CHAPTER 23
ANGELICA HATED THAT SHE’D RESORTED to spying, but how else was she going to know what was really going on in her sister’s head? She leaned in close to the bathroom vent and heard every word—at least on Maria’s side of the phone conversation.
“Clayton, you’ve told me—like three times already. Four tires flat. Two kids got away. The police are looking for them right now.”
Angelica wished she could hear what Clayton was saying.
“You just told me it was two kids. It’s probably just students pranking your dad. What makes you think my dad is behind it?”
What? The guy didn’t miss a chance to put a wedge between Maria and Dad. Jerk. There’s no way Dad flattened Clayton’s tires.
“I didn’t say I didn’t believe the tires are flat.” Maria’s voice . . . too apologetic. Too weak. “I just don’t think my dad had anything—”
And of course the jerk doesn’t even let her finish. Angelica wanted to march into her room and rip the phone out of her hands. Disconnect the call. What was wrong with Maria?
“I’m not doubting your instincts.”
Animal instincts were more like it.
“I’m sorry. Honest, I truly am. I should have never questioned—”
You’re sorry? Because you expressed your opinion? “C’mon, Maria,” Angelica whispered. “Why are you apologizing to him? You didn’t flatten his tires. And Dad didn’t flatten the tires either.”
And somehow—in that moment—Angelica knew exactly who was behind the vandalism—or the devilry, as Mr. Kingman would have put it. She smiled. Thank you, Parker and Wilson. You’re my heroes.
Suddenly Angelica was keenly aware of the quiet. She raised up on her tiptoes and leaned closer to the vent. Not a word. Not a sound. Did Maria suspect Angelica was listening? Had she moved to the other side of her bedroom? Angelica eyed the bathroom door, half expecting her sister to barge in and catch her standing on the toilet, ear to the vent.
“Mmmm-hmmm.”
Maria’s voice. Okay. She was still there. Angelica tried to relax.
“I understand. With the tires flat, there’s definitely no chance of us meeting tonight. But we’ll find another time and place. I promise.”
Now Angelica really wished she could hear the other end of the conversation.
“I’m so sorry this happened,” Maria said. “I love you too. You know that, right?”
Sick. Angelica’s stomach swirled. She’d heard enough. She stepped off the toilet and turned on the sink faucet. She rested her elbows on the counter and scooped the water in her hands. Let it flow through her fingers.
The way Angelica saw things, Maria had fallen under the toxic narcissist’s spell. And he was definitely obsessed with her—in the worst way. Angelica’s theory? He loved himself so much that he thought Maria should too.
Clayton had the nerve to phone Maria, even after Dad had made it really clear Clayton was to stay away. Didn’t he know Dad would check Maria’s phone? Sure he did. Clayton was flaunting the control he had over Maria. But he was making a big mistake too.
“You don’t know my dad,” Angelica whispered. “You really think he can’t stop you?” If Dad found out Clayton hadn’t backed off, he definitely wouldn’t wring his hands helplessly. Dad would do anything to protect his girls—which was a good feeling. But it scared her too, because unless Uncle Vaughn stopped him, Dad might do something that could land him in jail.
But maybe her dad wouldn’t have to do anything. Parker was already working to keep Clayton away from Maria, wasn’t he? And he’d obviously roped Wilson into helping him. Flattening tires? Totally primitive. And maybe brilliant at the same time. It kept Maria from seeing Clayton until the tires were fixed. But did Parker really know the kind of guy they were messing with?
Angelica watched the water circle the drain and disappear. If only it were that easy to rid themselves of Clayton. Just whoosh him down a drain somewhere.
But it wasn’t only Clayton who bothered her at this moment. It was the fact that Maria still said she loved him—and wanted to be with him.
Love was blind. She’d heard Dad say that before, hadn’t she? But in Maria’s case love was deaf and dumb, too. It was the only way to explain why she stayed with him. Couldn’t she see how controlling he was? How mean? Oh yeah, love was definitely messing with Maria’s head.
