Prove It!

by Susanne Matthews

  Unable to sit still for long periods of time, he’d never tolerated spending hours out on the lake fishing like Mike had. Liam had always been the busy one, and once he’d started running, it was as if he’d found his niche. Grandpa used to joke that he was as fast and wild as a Canada Lynx on the tail of a snowshoe rabbit. Mom didn’t understand the itch to move that almost drove him crazy unless he gave in to it. Running wasn’t something he did; it was who he was, and he could no more stop running than he could stop breathing.

  “Mom, I’ve got to. The third of the five sanctioned fall races is next Friday. Thanks to this crazy weather, I haven’t been able to train properly for the past week.”

  “There’s no school for the next three days. You can run all day long every day if you want to,” she argued. “Besides, you’ve been training at the school.”

  “Running inside isn’t the same as running outdoors, and I do have other plans for this weekend. The snow stopped a couple of hours ago, and the roads have been plowed. It’s still light out, plus, I’m wearing this snazzy fluorescent road crew jacket you bought for me. I’ll never make the runners’ best dressed list, but I’ll be visible for miles.”

  “That’s what you think,” she said, ignoring both his sarcasm and the contents of the bowl which he recognized as eggs, and glaring at him. “It’s cloudy out and almost six. The weatherman’s calling for rain tonight. It’ll be dusk within the hour and that’s the most dangerous time to be on the road, and you know it.”

  “Mom, for Pete’s sake, I’m not an idiot. I’ve run up and down this highway just about every evening for the last ten years. There’s hardly any traffic at this time of day. I’ve never had a problem—not even a near miss. I’ll be careful, stay on the edge of the road, and keep my eyes open.”

  “I know,” his mother conceded. She added the ground beef and chopped onions to the egg mixture, and then reached for the box of stuffing mix.

  He smiled. Meatloaf, one of his favorites. It was a good thing Josh had gone back to Boston for the long weekend. The third leg of the relay team would never forgive him if he knew Mom and made meatloaf and Liam hadn’t invited him over. Erik might be right about a lot of the guys at the school, but the track team couldn’t be implicated in this mess. No way. They were solid.

  “But I still worry about you running along that deserted highway all by yourself,” she continued. “I would take the car and pace you, but Dad took it over to Sam Wilson’s place. That huge willow came down on his barn just after lunch, and the men are working to get it off and make temporary repairs. It’s a miracle no one was hurt. He figures they’ll be at least another hour. If you have to run, why don’t you wait and drive over to the school and use the indoor track just for tonight? I would feel better if you did.”

  “I’m sorry, but even if I wanted to, I can’t. The teachers have some sort of meeting tomorrow in Augusta. As soon as the storm stopped, everyone took off, and the place is locked up tighter than Fort Knox. The janitor couldn’t wait for me to get out so he could set the deadbolt and leave.”

  She frowned. “Well, if you’re determined to go ... Don’t be too long. I’ll need you to start the milking for your dad as soon as you get back.”

  “Not a problem. I’ll run forty minutes into the wind, and that’ll get me back in plenty of time.”

  Mixing all the ingredients together by hand, she stopped and looked up over her shoulder at him, her gray-green eyes crinkled in concern. “I know you’re careful when you run, Liam, but it isn’t you I worry about. I swear, some of the drivers around here got their licenses in the bottom of cereal boxes. Why just last week—”

  “If you want me back early, I have to leave now. It’ll be fine,” he interrupted, trying to prevent a lecture and having her change her mind. He’d heard all about Mrs. Jones and the fender bender in the grocery store lot. “No one can miss me in this getup. I’ll run facing traffic like I always do. Stop imagining disasters. I’ll be okay.”

  “I’m sure you will, but will I?” she grumbled. “I wish your father had taken the truck. He knows I can’t drive it.”

  Liam turned and approached her, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek. Was she shrinking? She seemed so small, so fragile. He swallowed the emotions clogging his throat.

  “I can teach you to drive a stick shift this summer if you like,” he offered. “We both know I’m more patient than Dad.”

  “Anyone is more patient then your father when it comes to things like that,” she chuckled, her fear momentarily forgotten. “I’m not sure the clutch could take it. It’s hard to teach this old dog new tricks. Got your phone?”

  “I do,” he said and smiled. “You’re not that old. Think about it. Love you.”

  “Love you, too. Be careful. I won’t relax until you’re back home again.”

  “Just make sure you put lots of ketchup on top of that meatloaf. You know how hungry I am after training.”

  Her laugher followed him out into the enclosed porch. He put on his new runners, tightening the laces until they felt right, and let himself out into the mid-October afternoon. It might be early fall on the calendar, but winter had slipped in and grabbed the area firmly. The snow wouldn’t last, but it was a vivid reminder of what was to come, and arriving early like this didn’t bode well for the next four or five months. The wind blew through the branches, some of them without their leaves now thanks to the weather, rattling them like bones on a skeleton. Where were the birds? He would even welcome the caw of a crow right now. An owl hooted, an unusual occurrence for daytime, and he shivered despite the layers he wore.

  To some Native Americans, an owl’s cry was a premonition of death. He shook his head in denial.

