Code of Silence: Living a Lie Comes With a Price (12 page)

“You changing your mind?” Hiro said.

“Uh-uh.” Cooper started pedaling for Frank ‘n Stein’s. “I just thought he would.”

They coasted into Frank’n Stein’s parking lot and propped their bikes against a pole.

“You ready for this?” Hiro practically whispered.

“Sure,” Cooper lied. A sheet of particle board replaced the broken window in the door. Chips of glass winked at him from cracks in the asphalt like they knew his secret. He reached for the door and tried not to think about the last time he stood in that spot.

The familiar smell of seasoned beef and Chicago hot dogs charring on the grill welcomed him in.

“Hiya, kids.” Mr. Stein stood behind the counter and smiled. “What can we get you?”

Cooper ordered a chocolate Monster shake and wiped sweaty hands on his cargo shorts before handing Mr. Stein the money. Stein took one of the dollars and stuffed it in a giant pickle jar on the counter nearly half filled with coins and dollar bills. A hand–printed sign taped to the rim of the jar read “Hospital fund for Frank Mustacci.” A picture of the co-owner flipping a burger on the grill was clipped to the sign. Cooper’s throat burned.

Mr. Stein did the same with the money Hiro handed him for her iced tea.

“How is he?” Hiro whispered.

Stein’s smile faded. “Still in a coma.” He grabbed a rag and wiped off the counter. “But when I saw him this morning, his color looked better.”

“That’s good.” Hiro tapped two straws out of the dispenser and handed one to Cooper. “Think I could go see him?”

Cooper’s heart slammed into his chest.

“You’d be like an angel to him if you did.” Stein leaned across the counter toward Hiro. “You a churchgoer?”

Hiro nodded.

“You say a prayer for our friend, will you?”

“I have every hour since it happened.”

Mr. Stein’s smile returned. “Atta girl. Say one for both of us, eh?” He turned to the drive-thru window.

Hiro reached in her pocket, pulled out some cash, and added it to the pickle jar. She looked at Cooper as if she totally expected him to do the same.

He pulled out the only money he had—his emergency “snack buck.” He took one last look at Washington’s face with the black marker mustache and glasses he’d added and dropped it in the jar.

Hiro nodded her approval. “He needs all the help he can get.”

Cooper glanced into the kitchen—all the way to the back door. It was still a crime scene to him. The mop and bucket stood against the side wall. Had they used it to swab up Frank’s blood? The creepy feeling gnawed at him.

“Chocolate shake, iced tea, large fries?”

Neil Lunquist held the cardboard tray out to them over the counter.

“Oh, hi, Lunk.” Cooper took the tray. “We didn’t pay for fries, though.”

Lunk mouthed for him to stay quiet. “I take care of friends. Take it.”

“But—” Cooper glanced at Mr. Stein working the drive-thru window. His back was turned, and it was obvious he hadn’t seen a thing.

Lunk jammed his hand in his pocket and pulled out a couple of singles. “Here.” He stuffed the money in the pickle jar. “Feel better?”

Cooper nodded. “Thanks.”

Cooper took the tray and turned. Mr. Stein had decked the whole dining area out with Halloween decorations. Like some kind of haunted castle—only this one was for real. Normally Cooper would grab their booth in the back. Today? He just wanted out of here.

Hiro nudged him. “Picnic table outside?”

“Perfect.”

Hiro seemed as anxious as he was to leave. She grabbed a couple of napkins and filled a small paper cup with ketchup.

He’d done it. He showed his face. It felt good to face his fears, to push himself. It felt even better to push back out the door.

Hiro didn’t say a word as they walked to the table. She swung a leg over the bench to face the creek. Cooper didn’t feel right about Frank ‘n Stein’s being behind him where he couldn’t see it—like he expected Elvis or the clown to rush out the door at any moment. That was crazy. Still, he positioned himself on the bench opposite of Hiro so he could keep an eye on things.

“Glad to see your conscience still works,” Hiro said.

“What?”

She picked up a fry and dangled it in front of him. “The fries?”

“Oh, that.” Cooper pulled the lid off his shake and poked the straw in deep. “I didn’t feel right about it.” He drew in a cool mouthful of the shake.

Hiro sipped at her tea and pulled her braid over her shoulder. “It was nice to see the old Cooper for a change.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t play dumb.”

