She rolled her eyes. “You’re not going to make this any better.”
“I just wanted to apologize,” I said. “I didn’t mean to make you mad.”
She shrugged and kept painting. “It’s not just you. Everybody’s buying into God these days. Taking the easy way out.”
“The easy way out?”
“God’s a crutch. You don’t have to deal with problems—you put them on God. If things go bad, it was his plan. He’s up there pulling the strings and we’re puppets. Does that offend you?”
“No, because I know you feel bad. And I’m guessing that Jeff’s cancer gets to you just like it does the rest of us.”
She sat on her bed. “How long have you known him?”
“Since we moved here.” I told her all the stories I knew, about how people laughed at him in gym class and how shocked we were when we heard the news.
“Is he going to die?” Leigh said.
I shook my head. “I don’t know, but I don’t want to keep fighting with you about God. I mean, I want you to believe, but I don’t think it’s good for us to be mad at each other.”
“Fine, but don’t waste your time,” she said. “I’ll never believe like you, so don’t get your hopes up.”
Chapter 49
I was on the bike, near the edge of a canyon. The front wheel kept getting close to the edge of the drop-off, and there was no guardrail. The front tire kicked little pebbles over the side, and they bounced into the bottomless chasm.
A huge black bird flew beside me, looking me in the eye and cawing. Its wings brushed the front tire that got caught in a rut. If I didn’t get out, we’d plunge over the edge.
I looked back, but Jeff wasn’t there. I screamed, echoing off the canyon walls. I looked for other riders, but I was alone.
The rut swerved right, and my front tire went to the edge. I slammed on the brakes, but the pedals spun. I grabbed for handlebar brakes that weren’t there.
As the front tire left the pavement, I screamed again. The bike went out from under me, and I felt weightless, falling into the abyss.
“Bryce!” someone yelled. It was Jeff, calling me in my helmet.
I sat up straight in the tent. Jeff shook my shoulder. My legs trembled, and I wiped sweat from my forehead.
Jeff smirked. “Dreaming about Marion Quidley?”
“Wasn’t that bad. Just going over a cliff and falling to my death.”
“Did you hit bottom? I’ve heard you never actually hit bottom in those dreams. And if you do, it means you’re dead.”
“You woke me just in time.”
He picked up his digital recorder and punched Play. It was me moaning and groaning. Jeff laughed and I snatched it from him. He tried to grab it back, but I held it until I could erase my voice.
“What’d you do that for!?” he yelled.
“Serves you right for recording me,” I said. “Remember, no special preferences for people with cancer.”
He smiled, laid back on his sleeping bag, and opened the net above us so we could see the sky. There wasn’t much light from the nearby town, so it seemed we could see millions of stars.
“Tell me a secret,” Jeff said. “You can trust me.”
“Only if you tell me one.”
“Okay, but you have to promise that it stays right here.”
“Deal.”
Jeff searched for words. “I . . . I really like your sister.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. She’s pretty. Smart. And I love the way her hair smells.”
I laughed and Jeff socked me on the shoulder so hard I knew I’d have a bruise. “How would you know how her hair smells?”
“I sat behind her in second period. If she doesn’t dry her hair before school it takes that long to dry out. I think she uses Pert.”
I shook my head. “You and Skeeter are the only two who have a thing for her.”
“I didn’t say I was going to marry her or anything. It’s just that she’s the kind of girl I’d want to take to a movie or on a date when I grow up.”
“Well, I never thought I’d say this, but I hope you get to take her out sometime.”
“Okay, your turn.”
I thought hard. I didn’t have that many secrets, but two huge ones went through my mind.
“All right, but you have to swear—”
“You got it.”
“Remember the story a few months ago about the thieves up at Gold Camp Road?”
“Yeah, and a car that went into the water.”
“That was us—Ashley, Dylan, Sam, and me. We cracked the case.”
“You’re kidding! I knew you and Ashley liked to solve mysteries, but I never dreamed . . . Your secret’s a lot better than mine. Why can’t you tell anybody?”
“Long story,” I said. “It has something to do with Sam and what he used to do. I’d tell you more, but I promised I wouldn’t.”
He yawned. “It’s okay.” He seemed weaker now and pale in the moonlight.
We lay there, staring at the sky, for a long time.
Chapter 50
I was almost asleep when the phone rang.
“Sorry to call so late,” Taryn said. “You wanted to talk?”
“Thanks,” I said. “I’m wondering if Gunnar ever mentioned money problems.”
“All the time. That was one of the things we fought about.”
“Maybe he made some big purchase. Like an engagement ring.”
“If he bought a ring, it was a mystery to me.”
“But wouldn’t that explain it? He wanted to marry you, and when you broke up with him, he couldn’t take it. He pushed his Jeep in the lake and . . .”
“And what?” she said. “They haven’t found his body, have they?”
“No.”
“Then he pushed his Jeep in the lake and ran away? That makes no sense.” She paused. “Look, I don’t want to be mean, but I don’t want you to call here anymore. I know you’re trying to help, but I’d rather you leave me alone.”
