickets today instead of tracking down leads here. I wouldn’t call that progress.”

  Lunk’s face grew red.

  Gordy cleared his throat. “Gee, Halloween is just three days away. What are you going to be, Hiro?”

  She glared at him. “Don’t even try to change the subject, Gordy.” Honestly, she appreciated the way he always tried to be a peacemaker, but if he got in between her and Lunk … look out.

  “Admit it, Mr. Lunquist.” Hiro raised her chin. She was proud to be a mosquito. “You say you want justice for Frank, but your actions tell a different story.”

  “I’m just making sure the cops don’t get over anxious and put the finger on the wrong person.”

  “Like yourself?”

  “They’ve done it before.” He glanced at Coop.

  Maybe he expected Coop to back him up on that point. Maybe he just wanted to read his face to see if he shared Hiro’s opinion. Cooper just sat chewing his sandwich and staring at some spot on the table like he was fascinated by it.

  “Look,” Coop said. “You’re both making good points.”

  Lunk looked at him with suspicion in his eyes.

  Hiro felt the same way. Now Coop was trying to be a peacemaker?

  “Okay”, Coop said. “Both of you want to nail the guy who did this to Frank. Right?”

  For an instant she saw Frank the way he looked in the hospital bed. Her eyes burned and she blinked back tears. “You know I do.”

  “Lunk?”

  He stared at his plate. “Yeah, as long as it’s the right one.”

  “Then like it or not, you’re both on the same side. Try acting like it.”

  Lunk shifted on the bench. He looked at Coop for an instant, then reached for his burger and took another bite.

  Hiro fingered her braid, but didn’t say a word. Lunk on the same side as us? What about Lunk’s dad? Lunk had never been on her side. For anything.

  They ate in silence for several minutes—which seemed like forever. Hiro tried to think of some safe topic to bring up, but right now every thought centered on the robbery, or Frank, or how the Code of Silence put a chokehold on Coop. And while she hated the fact that they hadn’t broken the Code of Silence yet, maybe she should be thankful. Police interviews weren’t really going to do more than flush the three of them out of hiding. It probably wouldn’t help them find the real robbers, and the case was getting colder by the minute.

  “Sometimes I think the police suspect some junior high punk did it,” Lunk said. “Oh, they’re not saying that. Not officially. They say they only want some eyewitness. But if you ask me, they haven’t ruled out the fact that whoever left that backpack there may have been involved.” He kept his head down like he was talking to his plate. “I’ll tell you this, more than one person is involved. Frank would never let one guy take him down.”

  Kids started getting up from their tables. Carrying trays to the garbage. Hiro watched Candy, Lissa, and Katie pass.

  Coop leaned in. “What makes you say that?”

  “He fought in Vietnam in ‘69 or ‘70. I saw a picture on his office desk.”

  Hiro’s antenna went up. So Lunk had been up in Frank’s office. That means he knew about the safe. What if he told somebody about it? The wrong kind of somebody?

  Hiro shot Coop a glance to see if he caught it.

  She wanted to keep Lunk talking. “That was a long time ago.”

  “But a man doesn’t forget how to fight. It becomes instinct.”

  Hiro tried to picture Frank in a uniform. She couldn’t imagine him trim and young. In her mind she pictured Santa packing an M16. Definitely not the type of thing you’d see on a Christmas card.

  Lunk shoved his empty tray to the center of the table. “He can still handle himself. I helped him unload a delivery truck. He carried thirty-pound boxes of hot dogs to the freezer like they were shoe boxes.”

  Hiro smoothed her napkin and placed it on her plate. “I’d have never guessed that by looking at him.”

  “Looks can be a real fooler,” Lunk said.

  “And you want to find the people who did this to him,” Coop said. “Exactly how do you plan to do that?”

  Good question, Coop.

  Lunk shrugged. “Watch. Keep my ears open. Think. I’ll come up with something.”

  What was that supposed to mean?

  The bell rang and interrupted her thoughts. Students stood all over the cafeteria, and the noise level rose with them. Lunk grabbed his tray and left without another word.

  Gordy let out a sigh of relief.

  “I don’t trust him,” Hiro said. “He’s trouble. He’ll never change.”

  “Hiro’s right,” Gordy said. “And he had to know about the safe. Did you catch that bit about Frank’s office?”

  Coop nodded, like he was questioning things himself. “He sure acts like he wouldn’t have had anything to do with it, like he wouldn’t have given his dad some inside information.”

  He crumpled his lunch bag and stood. “But then again Lunk said it himself. Looks can be a real fooler.”

  CHAPTER 24

  Coop dreamt of being a fireman. Hiro? A cop. But Gordy had bigger plans. He’d own a diner like Frank’s someday. Or a mini-mart like the one they were in. Either way, by being his own boss he’d never have to worry about hunger pains. Which was exactly what he felt now.

  He juggled three bags of chips, a couple of candy bars, and a 20-ounce soda. Coop picked up a sack of bite-sized powdered donuts and chocolate milk. Hiro held a bottled water and an apple.

  “Gee, Hiro, really going hog-wild, huh?” Gordy said. “Not exactly my kind of picks.”

