Lorna Seilstad - [Lake Manawa Summers 03]

by The Ride of Her Life

  The steady chug of the engine seemed like the only thing in Nick’s life he could count on. With the roller coaster set to open in less than fifteen minutes, it was time for his customary safety ride. Although he knew every twist, turn, dip, and plunge of the Velvet Roller Coaster, he found he still got a little thrill from the ride each morning. It was his creation—squeaks, clacks, and all.

  “Percy, wheel that car on around.”

  With a shove, the youth pushed the car to the loading position. “Do you want me to take the ride today? You look tired.”

  Nick smiled. Maybe Percy would forgive him after all. Nick climbed into the backseat. “No, but thanks for the offer.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  Nick studied the chain as it turned while he waited for Percy to push the car to the bottom of the lift hill. One of the links seemed to have a bit of a kink in it. He’d have Sean check it out after his ride and before the patrons got on. It couldn’t be anything serious. Sean said he’d checked it all before breakfast, and little got past that man’s inspection.

  The car jolted as the chain dog connected. Nick glanced at the Midway below as the car began to climb. He spotted the bandstand in the distance and heard the faint strains of Nordin’s concert band practicing a fast-paced tune. Clack, clack, clack—he counted the green anti-rollback boards as he passed each of them. Twenty of the twenty-three clicks. Only three left. He’d be at the top in seconds. Best view in the park.

  A high-pitched ching made Nick grab for the safety bar. The car suddenly jerked backward, giving him whiplash. Air whooshed from his lungs. The car hit the first anti-rollback board hard, splintering it.

  The car continued to plunge backward down the steep incline. Each time the car hit a green board, the decent slowed, but the boards snapped in the process. Nick’s chest constricted. He was traveling too fast. Would he run out of boards before the car slowed enough to come to a stop?

  He whirled around. Only a handful of green boards remained. If the car didn’t stop, it would keep flying backward until it hit the waiting set of cars in the loading station. He’d heard of those collisions. They weren’t pretty.

  Lord, please!

  Snap! Another green board gave way to the weight of the car. The car dropped, but the next board stopped it.

  Deathly still, Nick waited. Would this one hold?

  39

  Below him, Nick heard Sean bark orders and then heard the footfalls of someone approaching, climbing on the rails.

  Whatever you do, don’t shake it.

  When he dared to look behind him, he saw Sean balanced precariously on the track, jamming a piece of wood behind the back of the car. What was he doing? If the car slipped now, Sean could be killed.

  The car jerked, but the crunch of wood told him the brace held.

  “Boyo, ya ready to climb out, or do ya need a minute to stop shakin’?” Sean asked.

  Nick drew in a shaky breath. “I think I’ll take the minute and thank God.”

  “Sounds like a good idea, but I dunna think God would mind if ya thanked Him on the ground either.”

  Nick took the hand Sean offered, climbed over the back of the car, and lowered his feet onto the two narrow maple boards making up the track. They crouched low and backed the rest of the way down the incline.

  Sean reached the bottom first and climbed onto the loading platform. He took Nick’s arm. “Easy now, boyo. Ya hurt?”

  Nick rubbed his neck. “No, but I bet I’ll be sore tomorrow. Let’s go have a look at that lift chain.”

  “You could sit down and rest a wee bit first if ya like.”

  “No, I need to see what happened.” He turned to Percy and Forest, who had joined them. After answering some of their questions, he said, “You two go make sure the gates remain closed. Don’t let anyone in, and keep the reason why quiet. Tell them we have some repairs to do.”

  When they’d gone, Sean and Nick headed beneath the lift hill. The chain hung from the trestle like a dangling kite string, with the end reaching the ground. Sean located the severed link and picked it up.

  Nick joined him. “What do you think? Did we miss something?”

  “You mean, did I miss something?”

  “Sean, I’m not blaming you.”

  “No need to. I’m doin’ enough of that all by me lonesome.” He turned the broken chain dog over in his hand and frowned. “What does this look like to you?”

  “How could the metal give way like that?” Nick examined the link. His blood ran cold in his veins. “This didn’t break off. Someone cut this with a torch.”

