Every hidden thing, p.28
Every Hidden Thing, page 28
For some reason the picture in Harley’s shed haunted her. Harley’s dad, to be specific. Working on that bike with Harley. Arm around him. A protector. But suddenly gone. Another kid without a dad. Where was the justice in that?
At least Harley had known his dad for all those years. What would it be like to have a dad in the picture? One who truly cared? One who was there for her? One like Parker had. He was there for Parker—and maybe even for her and Grams, it seemed. Mr. Buckman was different that way. Different from any man or dad Ella had ever known. She liked being around him. There was a strength she didn’t understand. And now he would be taken from her, too.
Darkness was descending on Rockport—something far beyond a simple sunset. Something wicked. Evil. Grams would worry if she didn’t get home before dark tonight. Grams was already going through so much, Ella had no intention of adding one more thing.
Ella closed her eyes. Filled her lungs with the sea air. Turned and climbed back up to where she’d left her boots. She slid them on and hurried for the trail.
She was home in less than ten minutes. Grams was on the porch, likely watching for Ella. She took the steps two at a time, kicked off her boots, and kissed Grams on the cheek.
“Ella-girl.” Grams squeezed her. “I’m so sorry. So very, very sorry. I love this place. And I know you love it just like I do.”
Ella knelt in front of her. “You did good, Grams. You and Gramps. You fought hard. And you gave me this wonderful home for all these years.”
“We wanted you to always have it.”
No matter how hard she told herself not to cry, there was no stopping the tears. “I know, Grams. I know.”
“My sister’s place . . .” Grams shook her head. “It’s nothing like here. Nothing.”
Ella stroked her Grams’s arm. “We’ll get by. And I’ll be fine. You’ll see.” She hoped it would be true.
“Parker’s dad, and Mr. Steadman . . . they both believe this is some kind of scare tactic by some big-city outfit. But that being we saw on the cameras . . . I don’t believe it had a soul. We’re better off moving, to get out from its reach. Its clutches.”
Goose bumps raised on Grams’s arm. Ella smoothed them back down again, hoping that would do something for her own arms as well.
“I think that thing came in with the vapors, Ella-girl. It’s an evil spirit on a devil’s errand.”
Ella had felt that too, hadn’t she?
“When I looked at those camera images . . .” Grams’s whole body shuddered. “I felt I was looking at the angel of death himself. And I do believe this will end in death if we don’t get you out of here. I’m not just selling because I have to, Ella Mae. I’m doing this for your protection. Lord Almighty . . . deliver us from evil.” She reached for the cross necklace she’d given Ella. “You don’t take this off, Ella-girl. Not when you shower. Not when you sleep. Understand?”
“I absolutely do.” Ella leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “Let’s get you inside.”
With one more look toward the sea, they stepped into the house. Ella closed the door and slid the dead bolt in place. Grams set herself to turning on the lamps. Ella gripped the cross necklace. Read and reread the inscription on the back. Deliver us from evil. Deliver us from evil.
“Check the other locks, honey,” Grams said. “Windows, too.”
Exactly what Ella planned to do. Although if Grams was right about what was haunting their little town, locks wouldn’t do any good.
CHAPTER 69
Friday, June 17, 10:15 p.m.
PARKER FIGURED HIS DAD was about the most understanding dad in the world . . . but still. What Parker had just asked was a massive stretch. Like, a bungee-jump-to-the-bottom-of-the-Grand-Canyon type of stretch. Mom, Dad, Jelly. All of them were crammed in Parker’s bedroom.
The later it got, the easier it was for Parker to talk. And some of the best talks took place in his bedroom. He’d started with a one-on-one with his dad, but he should have closed the bedroom door. Mom had passed by with Jelly—and now they were all in the room.
“You want to dive the quarry. The one where your friend died.” Dad shook his head. “With Harley Lotitto—who used to be your enemy—as your dive buddy?”
Parker nodded. “He’s certified.”
“And you’re certifiably insane,” Jelly said.