Cooper grabbed some fries and avoided looking at her. Why couldn’t she just leave it alone? Give this a little time to work itself out? Then the lies would stop. All of them.

“I don’t know how he can still work there,” she said.

“Lunk?”

“Uh-huh.”

“He couldn’t have been one of the guys at that robbery.”

Hiro shrugged. “He’s in it somehow. And I’m going to figure it out.”

“Give it a rest. Lunk isn’t all bad.”

She raised her eyebrows and cocked her head to one side. “Is he changing—or is it you?”

“What?”

“I’m praying for you, Cooper.” Hiro said it so quietly, as if she hadn’t intended him to hear.

But he heard it so clear that his ears burned. “Look.” He bounced his straw up and down in the thick shake. “You should be praying that Gordy doesn’t blow it, or that those men don’t find us, or that they get caught somehow.”

Hiro didn’t say anything. But her eyes went right through him—like she was reading his mind. She looked down suddenly, like she didn’t like what she saw.

“Do you think Frank will make it?”

Cooper thought on that a minute. “If his color is better, that has to be good. Are you really going to see him?”

Hiro nodded and bit her lower lip.

Truth was, he wished he could too. But how could he face him, even if he was in a coma?

A Rolling Meadows police car wheeled into the lot and pulled into one of the parking spaces.

A knot tightened in his stomach. A police car at a fast food restaurant wasn’t an unusual sight, but Cooper wondered if the cop was there to get a meal or to work on the case.

Cooper held his breath for an instant while a policeman opened the door and stood. Detective Hammer.
Perfect.

Hammer scanned the lot like a man in the habit of looking for potential trouble. When his mirrored sunglasses turned Cooper’s way, he smiled and strode toward the picnic table.

“Oh no.” Cooper groaned, covering his mouth with one hand. “Hammer is coming this way.”

Hiro’s eyes grew wide, then instantly closed tight.

Was she praying?

When Hiro opened her eyes, she looked normal. Relaxed.

Cooper hoped he looked as natural.

“Cooper MacKinnon, right?” Hammer, still wearing the mirrored sunglasses, stopped at the table and hiked one foot on the bench. “Plum Grove School.”

“Hello, detective.”

“Where’s your friend?”

“Gordy?” Cooper pointed down the street. “He went to Taco Bell instead.”

“Any reason he would want to avoid Frank ‘n Stein’s?”

“Uh-uh.” Cooper shook his head. “He just wanted those cinnamon twist things.”

Hammer gave a single nod. Without seeing the cop’s eyes, Cooper couldn’t tell if he believed him or not. He started back toward Frank ‘n Stein’s. He stopped and turned just as he reached the parking lot. “Come here often?”

Cooper nodded and raised his cup. “I love their monster shakes.”

“Did you have one Thursday night?”

His arm froze. “Huh?”

One corner of Hammer’s mouth turned up. “Anything you want to tell me?”

Cooper held his gaze. Lying was an art. To master it you had to know when to stop talking and how to divert a direct question. “Yeah. You should try the monster shakes.” He sucked on the straw and kept his focus on Hammer’s sunglasses. To look down, or anywhere else would be as good as admitting he was hiding something. He held up the shake. “The chocolate is best.”

“Maybe I will.” Hammer smiled. “We’ll have plenty of time to talk at school Monday. Did you get that permission slip signed?”

“Already in my backpack.”

Hammer nodded. “Monday, then.” He turned and walked to the front door, stopping only briefly to inspect the bikes.

“He’s on to you.”

Cooper’s leg bounced under the table. “He was baiting me. Looking for a reaction. He doesn’t know anything.”

“You don’t think he suspects?” Hiro shook her head. “He asked if you had a shake
Thursday
night.”

She looked surprised for an instant. Like something just clicked into place. She reached up and started fingering the police star necklace.

“Hiro?”

“What
did
you do with your shake Thursday night?”

Cooper thought for a moment. “I left it on the table.”

“With the backpack,” Hiro said. “That means they have your DNA for sure.”

He didn’t need Hiro to tell him what that meant. Fingerprints and DNA. All the police needed to do was get a sample from him.

Cooper poked at his shake with the straw. He felt like he was locked back inside Frank ‘n Stein’s, unable to escape. How was he going to get out of this? The surveillance tapes were a dead end. But he had to do something. He couldn’t just sit here and hope he didn’t get caught. He had to search for the robbers as hard as they were probably searching for him. But how on earth was he supposed to do that?

