Code of Silence: Living a Lie Comes With a Price (32 page)

“So let’s make sure we’re all agreeing to the same things.” Hiro didn’t take her eyes off him while she spoke. “We meet at 11:00 pm. Tonight. We’ll talk to our parents—then we’ll go to the police. Together. Are we all agreed?”

“Agreed.” Gordy didn’t hesitate.

Cooper didn’t want to lie. Not anymore. Not to his very best friends in the world. But he had to. One more time. Not for
his
protection. This time it was all about
their
safety.

“Coop?” Hiro’s voice was soft. Tinged with something else. Hope? Maybe. But it sounded a lot more like fear to Cooper. She knew him better than anybody. Did she guess what he planned to do?

He took a deep breath and whispered a silent prayer in his heart.
Forgive me, God. Just one more stinking lie, and if you get me out of this, I’ll never lie again.
He looked at Gordy, then back at Hiro. “I’m in.”

H
iro ducked out of
The Getaway’s
cabin and took in a deep breath of the cool evening air.
Thank you, God.
This was a huge answer to prayer. Massive. Coop hadn’t lost his conscience—silenced it. But it seemed to be speaking to him now.

Yet she still didn’t feel as relieved as she thought she would. Maybe it was the thought of talking to her mom or going to the police. But that is exactly what she’d wanted to do for days now. Was it Frank? She idly rubbed her dad’s star hanging at her throat and tested the thought. Tried it on. No … Frank was going to be okay. She knew it.

It had to be Coop. She felt a definite heaviness the instant she thought of him. Gordy, on the other hand, looked like he could float off the deck. Like he could vault over the boat’s rail and land on his feet in the yard below.

The way Hiro saw it, Gordy had been through a lot in the last few days. He never said it, but she knew. He’d put himself in the middle—working both sides to try to bring the three of them together again.

The three of them. Again the heaviness. Would it be the same? How could she ever trust Coop again? Even now, she felt he was holding back. Hiding something.

Coop joined them on deck just as Gordy climbed over the side.

“Hiro, can I ask you something?” Coop took a step closer and smiled. The smile looked stiff. Plastic. Like he wanted to look casual but wasn’t feeling that way at all.

Hiro paused.

“What’s it like … when you get that
feeling
?”

A chill swept over her. How could she describe it? “It’s a sense of doom.” Like walking down a dark street and knowing someone or some
thing
is following. She felt her dad’s shield. “Sometimes it is so strong it feels like the room is getting smaller or darker. Like you know something terrible is going to happen and there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it.”

He nodded. “Is that how it felt just before you heard about your dad?”

She felt the tears well up. She didn’t want to cry now. “Yeah.”

“And the other night, at Frank’s … before the robbery?”

“Exactly.” But she didn’t want to go back there. Not now. She didn’t feel strong enough.

“
That
is spooky,” Gordy said.

She swung one leg over the rail and started down toward him.

“Hiro.” Coop called her name just barely loud enough for her to hear.

She stopped and looked at his face.

“Got any feelings like that now?”

She shook her head, and the heaviness in her heart seemed more pronounced. “Maybe just a sense that we’re running out of time.”

T
he minute Gordy and Hiro left the yard, Cooper climbed out of
The Getaway
and ran to the back door of his house. Fudge bounded alongside him, ready to be part of whatever came next. If only she could.

But this time he had to work alone. No Gordy. No Hiro. If things went south, well, at least he wouldn’t be dragging anyone else with him. He slipped inside a kitchen that had no color at all, only shades of gray near the windows and black in the shadows. He didn’t turn on the light, but whipped out his cell phone and dialed his dad.

“C’mon, Dad, pick up. Hear the phone.”

“Hello.”

“Dad? I—”

“This is Carson MacKinnon. Please leave a message after the beep.”

Nuts. Cooper redialed, but with no more luck than the first time. He hung up and tried to think. Fudge nuzzled his hand. For days he’d been totally focused on keeping everything secret. Now the Code felt like a time bomb in his hands. He had to get rid of it before anyone else got hurt. Before somebody bought Frank a transfer from a hospital bed to a coffin.

