Sunset Over Misty Lake

by Margaret Standafer

  “It’s hardly the same thing.” When no one took his side, Joe relented. “If you must know, I’m afraid I’ll have to go back to Misty Lake with Joshua still on the loose and that I’ll have to tell Karen I couldn’t do what I promised I’d do.”

  Joe couldn’t face them. Instead, he stared at the ground and busied himself with toeing a small pebble back and forth. It was quiet; Joe couldn’t detect even the smallest movement around him. When he looked up, though, his brothers and sister all had plenty to say.

  “Hah!” Riley shouted.

  “Nice story,” Frank said, “I almost shed a tear.”

  “Joe, I’m disappointed,” Jake added.

  Shauna shook her head and said, “Mom taught us to tell the truth, Joe.”

  “Nice to know you’re all so supportive,” Joe said. “I thought since you were here, since you’d all expressed your desire to help, since—”

  “Shut up, Joe. Just admit it. It’s thunder,” Riley said while his siblings nodded their agreement. “You’re afraid of thunder. You’ve always been afraid of thunder. Don’t try to distract us with some sob story. Tell me, does Karen have to hold you while you hide under a blanket every time it storms like Mom used to do?”

  Six faces either smirked or outright laughed at him.

  “For the record, hiding under a blanket with Karen isn’t all that bad. Now, let’s get that drink.”

  He pushed his way through their wall and didn’t grin until he was sure they couldn’t see.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  KAREN PULLED INTO Sean and Anna’s driveway bright and early the next morning. Any hesitation about facing her in-laws had disappeared the day before when she’d called Anna. Before Karen could ask, Anna had suggested Karen drop off the kids the next day. She and Sean were eager to spend some time with them, especially Sean, who was hoping Dylan could help tire out the puppy who was proving to be more of a handful than Sean had bargained for.

  The arrangements made, Anna had shifted gears and told Karen that Joe and the rest of her kids had been keeping them updated on the happenings in Las Vegas. After a lengthy discussion of what had happened a year ago, what was happening now, and what Sean and Anna wanted to see happen in the very near future, Karen had felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Anna asked questions, Karen answered, and for as much as she felt she’d already talked the entire thing to death, Anna had expressed viewpoints and shared insights that Karen hadn’t before considered. By the time she ended the call, the topic seemed no more taboo than discussing naptimes for the kids.

  Karen’s other phone conversations the previous day—one of them, anyway—had been a bit less comforting. If she let herself think about it too long and too hard, she was still angry that Joe had gone to the casino and interacted with Joshua. He’d broken his promises to her and to everyone else. She understood why he did it and if she were being honest with herself, knew in the same situation, she’d probably have done the same thing. Still, he’d put himself in danger and put the entire reason for the trip in jeopardy.

  She’d felt guilty for the way she’d ended that call with Joe. She’d made sure he knew she was upset—infuriated, more precisely—and she’d used the excuse of having to tend to the kids to get off the phone without giving him a chance to try to make things better.

  The call later that night, a call she’d initiated after guilt and regret had eaten away at her for long enough, had been much better and much more like the phone calls she was used to with Joe. After they’d apologized to one another, she’d updated Joe on her day and he’d told her more about their dinner meeting, what headway they felt they were making, and lastly, about their visit to the Stratosphere.

  Thanks to Joe’s vivid descriptions, Karen had laughed as hard as if she’d seen the whole thing in person. Knowing Riley as well as she did, and given what she’d come to know about Cort, she could picture the facial expressions, the body language, the tone of voice, all of it, as clear as day. And it was hysterical.

  A little pang of something—regret, she supposed—hit again as she put the van in park. She reminded herself it was better she was far removed from whatever was happening in the scorching desert a thousand miles away. She’d be a distraction, her presence would put added pressure on everyone else, and like Joe, she feared she’d be unable to stay away. When Dylan squealed and giggled behind her, she knew she was right where she was supposed to be.

