Rusty had a curious streak, just like she did. “I'll tell you on the way. Meet you in the kitchen.”
The early morning sun shone in their eyes. Every little pebble on the driveway cast a long, bullet-shaped shadow, pointed toward the house. The ping-ping-ping of metal tapping metal rang through the still air.
“Cliff sure starts work early.” Rusty yawned.
“That's what farmers do.”
“Gee, thanks for explaining. I never would have guessed.” He yawned again. “I'm tired and my body aches from the roots of my hair right down to my toenails. So, are you planning on telling me why we're out here so early when I'd rather be sleeping?”
“Quit complaining, Rusty. I was in the accident too, remember? And I don't feel too wonderful either, but we have a job to do.” She lowered her voice. “So, here's what I want you to do.” They stopped beside the shop while Katie whispered every detail of her plan. Then they moved around to the front.
Cliff stood at his workbench, his back to the door.
He picked up a wrench, turned and crouched beside the bright red harvest header that covered the cutter bar. He must have noticed Katie's long shadow flick across the cement floor because he stood up suddenly.“Ah!” he said, “you again. You've got to stop sneaking up on me, Katie-girl. People can get hurt that way.”
“I didn't sneak.”
“What brings you out here so early in the morning?
I thought you'd sleep until noon after the way you looked last night.”
“I couldn't sleep. I heard you walk along the path and I needed to talk to you.”
He rubbed a hand impatiently over his forehead.
“Didn't we do that yesterday? I've got work to do here.”
“I know, but it won't take long. There are a couple things that don't make sense anymore, so I thought you could help me figure them out.”
Cliff smiled. “So, is our clever young detective unable to solve the case of who's behind all the accidents and threatening phone calls?” Then he frowned. “What do you mean they don't make sense anymore? What's changed since yesterday?”
“For starters, there were two more accidents: one with a cow and one with a rock picker. Also, I questioned Scott yesterday, and his story is way different from yours.”
“That's no huge surprise. Did you expect him to admit he's been creeping around here, sabotaging equipment and endangering lives? I knew that kid was trouble even before he stole the necklace.”
“Okay, but Scott said he never took the necklace.
He said, if he were a thief, he wouldn't be stupid enough to leave it in his room where Aunt Margaret would be sure to find it.”
Cliff grunted and sat down on a high stool near his workbench. “All right, let's assume he didn't take it. Let's say it happened the way your aunt suggested and Megan accidentally dropped the necklace. That would mean he got fired for no reason. Don't you think he'd be mad enough to seek revenge?”
“Maybe.” Katie nodded. “But Megan thinks everything's her fault. She says the fire, the wire in the field and the first escaped cows all happened because of her carelessness. Even Aunt Margaret's accident with the rock picker is her fault, Megan says.”
“How could that be her fault? She wasn't anywhere near the rock picker.”
“I know,” Katie agreed. “Besides, you worked on it yesterday. Remember? You were hammering on that bolt when I talked to you.”
“What are you talking about, Katie? Didn't we go through that last night?”
“Well, but that boltâ¦You had a dark green bolt, the same color as the rock picker. Is that what broke and made the bucket come crashing down?”
Cliff studied her for a moment, his forehead creased. Then he shook his head and smiled indulgently. “Of course not. Katie, you've got to understand how little you know about farming and the way we run things here. That's exactly the kind of thing I do. To save a few bucks and a trip into town, I took that bolt from an old piece of machinery. It was too long, so I had to adapt it to fit properly.” He stood up. “And now, if you don't mind, I have work to finish before breakfast.”
Katie glanced over her notes. “Did you cut the fence last night?” Her words hung in the warm morning air like daggers.
Cliff frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“The fence where the cows escaped. You said it had been cut.”
“And you think I did it? Don't be ridiculous!
Obviously Scott's behind it, just like everything else.”
“When did he do it?”
“How would I know?”
“Well, it's odd, because when we saw you the night before, you said you checked the fence. Remember?
And you had the wire cutters in your pocket.”
