Rustler's Moon (29 page)

“I might sometime. I think he liked your place. Good night.” She let her fingers brush softly over his cotton shirt, then crossed her arms against the chill and let him walk away.

On the drive home Wilkes felt all pinned up, like a football player who never got off the sideline. Angie was starting to matter to him. If he let himself care again, he’d be opening himself wide-open. But he could never turn her away. The ache to have her near was building every time he saw her.

As he drove past the old Gypsy House, he spotted Yancy standing in the weeds staring at the crumbling ruins of what had once been his father’s home.

Wilkes circled round and climbed out of his car to stand beside his friend.

“A lot of evil lived here once,” Yancy said sadly.

Wilkes shook his head. “The evil lived in the people, not the house. If you still want to go in, I say we bring some ropes and flashlights over and have a look. After what the sheriff heard tonight, he’s not likely to arrest us for looking around.”

Yancy sighed. “I got to think about everything I heard tonight. I’m a product of all that happened here. I’ve heard folks say that this man or that one came from good people. I can’t make that claim. Some of my relatives were really bad.” He laughed without humor. “And apparently they are all dead because of a curse.”

“That’s right, you can’t claim good relatives, Yancy, but I’m thinking your children might be able to claim it.”

Yancy laughed. “First, I’m a work in progress. I’ve tipped the scales in both directions and I’m not out of my twenties, so who knows how I’ll turn out. And second, I don’t even have a woman, so not much chance of children.”

“Oh, but you will,” Wilkes promised.

“How do you know?”

Wilkes smiled. “Don’t you know? The Franklin sisters are the best matchmakers in town. They’ll find you someone before spring.”

“If they do, I’ll let both of them be flower girls in my wedding.”

Just the thought of that sight made both men laugh all the way to their cars.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Lauren

A
S
FAR
AS
Lauren could see, the love affair between Tim and Polly was over. Her roommate got up cussing Tim O’Grady in the morning and fell asleep swearing she’d kill him tomorrow when she had the energy. Her undying hatred was born out of a passion that Tim seemed to insist on: studying.

He walked Polly to class, went over her homework, scheduled every makeup test she’d missed and helped her write every research paper. At meals he drilled her on facts that kept falling out of her brain. By the end of the week Polly said she’d decided not to color her hair again, since she’d have it all pulled out by the end of the semester.

After over a year in college, Tim had taken on a project. Polly. He’d finally become passionate about something. He just smiled when Polly went into a rant as if waiting for the break to be over and the studying to pick up again.

On Friday, when she’d passed her first test in any class, all three decided to take off for Crossroads to celebrate. They’d pig out on junk food and watch old movies. And, Tim pointed out, study for a history test Polly had coming up next week.

Funny how the very place Lauren had dreamed of getting away from was now her retreat. When she called Pop, they were already an hour down the road. Her father didn’t sound all that excited, and Lauren wondered if she was interrupting a secret life she didn’t know about.

Surely not. Pop lived for his job and her. If he did have a secret, it was something like online gambling or reading romance novels. Nothing bad. Nothing illegal.

“I have a meeting I have to attend tonight at the county offices,” he said. “Do you guys think you can cook without burning the house down?”

Lauren made a face at the phone. He’d been saying that since she was five. “Of course. We’re almost there, but we have to stop off to pick up a few things for Polly, so don’t worry about getting snacks. We’ll save you time.”

“What kind of things?”

That was her pop, always interrogating.

“Polly left her bag at the dorm. We’ll get things like pajamas, maybe a sweatshirt and pants, since it’s cold. Underwear, makeup, you know.”

Tim commented from the front seat. “She doesn’t wear underwear.”

Lauren covered the phone hoping her father didn’t hear him.

After a pause, Pop said too calmly, “Tim’s coming home, too?”

“Yes,” she answered.

“Any chance he’d stay at his place this time? It’s only a few hundred yards away, and I’m sure his parents would like to see him. I fell over him sleeping on the floor before dawn last Saturday.”

Lauren laughed. “Not much chance, Pop, but I’ll tell him he has to go home to sleep.”

“Great. Charge the snacks to me and remind Tim to get out of my house by ten.”