He checked his watch. For his plan to work, he needed his dad to pick up that phone. Now. With his back against the wall, he slid down and sat on the floor. He dialed again, praying that somehow his dad would hear the ring over the noise of the circus. When he got the answering machine this time, he knew he had to leave a message.

“Dad? It’s me. I need to talk to you. I need you here. I didn’t want to do this over the phone, but I don’t know what else to do.” He looked around in the dark kitchen. “I’ve been lying to you and Mom all week. I am so sorry. I—”, Cooper paused.

Was he sure he had to do this? He took a deep breath. No turning back now.

“I was at Frank ‘n Stein’s last Thursday. I saw everything. There were three men. The two I saw wore masks. They had cop pants on, so I was afraid to go to the police. Gordy and Hiro were there, too. We just barely escaped. One of the robbers got my house key. Said he’d find our home and kill us all if I told.”

Fudge stared at him, ears flat to her sides. Like she remembered the night. Remembered smelling Frank’s blood on his pants.

“So I made Gordy and Hiro form a pact of silence with me. I was hoping the robbers would be caught and we’d stay safe. It was wrong and stupid.” Warm tears ran down his cheeks.

He sat on the floor in the darkness with his back against the kitchen wall. “I’m the ‘mystery witness’ the police are looking for. They don’t know about Hiro and Gordy. This thing has gotten so out of control.” He hiked his knees up to his chest.

“I think Lunk’s dad is one of the men. And I think Detective Hammer is involved too. There’s one more cop involved, so it could be anybody.” Why had he ever lied in the first place?

“Anyway, Hiro told me Frank is coming out of the coma. And he knows who was behind the robbery, so if I don’t move fast, somebody might finish the job. Gordy and Hiro are meeting here tonight at 11:00, but I’m not waiting that long. I just didn’t want them to be in any more danger than I’ve already gotten them in.
I’m the one who got them into this mess—and I’m going to get them out of it. I was hoping you and I could do it together.”

The words poured out. Gushed out. And as they did, the magnitude of his lies became more and more clear. Why hadn’t he done this before? Why didn’t he see it?

He’d been digging himself into a pit. A grave. And he’d been dragging Gordy and Hiro in with him. Now he had to dig out before it swallowed them whole.

He looked at the clock on the phone.

“I need you to come with me to the police before something happens to Frank. I’ll wait here ten minutes before I go to plan B. If I don’t hear from you I’ll call you one more time to tell you what I’m going to do.”

He pushed the disconnect button and sat there, heart racing. He’d spilled. Broken the Code. But he felt better. Cooper shook his head and checked the clock. Nineteen minutes to be out of the house. Barely enough time.

Cooper hustled up to his room and grabbed a notebook. Reaching under his bed, he found the phone he’d used to call the police and slid it in his back hip pocket. He felt for the diner keys and pocketed them along with his own cell. He grabbed his flashlight from beside his bed, turned it on, and set it on the desk. The light swiped across the lined paper and left a bright circle on the wall. He pulled out a pen and started writing.

Dear Gordy and Hiro,

I’m so sorry for the lies. So very, very, sorry. It was all wrong—and all my fault. I see that now. None of us would be in the mess we’re in if it wasn’t for me and the stupid Code. Which is why I’m going to break the Code now without you. I got us into this, and I’m going to get us out of it. I have a plan, but it’s risky. If something happened to one of you I could never forgive myself. If I haven’t gotten here and destroyed this note before you’re reading this, something must have gone wrong.

H
e scribbled as fast as he could, briefly outlining his plan—just in case. Ending it was the hard part. Would this be it? Would he ever see them again?

You’re the best friends a guy could ever have. If I get out of this somehow, I’ll never lie to you again, or ask you to lie for me. I was stupid. I can’t undo things, but I can make sure Frank stays safe. And I have to try to fix things so you two aren’t in danger either. –Coop

He checked the time, turned off the flashlight and gave his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness. Six minutes. He’d squared things with his parents, and now with his friends. But he was still missing someone. A
big
someone.

“I’m sorry, God.” He whispered, but knew God heard him just as clearly as if he’d shouted. “Help me fix this mess—and please, don’t let Frank die.”

