The Lakeside Conspiracy

by Gregg Stutts

  Max had been to the meeting many times. The food was always good and the speakers were usually top-notch guys, mostly former players or coaches. The scheduled speaker for today, October 1st, just happened to be Joe Patterson, the Pioneer’s head coach.

  Max would be in attendance and giving an unscheduled speech of his own.

  CHAPTER 87

  It was only a five-minute drive to the Basin Park Hotel. Michelle had tried calling Ms. Jones several more times, but she still hadn’t answered. Michelle really didn’t have time to park and walk to the hotel, but had no choice. The Basin Park parking lot was several blocks away, so Michelle found a spot in one of the public parking lots nearby. Fortunately, it wasn’t busy on a Wednesday morning in October.

  She walked up the hill toward the hotel. Just as she was about to cross the street, a man stepped out of the hotel. She might not have recognized him if it wasn’t for the black eyes and bandage across the bridge of his nose. It was the guy Max had knocked out. She wasn’t happy to see him, but was glad to know Max hadn’t actually killed him. The last time Michelle had seen him, she had to step over his sprawled out body outside the restaurant in Ozark, Missouri.

  Michelle stopped in her tracks and turned her head. She was only forty feet from him. Fortunately, he hadn’t seen her. She ducked into a coffee shop across the street and waited. He just stood in front of the hotel looking up and down the street. She didn’t know if he was looking for her, Max or Ms. Jones. She could only hope Ms. Jones was safe.

  Michelle tried calling Max again, but still didn’t get an answer. She didn’t know what to do and had to let him know she would be late. She also had to find Ms. Jones. Michelle tried calling her again. As she listened to the phone ringing, she prayed Ms. Jones would answer.

  That’s when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

  CHAPTER 88

  Michelle was so startled, she screamed and dropped her phone. She turned around to see Ms. Jones standing there. The four other people in the coffee shop stopped what they were doing and looked at Michelle.

  “Ms. Jones,” Michelle said. “Thank God it’s you.”

  “I didn’t mean to scare ya, honey,” she said.

  “What are you doing here?” Michelle said.

  “Hidin’ from the same fella you are,” she said.

  “What happened? How did he find you?”

  “I don’t know how. Just know that he did.”

  Michelle bent down and picked up her phone. She’d only dropped it one other time and hoped it would be okay, but when she turned the phone over, she saw the screen was completely shattered.

  “I’m sorry about your phone,” Ms. Jones said. “I didn’t mean to scare ya.”

  “It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re okay.” Michelle put her useless phone in her purse and said, “We’ve got to get out of here. Max needs us to arrive in…” Michelle looked at the clock on the wall, “…forty minutes.”

  Alex Martin, the guy whose nose Max had broken, was still standing outside the hotel. Looking. Waiting.

  “How did you know he was looking for you?” Michelle asked.

  “I came downstairs earlier this morning to get some breakfast,” she said. “I heard this man at the front desk saying he had a delivery for me. He was trying to get the nice young man at the desk to give him my room number. He wouldn’t give it to him, so he asked the clerk to call my room. While they were busy doing that, I walked right out the front door and came over here.”

  “That was very smart,” Michelle said.

  “Well, I recognized that man from when I moved to Lakeside. Him and another man unloaded our truck for us.”

  Alex Martin didn’t budge from in front of the hotel. And it felt too risky to walk onto the street. One glance is all it would take for him to see them.

  “Ms. Jones, do you have your phone with you?” Michelle asked.

  “It’s in my room,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d be runnin’ from someone.”

  Michelle looked at the clock again. There was no way they would make it to the meeting on time. And there was no way to let Max know. She didn’t remember his cell phone number and her phone was useless.

  Michelle went to the counter of the coffee shop and said, “I’m sorry to bother you, but could I borrow a phone and a phonebook?”

  The young woman handed Michelle a cordless phone and said, “Here, you can use this. Let me see if we have a phonebook somewhere.” She started to look for the phonebook when Michelle said, “Actually, I just need the phone number for the Basin Park Hotel.”

  The young woman looked at her and said, “Um, you know it’s just right across the street, right?”

  Michelle had to resist saying what she was thinking. “I understand,” she said. “Maybe you could just pull it up online for me?”

  Michelle watched as the woman typed in the search on a laptop on the counter. A moment later, she turned the screen around for Michelle to see the number.

  “Ms. Jones, please be ready to move fast,” but even as she said it, she realized it wasn’t looking good for them. Apparently, it had been quite some time since Ms. Jones had exercised. “As soon as you see Alex Martin head back inside the hotel, we’re going out the front door to the left and down to the parking lot across the street.”

  “I’ll move as fast as I can,” she said. “Just don’t expect me to do no runnin’.”

  To say that Ms. Jones didn’t exactly have the body of a sprinter was kind. She just hoped they’d have enough of a head start to make it to the car. She punched in the number on the phone and heard it begin to ring.

  “Basin Park Hotel, Diantha speaking, how may I help you?”