Lauren ended the call fighting down a giggle. Her father was not going to handle it well when, or if, she ever got a real boyfriend.

They pulled off at a Walmart a few miles later. Tim grabbed a cart and said he’d get snacks. Lauren and Polly hit the racks. Since Polly was a good five inches shorter than Lauren and their styles were completely different, Lauren was no help. Polly picked out simple pj’s with Minnie Mouse on the front, a few T-shirts and a cheap pair of tennis shoes. After ten minutes of searching, she found a dull blue-hooded sweatshirt and baggy pants in the boys’ department.

“It’ll keep me warm out on the deck,” Polly said. “Who knows, I might pick up your habit of walking our lake.”

Lauren felt a very childish reaction settle over her. For a second she thought about saying, “It’s not
our
lake. It’s
mine
.” Polly had already taken over Tim, and after last weekend she had started calling Lauren’s father
Pop
. What was next?

Tim pulled up beside them with a cart full of frozen pizzas, cookies, chips and Halloween candy. “Since your dad has a meeting tonight, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we invite a few friends over and have a party. The World Series is on.”

Lauren wanted to say no, but how much trouble could pizza and the World Series be? “Sounds like fun.”

Polly shook her head. “I really don’t feel like being around people.”

“What are we, Polly Anna?” Tim asked.

“Friends,” she answered with a smile.

“Well, how about you meet some of your friends’ friends. You can meet them tonight, and on the way back Sunday we’ll tell you everything that ever happened to all of them. It’ll be like a biography of a dozen boring people, narrated by me. The only ones home this time of year will probably be the ones who went to work after high school or flunked out of college.”

“Or were a year younger than me,” Lauren added.

“Fine.” Polly rolled her eyes dramatically.

Lauren thought about calling her pop back, but he was working. She’d just surprise him. With luck, the party would be over before he got home. County meetings sometimes lasted until midnight.

It occurred to her then that maybe the meetings didn’t always last so late. Pop might have somewhere or someone he went to after work now and then. She shook her head. Impossible.

Three hours later Lauren decided the party was a bad idea. Several of Tim’s high school buddies dropped by. Tim acted as if he was glad to see them, but in truth, she sensed he didn’t have much in common with them after being away for a year. They all had nine-to-five jobs, and Tim’s goal in life seemed to be putting off work as long as possible.

A few girls, still in high school, stopped by acting as though they’d been Lauren’s best friends last spring. They wanted to know all about the boys at Tech. Not one seemed curious about classes.

A little after nine, Reid Collins showed up. Unlike everyone else, he wore slacks and a dress shirt. He said hello to everyone, but his gaze kept searching for Lauren.

She could feel him watching her. Finally, he made his way to the kitchen, where she was pulling out the last pizza from the oven.

“Hi, Lauren,” he said politely. “I had to come home for a party my parents were having. A political thing. I heard you were back for the weekend. Thought I’d just stop by and say hi.”

Lauren didn’t know what to say. He’d been polite enough two weeks ago at homecoming, but then Tim showed her the text Reid sent out. She wasn’t sure if she should be mad at him or just ignore what he’d texted.

Reid watched her. “You and Tim dating now?”

“No,” she said. “We’re still just friends. He drove my roommate and me home for a weekend off. You know my roommate, Polly.”

Reid looked around. “I doubt she’ll even remember me. Ancient history.”

“Kind of like us.” She leaned close so that no one would hear. “And how you ‘got lucky’ after the homecoming game.”

Reid looked surprised. Then understanding hit him. “Oh, God, Lauren, that wasn’t about you. I hooked up with the blonde who had a date with one of my frat brothers. You remember the one. She flirted with me all during the game.”

Lauren smiled. “Don’t look so horrified. I know you weren’t talking about me, but anyone who knew we had a date might have come to that conclusion.”

To her surprise, he honestly looked sorry. “No wonder Tim gave me a ‘drop dead’ look when I saw him the next day.”

Lauren didn’t feel sorry for Reid.

“What can I do to make it up to you, Lauren?”

She shrugged. “Stay away from me and my roommate.”

“Done.” He grinned. “After all, you and I aren’t due for another date for a year.”

“But be polite to her if you do see her.” Over Reid’s shoulder, Lauren saw Polly heading her way. “Which might happen sooner than you think.”

