Crash: Northwoods, Book 2

by Grant C. Holland

  Elle was silent again until Gabe opened his eyes wide and leaned forward, ready to pounce.

  “Okay. I’d miss you. I guess that’s a remark worthy of Captain Obvious. I understand what you’re saying, and your reasoning is hard to dispute, but…damn.” Elle hung her head.

  23

  Hal

  “All that I’m saying is that you should have your mind focused on what’s most important right now. Life is always like that. You can’t scatter your thoughts and expect success. It’s all about the election. We’re in the home stretch for the primary. We’ve only got a week to go. After that, the big show starts.”

  Hal relaxed in the armchair in his Ely apartment and listened to Trent’s ramblings. He didn’t say much of anything new. He was right about dropping the interactions with Gabe. They were distracting.

  The night after the last meeting with Gabe at the Lost Loon was difficult. Hal felt like Gabe and his friends ambushed him. He’d only wanted to talk one-on-one, and he got the entire group at once. It was too much. The election campaign and video games were enough until November. Anything else was noise.

  “Hey, do you mind if I switch your TV from that old sitcom to the local news? We need to make sure we stay on top of any stories. No surprises. That’s our mantra for this next week.”

  Hal headed for the kitchen. He considered a beer but returned with a glass of water in hand. “Are you expecting something? I promise that I haven’t done anything that would raise a reporter’s eyebrows.”

  Reporters didn’t always need actions by a candidate to cover. Sometimes they created a story on their own. They had a surprise for Hal. As he watched the introductory segment of the local news broadcast with Trent, Hal’s eyes opened wide when Gabe’s face flashed on the screen.

  The news anchor said, “And we’ve got an exclusive interview to share later. What do you do for the next act after saving the life of a rising star in the world of politics? We caught up with a man who takes it all in stride. We’ll have the story from Northwoods hero Gabe Peligo coming up.”

  “What the hell?” asked Trent. “Why are they covering this now? The crash was months ago. Did your buddy call into the station to try and get his mug on the air? Or did you have something to do with this?”

  Hal held up both hands. “I’m as surprised as you. I told you about the last time I saw Gabe. He didn’t tell me anything about a TV interview.”

  Both Hal and Trent were on pins and needles for the next twenty minutes of the news show. Trent leaned toward the screen and rotated his hand in a circle. “Come on. I don’t care about the latest baseball scores. Let’s keep it moving.”

  Hal said, “It’s a human interest story. They tease it out to keep us all watching. You have to wait until the end. I doubt Gabe said anything interesting.”

  The news stories in the days immediately after the crash were spotty with few details. Neither Hal nor Gabe offered interviews to reporters. Hal didn’t think Gabe would say anything now to damage the campaign, but he didn’t expect the Lost Loon ambush either. Gabe was full of surprises.

  For Trent, sitting through the weather forecast was like waiting for the next appointment at the DMV. When he thought the story before the one he wanted to see was wrapping up, it dragged on a few more minutes. “Who cares about how many weeks until the best possible times to view the Northern Lights? Will they tell us about Granny Jay’s backyard tomatoes next?”

  “Be patient. I think the Northern Lights would be cool to see. Levi said that watching them from a canoe in the middle of a lake is one of the best experiences in the world.”

  “Ah, yeah, what does Wilderness Boy know?”

  When Gabe’s face appeared on the screen again, Hal had to pull his hands back and sit on them. He had a sudden urge to clap.

  Wearing a University of Minnesota t-shirt that stretched tightly across his chest, Gabe beamed for the camera. It looked like he was standing outside the Lost Loon. The reporter said, “The last time we talked to you was only days after you rescued Hal Brentwood from a plane crash. You didn’t have a lot to say then, but I think we were all in shock. Gabe, we thought that a lot of our viewers would want to hear a follow-up. We know Hal looks like a shoo-in for the nomination in next week’s primary election, but what about you? What’s a hero’s life like a few months later?”