  “Hi Diane, I…”

  “Diantha.”

  “I’m sorry?” Michelle said. “What did you say?”

  “Diantha,” the woman said. “My name is Diantha.”

  “What did I say?” Michelle asked.

  “Diane,” she said. “It’s a common mistake.”

  Of all the times, Michelle thought. “Alright, Diantha, I’m meeting a man there for lunch today. He may be hanging around in the lobby. You’ll recognize him by his broken nose.”

  “Oh, yes,” she said. “He’s here.”

  “Great,” Michelle said. “Would it be possible to hand him the phone for a moment? My cell phone is broken, so I don’t have his number.”

  Michelle could hear Diantha calling out, “Sir? Sir? You have a call.”

  The moment Alex Martin stepped back inside the hotel, Michelle set the phone down on the counter, grabbed Ms. Jones by the hand and said, “Hurry!”

  CHAPTER 89

  Max was still driving the rental car. With the tinted windows, a baseball cap and sunglasses, he felt safe waiting in the parking lot for a few minutes. It was 12:40 p.m. He planned to enter the room at just before 1:00 when head coach, Joe Patterson was just beginning to speak. He would walk to the head table and sit in Joe’s seat and wait for an opportune moment. Of course, Max was prepared to not even make it all the way to the head table. Chances were good, he’d be stopped first.

  If his timing was right, Michelle and Ms. Jones would enter the room five minutes later. That was the plan anyway. Max was well aware of how often plans were executed as drawn up. Hardly ever, at least not in the hundred plus football games he’d coached. The problem with a plan was that the other guy always had a plan to try and stop your plan. The guy who usually won was the one who made better adjustments.

  Michelle should just be fifteen minutes away with Dante’s mother. Max pulled his phone from his pocket and saw missed calls from Michelle. His heart sank as he tried calling her back. After numerous rings, it went to voice mail. He tried texting her, but didn’t get a response. He tried calling Ms. Jones, but after seven rings he heard her voice mail greeting.

  In less than fifteen minutes, Max would be walking into the lion’s den. Having Dante’s mother there was absolutely essential. Without her, Max knew he could end up sounding like a
crazy man. He also knew it would not be a friendly audience. This was like playing a road game against your long time rival. No one in the room today would be happy to hear what he had to say.

  Max had a view of the door into the meeting room. At 12:53, he watched as Donnie Black, the executive director of the Pioneer’s Athletic Foundation walked outside talking on his cell phone. Max couldn’t hear anything, but could see Donnie was not happy. He walked to the side of the building, clearly upset at someone as he gestured wildly with his free hand.

  Max hoped Donnie would go inside. It wouldn’t work for him to see Max coming across the parking lot.

  CHAPTER 90

  Michelle pushed the door open and pulled Ms. Jones onto the street. They made a left and hurried down the sidewalk. There was a flight of stairs that led down to the parking lot. Eureka Springs was built on the side of hill, so almost anywhere you went you were walking up or down a hill or flight of stairs.

  The good news was that they were walking down the stairs. The bad news was that Ms. Jones was moving slower than anyone Michelle had ever seen. Michelle held her hand as they descended the stairs and tried to coax her to go faster. She had little success. Ms. Jones seemed to have one speed and it was first gear. Michelle looked behind them and didn’t see Alex Martin. She tugged just a little harder on Ms. Jones’ arm.

  After what felt like an eternity, they arrived at Max’s truck. Michelle looked at Ms. Jones and the height of Max’s truck and realized they had a problem. She looked up the hill and saw Alex Martin taking the steps two at a time in pursuit and realized they had an even bigger problem.

  CHAPTER 91

  Max watched Donnie Black finish his phone call and put his phone in his pocket. He stood in front of the Best Western and ran his hand through his hair. He paced for a minute, checked the time and went back inside at 12:57. It was time for Max to go in, but he’d heard nothing from Michelle. If she didn’t make it before the Touchdown Club dismissed at 1:30, he was in trouble. Big trouble. Career-ending-maybe-go-to-jail trouble.

  Then he called his first audible. He’d wait until Coach Patterson’s speech was ending, rather than beginning. That would give Michelle a little more time. The game often went to the team that made the best adjustments.

  CHAPTER 92

  Michelle looked at the stairs again; Alex was almost to the bottom.

  “Ms. Jones, we have to hurry! Get in!” Michelle said. Ms. Jones lifted one leg and barely got it inside the cab. “Hurry, Ms. Jones!” Alex was at the bottom of the stairs just across the street. “Okay, Ms. Jones, here we go!” Michelle went into a half-squatting position and planted both hands on Ms. Jones butt. With one big push, she shoved her into the truck. Michelle pushed her legs inside and slammed the door.

  Michelle ran around to the driver’s side, opened the door and jumped in. In all the rush, she hadn’t taken the time to get her keys out. She looked out her window and saw that Alex was waiting for a trolley car to pass so he could cross the street.