  Sean was in the yard with the puppy on a leash, apparently working with him on walking instead of attacking the leash. From Karen’s vantage point, the puppy was winning this particular battle of wills.

  “Mommy! Peppy!” Dylan shouted. “Play, play!”

  He bounced and rocked in his car seat until Karen freed him, then was off like a rocket to the puppy. Within seconds, a twisted, tangled ball of arms, paws, legs, and tail was rolling on the lawn, the owner of the arms and legs joyously chattering and giggling, the owner of the paws and tail deliriously yipping.

  “How’s it going?” Karen asked when Sean came to help her with the twins.

  “Oh, he’s a good pup. He’s young, he’s got some things to learn, but he’s going to be a fine dog.”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  Karen figured Sean was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince her. His tired eyes and the scratches up and down his arms told a different story than the one he’d recited by rote.

  “Anyone showing interest in him?”

  They walked toward the house each holding a car seat and each shouldering a bag.

  “There was a young family by yesterday. The kids fell in love with the pup and the parents seemed to like him, but I haven’t heard any more from them.” Sean shrugged. “We’ll see. I’d rather it takes a little longer than he goes to a home where everyone isn’t one hundred percent on board. He’s a sweet boy who deserves a family to love him.”

  Sean’s expression was unreadable as he watched Dylan wrestle and roll with the dog. From the start, Karen had been certain Sean was angling to keep the puppy, but now she wondered if she’d been wrong. Or if he’d changed his mind.

  “He does. Do you have a say in who adopts him?”

  “The way I understand it, anyone who comes to see him has already filled out an application and been approved to adopt. I suppose if I felt strongly that they weren’t a good fit I could voice my opinion, but I’m not sure if it would matter.” He sounded sad.

  “I’m sure it will all work out,” Karen said.

  “Of course.” He put on a smile. “See how good he is with kids?”

  Karen cringed as the puppy grabbed hold of Dylan’s shirt and pulled with all his might. There’d be a hole in that shirt, for sure.

  “And how are my sweeties?” Anna popped out of the front door, a spring in her step and a smile on her face.

  “Gamma!” Dylan called while he tugged his shirt from the puppy’s mouth.

  “Oh, that dog,” Anna said. “He’s a handful, that one. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a puppy in the house. I’d forgotten how much energy they have.”

  Beside Karen, Sean perked up. “But they get tired too. How cute is that?” He nodded toward the yard.

  Dylan was flat on his back, panting, his arms and legs splayed in all directions. The puppy was curled up next to him with his head on Dylan’s shoulder and fast asleep.

  It was pretty darn cute. Karen handed Anna the car seat, then reached for her phone. She snapped a picture just a second before Dylan shifted and jostled the puppy enough that he moved off Dylan’s shoulder. Karen texted it to Joe with a good morning greeting.

  “Should we head inside?” Anna asked. “Sean, why don’t you round up the dog. Dylan can play with him in the house while we get our instructions.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Karen was back on the road knowing her kids were in capable and loving hands. Grateful didn’t begin to describe her feelings when it came to all the people in her kids’ lives who loved them. Two sets of grandparents as
well as a set of great grandparents. And all nearby. Not many kids were that lucky.

  A trace of worry niggled at her mind when it came to the kids’ great grandparents. As confident and positive as she’d been with her mother, Karen knew recovering from a stroke was a long, difficult process. Her grandfather may very well be ready to go home in a couple of weeks, but that didn’t mean things would return to the way they were before the stroke. He’d need care, very likely for the rest of his life, and the possibility existed that being back at home would prove too difficult both for him and for her grandmother. The thought of her grandfather having to move to a care facility and of her grandparents being forced to live apart was heartbreaking. And if it was heartbreaking for her, she couldn’t begin to imagine how it would affect her grandmother.

  Karen bit her lip to keep her emotions at bay. She’d visit her grandfather, she’d talk to his doctor and hopefully his physical therapist, and she’d take it from there. It was all she could do.