Mom stood and motioned Jelly over. “Let’s give the men some space to talk, honey.” She gave Dad an I-can’t-believe-you’re-even-considering-this look.
Parker locked eyes with Jelly for an instant. He was pretty sure she was sending him the same message.
Parker waited until Mom and Jelly left the room before saying any more. “You’ll be right there with us, Dad. Right at the edge of the quarry.”
“And helpless. If anything should go wrong,” Dad pointed at his leg, “I couldn’t get down there in time to help. And if you say nothing can go wrong—then I know you’re not thinking clearly enough to do any dive, not even in a pool.”
Good to know. Parker crossed that argument off the list he had going in his head.
“You want to help Ella. And so does Harley. I get that. You really think he’d go it alone?”
Parker nodded. “There’s nobody to stop him. The shop closes at four tomorrow. He’ll go right after that.”
“I’ll still be in my physical therapy session. They’ll be doing a full assessment—and it’s not like I can reschedule this. My commander will be there too, just to hear firsthand what I can and can’t do on the job—and for how long. I won’t get out until closer to five.”
“You could come over right after that,” Parker said. “We’ll get all set—and go down when you get there. There’d still be plenty of daylight.”
“Between the trees around the quarry—and the walls of the pit itself—do you have any idea how dark that quarry will get? You’d need the sun directly overhead to give you any decent light in that place. At five it will be more like a night dive by the time you reach bottom.”
Actually, Parker didn’t want to think about it. But the idea was already creeping him out. “Harley says he can get lights. They rent them at the shop. And we’ll limit our bottom time to fifteen minutes. We won’t go anywhere near decompression limits. All we want to do is check that area where we saw him go down—not the whole quarry.”
“You’d need a man topside—one with the gear, ready to go in if something goes wrong. Even if I could be there at four, I can’t be that guy to help. Not with this.” Dad pointed at his leg again. “Tell me why you want to check the quarry so bad.”
How could he explain it? “Because I can’t think of anything else we can do to try to help. The bank isn’t going to suddenly grant mercy. The police aren’t going to do anything either. Not unless they have some kind of proof that Shadow-man has been hired by BIG to intimidate the Houstons—and Mr. Steadman. And sometimes I still wonder about Rankin, anyway.” He didn’t need to run his theory by Dad for a second time.
“So you think you need to save Rockport from some Boston Investors Group? Don’t you think that’s something God would have to do?”
But God wasn’t doing a thing. Or maybe that was just the way it looked. Maybe God was waiting for someone willing to take a chance . . . someone willing to trust Him to do the impossible? “Sometimes God uses ordinary people to do big things, right? He helps them do it . . . so they learn to trust Him. You’ve told me that.” Moses. Daniel. Joseph. David. Gideon. Peter. Esther. The list was endless. Parker had grown up with Dad telling him great stories of people who got in spots so impossible that they knew they’d die if God didn’t show up.
Dad looked at him for a long moment. “Saving Rockport from BIG? That’s not what’s driving you. How about you tell me the real reason? The one that comes from right down here.” Dad tapped his chest.
Parker wanted to get this right. He breathed a silent prayer that he would. “I want to go down in the quarry because a friend is going to lose her home. I like her, Dad. And Jelly is going to need a friend. And Harley? He’s got nobody . . . he needs new friends more than anyone. It’s like we’ve all got this connection. I can feel it. And it’s about to be taken away. Besides, the way it’s coming down isn’t right. They worked so hard to get the place. Fought the system that only pretended to be color-blind. And I want to fight it somehow. But everything we’ve tried has been a dead end. Even Mom couldn’t find anything on this BIG organization.”
Dad sat on the edge of Parker’s bed. “And you think going down in the quarry can help somehow?”