Chapter 51
I hit the Light button on my watch and saw it was 3 a.m. Only 10 minutes had gone by since I had checked. I knew I’d be worthless on the bike with no sleep. Jeff’s heavy breathing didn’t make it any easier.
I wanted something to eat—maybe that would help—but the leader had made us put all our food in airtight bags and store them in the trunk of a car. I guess he was scared of bears.
I looked through the opening in the tent, hoping to see a star streak across the sky. That happens all the time in the movies, and I hear it happens a lot in Colorado, but I’ve never seen one.
I heard a car in the distance. Something rustled in the pine needles a few feet away. A twig snapped. Maybe big animals making small sounds.
Who could have stolen Jeff’s stuff? I tried to bore myself to sleep by running through all the possibilities. Was it possible Gunnar’s disappearance and the missing items were linked? What were the odds?
I had a lot more questions than answers, but I’ve found it’s best to just let your mind run. What if Gunnar’s mother was covering for him? What if the goons who showed up at her house bought sports items? Maybe Gunnar had sold them something fake.
Something crackled outside the tent, and I looked at my watch. 3:10. I scooted down in my sleeping bag and imagined Pippin and Frodo were with me.
Next thing I knew, Jeff was hovering over me with a big smile. “Time to wake up, bed head.”
I could feel my hair sticking straight up, and I couldn’t wait to get my helmet on.
By 8:00, we were on the road, pedaling away from Leadville. My legs and back were sore, but as soon as I got on the bike I found myself in rhythm with Jeff, who seemed stronger.
Chapter 52
I awoke early and rode to Jeff’s house, eager to find out if I’d had the wrong room all along. I found both rooms with glass cases, and both were empty.
I was about to get back on my ATV when a garage door opened across the street and
a man wearing a suit and tie walked out to retrieve his Sunday paper.
“Heard anything about the bike trip?” he said. He must have recognized me from the send-off.
I told him what I knew. “Have you noticed anything funny at the house the past few days?”
“I’ve been away, but you can talk with my wife.”
He took me inside and introduced me to her. She was having coffee and grabbed the newspaper from him when he came inside. I thought the guy might be going to church, but he said he was off to work. When he left, she offered me breakfast.
“Thanks, but I already ate. I don’t want to take much of your time. I was just wondering if you’d noticed anything at the Alexanders’ house.”
She squinted. “As a matter of fact, there was a truck outside yesterday morning. Real early. A blue pickup. Had one of those toolbox things in the back.”
“Did you see anybody?”
“A guy in a hard hat went to the door, but of course no one was home. He carried something back to his truck, a big armload of stuff.”
Chapter 53
The road from Leadville eventually ran by the Arkansas River. The riding wasn’t as hard as the previous day, but as the sun rose, it got hotter. We had to take several breaks to rest and drink water.
Ashley beeped my phone, and I called her back when we took a break. She told me what she had found at Jeff’s house. I covered the phone and asked Jeff if anyone was working on his house.
“My dad had some work done on our roof a few weeks ago,” Jeff said. “Why?”
“Ashley says a construction guy was at your house yesterday.”
“What was she doing at our house?”
I told Ashley I’d get back to her and hung up.
Jeff faced me, his face tight. “What’s going on?”
I didn’t want to lie, but I also didn’t want to betray his parents or get him upset.
The leader, Gary, blew his whistle and told us it was time to mount up.
“Come on,” I said.
“Tell me or I’m not getting on the bike.”
I sighed. “Can’t Ashley keep an eye on your house while you’re gone? I’d think you’d appreciate that.”
He looked at the ground and shook his head as he climbed on. “Something’s fishy.”
Chapter 54
Hayley wanted to stay away, but I talked her into going to her aunt’s house. I asked her aunt if we could see Gunnar’s apartment again. “If you think it might help,” she said.
She gave us the key, and we went outside and climbed the stairs. The wood by the doorknob was splintered, and the door stood open a few inches.
“Think they could still be in there?” Hayley whispered.
“They probably came last night,” I said, but I pushed the door slowly and peeked in. The mattress was off the bed, and the dresser drawers had been dumped on the floor. The closet had been rifled, and the little desk in the corner was a mess too.
I went to the computer monitor and hit the Power button. The screen flickered, but nothing came on. I tapped the keys. Still nothing.
“Ashley, it’s gone,” Hayley said, pointing at the floor.
The cables connecting the computer tower to the monitor and keyboard lay on the floor.
“Call the police,” I said.
Chapter 55
Jeff and I passed several blue Adopt a Highway litter-control signs. Other signs advertised horseback riding and property for sale. Another said Support Our Troops! The 14,000-foot mountains near Buena Vista, instead of being covered with trees, seemed to have had a buzz cut. Clouds cast huge shadows along the landscape.
A small plane passed overhead. Sam was supposed to be on a trip, but I wondered if he had detoured to fly over our group. The plane descended and circled, then flew so close to the ground that it took my breath away. As it passed, the pilot dipped its wing, and I saw the familiar numbers on the side. Sam actually gave me a thumbs-up.