Cliff looked frustrated. “Katie, I'd love to stand here and talk to you, but I need to get back to work.”
He turned away, dismissing her.
“But, I just can't figure it out.”
Cliff swung around. “It's quite simple. He drove over in the morning, before you went to see him.”
“Hmmm.” Katie looked at her notes.
Cliff crouched beside the cutter bar and peered underneath it. He glanced up at Katie. “Are you finished yet?”
“Almost. I just wonder⦔
“What?”
“Okay. Scott's parents took the truck into town early yesterday morning. So, I wonder how he got all the way here and back again in time to answer the phone when Emily called him?”
Cliff rubbed a hand over his damp forehead. “How would I know? Rode his bike? What difference does it make?”
Katie shrugged.
“Listen, Katie, it's been fun chatting with you and all, but I really have work to do now.”
“No problem. I'll ask you the other stuff when you come in for breakfast.” She turned to go.
“What other stuff?”
“Nothing important,” she called over her shoulder.
“It's only about the phone calls.”
“What about them?”
She stopped in the wide doorway, with the sun at her back. She knew she was taking a chance now. What if Megan was wrong and Aunt Margaret had told Cliff about the threatening calls? But things were not going well so far and it was a chance she needed to take. “Oh, you know, I just wondered how you knew about them when Aunt Margaret didn't tell anyone?”
“She told me. She must have. Why wouldn't she?”
He scratched his head. “No, wait. I was there a couple of times when a call came in. I told her it must be Scott.”
Katie made a point of reading through her notes.
“Hmm,” she said. “Interesting.” She looked up at Cliff.
“I have to go now, I need to talk to Aunt Margaret.”
She turned away.
“Wait! Katie!” Cliff moved swiftly toward her. “Maybe I can help. Have you got any more questions?”
Katie remained just inside the workshop door.
“Well, okay. Maybe just one more. Remember when you said we should check Megan's cell phone because the last threatening call was made from it?”
Cliff looked wary. “Uh, did I say that?”
“Yeah, you did. So, I wondered how you knew?”
Before Katie could move he had covered the distance between them. He stood so close he was practically touching her, but not quite. The cow-smell of him filled her nostrils; she couldn't breathe properly; she wanted to run, but didn't dare move.
“Listen to me, Katie. These people trust me. Heck, they're even grateful to me. Nothing you say is going to change that, understand? You're just a kid, and it's your word against mine.”
“But, why are you doing this? Can't you wait until next year to get the farm?”
“Not if I can take over now and buy it for half the price when the crops are sold. Your aunt can't sell the farm so long as there's the question of illegally planted GM seed hanging over her head. And right now she can't wait to get away from here.”
“So you made up the whole GMO thing just to scare her?”
He grinned. “Devious, huh? The threats will disappear once Scott's out of the way.”
“What about Megan?”
“Poor Megan is confused. She needed my help to realize that Scott isn't the right boy for her.”
“Is that why you picked on Scott? Because Megan likes him?”
Cliff shrugged. “I got kicked off his parents' farm because of him. I couldn't let it happen again. Next thing I know he'll want a farm of his own.”
“Soâ¦you're afraid Megan might marry Scott and take over this farm?”
“Not anymore.” He chuckled. “And to think, I once considered marrying that girl myself next year, but she turned out way too weird for my taste.”
“Even Megan has more sense than to marry you!
If she's weird it's because you made her think all the accidents were her fault!”
“Can I help it if accidents follow her around? She's always running off to meet Scott, and every time she does, something bad happens. Now she's not sure who she can trust.”
“Was she going to see Scott the day we arrived?”
Cliff shook his head. “No. She decided to run away after she let that fire get out of controlâor thought she did. Megan figures her mom would be better off without her. I brought her back, though. Margaret will never leave without her daughter.”
Katie stared up at him in amazement. His plan was so clever she almost admired him. Blame Scott, make Megan feel so guilty she ruins her health, send her and Aunt Margaret away and get the farm for himself. “You're a sick man,” she said.