  “But why would anyone do that? Passengers could have been killed.”

  “Go fetch the sheriff. We need to report this.” Nick nodded toward the gate. “Send Forest up. We’ll see what it’s going to take to fix this chain.”

  “Ya realize, Nick my boy, we need to find the bugger who did this. Whoever it was had to have access, and only a handful of folks have a key to the padlock on the gate.”

  “No, I think they had to do it while we ate breakfast. You did your inspection before we ate, and you wouldn’t have missed the kink it put in the chain.” Nick swept the area with his gaze. “I’ll look around while you’re gone and see if I can find anything that points to someone in particular. I’m afraid this could be Claude Hart’s doing, and we may never know who he had working for him.”

  “I have to see Nick!”

  Lilly tried to push past Forest. Instead of letting her through, Forest grabbed the wooden turnstile and held it fast. “Mrs. Hart, there’s been a mechanical problem with the roller coaster, and we were told to keep everyone out.”

  “Everyone doesn’t include me, I’m sure.” Lilly glared at the man. A few seconds later, she softened. “Please, Levi is missing, and he had to have come here to see Nick.”

  “Forest, is there a problem?” Sean laid a hand on the crew member’s shoulder. “Did ya say something about the laddie, Mrs. Hart?”

  “Yes, I believe Levi’s come here to see Nick. You have to let me in to look for him.”

  “We haven’t seen the boy, but I’m sure Nick will want to know he’s missing.” He motioned Forest to let her pass. “Go on. If you don’t see Nick, he’s in the engine shed.”

  Not even taking the time to thank Sean properly, Lilly pushed the wooden bar on the turnstile. She hurried up the paved walkway to the roller coaster, scanning the area for any sight of her son. The uneasy feeling inside her chest grew. If Levi wasn’t here, where could he be? She and Eugenia had checked the Midway, and no one had seen him.

  Mr. Thorton’s words came back to her. You never know when a boy is going to get a hankering for an adventure. Had Levi wandered off? What if he’d gone down to the lake?

  No. She couldn’t think that. She had to keep focused. Pushing the threatening panic back down, she climbed the steps to the loading station. Not seeing Nick, she hiked her skirt and raced across the station platform. She cast a fleeting glance at the roller coaster car wedged on the lift hill. The mechanical problem? Had Nick been inside that car? And he’d said the roller coaster was safe enough for her son.

  Slamming the engine shed door open, she peered inside. “Nick?”

  He spun around. “Lilly!” His gaze swept her face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Have you seen Levi?”

  Concern creased his brow. “No, why? Is he missing?”

  “I can’t find him anywhere. Nick, what if he went to the lake?” Lilly’s eyes misted.

  Nick crossed the distance between them in two broad steps and pulled her into his arms. “Shhh, don’t say that. He knows better. He wouldn’t go there. We’ll find him.”

  She pulled back. She couldn’t let Nick comfort her—even now. “I need to look for him.”

  Nick pressed his lips into a thin line and held the door for her. “I said we’ll find him. Come on.”

  “Where do we start?” Lilly scanned the area.

  Nick pointed to the car shed where the e
xtra roller coaster cars were housed. “Look in all of them. He likes to play there. I’ll look around the coaster.” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “And, Lilly, we’ll find him. I promise.”

  A sob stuck in her throat, making her unable to respond. After his hand slipped away, she hurried up the back steps to the car shed. The red cars with their yellow curlicues seemed like adult-sized toys. She craned her neck to look inside each empty car.

  “Levi!”

  Nick hopped onto the platform. “He’s not around the coaster.” He nodded toward the suspended car on the lift hill. “Where else might he go? Back to Emily’s? To your new place?”

  Footfalls on the front steps made them both turn. Sean and the sheriff came into view, and Lilly’s heart thudded to a stop. What had the lawman discovered? Her knees threatened to give way, and she grabbed for the wall.

  Nick caught her elbow. “Lilly, I sent for the sheriff. He’s not here because of Levi.”

  “You? Why?”

  He led her to a bench and urged her to sit. “Rest here a minute.”

