Under Currents (15 page)

“That liar,” Julie said, finally finding her voice. “When I refused to sleep with Frank, he decided to take what he wanted by drugging me first.”

“And he drew a gun on Caleb, him unarmed and Scott there to see it all,” her mother added.

“Too bad he didn’t kill him,” Aunt Noreen said.

Julie’s head started to ache again. She pressed her palms on the side of her head for a moment. “You really think if Caleb died, it’d ease your loss or pain. If you do, you’re sadly fooling yourselves.”

For a moment, everyone was silent as what she said hung in the air. Her aunt and uncle exchanged raised brows and disturbed expressions before shifting their gazes back to her.

Uncle Bob’s voice broke the silence. “Frank is spreading that story all over town.”

“Someone has to put a stop to it,” her mother said.

Julie sighed. “I will. I’m not sure how. Right now, I need to drive to the shop. Someone bashed in some of my canoes last night, and I need to see if anything else was disturbed.”

She closed her eyes and gripped the chair. Her mother placed her hand over Julie’s forearm. “You shouldn’t drive, let alone work.”

Uncle Bob let out a loud breath to attract their attention. “You swear nothing’s going on between you and McGregor?”

“There isn’t anything between us more than being neighbors. And after last night, I’d be proud to call him a friend.”

For the rest of the day, Julie found herself unable to do anything but sit on the sofa and watch movies. Yet, she kept worrying about what she should do about Frank and why someone kept sabotaging her business. When she made her way to the kitchen for a glass of water, her mother stared out the kitchen window.

”What’s so interesting?”

“I’m watching Ally and Scott.”

“Are they pestering Dad?”

“No. Fishing with Caleb.”

Julie pushed by her mother and glanced out the window. “He’s good with them. That’s why they adore him.”

That’s why I adore him.

“Julie, people are going to believe the worst, especially if they come down the river and see your kids with him.”

“Mom, just drop it for now.”

Julie couldn’t stop the rage from coursing through her veins, raising her pulse rate and blood pressure. On top of her mother's nagging, Julie felt violated. Not just by Frank Grear, but by whoever kept trying to destroy her business.

While she had her mother alone, she decided to bring up Scott’s secret. “Mom, what secret do you keep for Aunt Noreen?”

Her mother looked like a skunk with its head caught in a jar. “Where’d you get an idea like that?”

“A little birdie mentioned it.” She sighed. “Scott heard you.”

“Well, he got it wrong. Noreen and I were talking about someone else. Just what is this secret he mentioned?”

“I’m not sure. He wouldn’t tell me.”

“There’s nothing to tell. There isn’t a secret.”

Her mother was lying, but why?

♦♦♦

Caleb stayed away from Julie’s house for the rest of Sunday. Most of the day, he spent turning over the soil and planting bean and squash seeds. He fished with Scott and Ally for a while until Mr. Webb called them for supper.

Caleb had an idea her parents were hanging around to make sure he stayed away from Julie.

Later that night, he tossed and turned unable to sleep, as he battled several lustful fantasies about Julie, remembering the way she’d felt in his arms and her soft scent. But anger pushed aside his lust when he recalled how he’d found her on the sofa with Frank standing over her.

Finally, he drifted to sleep only to be tormented by bits and pieces of the past. Scenes of being on the boat, zipping up and down the river, flashed in his mind. Voices haunted him—his voice—Devin’s voice. “Okay, give the wheel back before my dad hears...”

A loud boom of thunder woke him. He fought to hold onto even a fragment of the dream, hoping it could vindicate him. He ran it through his mind several times. Could it be a memory or was it just a dream?

Again thunder rumbled overhead.

Damn my luck.

He glanced at the clock and moaned when he saw it was almost time for the alarm to go off. He’d have to ride to Poplar Bluff in the downpour. Then he remembered Julie’s offer. If he stayed low in her van until she reached the highway, he doubted he’d be seen. He crawled from beneath the covers, ambled to the window, and looked out. Julie’s lights were on.

After he quickly dressed, Caleb grabbed a garbage bag and held it over his head. He darted out his backdoor to Julie’s and knocked softly.

Julie opened the door. “Come in. You’re getting drenched. I thought you might be over this morning. Need a ride?”