  “I’m not surprised.” She raised her eyebrows. “This is brain food.”

  “Ooooh.” Coop laughed. “Direct hit.”

  Gordy managed to grab another candy bar on his way to the checkout counter. A man stood at the register ahead of them. Dozens of lottery tickets covered the white countertop in loose coils.

  “I’ll take ten ‘Lucky Picks’, a dozen ‘Lucky Duckies’, and … let’s see,” the man paused to let the clerk catch up. “… hit me with about twenty of the ‘Cash Cows’. That should do it.”

  Gordy had never seen anyone order that many lottery tickets at one time. The man looped the tickets around his neck like Hawaiian leis. A mound of cash lay on the counter—and right on top was Cooper’s “snack buck” … the one he’d donated to Frank’s hospital fund.

  The man turned. Mr. Stein. He’d just spent the money for Frank on lottery tickets.

  The co-owner of Frank ‘n Stein’s recognized them instantly. His face lit up in a friendly smile. “Look who I caught buying after-school snacks! Your parents know about this?” Stein winked.

  Gordy’s eyes went back to the dollar with the moustache drawn on Washington’s face.

  Mr. Stein must have picked up on that. He held up the empty jar with Frank’s picture on it. “We collected $110 and change. Not bad for just
a few days. Of course, I knew that a hundred bucks wouldn’t do a thing to Frank’s hospital bill.” He shook the lottery tickets. “But these babies can change all that.”

  “You spent the entire hospital fund on lottery tickets?” Coop put his donuts and chocolate milk on the counter and picked up the emergency snack dollar he’d kept in his pocket for as long as Gordy could remember.

  Mr. Stein stepped aside. “Uh-huh,” he said. “A smart investment. Now we have a chance to do something really big.”

  Gordy had to agree … a hundred dollars wouldn’t do much for Frank. “What if you only make twenty bucks or something?”

  “Then I’ll make up the difference. But look at all these.” He shook the leis. “I’ll bet we’ve got some real winners in here.”

  The clerk rang up Coop’s snacks, took his twenty, and gave him back his change, including his snack buck. Coop looked glad to get it back.

  “Why don’t you kids stop by later and help scratch these off,” Stein said. “See how we did.”

  Gordy glanced at Coop and read his face instantly. Fat chance on that idea. Which suited Gordy just fine.

  “Any change with Frank?” Hiro asked.

  “I think he looks better, but then that may be wishful thinking.” Mr. Stein sighed. “No signs of rousing, though, if that’s what you mean.” He stepped to one side while Gordy lined up his snacks on the counter. “Are you keeping up with your prayers for Frank?”

  “Every time I think of him,” Hiro whispered.

  Stein reached one arm around her and patted her shoulder. “Good girl. I knew you were lucky the moment I met you.”

  “Lucky?” Hiro asked as she placed her food on the counter.

  “Yep. Frank is lucky to have you for a friend. And I’d like to consider you my friend too.” He held out his hand.

  Hiro hesitated for a second, then gripped his hand and pumped it once.

  “Whoa,” Stein said with a chuckle. “Nice grip.”

  Hiro’s face reddened, and she looked down at her feet.

  “Ever think about stopping by the hospital and visiting Frank?”

  Hiro looked at him. “I went yesterday. With my mom.”

  Gordy was glad Mr. Stein hadn’t asked him the same question.

  “There, see? I told you Frank is lucky to have a friend like you. I think you visiting Frank may be the best medicine he can get.”

  The clerk put Gordy’s treats in a bag and handed him his change. Hiro stepped up to pay.

  Mr. Stein started for the door. “You three come by the diner anytime.” He put his hand by his mouth and whispered. “I’ll make sure you get a little healthier snack than you’re getting here.”

  Gordy liked the sound of that. “Like shakes and fries?”

  Mr. Stein laughed. “Exactly.” He pulled open the door and stepped outside. A few minutes later, Coop, Gordy, and Hiro started toward home.

  Coop opened the bag of powdered donuts and snagged one. Gordy darted his hand in the donut bag and pulled out two.

  Hiro walked beside them and took a bite of the apple. “How do you two feel about him spending those donations on lottery tickets?”

  Gordy shrugged. “Did you see all the tickets he had? He’s sure to win something. I think it was a good idea.”

  “It didn’t bother you that he used money that didn’t belong to him?” Hiro asked.

  “He’s still using the money for Frank,” Gordy said.

  She sighed and shook her head. “But what about the principle of the thing?”

  “Oh, here we go.” Gordy didn’t want to think that hard. All he wanted was to snack a little and—

  “Are you telling me it’s right to spend somebody’s money without asking them?”

  “Like Frank is really going to know.”

  Hiro’s eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “Gordon Digby. That was an awful thing to say,”

  Gordy held up his hands. “I’m sorry. That was awful.”

  Hiro looked at Coop. “Do you share Einstein’s opinion?”

  Coop thought for a second. “Mr. Stein sure didn’t see anything wrong with it.”

  “I’m asking what you think.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  Hiro looked satisfied with that.

  “If he wins big, it could do some serious good,” Gordy said.

  Hiro snorted. “Remind me never to let you hold my wallet.”