  Gabe slowly shook his head. “I think the word hero is a little much when you talk about me. Honestly, it’s all in a day’s work. I took the job because I love helping out people in need. Whether it’s a crash or a broken leg from falling out of a tree, I’m there.”

  The news anchor cut in. “Perfect. We need to jump to a commercial, but then we’ll let Gabe have the last word when we come back.”

  Trent said, “Good. They dispensed with you and the campaign immediately. Now it’s only warm and fuzzy junk about Gabe. You can change the channel if you want.”

  “What? How can I switch to a different show? I want to see what Gabe has to say. I am curious about his future plans.”

  Hal knew that it wouldn’t be easy to see Gabe staring out from the TV screen. When he left the Lost Loon in a huff, he didn’t ever want to see Gabe again. That was the most straightforward path. Unfortunately, hearing Gabe’s voice made Hal’s heart pump harder in his chest.

  “Okay, we’re back. Let’s go back out to James, our ace reporter, and hear a bit more from Gabe Peligo.”

  James said, “I heard a rumor that you’re leaving the Northwoods. Of course, it would be a tremendous loss for Arrowhead Falls. Can you tell me more about that?”

  Hal’s jaw dropped. He couldn’t count how many times Gabe talked about never wanting to leave the woods. It was his home, and he said that he couldn’t imagine feeling as comfortable anywhere else in the world. Why would he consider leaving?

  “I have to be honest, James. The last few months haven’t been too easy on this.” Gabe pounded on the left side of his chest. “My heart needs a long rest and a restart. For so many years, I said I’d never leave northern Minnesota. When so many of my high school friends left, I said that I would stay. Maybe I was only being stubborn.”

  James’s expression spoke for many of his viewers. He was crestfallen. His lower lip jutted forward in a pout. “Are you saying that we’re losing another of our finest young men?”

  “I wouldn’t put it that way. Staying away forever isn’t the plan. I’m sure plenty of you out there have faced a situation where you thought the world was your oyster, but you were wrong. Later, it shut tight against you like a common clam.”

  “And where are you going?”

  “I’ve moving forward in my profession down in St. Paul. A better job isn’t the sole reason I’m going, but it will be a step forward. I’ll take the woods with me in my heart. I always do, and I’ve got the best friends in the world up here, so I’ll be back often to visit.”

  While James wrapped up his story and the news anchor sighed, Trent said, “That’s what happens when there are no jobs. You’re going to fix that, Hal. You’ll keep so many great young people here. We’ve only got to win this thing.”

  The volume of Hal’s voice fell to barely above a whisper. “He’s not leaving because of job opportunities.”

  “What’d you say?”

  “Nothing. I need to go out and walk for a few minutes. I need some fresh air.”

  Trent stood up to try and intercept Hal before he reached the door, but Hal’s extended right arm pushed him out of the way.

  “Don’t try to stop me. I’m only going for a walk. Everyone needs that. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  It was a cool summer evening when Hal reached the sidewalk. The Northwoods summer was rarely intensely hot in the daytime, and it always cooled down at night. Hal set out to stroll Ely’s downtown and dodge in and out of the tourist crowds.

  As soon as Gabe said the last few months weren’t easy and pounded his heart, a stone landed in Hal’s gut. He knew what Gabe meant. Their failed attempt at a relat
ionship was driving him away from the home he loved. It was all as hard on Gabe as it was on Hal. I can’t remember ever having that kind of impact on someone.

  Strolling the streets, Hal ran into happy couples almost every ten yards or so. Some were young, and some were older. A few were two men or two women. He wanted to smile at all of them, but he started to frown instead. He knew that it was his imagination, but it felt like they were mocking him. They demonstrated how fantastic it all could have been if only he’d—what?

  Hal knew that Trent was the least reliable person to engage in a conversation about a personal matter, but Hal had to bounce his thoughts off someone. If he kept them bottled up inside, he’d never sleep through the night.

  After closing the door to the apartment behind him, Hal found Trent sitting in the living room with elbows on his knees and head in his hands.

  Hal didn’t ask what was happening. He continued to focus on his own troubles. He asked a question about Gabe. “Do you think I’m too late if I try one more time?”