  “Geh me ouh of heeh.”

  “Hello to you too. How are you feeling today?”

  “Fiiine. Geh me ouh of heeh.”

  “Soon, Grandpa, soon.”

  Karen knelt alongside her grandfather’s wheelchair and hugged him. He looked good. Stronger than he had the last time she’d visited. Just the fact that he was up, even if it was in a wheelchair, made him appear to have a little more vigor, a little more spunk, than when he was lying in a hospital bed. And Karen knew, a patient always felt better up and out of bed. The first time she got someone up after a lengthy stay in bed, though it was difficult, and painful, and often exhausting, being up, if only for a few minutes, did wonders for a person’s outlook.

  “Taaalk to doctuh. You knooow how. Guh hohm.”

  “I am going to talk to him. I’ll see what he says, and I’ll let you know. You need to try to be patient, though. Recovery takes time. You’re doing remarkably well, but you have to be ready to go home before the doctor will release you. Keep working hard at your therapy, stop giving the therapists grief, and you’ll be out of here before you know it.”

  Her grandfather grunted in response and tried to hide it, but Karen spotted the hint of a lopsided grin.

  “Hi, Grandma. Hi, Mom.”

  They were seated in the two chairs in her grandfather’s room. Her mother’s hands were clasped tightly enough in her lap that her knuckles had turned white. The opposite was the case with her grandmother. There was a serene smile on her face, her eyes were livelier than Karen had seen them since her grandfather’s stroke, and her foot tapped to the faint rhythm of the theme song from the television program currently playing. While it delighted her to see her grandmother looking so well, Karen couldn’t help but worry that her grandmother was riding a euphoria based on a false sense of hope.

  “Karen, I’m glad you’re here,” her grandmother said. “The doctors and therapists have told us so much in the last few days…well, it’s getting confusing. You’ll explain it all to us, won’t you?”

  “Of course. And I want to see how therapy goes today. What’s next, Grandpa? Physical, occupational, or speech therapy?”

  Even without the ability to fully move the left side of his face, he managed to roll his eyes and scowl.

  “Thwee. Stufid.”

  “It’s not stupid. All three are going to help you get out of here. You just told me that’s what you wanted. You have to do what they tell you.”

  “Saaame stuff evweh daaay.”

  “I know it’s the same stuff every day. That’s the point. You have to keep practicing until your brain figures out how to do all the stuff the therapists want you to do.” Karen dropped her nurse tone and adopted her granddaughter tone. She held his hand. “It’s hard, I know, and you feel like it’s pointless and like you’re not making any headway. But you are. You’re speaking so much better than you were just a few days ago. Mom told me you’re using a walker. You weren’t able to do that the last time I was here. You’re strong, you’re determined, and you’re going to kick butt today and every day from here on out. If you believe you can do it, you can do it.”

  Her grandfather’s hand, though weak, gave hers a squeeze and this time, he didn’t try to hide his crooked smile.

  “Kick buuth.”

  “You better believe it.”

  “Well then, Leonard, hold on to that kick butt attitude because it’s time for physical therapy and you need to show them what you can do.”

  One eye may not have opened as wide as the other but that didn’t stop the shock from registering on her grandfather’s face. Kick butt, in her grandmother’s world, was tantamount to swearing and Karen knew for a fact she’d never heard her grandmother come close to swearing. Both of Karen’s eyes opened wide enough to make up for her grandfather’s.

  When her grandmother grasped the handles of the wheelchair and confidently maneuvered it out of the room, Karen decided maybe her grandmother was more prepared for a fight than she’d thought.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  WHEN HE PUSHED the button to disconnect from his final tutoring session, Joe collapsed back into his chair and whooshed out a deep breath. The morning had gone well, the technology hadn’t failed him as he’d worried, his students had been engaged in the chat, and he felt he’d done a good job of explaining the topics for the day. He wasn’t sure why it had left him exhausted.