“Does a turtle need a shell?”

Julie giggled, then turned to the stove. “Care for any coffee?”

“No thanks. I need to shower. What time do we leave?”

“Not until my mother shows up. She’s going to get Scott and Ally ready for school.”

“Oh, hell. Maybe I should figure out another way to get there.”

“No. Mother won’t know. I should just admit you’re riding with me, but I can’t. Because of what Frank is spreading around the town, she’ll go into cardiac arrest if I tell her. Besides, she would probably stomp out of here and refuse to help with the kids.”

“Just what did Frank say?”

She repeated what Noreen and Bob said.

“That no-good bastard. I’d like to kill him.”

“I think the feeling is mutual. So be careful.”

I hate that man, more than I’ve ever hated anyone.

“Jules, that changes things. If one person spots us together and tells, then everyone will believe Frank’s lies.”

“No one will see you. When you see my mom come in the house, sneak inside my van. The doors are unlocked. Just crouch down.”

“Are you sure? If we’re seen together, it’ll bring an avalanche of gossip.”

“I’m sure we can pull this off.” She set her coffee cup on the counter. “Wait here. I have something you can use.”

She returned carrying a rain poncho. “You can have this. Put it on.”

“Thanks.” He took the sturdy poncho she offered. “With this I can go on my own.”

“Don’t even consider it, Caleb. You’re riding with me. Anyway I’d like the company,” she said with a reassuring smile.

“In that case, I’d better get ready. See you shortly.”

As he crossed between their two yards, her smile still warmed him. Julie did things to him. Not just painful erections, but she soothed his tormented soul.

Back at his place, he showered and dressed in his nicest jeans and a button down shirt. He pulled out the hundred dollar bill Mr. Higgins had paid him. It only seemed right to offer Julie gas money or treat her to lunch.

♦♦♦

Julie opened the front door and let her mother enter. “You’re early.”

“A few minutes.” She removed her raincoat and placed her umbrella in the stand by the door. “It’s nasty out there. Why don’t you wait for a nicer day?”

”I can’t wait.” Julie had to give Caleb time to reach the van. “I have their lunches made. Let me show you what they can have for breakfast.”

“I’m sure I can find something. You’d better get on the road.”

Stall for time or Caleb won’t make it to the van in time.

“I feel like I’m forgetting something…My company checkbook. That’d be just horrible, driving all the way to Poplar Bluff without it.” Julie disappeared to her bedroom for a moment and peeked out the window. Caleb’s lights were out. Hopefully, her stowaway had bunkered down. She stalled for as long as she could before returning to the kitchen.

Her mother turned away from the refrigerator where she’d been pillaging. “Do you have your cell phone?”

“Got it. Well, I’d better hit the road. I want to get back early enough to pick up the kids and install the cameras.”

Her mother followed her to the den. Julie turned on the television, hoping her mom would sit down on the sofa. But instead, she escorted Julie to the door.

“Be sure they wear their raincoats.”

“I will. Lock your doors and drive carefully. Call me when you get there.”

“Mom, you’re acting like I’m about to embark on a journey around the world.”

“You can never be too careful. Not to bring up bad memories, but Jeremy died on that same highway.”

I’ll never forget it.

The memory squeezed Julie’s heart. “I’ll be careful, and I love you.”

On the porch, Julie popped open her umbrella. With her mother watching, she dashed to the van, jumped in, and closed the door.

What if Caleb wasn’t inside?

“Caleb,” she whispered.

“I’m in the cargo space behind the backseat.”

Exhilaration rocketed through Julie. Did teenage girls feel like this when they secretly met boys?

Spending an entire day alone with Caleb made the trip exciting. The man was on her mind day and night. When her body ached with sexual need, she thought of Caleb.

“Did your mom suspect anything?”

“Nope. Considering I never disobeyed her my entire life, why would she?” Julie turned onto Highway Sixty and headed toward Poplar Bluff.

“You never did anything sneaky?”

“Not one thing. I was always up front with them. I guess that’s why doing this is so thrilling. I’m finally pulling one over on them.”

“You’ve got good folks, Jules. They love you.”

“I know. A few more miles, and I’ll pull over. You can’t be comfortable lying on top of Scott’s baseball equipment and Ally’s toys.”