  Coop didn’t comment, but looked like he’d drifted off into another world. Maybe he was working on his plan. Gordy gave him space.

  “Let’s walk by the bell tower,” Coop said.

  Gordy eyed him.

  “See if the note is gone.”

  Gordy did not want to go near there. “It’s out of our way.”

  “Not much.”

  Gordy hustled a few steps ahead, turned around and walked backwards so he could face them. “What if they’re watching?”

  Coop shook his head. “They’re looking for one boy, not a group of three.” He looked beyond Gordy. “I just want to see if they picked it up.”

  Gordy looked behind to make sure he wasn’t going to trip over a curb or something. “Okay, so let’s walk home, I’ll get my binoculars, and we can take a look from a hundred yards away. I vote no to getting any closer than that.” He turned and fell in step alongside them. “Hiro, you’ve got the deciding vote.”

  She thought for a second. “I’m with Coop on this one.”

  “What? C’mon, Hiro. Have a little more of your brain food. They were watching the bell tower yesterday. Just waiting for Coop to step into their trap.”

  “We’ll stay on the opposite side of the street,” Hiro said. “And whether or not the note is there, we don’t stop. We don’t even slow down.”

  “Right,” Coop said.

  Gordy didn’t like it. Not even a little bit. “Now I wish we’d stayed on the bus.” He twisted off the cap of his soda and chugged nearly half the bottle. But at least Coop and Hiro were working together. The tension between them was really getting to Gordy. The last thing Gordy wanted was for them to be fighting. They needed to stick to the Code, right? Somehow, the fact they were in it together made sticking to the Code okay. If they fought, lost their unity, well then … Gordy didn’t want to think about that. He dug out another candy bar and ate the whole thing at once.

  “When we get close,” Hiro said, “why don’t I do the looking for all of us. If someone is watching us, they’ll be paying more attention to you guys than they will me.”

  “Good call, detective,” Coop said. As they got closer to the bell tower, Cooper held the bag of mini-donuts out toward Gordy. “Let’s keep our eyes focused on the bag as we go by,” he said.

  Gordy grabbed a couple and stuffed them in his mouth as they walked. “What if they left a note for you?”

  Coop thought for a moment. “No way are we going to get it. We tip the police.”

  Hiro slipped in between them and hooked her arms in theirs.

  “Exactly.”

  She kept her arms locked with theirs as they approached the tower.

  “Okay,” Hiro said. “Definitely no note … but there’s something weird …” she sucked in her breath and clutched onto his arm tighter. “O God,” she whispered. “Dear Jesus.”

  Gordy looked at the base of the bell tower and immediately saw a bike. Coop’s. Mangled, crushed, and folded nearly in half. No. They didn’t leave a note, but they definitely delivered a message.

  “Don’t stop. Keep walking,” Hiro said. Her voice sounded tight. “Keep walking. Keep walking”

  She didn’t have to tell him to keep walking. He had no plans to stop. In fact right now the only thing he really wanted to do was run.

  CHAPTER 25

  To Cooper, the walk home seemed strangely quiet—which gave him the chance to sort things out in his head. Gordy seemed to do as much checking over his shoulder as he did looking ahead. And Hiro was likely building a case for breaking the Code. They took a roundabout way to their st
reet, doubling back more than once just to be sure they weren’t being followed.

  Fudge bounded to meet them the moment they walked into the backyard. She zeroed in on the mini-mart bags, sniffing and poking them with her nose. She barked when Cooper headed up the ladder. He grabbed a powdered donut from his bag and held it up for her to see.

  Ears alert, she focused on the donut in his hand.

  Cooper feigned a throw. Fudge bounded after it, but quickly turned back. He threw again, but this time with an easy, underhand pitch. Fudge caught it and wolfed it down without chewing at all. She pranced back happily and stared at him, hoping he’d throw again. As if she didn’t have a care in the world. Cooper couldn’t imagine how nice that must feel.

  The day was too perfect to be indoors, even if it was in the cabin of The Getaway. Cooper found a seat on the bow and the other two followed. Both of them looked at him, waiting for him to begin.

  “Okay,” he said. “Elvis and the clown are still in town, and they’re serious.”

  “Seriously demented,” Gordy said. “They twisted your bike like a pretzel.”

  More like the knot in Cooper’s stomach.

  “We need protection, Coop,” Hiro said. “If they’d caught you last night we’d have found you under the bell tower. You know that. Right?”

  He nodded, but Cooper had no intention of ever being that close to them again. “There is one good thing about them still being in town,” he said. “The police can still catch them.”

  Hiro nodded slightly. “True.”

  We’ve been able to stick to the Code for four days, and we just caught a real break with the whole police interview thing.”

  “A break?” Hiro took a sip of her water. “There’s more than one way to look at that. And if they have a solid reason to do it, they can still pick you up for questioning.”

  She was right.

  “Anyway, we can’t just sit around and hope the police nab the robbers.”

  Gordy twisted open the cap on his soda. Fizz streamed out, and he held it over the edge of the bow so it dripped down to the ground below. “So what do you think we should do?”

  Cooper looked from Gordy to Hiro. “Help with the investigation.”