Parker shrugged. Looked at the deliberately misspelled INTEGRITTY sign on the wall his grandpa had carved months ago. “Doing the right thing takes some courage, right? I learned that in Florida. And honestly, Dad? I’m not wild about diving the quarry without you. But we’ve tried everything else. I don’t know what we might find down there. What if we picked up Shadow-man’s wallet or something? I know, it’s stupid. But if we find one thing that points the police to that BIG outfit, maybe we can stall the sale of Beulah until we figure something out.”
Parker was on a roll—and his dad hadn’t interrupted with a firm no. Not yet anyway. He took a breath. “It’s a shot in the dark, Dad. I know. It’s beyond a long shot. But Ella is going to move. Her family is going to take a giant step back from everything they’ve fought for. I just want to feel like I tried to throw them every lifeline I could before they go.”
Dad sat quiet for what seemed like a long minute. “Standing up for the oppressed. Helping a friend in need. That’s good stuff. Those are principles God Himself wants us to develop. I’m proud of you.”
This is where the big but was coming. Parker could feel it. But you’re too young. But this is too dangerous. But your mother would be worried sick. But something bad could happen. Yeah, there was a but coming. Dad was setting up for it.
“I know it’s risky,” Parker said. “I know the quarry isn’t like a swimming pool . . . with a really, really deep end. But I’ll be careful. I’ll keep my head on the dive. I’ll stay focused on everything you taught me.”
Dad looked deep in thought.
“And look at the bright side of me diving a quarry, Dad. You won’t have to worry about sharks, right?”
Dad smiled. “It’s just that I’ve never taken you down in a place like that. I’d feel a whole lot better if I could go with you the first time.”
If Dad’s leg wasn’t stitched up from the surgery, he’d definitely be going in. Parker knew that. “Pull up some quarry dive on YouTube. We can do that together—and you’ll still be prepping me for the real thing.”
Dad actually looked like he would do that. “We’d need an experienced diver topside. I mean somebody who could throw on a tank and get down there if something didn’t seem right.”
Parker’s heart did a double take. Dad was actually considering this! He held his breath. “Maybe Harley could recommend someone. He sees divers all week.”
“Okay, let’s start there,” Dad said. “He’s got to know somebody who would be qualified.”
Parker leaned and slammed into his dad, giving him the strongest, tightest bear hug he’d ever given.
Dad winced. “My leg.”
Parker jumped back, “Oh, sorry.” He couldn’t stop grinning. “Can I tell Harley I can go?”
“Pump the brakes, Parker. Let’s wait until we get a solid spotter, okay?”
But they would find somebody. Parker just knew it.
“You’ll be in deep water, Parker—and I’m not just talking about the actual depth. This quarry can be totally unforgiving. Dangerous. You know that, right?”
Parker nodded.
Dad took a deep breath and blew it out. “I’m trusting God with this, son. And I’ll be praying like crazy. But you’re a good diver. I know you are. You’ll be okay.”
Just like his dad to encourage him when he needed it most.
Dad stood and stretched. Grabbed his crutches and tucked them in place under his arms. “And right now your dad is going to do something he’d rather not do. I’ll be in some deep water myself.”
Parker tried to read his face.
“I’m going to try to explain my decision to Mom.”
Both of them laughed. Even then, a crazy chill flashed through him. Deep water, indeed. High water. Parker couldn’t help but believe they were both going to be in way over their heads before this was over.
CHAPTER 70
Saturday, June 18, 3:00 p.m.
ELLA CRINGED when Grams took the paperwork from Mr. Steadman. She didn’t know whether to be grateful or not that the guy was true to his word. He’d pulled in some favors or something. He had two copies of a signed offer to buy, a certified check for the deposit big enough to pay off Grams’s entire debt, and all the documents to prove he had the approval for the loan to close on the property. And he was right on time. Three o’clock.
And Grams had sweet tea and lemon scones for Mr. Steadman. Like she was determined to be a good hostess—right up until the day she lost the house. That’s just who she was. And Ella knew she’d have every corner of Beulah sparkling and neat when she handed him the keys at the closing, too.