Angelica turned off the faucet and stood there just staring into the mirror. Maybe Clayton was right. Maybe there was nothing Dad could do to stop the jerk—without ending up in jail. But that didn’t mean Angelica had to sit back and do nothing. She’d get her sister to wake up and see Clayton for the beast he really was.
Right. And exactly how was she going to do that?
Between Maria’s infatuation and Clayton’s obsession, Angelica knew there was no way she’d be able to keep the two of them apart.
But they hadn’t seen each other tonight, thanks to those flat tires. She owed Parker and Wilson a big thanks on the ride to school tomorrow. They’d done it for her. She was sure of that. And she was sure of one other thing as well. They’d come up with more plans to keep Clayton away from Maria . . . and Angelica wanted in.
CHAPTER 24
PARKER LACED HIS HANDS BEHIND HIS HEAD and stared at the darkened ceiling above his bed. They’d made it home. But the scene at Kingman’s kept replaying. Kingman pulling out a shotgun. The rage. How hard would it be for Kingman to find out who wrecked the tires?
Kingman had always given off a spooky vibe. But the way he went off on his dad? The guy was capable of anything if he was angry enough. If Kingman ever figured out Parker was behind the tire stunt, he’d beat the tar out of him.
Or worse.
Which was one more reason they’d have to be really, really careful that Kingman—or his dear dad, Principal K—didn’t find out. Parker’s stomach squirmed at the thought of his meeting with the principal in the morning. What if he asked him a point-blank question about the tires?
God . . . the plan was so simple . . . just letting air out of the tires. No real damage would be done. How did it get so tangled? I feel I have to do my part to help keep Maria and Kingman apart . . . but I made a real mess here. Help me do the right thing. Show me what that is.
But if he wanted to make this right, he’d have to pay for the two wrecked tires, wouldn’t he? Sure, Wilson was the one who knifed them, but Parker was the one who came up with the plan to flatten the tires in the first place. Maybe he could save up for the tires and send an anonymous note with the cash. He’d ask Dad what he thought.
Parker’s gimpy arm was already asleep—and tingling like the thing was plugged in. Too bad he couldn’t drop off to sleep as easily as his arm. He shifted and pulled his gimpy arm out from under his head with his good hand. He twisted his fist into his forearm and palm to dull the prickles.
They’d tried to hammer out a plan for tomorrow—without success. Every idea they came up with had bigger holes than Wilson had punched in Principal K’s tires. How long would they have to keep Clayton and Maria apart before her head cleared and she stayed away from him all on her own? They couldn’t pull something off every night, could they?
He reached for the black tactical flashlight on the lampstand by his bed and thumbed it on. The 2,000 lumen LED lit up his room. He slid the zoom to narrow the beam and tracked the perimeter of the room along the ceiling. The beam picked up the INTEGRITTY sign on the wall over his head, and Parker held it there.
“What was the deal with that spelling, Grandpa?” There was a Bible verse written on the back side of the plaque. Something from Psalms. But it didn’t give a clue as to why Grandpa had deliberately misspelled the word.
Gritty. Would that be as in sandy or grimy or something? Was he trying to say that being a person of integrity meant getting your hands dirty sometimes? Well, Parker had certainly done that tonight.
A knock on his bedroom door made him bolt upright—fists clenched. Okay, so he was a little jumpy.
Which was crazy. Mom was still out of town. Dad and Parker were the only ones home, and obviously both of them were awake. “Yeah. You don’t have to whisper.”
Dad was always trying to fill in for Mom whenever she was away. Even though he was tired, he tried to make the time to talk. “Got your text that you got home okay. You said the results were a mixed bag?”
Parker glanced at the sign once more and gave him the quick rundown—and his idea for an anonymous payment for the tires.
“That sounds like the right thing to do,” Dad said. “And anonymous is a must. You’ve confessed to me—and to God—and that’s enough. I really don’t want to risk Clayton finding out it was you. Not after the way you described him.”
“Even Wilson said it was like he was possessed.”
Dad’s eyes narrowed a bit, and he gave a single nod. “We need to take this before the throne.” Dad bowed his head and talked to God. He asked for wisdom. For protection. And for Maria’s freedom.
