Coldwater Revenge, James Ross [books for 9th graders txt] 📗

over his hot coffee. “He was outside the church when I went to check on those cars. I don’t suppose he stopped on account of the hot blond, too.”

“Did you talk to him?”

“He scooted when he saw me. I want you to find out where he was Saturday night and what he was doing hanging around Billy’s funeral.”

Tom grimaced. “I haven’t seen the man in years. I’d rather not catch up by insulting him.”

“It’s a lead, brother. We have to follow it… or I do. You don’t have to insult him. Just find out where he was Saturday night.”

“Come on, Joe. What are the chances that an old priest stuffed Billy in a sleeping bag and dumped him in the lake?”

“If you believe the newspapers, some have done a lot worse.”

* * *

Bonnie took the girls to school, and Joe left to collect the results of Billy’s autopsy. Luke appeared with the fishing rods as soon as both parents had left the house.

“Sorry, buddy,” said Tom, taking the rods off the counter and pouring a bowl of cold cereal. “You and I are grounded.” It had been the trick question about life jackets rather than the black eye or the missing front tooth. Though neither had gone well with the moms.

Luke took the carved whistle from his pocket and gave it a blast.

“I know! I know!” Tom raised a hand in surrender. “But you had your chance to back me. Now we’re grounded.”

Luke remained silent. Other than the whisper on the boat, he hadn’t said a word since losing the big salmon. Tom was tempted to turn him upside down and shake him until more came out. But his mind was yanked from thoughts of therapeutic child abuse by the appearance of a slim young woman in a form-hugging biker’s outfit peddling past the kitchen window on her way to the front door. “Girl alert!” Tom shouted.

Luke scowled and scooped a spoonful of cereal.

“Did you see her, buddy? Do you know her?”

Luke moved his head from side to side, not bothering to look.

“Come on, she’s a fox. Let’s go see. If we can’t go fishing…”

Luke shook his head again, ignoring the soft knock at the door.

“I’m going.” Tom glanced at the front hall mirror and raked a fist of fingers through a mop of untidy hair. Then he opened the door onto a vision of glossed lips, even white teeth and a cascade of wheat colored tresses falling over slim rounded shoulders. “Hello, Tom.”

His throat spasmed. “Hello, Susan. Plain as ever.”

Luke appeared and tugged Tom’s pant leg, trying to haul him back to the kitchen. “This is Luke,” said Tom. “Grounded fisherman.”

“Hello, Luke.” The woman held out her hand.

“adic-I d-adic-on’t l-adic-ike g-adic-irls.” The boy hauled on Tom’s trousers, digging into the floorboards with his heels.

“Pig Latin?”

“It’s a long story. This is actually a pretty exciting development.”

Luke released his grip on Tom’s pants and slunk back to the kitchen.

“Would you like to come in?”

“I’m not sure that I’m welcome.” She laughed, gesturing at the face scowling from behind a cereal box. “And you don’t look prepared for company. What male mischief have I interrupted?”

Tom rubbed an hand over stubbled chin. “Joe had me out all night playing cops and robbers. If you’re looking for him, you might try his office. But I don’t think he’s there now.”

“Actually, I came to see you.” Some words you hear with your ears, others with your mind. These he felt in his shorts. “Why don’t we walk, if your companion will allow you to go outside with a girl for a few minutes? It’s a beautiful day.”

“Sure. I’ll let mom know that Luke’s in charge until we get back.”

Mindful of Joe’s security gizmos, Tom returned and escorted his long ago love down the center of the gravel drive until they reached the dirt road beyond it. Small birds called from the canopy of green above the lane and insects buzzed among pink spotted knapweed beside it.

“I’m sorry about Billy and your parents. I just found out.”

Susan lowered her eyes and turned her head toward the greenery at the side of the road, content to let the silence gather, although Tom felt overcome by an almost adolescent awkwardness.

“I should apologize for Luke. But I’m also pretty excited. That’s only the second time he’s spoken, that I know of.”

“In Pig Latin?”

Tom explained. “Mom and Bonnie weren’t too keen on the experiment. But I think they’ll come around now.”

Susan laughed. “Don’t count on it. Mamma bears don’t like bachelor bears experimenting with their cubs. You’d make a good dad, though.”

It was an offhand compliment, probably meaningless. But it made him uneasy. “Don’t say that to Mary. It’ll encourage her.”

“She knows. She saw you often enough with Billy.”

That made him even more uneasy. He picked up a stone and threw it into the woods.

“I used to think that you and Billy were variations on the same theme: too much directionless brain power. But you eventually found something to do with yours. Billy didn’t. He became a ‘bad boy,’ hung around people who weren’t half as smart as he was, and got his kicks out of making them feel stupid.”

“The kind of kicks that might have made someone angry enough to kill him?”

Susan shuddered. “I don’t know, Tom. Somewhere along the way Billy developed a talent for pushing people to the edge. I overheard him and Frankie Heller having a knock down drag out argument a few days ago. I told ST about it.”

“Who’s Estie?”

“Oh, dear.” She shook her head, and the flow of tresses made Tom’s heart skip. “S. T. Super Trooper. Your brother.” She grinned. “That’s what people around here call him now. Didn’t you know? I think it kind of fits.” Tom folded his arms across his chest. She tried to console him. “Mother once told me that if Billy had had your looks, some girl would have come along and done a make-over on him, too.”

“I thought your mother didn’t like me. She always acted like