  Trent didn’t answer. When Hal looked closer, he thought he saw shoulders lightly heaving up and down.

  “Trent, are you crying?”

  He didn’t answer. A shiver raced up Hal’s spine. He’d never seen Trent physically react to emotion. He assumed tears weren’t possible. Hal looked around the room and tried to figure out something to do. Almost sixty seconds later, he placed a hand on his campaign manager’s shoulder.

  “Tell me what’s going on. This isn’t like you.”

  Trent finally looked up. He wiped at the corner of his eye with his shirtsleeve. His face was red and puffy.

  “I had a phone call while you were out.”

  “Bad news?”

  “Yeah.”

  Hal found his way to the sofa and sat only a few feet away from Trent. It was time to shove Gabe back into the corner of his mind. He leaned forward and asked, “Can you share it with me?”

  “If I can talk about it. I might get choked up again. My sister called.”

  “The one that got married last summer? You told me I’d get to meet her in November.”

  “Yes, that’s the one. She’s the only sister I have.”

  Hal braced himself. He could only think of a few things that might be bad enough to make Trent cry. Any of those might bring tears to his eyes, too.

  Trent lowered his head again and mumbled, “Her husband’s dead. My brother-in-law. Gone.”

  Hal was speechless. He reached out and placed a hand on Trent’s knee. “That’s horrible. What…happened?”

  “A small plane like the one that nearly took you down.” Hal felt a shiver work its way through Trent’s body.

  “Forget what I said earlier about the news program. I can put that on a back burner or even forget about it forever. This is different. It’s family. I’m here for you.”

  Trent suddenly looked up. His eyes were puffy and swollen, and he wiped at the right one again. “No. I have to tell you something, and you’re right.”

  “No? I’m right? I don’t understand.”

  “My sister. Jane is her name. She told me he was the best thing that ever happened to her.”

  Tears began to well up in the corners of Hal’s eyes. “That’s what makes it so incredibly awful. You told me how happy they were at the wedding.”

  “But she wasn’t like that on the call,” said Trent. “She didn’t talk about how horrible it was. Jane wanted to talk about how great they were together. She said she would do it all over again, even if she knew in advance that they’d only have a year as a married couple. She said that if I ever thought I’d found the right one, then I should fight tooth and nail to hang on to her.”

  “That’s good advice.”

  Trent snuffled. “I can still hear her voice on the phone. ‘It will be the best year of your life. Don’t let her go.’”

  Hal squeezed Trent’s knee. “Such a hard call.”

  “You aren’t listening, Hal. Put two and two together and come up with four. You need to go after Gabe. I’ve been selfish. I was…wrong. You’ve got the primary won, and there’s plenty of time for the campaign. Go after him, Hal. Soon. I’ll kick you out the door if you don’t.”

  24

  Gabe

  Gabe slept soundly on the sofa in his apartment while a Harry Potter movie unspooled on the TV screen. He’d seen the entire series at least three times, but they always helped him feel better when he battled the occasional blue mood. He rarely fell asleep while watching a movie, but he rarely started them at 2:00 a.m.

  The hard pounding of a fist on his front door woke him up. While blinking his eyes, he heard a muffled voice. “Gabe, open up! Now! You’ve got to let me in.”

  While reaching for his cellphone to check the time, Gabe nearly rolled off the couch onto the floor. He reached up to wipe his eyes and clear his vision enough to see that it was 3:30. On the TV screen, Harry was still battling the villains.

  “Oh, it’s just that. Pipe down, Ron. Let me go back to sleep.”

  Gabe reached for the remote control and turned the TV off.

  The pounding came again. It was longer and louder. The muffled voice said, “C’mon buddy, wake up and open the door.”

  “What the hell?” Gabe checked for new messages on his cellphone and found nothing. He shook his head back and forth and then rubbed his face with his hands.

  “Open the door. I know you’re in there. I’ve got to talk to you.”

  Sitting on the edge of the sofa, Gabe yawned and stretched. He ran his hands over his body and realized that he was fully dressed. He probably had a horrible case of bedhead, but that was normal for everyone in the wee hours of the morning.