He laughed. “And the best part of it is, no one knows but you and me.”
“Who says I won't tell?”
“As I said, it's your word against mine. And just to be on the safe side,” he glanced down at the wrench in his hand, “remember, accidents happen.”
“I'm not afraid of you,” she said.
“Maybe not.” He smiled. “But you wouldn't want your aunt or, even worse, your mother to have an accident, would you?”
A chill spread over her skin. She had to get out of here. Now. Katie took a step backward. Outside, onto the dirt. She glanced to her left where Rusty stood waiting, out of Cliff's sight. But Cliff was so close, what if he followed her? Could they run fast enough to escape him?
“I'm going now,” she said, hoping Rusty would take the hint and start moving away.
“And you'll keep your mouth shut?”
She nodded. “Yes, I promise. If you promise not to hurt anyone.”
“Me?” he laughed. “I wouldn't hurt a fly.”
She started to walk away, hoping Cliff would return to whatever he was doing.
Rusty hadn't moved. He must be waiting for her, to be sure she was safe. When Katie started toward him he nodded and pushed a button on the tape recorder. It beeped.
“Hey! What was that?” Cliff charged out the door.
Katie broke into a run.
Katie rounded the corner of the work shed on Rusty's heels. The thud-thud-thud of heavy feet followed close behind. “Run, Rusty!” she yelled.
“What do you think I'm doing?”
She caught up to him at the driveway. Which way to run? Could they make it to the house? Would anyone hear if they cried for help?
“Hey, kids!” Cliff's long shadow stretched across the dry dirt in front of them, one arm upraised, still clutching the wrench. “Stop, will you? I only want to talk to you.”
If he caught them, Cliff would destroy the tape.
Everything would be lost. “Keep going, Rusty,” she gasped. “Run to the house, don't let him get the tape.”
Rusty sprinted across the driveway. Katie made a quick sharp zigzag into Cliff's shadow. She dropped into a crouch with her chin tucked in to her knees, hands over the back of her neck.
Cliff's size and speed carried him smack into Katie's crouched form and sent him sprawling to the ground over her. The force knocked Katie down too, but she was ready for it and scrambled to her feet. She skirted around Cliff, who lay face first in the dirt, and headed for the screen door. But she wasn't quick enough. With lightning speed, Cliff's hand flew out and grabbed Katie's ankle, sending her flying.
Flat on her stomach on the dusty driveway, Katie tried to kick herself free. “You might as well give up,” she shouted. “We know what you did!”
Cliff laughed. “Katie-girl, do you really think you're in a position to threaten me?”
“Rusty'll wake everyone up. He'll play the tape.
Then see if anyone believes you.”
“I don't think that's going to happen.” Cliff tightened his grip, his fingers pressed into the soft spot behind her ankle bone.
“Ow!” Katie couldn't move. Dust filled her nostrils and made her eyes sting. “That hurts!”
“This isn't a game, girl.”
Katie couldn't believe what she heard next.
“Thanks for coming back, son. Now, if you'll just hand over that tape recorder I'll forget this ever happened.”
“Okay,” Rusty said, “let her go and I'll give it to you.”
Katie twisted sideways to see Rusty standing over her. “What are you doing? I can take care of myself.”
“That's not what I'm seeing,” Rusty said.
Cliff released her ankle and stood up. Rusty handed over the tape recorder. “Thanks so much, Rusty. I knew you were a reasonable young man.”
Katie sat up. “Did you at least call for help?”
“Of course I did!”
Cliff grinned as he removed the tape and slid it into his pocket. Then he handed the tape recorder back to Rusty. “It's a pleasure doing business with you.”
“We'll tell them what you did,” Katie threatened.
Cliff winked down at her. “As I said, it's your word against mine. Who do you think they'll believe? Kind and reliable Cliff, or a couple of light-fingered kids?”
He walked away, chuckling.
Still sitting in the dirt, Katie watched him return to his workshop. They had been so close! Hot tears stung the backs of her eyes.