The only bits of sunshine were that the Boston Investors Group wouldn’t get their hands on Beulah. And Scorza’s dad couldn’t foreclose and resell the property. Grams wished she could see his bloated face when he learned he’d been outmaneuvered.
“The closing is set for July 27,” Mr. Steadman said. “That gives you time to find a way to come up with the money to pay back the deposit. If you do,” he held up the legal document, “we’ll just tear this up.”
There was no way they’d come up with that money. But it was nice of Mr. Steadman to make the offer. No bank would give them another loan. Not with all the black marks on their recent credit history. Those kinds of breaks just didn’t happen for people like Grams.
Grams picked up a pen and leafed through the legal document. “I should read this.”
Mr. Steadman took a swig of tea. “Definitely. Your lawyer too, if there’s time.”
“Don’t have a lawyer, Mr. Steadman.”
And there wouldn’t be time, anyway. Grams would need to get that deposit check in the bank before four o’clock so she could pay off the loan.
“Then call my lawyer if you’ve got any questions. We’ll tell him to put it on my bill.”
The guy couldn’t have been nicer. He wasn’t just “all business.” But Steadman was still getting a phenomenal deal—and he knew it. He should have brought Grams a couple of dozen roses or something.
A series of texts came in rapid-fire from Parker. They still hadn’t found a topside man. Parker was already waiting at the quarry, getting everything set. His dad had dropped him off with his gear and then left for his appointment. If they didn’t find a man, Parker wasn’t going down. Ella wanted to stand up and cheer. But Harley would be there soon—and he insisted he’d go down alone if he had to.
A flash of panic swept through her. Deep in her heart, she absolutely knew Harley would do it. As risky as the quarry was for two divers, she couldn’t imagine the danger Harley might face by going down alone. And if Parker had any suspicion that Harley was having trouble, wouldn’t Parker go in after him? It was a disaster waiting to happen. Both of those boys had been way too casual in the Old First Parish Burying Ground. She couldn’t shake the sense that they’d brought some kind of curse on themselves . . . and there’d be no outrunning it. She reached for her cross.
“What is it, Ella Mae?”
Even as she explained, she sensed the fear rising in Grams.
“It’s not good, child,” she said. “My heart tells me this is the thing I’ve been fearing. They mustn’t go down in that demon quarry.”
Steadman looked more concerned than she’d ever seen him—which wasn’t helping Ella keep it together one bit. “Have they lost their minds? The rescue team checked it. I was with them. If there was a body, we’d have found it. The entire team is trained for that.”
“He’s not looking for a body,” Ella said. “He’s obsessed with the idea that there might be something the team missed.”
“He has no idea what he’d be getting himself into. Quarries can be tricky,” Steadman said. “Harley would really go down . . . alone?”
Ella nodded. “I’m sure of it.”
“And Parker’s dad can’t stick around?”
Ella shook her head.
Steadman thought for a few seconds. “Look, I’ll go over there and talk some sense into those boys. And if they won’t listen, I’ll stay topside and be their spotter.” He whipped out his phone. “I can keep the boys out of trouble. I’ll work it out with Parker’s dad.”
Mr. Steadman made the call on the front porch, pacing the whole time. When he returned, Grams was still staring at the papers.
“I’ve got to run.” Steadman pocketed his phone. “You take your time, look over the agreement. I’ll be back in a couple hours to pick up my copy—and another glass of that sweet tea.”
“That is a godforsaken quarry, Mr. Steadman.”
“I’ll be fine, Mrs. Houston.”
“It’s the boys I’m worried about,” Grams said. “I’m afraid they’ll end up like that poor Catsakis boy.”
He smiled and patted her arm. “Then I’d better hurry over there to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Grams smiled back, like her mind was at ease. Ella reached for the cross again. Slipped her fingers around it . . . and wished she felt the same way.
CHAPTER 71
Saturday, June 18, 4:30 p.m.
PARKER SAW THE RELIEF ON HARLEY’S FACE the moment after he read the text out loud from Dad.
“So you’re going down with me—and Steadman is our topside guy, right?”