Gordy flew into the parking lot holding a Taco Bell bag along with the handle grip. He didn’t pull on the brakes until he hit the grass near the picnic table. The bike skidded one way, then the other before slowing enough to hop off. He dumped the bike on the grass and strolled over.

“Eating outside.” He jerked his thumb toward the police car. “Good idea.” Gordy dropped his half-empty bag on the table and grabbed some of Cooper’s fries. “Wonder what that’s all about.”

“It’s Hammer,” Hiro said. “He was asking about you. Said he’d already been to your house.”

“W-what?” Gordy took a step back, eyes wide open. “What does he want?’

“Nothing,” Cooper said. “Hiro’s messing with you.”

Gordy glared at Hiro and looked over his shoulder at Frank ‘n Stein’s. “Let’s get out of here.”

Cooper couldn’t agree more. The thought of the detective coming back with more questions made him uneasy. He stuffed the last few fries in his mouth and crumpled up the bag. He swung one leg over the bench and stopped. Hammer walked out the front door—and headed their way.

T
here’s your friend.”

Gordy heard Hammer’s voice behind him.
Now what?
He turned just as Hammer strolled up, monster shake in hand. Hammer stopped to inspect Gordy’s bike, and then walked right up to him. The cop stood close. Way beyond the comfort zone.

Gordy felt as stiff as the Frankenstein mascot himself.

“How was Taco Bell?” The detective’s face showed no emotion. The mirrored lenses didn’t give anything away either. Gordy imagined a cold stare behind those glasses. Dark eyes. Elvis eyes.

“Mucho bueno.” He held up the bag of twists. “I think that’s Spanish for very good.”

And it would be
mucho bueno
to get away from Hammer. He should have just stayed at Taco Bell.

“I tried the monster shake.” Hammer stirred it with the straw. “Cooper here was telling me how much he likes them.”

“Gets one every time we come in,” Gordy said.

“Comes here a lot, does he?” He took a sip and waited for his answer, probably enjoying the way he could make people sweat.

“Well, yeah, sometimes. We all do.” Gordy glanced at Coop. Did he just say too much? “It’s been awhile though.”

“Couple days, maybe?”

Gordy took a step back. He could use a little help here.

“Detective Hammer.” Hiro held onto her necklace as she spoke. “Would it help if I bike to Gordy’s house and bring back his signed permission form for you? I mean, then you could question him legally.”

A slight smile creased the officer’s face. He took a long draw from his shake. “I can’t wait until Monday. You boys are officially at the top of my list. Congratulations.”

“Look,” Coop said, pulling a pen from his pocket and writing his phone number on his napkin. “Here’s my phone number. Call my parents right now if you want. Then you can ask me anything you want. I have nothing to hide. None of us do.” He handed Hammer the napkin. “Frank Mustacci was good to us, and I want to see whoever did this to him caught and put away for good.”

Hammer took the napkin, looked at it for a moment, then folded it and slid it in his pocket. “I think I can wait until Monday.” He held up the monster shake and saluted with it. “Thanks for the tip on the shake.”

Gordy wanted to give him a couple tips of his own.

Hammer headed back to his car, climbed inside, and started the engine. Gordy didn’t want to stare. He turned his back on the parking lot and listened for him to back out, but he didn’t leave. Maybe he was on the radio or something. Or maybe Hammer was just trying to rattle him.

“We all should have gone to Taco Bell,” Gordy whispered. He’d tried to keep them all clear of Frank’s. He stuck to his guns, even though it killed him that Hiro and Coop didn’t change their mind and follow him. He’d been so sure they would. They had to stick together—even in little things like this. “Thanks for bailing me out. That guy could make a dummy sweat.”

Hiro looked at him and raised her eyebrows. A smile surfaced and it looked like she was about to dish out a zinger.

Gordy knew what she was thinking—and what she was probably
about to say. He held up his hands to stop her. “A dummy—you know, a mannequin—like our friendly greeter at Frank’s.”

“Ohhh.” She gave a slow nod. “You’re not sweating, though, are you?”

He fished a handful of the twisty cinnamon things out of the bag. “You just love yanking my chain, don’t you?”

She nodded and smiled. “Every bit as much as you love yanking mine.”

Coop gave another slurp on his shake, obviously hitting bottom. “Let’s not talk here—just in case the detective can read lips. Let’s meet at
The Getaway
.” He started toward the garbage can.