“Hey!” Jeff said through the speaker in my helmet. “Isn’t that the plane we were on?”
I had goose bumps. “Yep,” I said. “That’s my stepdad.”
We went through Buena Vista, a small town with real elk walking around in it. People lined the streets, clapping and waving flags. Jeff’s parents had driven ahead and were waiting with their video camera. Signs at restaurants advertised ice cream and root-beer floats, and I hoped we could come back later.
We followed our leader right and rode toward the hills, then left onto a dirt road. A few riders had dropped out, some with bike trouble, others had become sick. The rest of us bunched together, filling the road. People crowded around Jeff and me, encouraging us and patting us on the back.
We rode up a steep driveway to a camp run by a Christian group. At the top the driveway went straight down, and we had to ride our brakes. The cafeteria was a log cabin, and there was a nice gift shop across the grounds where I hoped to find a shirt for Ashley and something fun for Dylan. There was a basketball court, but people were so tired they went to the log cabin above the courtyard for our meeting.
There Gary congratulated us all for our determination. “We’ve gone almost halfway. We’ll rest here and start off again late tomorrow morning.”
Gary invited everyone back for a movie after dinner, and I was all for it until we got our room assignments. “Have a little surprise for you and Jeff,” Gary said. “You two are headed over the hill for some intense R & R.”
I wasn’t sure I liked the word intense. Sounded like rock climbing or something.
Chapter 56
“We can’t call the police,” Hayley’s aunt said. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. “I didn’t tell you everything those guys said. They told me if I went to the police, I’d never see Gunnar alive again.”
Hayley gasped.
“His Jeep was found in the lake,” she continued. “I suppose those guys did it.”
“But they don’t know where he is,” I said. “How can they hurt him if—?”
“I’m not going to the police,” she said.
On my way home, I passed the middle school. The tarp was still on the outside, and a wood saw whined. Another cement truck sat near a few construction trucks. One was a blue pickup with a toolbox in the bed.
I peeked inside the cab and saw a box on the front seat. I stepped up on the running board to get a better look.
“What are you doing?” someone said. I turned to see a man with massive sweat stains on his T-shirt. He had dark hair and a scar on his forehead.
My legs shook. “I go to school here.”
“In my truck?”
I pointed. “No, at the school.”
“Then why are you trying to get in my truck?”
“Oh! I wasn’t. I was just—one of my friends has some things missing. Mind telling me what’s in that box?”
He stepped closer. “If I were you, I’d leave right now.”
I took his advice, but I looked back and got his license-plate number. He was still staring at me.
Chapter 57
We rode in Jeff’s parents’ van on a dirt road around the mountain. The setting sun cast a golden glow, the river a brown snake winding through the valley. Homes perched on the side of the mountain seemed as if they might fall off at any moment. What must it be like to live here and watch the sun come up every morning or see clouds roll in and dump snow?
Jeff pointed at a swimming pool with a curly slide. Kids laughed and threw beach balls. On the other side of the road sat a general store with a couple of gas pumps. Behind that was a lodge where Gary waved us over to the edge of the parking lot.
A stream ran past it, and two more swimming pools lay at the bottom of the hill. “You two are staying here tonight. You can eat at the lodge restaurant and go swimming or just relax in the stream.”
“Isn’t it cold?” Jeff said.
Gary laughed. “Stick your foot in and find out. People come here in the winter in their bathing suits to sit in that hot springwa
ter. In some places it’s 130 degrees.”
We unloaded our stuff and put it in front of the lodge door, then got the key at the front desk and said our good-byes to the Alexanders and Gary.
Jeff turned, his eyes bulging, and slapped me a high five. “Can you believe it? We’ve got this place to ourselves!”
After we put our stuff inside—where we found two beds, a TV, and a bathroom—we headed to the restaurant. It had a huge fireplace with a deer head and a moose head mounted over it, both complete with gigantic antlers. Standing taller than me was a stuffed bear, but the scariest thing was a stuffed mountain lion, poised to kill with its teeth bared. The eyes seemed to look right through you.
I had heard mountain lion screams near our house. They sound like humans, a haunting yell like a woman crying. Even though the thing was dead, it gave me the creeps. I couldn’t imagine meeting one of those along the trail and having to defend myself.
Jeff ordered a buffalo burger, and I had grilled cheese. Then all I wanted was to soothe my sore muscles in that hot water.
Chapter 58
I called everybody I could think of, even the principal’s wife, but nobody knew anything about the building project at the school.
“Saw your brother today,” Sam said that night. “Got close enough to see the smile on his face.”
I wished I could have been there. The Gazette pictured the bicyclists arriving in Buena Vista and added that another report from Jeff and an in-depth story would follow the next day.
Mom said a group from the middle school was planning to meet the riders when they finished the trip.
I followed Sam to his office. I pulled a Post-it note from his stack and wrote down the license-plate number of the truck.
“What’s this?” he said.
“I’m trying to find out who owns this truck. It’s a suspicious vehicle.”
Bryce and I tried not to ask Sam for help, but I knew he had contacts with the police.
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