  The identity of the voice finally reached Gabe’s brain. What’s Brandon doing here at this hour?

  On his way to the door, Gabe raked the fingers of his right hand through his hair. He thought the small effort might help it look a little tamer. Seconds later, he was face-to-face with his best friend. Brandon nearly stumbled into the room as he reached out to pound on the door again.

  “What’s up? Why are you here at this hour? Someone would have called if somebody was in trouble. I already checked the phone. I was sleeping. You should be, too.”

  “Can I come in?”

  “I guess so. You have a key to my place, and you could have walked right in. Elle does that on some occasions. Why’d you pound on the door? Your fist probably woke up all of my neighbors.”

  “It’s an emergency.”

  Gabe took half a step back and inspected Brandon with his gaze. “You don’t look sick.”

  Brandon pointed at the sofa. “Sit. We’ve got to talk.”

  “How about I visit the bathroom first and then grab us each a cup of coffee. Something tells me this isn’t a quick conversation, and I need to make sure my brain is awake enough to function.”

  “Okay, yeah.” Gabe slowly turned as Brandon started to look around the apartment.

  The bedroom was a quick stop after the bathroom. Gabe shucked off his jeans and pulled on long pajama pants. They were his favorite, green flannel decorated with small images of moose. If he had to be up before the sun, he decided that he might as well be comfortable.

  Brandon was waiting for Gabe when he returned to the living room. He’d not moved or sat down. As soon as Gabe came close, Brandon shoved him on his shoulders with both hands. It caused Gabe to stumble and, fortunately, land on the sofa with no injury.

  “Hey, wait, what about the coffee?”

  Brandon wasn’t interested in a beverage. “What do you mean you’re taking a job in St. Paul? What the hell’s wrong with you? You love it here, and you’re in love, too. I get there’s been a minor setback, but why would that stop you? Gabe, you’ve got a whole hell of a lot of explaining to do, and I’m not leaving until I hear what you’re thinking.”

  Gabe knew that Brandon would be upset about the move, and he was probably even angrier that Elle found out first. Gabe hoped that he didn’t see th
e news interview, but Brandon rarely watched local TV.

  Gabe ran all of Brandon’s words back through his head before responding. He wasn’t confident he’d heard it all correctly.

  “I’m in love? Is that what you said?”

  Brandon crossed his arms over his chest, and his face started to flush. “Yeah, you are. I don’t fucking understand it, but it’s obvious. Any idiot could figure it out.”

  Gabe rubbed his chin and worked hard to avoid smiling. He wanted Brandon to sweat. The change in his opinion was worth careful examination.

  “When did you figure this out? I thought you hated Hal and everything he stands for. I assume that’s who you mean. How can you let me fall in love? I’m not saying I am in love, mind you.”

  “Why don’t you get those cups of coffee,” grumbled Brandon.

  When Gabe returned from the kitchen with two steaming mugs, he was happy to see a more relaxed expression on Brandon’s face. “It’s way too early in the morning or late at night to get so excited. The only good reasons to be up at this hour are the births of babies and the Northern Lights. Pissed off at me doesn’t count as either of those.”

  “Just shut up and sit down. I’ve got a few things to say.”

  A smirk slowly played across Gabe’s lips, but he managed to shut it down by clenching his teeth.

  “I guess when Elle told me about your hare-brained scheme to move to St. Paul, it rattled me. I started thinking everything through without focusing solely on my opinions.”

  “Yeah?” asked Gabe. “I’ve got to hear this.”

  “At the Lost Loon, when you had your confrontation with Hal, I finally saw it for what it is. I think it’s a little like Levi and me. There’s something about you and Hal that goes beyond the politics. It has to be love. No other explanation comes close.”

  “Maybe it’s an obsession? That could be an alternate explanation.” Gabe sipped the coffee. He worried that he’d had his last chance with Hal, but he wanted to hear more from Brandon. The mea culpa made him feel somewhat better about the entire situation.