They both were quiet for a few moments after he finished. The seriousness of it all swept over Parker again.
“We’ll talk more about this,” Dad said. “But for now, you’ve got to understand I can’t allow you to be anywhere near Kingman. Got it?”
“I want to stay as far away as I can,” Parker said. Which was absolutely true, but it was definitely going to make it trickier to keep Kingman away from Maria.
“Uncle Sammy called. He’ll be here in a few minutes. Didn’t want you wondering if you saw his headlights when he pulls up.”
Which was strange. “Kinda late, isn’t it?”
“He needed to run by his house after the shift to check on the girls, but wanted to drop by here afterward to talk.”
Dread found a foothold in his stomach. The two of them generally worked together for their entire shift. What did Uncle Sammy need to talk about that he couldn’t bring up at the ranger station? “Something wrong?”
“He’s really concerned about Maria.” Even in the dim light Parker could see his dad’s jaw clench and unclench. “He needs to unload. I’m not going to say a word about you seeing Clayton push his dad around, or Sammy will never sleep tonight. But I’ll tell him tomorrow. He needs to know how volatile and unstable Clayton is, but that’s going to ratchet his fears up quite a bit too.”
But something about Dad changed even as he said it. Parker didn’t get the idea that his dad was only going to be a listening ear. He’d dropped into ranger mode. As a park ranger, he wasn’t just a nature guide. He was an expert on human nature, too. He had the instincts of a cop—just like Uncle Sammy. This is war. Hadn’t his dad said something like that?
“Maria is still gaga over Kingman,” Parker said.
“She sure is.”
Headlights swept across the room through the bedroom window. The headlights blinked off. “Take care of Uncle Sammy, Dad.”
The door of Uncle Sammy’s pickup slammed shut. “Okay. Sleep good.” He stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind him.
Parker turned off his flashlight. He swung his legs over the side of his bed and tiptoed to the open window. He could see Uncle Sammy leaning against the grill of his pickup, one boot hooked on the bumper. Parker stayed in the shadows and watched as Dad crunched across the crushed shell driveway and extended his hand. Uncle Sammy gripped it and pulled Dad into a hug, which wasn’t like him at all. Weird.
“That sorry piece of toxic waste messed with her head,” Uncle Sammy said.
“But you busted them up,” Dad said. “She’ll come back around. Maria’s smart. She’ll—”
“I’ve never seen her like this.” Uncle Sammy stared at the sky. “Not ever. It’s worse than I thought.”
Parker stepped closer to the window. Strained to hear. Either Dad didn’t answer, or he spoke too quietly for Parker to pick it up.
“She’s going to do something,” Uncle Sammy said. “I feel it.”
“Like what?”
“No idea.” Uncle Sammy picked up a handful of gravel. “She’s gotten reckless. Like she doesn’t care about anything—or doesn’t want me to think she does.”
How could she have changed so much?
“Okay,” Dad said. “She’s acting up a bit. Don’t you think she’s just busting your chops for breaking them up?”
“Definitely,” Uncle Sammy said. “But you know how she is when she gets something in her head.”
“Like her dad.”
“Exactly what has me worried.” Uncle Sammy sidearmed a rock toward the black jungle bordering their lot.
“How can I help?”
That was just like his dad. Always ready to do something. Like he knew Uncle Sammy needed more than just someone to listen. Parker pressed closer to the screen.
“I’ve got a real bad feeling about this.” Uncle Sammy shook his head. “Honestly? I’m scared.”
Words he’d never heard come from Uncle Sammy’s mouth before. Not ever.
“Understandable,” Dad said.
He looked at the silhouettes of the two men he respected most in the world. Dad was looking down, toeing the crushed shells and gravel. Uncle Sammy stared into the blackest part of the brush. Hands on hips.
“You’re taking this to the next level . . . the thing we talked about.” Dad said it like it was a fact. Not a question.
What exactly was the next level?
Uncle Sammy nodded. “I can’t ask you to be part of this.”
