Haunted Waters (15 page)

Chapter 55

I got up late Sunday,
even though I had wanted to go to church and tell all my friends everything that had happened. I could see Ashley and me standing with the pastor, telling our story, thanking God for saving us. Maybe next week.

Leigh seemed amazed at all we’d been through. I was glad Sam had been with us, because I don’t think she would have believed it otherwise. She usually treats us as nuisances, but that day she kept smiling at us and playing games with Dylan, which she never does. I wondered how long that would last.

I was feeling better until I noticed our ATVs in their stalls in the barn. We’d cheated death, but I still had to face Boo Heckler the next day.

Sam and Mom subscribe to two newspapers—
The Denver Post
and
The
Gazette
from Colorado Springs. Neither carried anything about us, but the report about the stolen gold was on the front page of each. The story said police were following several leads.

I wondered why Sam hadn’t wanted our pictures in the papers. Did he really think it was too much for us? Or was he afraid the guys would find out where we lived and come for us? Something about it didn’t make sense. I kept looking at Sam, waiting for an explanation, but he seemed different somehow, like something was going on that none of us could understand.

It was cloudy all day, and Ashley and I didn’t feel like doing much outside, so we stayed inside. I creamed her playing video games. Then she chose Boggle, Scrabble, and Battleship and beat me at all three.

Dylan cried for his miner’s hat, monkey, and raccoon, and Sam promised he would get them back. The police called in the afternoon and said they had pulled the Land Cruiser from the reservoir and that it was totaled—ruined.

Sam fixed dinner that night, and when we all came to the table, Mom had us hold hands. She asked who wanted to say grace.

“Dear God,” I prayed, “thanks for getting us out of the water and helping us the way you did. And thank you that Sam was there. Help the police catch those guys so they can’t hurt anybody else. Help them find the gold.” I took a breath. “And thanks for giving us this food and for making us a family.”

Mom squeezed my hand.

Sam coughed and went back to the kitchen.

Chapter 56

I was helping Mom
with the dishes when the phone rang. I had wanted to call Hayley and some of my other friends to tell them what had happened, but Mom asked me not to tell them yet.

Sam got the phone, snapped his fingers, and motioned all of us over. He hit the Speakerphone button and said, “Go ahead, sir.”

“I thought you’d like to know we caught the guy who ran you off the road,” the officer said. “We have him in custody so he’s not going to bother you anymore.”

The officer told us the man was Gavin Winkler, and they had caught him at the airport in Denver. “He was on his way to Las Vegas.” The officer said he hadn’t confessed to anything, and they hadn’t retrieved the nugget, but there were big scrapes on the right side of his rental car that matched the paint on Sam’s SUV. He also said they were going to try and charge him with attempted murder. They weren’t sure who had been driving the pickup.

I wondered if they’d catch the second man. Who was the guy with his back turned in the picture? And where was the gold?

That night I lit my candle and started a new diary. I didn’t want to wait to get my old one from the cabin. I remembered the situation with Hayley and felt guilty again.

Someone knocked lightly on my door.

Chapter 57

I helped Dylan get ready for bed,
then read him his favorite book. Sam tucked him in and said good night, and Dylan kissed his cheek. I didn’t remember that happening before.

Sam followed me to my room and sat on my bed as I got under the covers. He sat there a long time, just looking at me. “I was proud of you in the SUV, Bryce,” he said finally. “You kept your head.”

“None of us would have gotten out if it hadn’t been for you,” I said. I felt the corners of my mouth giving way like a riverbank about to fall into the rushing water.

Sam looked at the floor and put his hands together. “A lot of adults wouldn’t have been able to do what you and Ashley did.”

“Thanks,” I said. It seemed like Sam wanted to say more, but maybe he couldn’t find the words.

He scratched at an eye and leaned back. “About tomorrow. I know this Boo kid is on your tail and could cause problems.”

I nodded and sighed.

“I have a trip planned in the morning, but I could get another pilot to take my place. With all that’s happened, it might be good. Plus, if you needed a little backup, I could be here.”

Sam was doing what my dad would have done. Dad used to sit on my bed, talking about stuff before I went to sleep. He never seemed too busy. Sam seemed a little nervous, but at least he was trying.

“Don’t cancel your trip,” I said. “I have to face Boo sooner or later by myself. I’m scared, but I’ll be okay.”

He patted my shoulder. “One more thing. Keep this weekend to yourself for a couple of days. It’ll be hard not telling your friends, but your mom and I think it’s best.”

“I can’t tell anybody?”

There was something he wasn’t telling me. “Trust me,” he said, “like you trusted me in the SUV.”

I fell asleep imagining the school might have a special assembly where Ashley and I told our stories. We would be bold and not hold back about the way God had kept us calm, and kids would flock to the front and ask us where we went to church. Boo might ask for my autograph instead of pounding me into the pavement.

How could I keep quiet about something like this?

Chapter 58

It was Mom at my door.
I closed my diary and told her the whole story of what had happened at Hayley’s house. I could tell she was shocked, and I expected her to shake her head and say she was disappointed in me or that I could never go back to Hayley’s again. But she just hugged me a long time.

“I’m glad you told me,” she said. “It must have been hard holding it in.”

I nodded. Then the tears came. “I’m sorry, Mom. I let you down and I disappointed God, and Hayley must think I’m a hypocrite.”

“You might be surprised. Just tell her how you feel. She might hear you.”

“But I want her to believe so bad,” I said.

Mom scooted closer. “You don’t have to be perfect to help somebody know God. What attracts people most is when you’re honest and real and don’t try to be someone you’re not.”

“I guess so. Like Pastor Jackson. He doesn’t just tell us about when he does good things. He tells us when he blows it.”

“Exactly.”

“I guess I thought you were supposed to do everything right, and if you didn’t God was mad at you.”

Mom smiled. “God’s not mad at you. I’m sure he was sad about you seeing the stuff in that movie, because he knew it would hurt you. But God doesn’t pull his love away if you do something wrong. He loves you all the way.”

“But doesn’t he correct us?”

“Yes, but not because he’s mad at you. He’s like the father in the parable about the Prodigal Son. He’s standing at the window, watching and waiting for you to come back, ready to sweep you up in his arms.”

I asked what she thought I should tell Hayley the next day.

“Why not invite her over after school? You two can talk and do your homework here.”

“But what do I say?”

She kissed me on the forehead. “Tell her the truth. And let God do the rest.”