Coming clean with God should have made him feel better. And it probably would if he could stop thinking about what he had to do next.

“Let’s go, girl.” He moved through the house without turning on one light. Fudge trotted beside him the whole time. He flicked his flashlight on once in the laundry room. The hard drive sat
right where Mom left it. Stuffing the hard drive in his pocket, he noticed his hand shaking.
C’mon, Coop. Get a chest.

“Alright, Fudge,” he whispered. “Let’s get this note to
The Getaway
before I go.”

Cooper opened the back door, and after being sure it looked safe, jogged across the yard. Fudge’s chain jangled as she loped beside him. Climbing into the boat, he unlocked the cabin door and ducked inside. He left the note centered on the table. Flicking his flashlight on, he laid it on top of the note so they wouldn’t miss it. The batteries would easily last long enough to do the job. He did the same with his dad’s flashlight, just to be sure. Backing out of the cabin, he left the wooden door unlocked.

Back down on the ground, he ran to the shed and pulled out his bike.

“Almost done, girl.” He slipped back into the house and held the door for her to follow. “The rest I do on my own.” She looked at him and cocked her head to one side as if questioning his judgment. Cooper questioned it himself. He kneeled down and gave her a quick hug.

He was right on schedule—but hopelessly late at the same time. Days late. He should have done this sooner. He pulled his phone out and dialed his dad, praying he’d pick up.

When the recorded message started, Cooper felt weak. The beep sounded, and he outlined the final details of Plan B. He finished with a simple, “Please forgive me. I’ll never lie to you again. I love you and Mom. Mattie too.” He disconnected—and felt strangely distant from his family. He was all alone in this—God help him. And he was going to need it.

Suddenly Fudge stiffened, ears alert.

“What is it girl?”

Fudge let out a howl and bounded down the hall.

“Fudge,” Cooper hissed. “Come back.”

She didn’t even
look
back. Cooper followed at a distance. She was in the family room now, barking at the window.

Kids trick or treating?

Cooper moved silently through the hall, staying completely within the shadows. A silhouette darkened one pane. Somebody was there. Cooper could make out hands cupped around a man’s face, trying to see inside. And he wasn’t looking for candy.

They found me. Please help me, God. Please help me.

Apparently Fudge’s barking shook up the intruder, because a moment later the head was gone. But where?

Fudge ran to another window and barked. By her tone Cooper knew she didn’t see anything. She was still trying to scare the guy off. Cooper prayed it worked. It certainly was doing a number on him.

Suddenly she bolted to the front door again, barking like crazy. Somebody was there.
It’s one of them.
They have the key.

Arms out in front of him to feel the walls, Cooper hurried to the kitchen, thankful he’d left all the lights off. He had to get out of here. Now.

Fudge barked like mad in the other room. Maybe she would provide just the diversion he needed to get away.

He crawled to the back door and wished he could stay. Just hide here in the darkness until his dad got home. But that wouldn’t help Frank now. And the man out front wasn’t about to wait either.

After straining to see any movement in the backyard, Cooper reached for the handle and opened the door. Fudge never saw him sneak out the back. And he hoped whoever was creeping around outside didn’t see him either.

S
ilently, Cooper crept to the back gate with his bike. He peered through the cedar slats toward the front yard. A bright Halloween moon gave him a clear view, but that also meant he’d be easy to spot. The guy could be in any of the shadows along the house and Cooper would never see him.

He lifted the latch and opened the door just a crack. A gust of wind swirled a gang of leaves out from the darkness. Cooper raised his hands, ready to fight. Nothing came at him. He stared into the shadows.

This was nuts. Either he had to get back in the house and lock the door, or get on his bike and ride. He had no protection here. Whoever was out front would likely circle to the backyard. Cooper would be trapped. He could hear Fudge barking inside. Even she wouldn’t be able to help now.

Okay. Okay. Let’s do this.
Cooper heaved open the heavy wooden gate. The hinges moaned as he swung a leg over his bike and stood on the pedals. Every muscle strained as he pumped to get up speed. Cutting across the lawn, he kept wide of the shadows along the house and raced straight for the street.