Clockwiser (8 page)

“Lucinda?” I said.

“I think Josh wants to break up with me.”

I sat up against my pillow. “Why would you think that? I thought you were doing great?”

“I thought so, too.” Her voice broke. “But he’s not returning my calls or my text messages. I haven’t seen him for almost a week.”

“Well, he could be busy with work and stuff.”

“That never stopped him before. I can just tell he’s cooled off.”

I studied my nails. I probably should take a file to them soon. “You’re sure you’re not just jumping to conclusions?”

“I don’t think so. The last time we were together all he could talk about was how much he preferred the balmy weather of Florida compared to the extreme temperatures here, and how awesome UF was.”

“It’s natural he’d be excited about his time at college.”

“Yeah, and college girls.”

I bit my lip. I worried about that, too. Nate didn’t leave the state, but how long before he got tired of hanging out with a high school student?

“You’re as good as any college girl, Lucinda. Josh would be an idiot to let you go.”

“You think so?”

“Of course I do. You’re awesome.”

“You have to say that because I’m your best friend.” I heard the smile in her voice. Crisis averted.

“Anyway,” she continued. “I hear your brother’s up to no good again.”

My jaw went slack. “Word’s out already?”

“Yup, so what did he do this time? Steal a car? Mug an old woman?”

Wow, Tim’s reputation was preceding him. “Actually, Mom found a suspicious substance in his room.”

“No way.

“Way.”

She snorted. “How long is he grounded for this time?”

“Well,” I made the mistake of trying to run my fingers through my curls. “They haven’t exactly found him yet.”

“He’s missing?”

I winced as I pulled my hand out of my knotted mess. “Sort of.”

“How can you be sort of missing?” she said. I could picture her eyebrows furrowing.

“Um...”

“Casey?”

I cleared my throat. “I kind of took him back and left him there.”

“Um, I’m sorry. It sounded like you said you took him
back
.” She paused briefly. “And left him there.”

“That
is
what I said.”

Lucinda gasped. “How?”

I told her about how angry I’d gotten with him about the stash Mom had found, and about how I felt like he was wrecking our family life after it’d just had a chance to get back to normal.

“He tried to pluck my fingers off his car door, and it happened.”

“And you came back
without
him?”

I sat on the edge of the bed feeling irritated.“I didn’t mean to. It was his stupid fault. I told him to be ready but instead he had to make out with the first girl he saw.”

Lucinda clucked on the phone. “Sounds like he deserved to be left behind.”

I agreed. “The scare might do him good, but I hate what it’s doing to my parents.”

“So what’s the plan?”

That was just it. I let out a long sigh. I didn’t really have a plan.

Chapter Ten

TIM

Today was the day. I for one was not sorry to ditch this farm. With the exception of not seeing Josie, I wouldn’t care if I never stepped foot back here again.

Which I knew was impossible. I had to come back eventually to find Casey and catch my first class ticket back to the future.

The Watson house was thick with emotion now that they had to say goodbye to their golden boy again. This time he was headed to a camp to help train new recruits like me before we were all sent out to the front lines.

I really hoped that wouldn’t take long. I lifted my arms like I held an imaginary rifle and shot at an imaginary foe. Pow!

I left the cabin and went looking for Josie. I wanted to make sure we had time for a private goodbye.

Willie entered the back yard as I crossed it.

“Hello, Timothy,” he called, waving me over.

“Hey,” I said.

Willie’s ginger hair glistened in the sunlight. He’d taken time to grease it back, and for a moment I wondered if I should’ve put more effort into my appearance. Joining the Union Army was a big deal.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Willie started. He ran one hand over the other and studied the ground, looking uncomfortable.

I wondered if he’d found out something about me and Josie, and if I was about to get a “talkin’ to.”

I pulled on the collar of my shirt.“Yeah?”

“Does your family know you’ve enlisted?”

Okay, so not about Josie. I let out a small breath and shrugged. “I suppose they’ll find out eventually.”

Willie shook his head, clearly unimpressed. “Are you sure you don’t want to notify them of your plans? There will always be another call to volunteer.”

“No, I want to go now. The Union needs men now.”

Besides, I’d rather go with guys I sort of knew, like Willie and his friend James. If I waited, I’d be with complete strangers.

Willie’s frown grew deeper. “But what about Cassandra? Would she approve?”

“She’s not my mother.” I said, and Willie’s eyebrows shot up. I supposed that came off a little disrespectful. I softened my tone. “I mean, she would understand. She’s used to me making my own decisions.”

Willie’s shoulders lifted as he inhaled deeply. “Very well then. We shall be leaving for camp within the hour.”

He disappeared to the front of the house and I stuck my head in the kitchen hoping to find Josie. She was there, stirring something in a large bowl with a big wooden spoon. I motioned for her to meet me outside.

Sara spotted me. “Is there something you need, Timothy?” she said, wiping wet hands on her apron.

“Uh, I was looking for Willie?”

“He just went outside. You didn’t see him?”

“I must have missed him. I’ll go look around.”

Josie removed her apron and picked up a bucket. “I’m going for water, Sara.”

I moved out of her way as she pretended to ignore me. Sara’s eyes were on me, and I feigned disinterest as well.

“I’ll check the front of the house,” I said, before leaving.

And of course, I headed straight for the water pump.

“You look so handsome, Timothy,” Josie said when I joined her. She dropped her bucket on the ground and I shot her my winningest smile.