  She found the keys and jammed the truck key into the ignition as Ms. Jones was trying to get herself upright in the seat. At the moment, her head was laying across the center console. She was having great difficulty sitting up because her left arm was pinned underneath her. Ms. Jones’ right arm was flailing around trying to find something to grab onto to help her sit up. Twice, she smacked Michelle in the head.

  “Help me,” she said. “Help me!”

  Michelle would have helped her, but she had enough going on. She started the truck and started to back up just as Alex Martin got across the street. He reached the front of the truck just as she accelerated forward. Alex jumped to the side and slammed his fist on the hood of the truck. Michelle was blocked from pulling into the street by several cars stopped in front of her.

  Alex grabbed the handle of Michelle’s door and tried to open it, but Michelle had locked the doors a second before. His broken nose and black eyes were just inches from Michelle. She tried to move, but was still blocked in. She turned to look at Alex again just in time to see his fist coming through the window. Michelle ducked, but the window shattered and glass went everywhere.

  Alex was now halfway into the truck. Michelle had one shot. She cocked her arm and as she sat up, she slammed her elbow into Alex’s already broken nose. He let out a scream and dropped to the parking lot on all fours. Blood was gushing from his nose.

  Michelle saw a small opening in traffic and went for it. As she did, she turned to see Alex getting to his feet and holding his nose with both hands. “Now we’ve both kicked your ass!” Michelle yelled as she pulled away.

  The quick left hand turn onto the street provided the momentum Ms. Jones needed to sit up. Michelle and Ms. Jones looked at each other and shook the pieces of glass out of their hair. Then Ms. Jones said, “That boy’s sorry he messed with you.”

  The streets in Eureka Springs were narrow and full of curves, not exactly designed for speed. It was much easier to get around on foot than by car. That was until you were ascending a hill, which Michelle was doing as, she left the downtown area. She looked at the clock and realized she probably wouldn’t make it on time.

  “Ms. Jones, make sure you’re seatbelt is buckled. We’re going to have to make up some time,” Michelle said as she pressed the accelerator to the floor.

  CHAPTER 93

  Max tried calling Michelle every couple minutes, but got no answer. If today was going to work, he had to walk into that room before the meeting ended. Michelle and Ms. Jones needed to be there or this wouldn’t work. Today was the only day. Every person in Lakeside who was involved in this situation would be in one room, but they’d only be there for fifteen more minutes.

  Many of these same people would come back next week, but Coach Patterson wouldn’t be there. He only came when he was speaking, which was every couple of years. And Max couldn’t wait to get what he knew out in the open. And he knew he couldn’t trust Bill Jackson or the police chief or anyone else for that matter.

  So many people in town had ties to the university and in particular, the athletic department. The livelihoods of a lot of people depended on the success of Pioneer’s football. What Max had to say today wouldn’t make anyone happy. Having them all in the same room along with the local media was his only chance to make his case. And it would all come down to Michelle getting Ms. Jones there in the next ten minutes so she could tell her story.

  He tried calling Michelle and then Ms. Jones. Neither answered.

  CHAPTER 94

  The lights had been in Michelle’s favor and there’d been no slow-moving traffic in front of her. At 1:22 p.m., she was about five miles from the Best Western. It helped that she’d been doing over 60 miles per hour on a road with a posted speed limit of 40. Michelle looked at Ms. Jones. Her eyes were shut tight and her lips were moving. Michelle assumed she was praying, which was probably their only hope now.

  Michelle passed the “Welcome to Lakeside” sign doing just over 65 miles per hour. The Best Western was just another couple of miles. It was 1:27 p.m. The Touchdown Club would dismiss in three minutes. If only she’d been able to get word to Max. She knew as well as he did that today from 12:30 to 1:30 was there only chance to confront the guilty parties in a forum where they just might have a chance of being believed.

  At 1:29 p.m., Michelle slammed on the brakes and turned into the parking lot. She parked the truck and yelled, “Ms. Jones, we have to hurry!”

  Ms. Jones tried, but her hurry speed wasn’t any faster than her other speeds. Michelle grabbed her arm and tried to drag her toward the entrance, but it did little good. Ms. Jones was moving as fast as she could.

  CHAPTER 95

  It was now or never. It didn’t look like Michelle and Ms. Jones would make it. He could only hope they were okay. At 1:29, just one minute before Coach Patterson’s speech would end, Max walked through the door into the rear of the room. The Best Western ballroom held about two hundred people and it was full.

  Max walked past
the buffet table and saw that it had been a Charlie’s Chicken day. He grabbed a piece of chicken and ate it as he walked up the side of the room toward the head table. Coach Patterson hadn’t seen him yet, but a number of others in the room had. Terry Cook, the chief of police, was tapping one of his officers on the shoulder and nodding toward Max.

  A murmur started in the room, which caused others to look toward Max as he continued toward the front of the room. Donnie Black was seated at the head table right next to the empty seat Coach Patterson had been in and that Max was about to occupy. Just as he made it to the table, he heard Coach Patterson say, “I think we’ve got a few minutes for questions.”