“I’ll survive.”

Once away from Faith, Julie pulled around back of a vacant store. “It’s safe to come out.”

Caleb climbed from the back of the van and walked around to the door. Rather than sit in front, he sat opposite her in the second row of the passenger’s seat. “There’s more of a chance someone might see me if I sit beside you.” He fastened his seat belt. “This is the old Miller store where Devin and I used to buy beer. Speaking of Devin, I can’t believe the jackass is a state senator.”

“He’s very popular with the voters. Have you seen him since returning?”

“Nope. I've seen him on the news. After the way he turned on me, I don’t plan to drop in on him anytime soon.”

“Probably because of how he felt about Connie.”

“Connie Peel? Are you saying they were lovers?”

“I’m positive of it.”

“Nah, Devin wasn’t involved with Connie. He was engaged to the governor’s daughter. He met her his freshman year at college.”

“I saw Connie and Devin together on the river, and they were making out hot and heavy in his speedboat. Her top was down, and he was—” Julie’s cheeks warmed. “You get the picture.”

“And you’re sure it was Connie?”

“Of course I’m sure. It wasn’t until after the accident that Aunt Noreen mentioned Connie had been pregnant when she died. I guess Amy had confided in her mom about Connie. Without an autopsy performed, the news never surfaced to the media. The Peel's were probably too embarrassed to tell anyone.”

“Connie had all kinds of boyfriends. No telling who the father was.”

“I always assumed it was Devin.”

For a few moments, Julie rode in silence. Caleb appeared lost in his own thoughts as well. She tried to remember exactly when she’d seen Connie and Devin together. It’d been an unusually hot day for the season. “It was mid-April when I saw them. There’s no doubt Devin could’ve been the father.”

“Seeing them together doesn’t prove anything happened between them.”

Julie set her cruise control on sixty-five. “When I canoed by them thirty minutes later, they were lying in the boat’s floor, and I heard enough to convince me they were having sex.”

♦♦♦

Caleb had never known about Devin and Connie. “I remember Devin telling me he’d been getting a little action on the side on the weekends he drove home, because Misty insisted on being a virgin when they married.”

“The girl on the side must’ve been Connie.”

“He obviously didn’t want anyone to know.”

”Because if Misty found out, she would have called off their engagement,” Julie reasoned aloud. “Their wedding picture was in the paper. It was a major affair. Her father was super wealthy—still is.”

If only I could remember the accident.

Caleb stretched out his legs. “It’d be interesting to find out if Devin was the father. But there’s really no way of proving it now.”

The rain pounded the windshield, and Julie turned the wipers on a higher speed. “There is a way.”

“How’s that?” Caleb said.

“Amy kept a diary. I’m positive Connie confided in her. And if she did, I bet Amy wrote about it.”

“I doubt it’d make a difference now. I’d be chasing ghosts. Besides, it’d be hearsay evidence.”

Julie shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. At least it might prove Devin Vincent had a good reason for wanting Connie dead. Of course, it doesn’t change the fact that you’d been seen driving the boat.”

He told her about the dream.

“It’s probably something my mind conjured up.”

“Not necessarily. I put a lot of faith in dreams. Jeremy dreamed he was in a crash and died a month before his accident. Coincidence? Perhaps. But I don’t think so. Let’s stick with the assumption you weren’t driving and go from there.”

Caleb’s spirit lifted. But how would this knowledge benefit him now? He didn’t have the kind of money it’d take to clear his name.

Besides Devin was a powerful senator. The more he thought about his old friend spending the last ten years living a life most people only dreamed of, the faster Caleb’s blood flowed through his veins.

Damn, son-of-a-bitch.

Caleb had lived in an eight by ten cell with two cots, a urinal, and a sink. He’d lost his scholarship, his family, and any chance of having a normal life. And the entire time Caleb had been incarcerated, Devin had been living the easy life. A real fat cat.

Though he didn’t think he stood a chance in hell of changing anything, he had to try. If he could prove Devin had a motive, then Caleb would try to find a way to prove he wasn’t driving the boat. Even if the information didn’t exonerate him, it might be enough to clear his conscience. “Is there any way you can get Amy’s diary?”