  “I can’t rest. I have to find my son.”

  Squatting before her, he took her hands in his and bowed his head. “Lord, we’re so scared right now, but we know You have Levi in the palm of Your hand. Give us the wisdom to know where to look for him and the faith to trust You to guide us to him. And please, Lord, bless and comfort this mother. No one has ever loved a son more than Lilly does.”

  Sean called for him just as Nick said, “Amen,” and he stood. “I’ll be right back. Keep thinking about where to look next. We’ll get the sheriff and the men to help.”

  “Sheriff, we’ve got two problems.” Nick wasted no time with a greeting. “First, I think someone sabotaged the roller coaster. One of the links had been cut, and I found the wand for the cutting torch lying on the ground in the engine shed.”

  “Any idea who would want to do that?”

  “Only one, but he’d never do it himself.” Nick sighed. “Claude Hart hasn’t been happy with me seeing his former daughter-in-law.”

  “I recall he wanted me to take her son from her.”

  “Which brings me to the second, much more important problem. Lilly’s son, Levi, is missing. We need to get men out looking for him. She’s looked in all the normal spots, but we haven’t found him. She’s not sure where he may have wandered off to.”

  Sean looked from Nick to Lilly, who was sitting on a bench with her hands clasped in her lap. “But the lad is only six years old? How far would he go?”

  “I don’t think he’d go far, but he does like adventure and this is a big place.”

  The sheriff pulled off his hat and ran his hand through his peppered hair. “I know you don’t want to consider this, but I have to ask. Would he go to the lake?”

  Nick’s throat clogged, and he cleared it. “I don’t think so.”

  “I’ll get some men and bring them back here to start looking.”

  “No, bring them to Thorton’s Lunch Counter. That’s where Lilly works and where she last saw him.” He nodded toward Sean. “I’ll have my men search here again and then join us there.”

  “Boyo, here she comes.”

  Nick glanced behind him and confirmed Sean’s words.

  “You’ll need to keep the lady calm.” The sheriff tugged his hat back on his head. “I don’t want to have to deal with hysterics on top of finding a lost boy.”

  “I won’t be hysterical, sir.” Lilly stepped into the circle. “You can wipe that shocked look off your face. Half the patrons at the park probably heard you.” She started down the steps.

  Nick caught her arm. “Where are you going?”

  “To find my son.”

  “I can’t just sit here!”

  “Lilly, the sheriff wants you to stay here in case he comes back.” Nick stilled Lilly’s pacing with a touch of his hand. The sheriff had arrived with a handful of men, and they’d divided to the locations Lilly had given as possible places Levi might go—the zoo, the cottage, their fishing hole. “I promise I’ll come back and find you as soon as I’ve checked out the ice cream parlor, the carousel, and the miniature train.”

  “Let me go with you. Please, the waiting is killing me.”

  The bell over the door jingled, and Lilly turned to it, hope in her eyes. The hope disappeared at the sight of Marguerite and Mark.

  Marguerite looked at Lilly. “What’s wrong?”

  “Levi’s missing.” Lilly hugged herself.

  “Do you think—” Marguerite shot a fearful look at Mark. “We need to talk to both of you.”

  Nick pushed the chair in after he stood, making it screech on the floorboards. “Can’t it wait? I’m heading out to look for him.”

  Marguerite held out her arm. “We need to talk—now.”

  “Why? Do you know something?” Nick demanded.

  “Let’s sit down.” Marguerite wrapped an arm around Lilly.

  “No!” Lilly jerked away. “I can’t.”

  “Please.” Marguerite pulled out a chair. “Mark has some things he needs to tell you both.”

  The four of them took seats around the table, and with muscles stretched so tight they could snap, Nick listened to Mark relay the information about his role in helping Claude Hart, including trying to keep Lilly and Nick apart. Nick clenched his fists, fighting the urge to deliver a star-spangled blow to Mark’s jaw. That wouldn’t help right now.

  Sean and Percy entered and took a seat.

  “But what does this have to do with Levi?” Lilly dug her nails into Mark’s arm.