He nodded again. “If this gets back to my dad or the sheriff, you’ll stand with me on what really happened, won’t you?”

“I’ll stand with the truth, Reid, but don’t even think I’ll cover for you. I don’t plan on being that kind of friend.”

“Got it,” he said to Lauren as Polly backed into him.

“Oh, sorry,” she said when she saw his face.

Reid shot a quick look at Lauren before turning to Polly. “No, it was my fault for standing in the middle of the room.” He took the empty popcorn bowl. “Polly Pierce, right? I think we met once, but I can’t remember where. I must have been very drunk.”

She nodded, obviously surprised that he remembered her name. “You know Lauren?”

Reid glanced at Lauren knowing he’d need to be careful and not give too much away. “Everyone from Crossroads knows everyone else.”

Several people rushed for fresh pizza and Lauren lost track of Polly and Reid. When she circled the room, she saw Reid watching the game. She thought she could see Polly, dressed in her navy sweat suit, step off the deck and head out near the water.

“She all right?” Tim said from just behind Lauren.

“I think so. Last week she walked along the shore and said she liked it. Maybe she just needs a little alone time.”

“Reid didn’t say anything to her, did he?”

“No. I don’t think so.”

An hour later the game was over, and everyone decided to leave. After all, there was only so much fun they could have at the sheriff’s house.

Tim, Lauren and Reid started cleaning up. As they worked, Reid asked where Polly was.

“I introduced her to the peace of walking along the lake,” Lauren said as she washed the last of the pans.

“She’s been gone a long time. Shouldn’t one of us go look for her?”

Lauren had already been thinking that, but who? She didn’t want to leave Reid and Tim alone. Tim wouldn’t like the idea of leaving her with Reid, and she wasn’t sure she wanted Reid to go after Polly anyway. Sometimes he could be so polite, like when he said he didn’t remember where he met Polly, and other times he was a first-class jerk.

The problem was solved when her father walked in the door. “Hello, kids,” he said as if they were still sixteen. “Have a nice time?”

When no one spoke, he looked around. “Where’s Polly?”

Lauren answered slowly. “She went for a walk an hour ago, but we’re starting to worry that she got lost.”

Pop didn’t seem too concerned. “The lake makes a circle. She could walk it twice in an hour. Maybe she’s just sitting out watching the water like you used to do. Give her a call.”

Lauren dialed Polly’s number and they all heard a cell ringing in the kitchen. She’d left her phone on the counter.

Her pop was an organizer. “If you’re worried, we could go look for her. She may have stopped to talk to someone.”

“We did meet the curator who lives in one of the back cabins, but Polly wouldn’t have stayed an hour there.” A sinking feeling washed over Lauren. “We need to look. It’s dark. She could have fallen and hurt herself.”

“She does tend to be accident prone,” Tim voiced her fears.

Pop nodded and handed out flashlights. “Tim, circle toward your house. Reid, go the other way. Lauren, stay here. If anyone finds her, call Lauren. She’ll notify the others.” Her father was in his element. He knew what to do. “Keep your lights on so we can see each other moving. I’ll take the back trails that lead to cabins not on the lake. We should find her in a few minutes.”

Lauren stood on the deck and watched the search begin. She tried to think of reasons Polly would still be out in the dark. None made sense. It had been thirteen days since the mirror fell. Beneath the sweatshirt she wore, her arm was still wrapped in white bandages. She wouldn’t have gone for a swim in the cold water, and she wasn’t a “stop and visit” kind of person.

The rumbling fear she tried to push aside was that Polly might have tried to hurt herself again. Lauren had no proof, but what if the mirror hadn’t been an accident? Polly could have hit it in anger, then taken a piece of glass and cut her arm. If she had, would she try again? The lake would be an easy place to end a life and have it look like an accident. Fifty-foot drops onto rocks from the top. Water would be an almost painless way for Polly to die. She couldn’t swim. One step off the dock would end her life.

Miniature lights danced along the edge of the lake. Tim’s to the right, Reid’s to the left. Both were moving slowly checking out decks where she might have stopped. Any warmth had left with the sun. If Polly were still outside, she’d be cold.