  Not true. He knew it was pent-up stress. Stress that the lessons, for one reason or another, wouldn’t work, but mostly stress about the fact he was sitting in Las Vegas pinning his hopes on something happening soon, so it didn’t turn out to be a wasted trip not only for him, but for most of his family.

  There were times when it was impossible to convince himself the whole thing wasn’t a colossal waste of time. Seven of them twiddling their thumbs in a posh Vegas hotel to what end? Aside from Jake and Cort, what reason was there for the rest of them to be there?

  Then there were times when he knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be. Send Jake and Cort to Vegas, wish them well, and spend his days tooling around the lake on his boat while they worked to bring a criminal to justice? Impossible. As for his brothers and sister, as well as Cassie, he knew that not only did they feel the same, their presence was as much about moral support as it was anything else.

  He stood and paced. Jake and Riley had cleared out earlier to give him a quiet room for his three hours of tutoring. He didn’t know what they were doing, but hoped they weren’t feeling as helpless as he was. More than anything, he hoped Jake had been called back to talk with Bud because if they had something to talk about, that likely meant the investigation was moving forward.

  Holding onto that hope, he sent a text to Riley instead of Jake. While he waited for a response, he gazed at the Vegas skyline. The Stratosphere drew his attention and had him chuckling recalling the previous night. It hadn’t gone at all like he’d expected when he’d agreed to go out, but the focus on Cort’s fear of the rides, Riley nearly losing his mind over a spider, and the following discussion about everyone’s fears had been a welcome distraction.

  The evening had been on his mind that morning when he’d realized using amusement park rides was the perfect lead-in to a physics lesson on Newton’s laws of motion. The kids knew the jolt of being hit head-on in a bumper car, understood that if they ran their car into one carrying a small child and into one carrying a three-hundred-pound man, the car holding the child would ricochet farther, and that if they ran into someone of the same size, the two cars would bounce an equal distance away from one another. Boom. A practical and fun example of all three laws of motion and one he hoped would stick with the kids.

  They’d delved deeper and applied what they knew about a bumper car ride to other types of situations. It had been a fun lesson, more so than the chemistry lesson that followed, although he did spark some interest when he mentioned the ice cream lab the chemistry class would be doing during the coming school year.

  Over his teaching career, Joe
had learned his students paid more attention and related better when the subject was something interesting and something they could understand and grasp. Expecting sixteen-year-olds, at least most sixteen-year-olds, to follow a discussion using the same laws of physics he’d discussed using bumper cars, but applying them to a topic such as the ability to send a spacecraft to Pluto, would earn him a room full of blank stares.

  Joe was pondering his chances of getting approval for a field trip to an amusement park with his AP Physics students when Riley returned his text. Joe frowned as he read it. Most of them were hanging out by the pool waiting for Joe to join them. Most of them. Riley didn’t specify who was there and who wasn’t. Jake? That would mean no progress with Bud. Cort? Probably not, since he had a week’s worth of business to attend to. That would mean even if Cort had managed to talk to Dave the night before, Joe wouldn’t be getting an update, at least not a first-hand update, for a while.

  The pool. It seemed too vacation-like, and Joe wanted to refuse. A check of the time told him it was too early to call Karen. She’d told him her visit with her grandfather would likely run into the afternoon. He didn’t have tutoring sessions the next day and after being at it for three hours that morning, prepping for sessions two days out wasn’t going to happen.

  Against his better judgement, but since he didn’t know what else to do with himself, Joe put on his swim trunks and headed to the pool.

  Turned out most of them, at least in Riley’s mind, meant three. Riley, Frank, and Jake. Frank and Riley stood in the pool while Jake sat on the edge. The pool was huge and set in a lush, tropical landscape that included palm trees, fountains, and a waterfall that the adventurous could swim in front of, behind, or right through.

  Given the temperature, Joe was surprised the area was as empty as it was. He reminded himself most people didn’t come to Vegas for the pools.