Part of what?
“Too late for that,” Dad said. “I told you before. If it comes to this . . . I’m in.”
Neither of them said a word. Like they both knew there was no backing out. Like they had a little plan of their own to keep Clayton and Maria apart.
“If this goes down as planned, we’re heroes,” Uncle Sammy said. “And Maria is free from whatever hold Kingman has on her. But there are some risks, too.” Uncle Sammy stood there, still staring out into the black like he was imagining the worst. “Even the most careful plans can go wrong.”
After tonight, Parker couldn’t argue with that.
“The wrong person sees this—or tries to step in—and this could go really bad,” Uncle Sammy said. “The police could get involved. We’ve got to go in with our eyes open.”
Uncle Sammy’s words hit Parker with the force of thunder. And lightning. What on earth did he mean by that? Obviously, they were planning on something way beyond flattening tires.
“This is war, brother. We’ve got to do something,” Dad said. “And don’t think I won’t be praying.”
Uncle Sammy didn’t say anything for a long moment. “She’s going to hate me. At first anyway. But it will get better, right?”
Dad put his arm around Uncle Sammy’s shoulder. “I’m sure of it.”
“Okay, get everything set up,” Uncle Sammy said. “But we don’t fire the starting pistol yet. We do the deed only if we’re sure there’s no other way.”
The deed?
“I don’t think we can wait long,” Dad said.
Uncle Sammy nodded. “I’ll do anything to protect her from that animal.” He pulled a thick envelope from his back pocket. “They’ll be needing this.”
The whole scene was like something out of a movie. The envelope—what else could it be? It had to be cash, and a lot of it. They were hiring someone—but to do exactly what? Not that Parker didn’t think Kingman deserved the worst Dad and Uncle Sammy could throw at him—but at what risk?
Dad took the bundle. “They’ll need a timetable. Even if it’s tentative.”
“Saturday night,” Uncle Sammy said. “I won’t wait longer than that.”
Four days.
Uncle Sammy shifted his weight. “She’ll thank me for this someday, right?”
Dad didn’t answer right away. “Someday.”
�
�Good enough.” Uncle Sammy climbed back into the pickup.
Parker ducked away from the window an instant before the headlights beamed through it. He plastered his back against the wall and tried to calm his own breathing. Uncle Sammy backed out of the driveway, the shell fragments crunching under the all-terrain tires.
Dad must have stayed outside a full two minutes after the truck was out of earshot. The screen door opened. Dad stepped inside. A minute later Parker heard Dad’s office door close.
It looked like Dad wasn’t going to be getting much sleep tonight. Parker sat on the edge of his bed and stared at the floor. Dad wouldn’t be the only one.
CHAPTER 25
THE WAY PARKER SAW IT, Jelly must have gotten a whole lot more sleep than he did. She was actually grinning when she rode up on her bike. She planted both feet on the ground and looked from Parker to Wilson and back.
“You two definitely dance to the beat of a different drummer—or however the saying goes,” Jelly said. “I wanted to stop Maria from seeing Clayton, but couldn’t come up with a way to do that. You two did. I came to thank you and . . .”
Wilson looked skeptical. “Go on.”
“I want to know if you’re a couple of one-hit wonders, or if you’ve got more songs on your playlist to keep Clayton and Maria apart.”
Parker motioned for her to keep her voice down. “You’re asking if we have a plan for tonight?”
Angelica nodded. “And I’m here to tell you that the three of us can make beautiful music together. I want to help. I want in.”
For an instant, Parker wondered how she’d figured out they were behind it. Would it be as easy for Kingman to find out? He hoped not. But the fact that Jelly wanted to join them was a good thing. Moments later they were on their bikes and heading for school.
Jelly fell in behind him. “So, what’s your plan for tonight?”
Parker had no idea. “We’re kind of making this up as we go.” But they’d have to think of something.
“Right now Bucky’s got some other things to think about.” Wilson grinned. “This is Wednesday. You’ve still got to get through your little meeting with the principal this morning.”
Escape from the Everglades Page 13