  The young man winced. “I believe your father-in-law had another plan in the works involving a man named Clifford Black. He had me deliver some money to him and tell him he wanted him to finish the job they’d planned.”

  Nick felt the blood drain from his face. Clifford Black. The man who’d unnerved him while speaking with Levi the other day. “Like sabotage my roller coaster?”

  Mark shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “What do you know about this Black?”

  “Not much. Honestly. I was willing to help him keep you and Lilly apart. That’s all. Maybe this Clifford Black is helping him with some other plans. I don’t know.” Mark locked eyes with Nick. “I knew what I was doing was wrong, but it wasn’t illegal.”

  Nick hit the table with his fist. “Didn’t you realize someone could have been hurt or killed?”

  “Like I said, I had no idea Mr. Hart would go that far, and you have no proof that he did. I find it hard to believe Mr. Hart would risk that.”

  “So why are you telling us this now?” Lilly clutched her coffee cup, her knuckles whitening. “And what does it have to do with my son?”

  Nick draped his arm around her chair and pulled her close. “He thinks this Mr. Black and your former father-in-law were planning something else.”

  “Like taking Levi?” Lilly whispered.

  “It’s something he’d consider,” Mark said with a sigh.

  Nick’s heart hammered in his chest. “Lilly, you know them better than anyone. Where would Claude take Levi?”

  “Claude and Evangeline would never hurt Levi—not physically anyway.” She bit her lip to quell its trembling. “They’d keep him with them at the estate until they made arrangements to send him away to that school.”

  “Would they have that Black fellow take him straight there?” Marguerite started to lift her coffee cup to her lips but set it back down when it shook in her hands.

  Lilly met her gaze. “He’d work fast, but I don’t think he’d let a stranger take him. Claude’s a stern man, but he’s never been cruel. Besides, I think he’d want to present his grandson to the school’s headmaster himself.”

  Memories of those first days in the orphanage, when he’d been ripped from his family, fired through Nick’s thoughts. Even surrounded by reasonably kind people, the fear and loneliness had swallowed him. Levi was not going to go through that. Someone would come for him.

  Nick stood.
“Then he’s most likely at the estate.”

  “What are you doing?” Lilly grabbed his sleeve. “You can’t march in there and expect them to turn him over to you.”

  “Lilly, I’m getting him back.”

  “Should I trust you?” She stood and tipped her face toward his, her eyes bleak.

  The bitterness in her voice made him cringe. He cupped her jaw, tracing her tearstained cheek with his thumb. “No, Lilly. Trust God.”

  40

  Why had she let Nick Perrin walk out of the diner without her?

  She pressed her hand to the glass on the window, watching him jog away. Maybe she let him go because he countered every argument she’d given him. Or perhaps she knew the more she delayed him, the longer it would take to get Levi home. Even the discussion about Levi not being at the Harts’ but being at the lake had merit.

  Still, deep inside, the tiny bud of truth bloomed.

  She let him go because she trusted him.

  “I wish he would have taken me with him.” Mark downed the last of his coffee.

  “Nick was right. If you get caught breaking into Claude Hart’s home, your law career will be over.” Marguerite carried the empty cups to the counter. “At least he stayed long enough for Lilly to describe the layout of the home. He’s not going in totally blind.”

  Mark stood and walked to the door. “But I need to do something. I’m going to Mr. Hart’s office to see if I can find any train tickets. At least then we’ll know the time frame of his plans.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Marguerite asked. “Lilly, what do you think?”

  She turned toward him. “Take me with you.”

  Mark lowered his hand from the knob. “But Nick said you’re supposed to stay here.”

  “Mark, you owe me.”

  With a sigh, he nodded. “You’re right. I do.”

  Coal dust filled Nick’s nostrils. The chunks of coal shifted beneath his body with every step. Thank goodness the Harts had a large coal-shoot door. As it was, he barely cleared the shaft. He made it to the door and cracked it open.

  The basement, used mostly for cold storage, remained devoid of any staff. He stepped from the room and dusted off his clothes. Tracking through the house would hardly keep his efforts hidden.