“I just wanted to say goodbye before I left.”

She giggled and her dark eyes shone. I loved how her face lit up when she saw me, and I felt mine shine for her as well. I had a sudden and unexpected surge of disappointment that I wouldn’t be able to see her every day any more.

I crooked my finger. “Come here.”

She reached for my hand and pulled me into the cover of the forest.

“I’ll miss you,” she whispered, “but I’m so proud of you.”

“I’ll miss you too,” I said, and I wasn’t lying. I leaned in and kissed her cherry red lips.

“You’ll stay safe,” she said through our kisses.

“Of course.” I was so tuned in to what was going on between us, I never heard the footsteps approaching.

“Josephine!”

We snapped apart at Sara’s stern voice.

Busted.

Chapter Eleven

CASEY

I got cleaned up and dressed quickly in denim shorts and a cotton blouse. I left my bed unmade, and my steel-blue quilt a knotted mess. My discarded clothes from the day before lay on the floor. Normally, I’d take the time to tidy things up, but not today. I stood in front of my mirror debating what to do with my hair, and settled with pulling it back into a low knot.

When I went downstairs I found my mom and dad sitting together at the kitchen table, a coffee pot and two half empty cups between them. Mom’s eyes were rimmed red and dad was grasping her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

I cleared my throat. “G’morning.” No emphasis on the “good.”

“Casey come sit down,” Dad said. “We want to ask you a few questions.”

Didn’t I get the third-degree last night? “Can I get breakfast first?”

Dad nodded, and Mom blew her nose. I gathered up a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice before joining them. I scooped up my first bite of cereal, and the crunching of the flakes and granola filled my ears.

“Casey,” my mom began, “if there’s anything you’re not telling us about Tim, please tell us. We promise that you won’t get in trouble.”

“You’re not protecting him by keeping his confidences,” my Dad added.

I could barely swallow my next bite. The pain on my parents’ faces broke my heart.

“I wish I could help,” I said shaking my head.

They stared at me stony-eyed, like they didn’t believe me and hurt because they didn’t understand why I wouldn’t help them.

I finished breakfast, brushed my teeth and went outside to wait for Nate. Usually, I spent either the mornings or afternoons working for my mom at her interior-design business--making appointments, filing, data entry, that kind of thing--but with Tim’s disappearance, she put her projects on hold. In fact, she hadn’t even changed out of her pajamas.

The step was warm from the morning sun. I tilted my head and closed my eyes, letting the rays massage my face.

“Mornin’, neighbor.”

My eyes snapped open to see Chase Miller standing six feet away gazing at me.

For some reason the sight of him made my heart race. He just startled me that was all.

“Oh, hi,” I said, feigning nonchalance.

The cuff of his t-shirt had pulled up and a black tattoo peaked out from underneath. Some kind of bird. Chase saw me gawking at it and wiped a hand to smooth out the cuff of his sleeve.

“Quite the party you had here last night,” he said, distracting me. His mouth moved into a half grin that was somehow charming.

I pushed a curl off of my face. “What do you mean?”

His eyebrows danced. “Do you often have cops dropping in?”

“No.” I hid the discomfiture I felt knowing he’d witnessed our police visitation. “Um, my brother’s missing.”

Chase’s flirty grin (yes, flirty!), morphed into concern. “Really? What happened?”

“Well,” I stalled not knowing what the official word was. “We don’t know. He may’ve just run off with his friends.”

He tilted his head. “The rebellious type?”

My eyes found their way to his and locked on. “You could say that.”

Chase’s gaze never broke from mine and I couldn’t stop the shiver of nerves it caused. I forced my eyes closed.

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help,” he said.

Sweet of him, but too bad there was nothing he could do. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Just then Nate pulled into the drive.

“Uh, that’s my ride.” I stood and brushed dust off my butt. “I gotta go.”

“Sure.” Chase said, stepping backwards toward his house. “See you around.”

Chase was gone before I could introduce him to Nate, who must’ve seen us talking as he drove up. His eyes narrowed as he watched Chase disappear into his yard.

“Who was that?” he said.

“New neighbor. Just being friendly.”

Nate stared at the Miller house like he wasn’t too crazy about the boy next door, but I took his arm and directed us toward the neighborhood park where we could talk in private.

“I have to get Tim back ASAP,” I said. I didn’t have time to focus on anything else, especially distracting new neighbours. “His disappearance is ripping my parents up.”

“Slow down.” Nate tugged on my arm. I hadn’t realized I’d started speed walking. “Let’s think this through.”

I stopped and faced him. “You’re right. We need to think. Okay, I’m thinking. Think, think think, thinking.”

He took both of my arms and forced me to stare into his beautiful, bright eyes. “Breathe, Casey, it’s going to be all right.”

I just loved how he took charge. I suddenly wanted to kiss him.

Kiss him! That could work. I grabbed his neck and laid a good one on him. At first he stiffened in surprise, but then he relaxed into it, wrapping his arms around my waist.

I waited for the dizziness to start and held on to Nate tightly. He tried to pull back but I just kissed him harder.

“Casey.” He pushed me off. “What’s going on?”

My heart sank a little. “It didn’t work. It used to work.”

“What?” His eyes widened in question. “Kissing me?”

“Yes,” I said carefully. “Well, not only kissing you, just being near you.”

A shadow flitted across his face. “Are you saying I don’t... affect you the same way anymore?”