  Discovering his superstitious side was the last thing he needed right now.

  Chapter Two

  Hannah Connors pushed her long blonde hair off her face and tucked it behind her ears before stepping out of the school bus. Waving at Mr. Nicholson, the driver, her cousin Mina, and the five other kids from Central who lived farther out of town than she did, she shivered as a gust of wind grabbed her. Without waiting for the vehicle to leave, she turned and ran up the driveway to the house, bemoaning the fact she hadn’t taken the time to change out of her sweaty practice clothes into warm, dry jeans. She glanced at her watch. It was almost six.

  Her best friend Mari had told her Liam Howard was going to phone her tonight to ask her out, and she didn’t want to miss his call. She’d waited months for him to make a move, and today her patience would be rewarded. Normally she would expect him to call her cellphone, but she’d forgotten to charge it last night, and it had died a couple of hours ago. Of course, not thinking she would need it, she’d left her charger at home. Now, she had to plug the phone in as quickly as she could and hope he hadn’t called in the meantime.

  Hannah’s crush on Liam had started in the sixth grade. A seventh grader, Liam had won a stuffed dragon at one of the carnival booths where she’d been trying to win one for herself. He’d never said anything—just shoved the plush toy into her hands and walked away. After that, she’d gone out of her way to talk to him whenever she met him, but while he’d been polite, he’d usually turned red and hurried away. She’d been about to give up on him ever getting over his shyness and noticing her the way she wanted him to, when there’d been a subtle change late last spring. He’d been less nervous around her, talking to her when they ran into one another, even congratulating her on her running achievements. She’d noticed him out riding along the trails on the section of his farm that bordered her uncle’s, and while he’d waved back to her, she’d been too unsure of herself to approach him.

  Secretly, she’d hoped he would ask her out on a date, but running season had ended, the summer holidays had come along, and she’d gone to Norway with Mama to visit family. When she’d come back at the end of August, he’d been friendly, but there’d been no offer of anything else—well at least until now. Mari’s twin brother, Erik, was Liam’s best friend,
the other boy from Cedar Grove who’d been selected to attend the prestigious Ivy Hills Academy, a top notch private boys’ school on the edge of town. As shy boys often did, he’d asked his sister to find out if Hannah was dating anyone. Convinced that meant Liam was interested in her, Hannah was on cloud nine.

  Coach Snow, no longer the friendly, encouraging man he’d been when she’d joined the track team two years ago, had been in one of his more miserable moods tonight. The Central High School Track Team had finished ten points behind Ivy Hills Academy again, and the way he was carrying on, you would think they’d done on purpose to lose. Determined they would win the first sanctioned race of the season next Friday, he’d kept them late, running the uphill drills for the cross-country race next week, and her thighs and calves ached. Her cousin, Mina, was just about ready to quit the team if the coach’s attitude didn’t improve. Just because he and his wife had split up over the summer didn’t mean he had the right to take his frustrations out on them. After all, none of it was their fault. Regardless, he’d yelled at all of them, focusing his anger on the senior boys’ team, especially at Malcolm Porter, the team’s star. Even though Malcolm could be a jerk at the best of times, he didn’t deserve to have the coach scream and belittle him like he had tonight. The man’s sarcastic digs had to hurt even someone with as thick a skin as Malcolm’s. He was the best runner they had, even though he had yet to even come close to beating Liam in a race. The only way he would win a meet would be if it was one in which Liam didn’t compete.

  Tonight, the coach had devised a new system of ramps to help them train for the up and down hill grades of most cross-country courses. Rumor had it he was looking for a new job and while some of the kids might miss him, given his recent irritability, most would be happy to see him go. Coach had laid out his obstacles throughout the halls and both of the school’s gymnasiums, and she must’ve run that thing fifty times. Another run through and she would’ve collapsed.

  Not only that, she would’ve missed the last bus, which would’ve meant walking the three miles in this cold, miserable weather, and since she’d opted not to shower and change, she would’ve frozen dressed in running shorts and rubber boots. It was true the sleet had finally stopped, but there was still a stiff wind from the east. As her grandfather always claimed, east winds brought the worst weather. Normally, she enjoyed the walk home, but not dressed like this, in this mess. Snow and ice in October? That was wrong on too many levels.

  Unlocking the front door, the alarm sounded indicating she was the first one home. Quickly keying in the password, she turned it off, and then locked the door behind her, resetting the alarm. Mama went ballistic if she was home alone and the door wasn’t locked with the alarm set. What her mother thought might happen was beyond her, but after forgetting it a couple of times, Hannah opted to set the darn thing and avoid the lecture.

  Cedar Grove was probably the safest place on the planet. Nothing bad ever happened here—well, almost nothing bad. Liam’s brother, Michael, had drowned in a boating accident five years ago, but that hadn’t been anyone’s fault. According to the police, his boat, going too fast for conditions, had hit a rock in the shoal near shore during a bad fog. He’d been tossed into the lake, hitting his head in the process. By the time they found him, it was too late. Other than that, the only time the state police had anything to do in the area was when they closed off the streets for the Santa Claus parade or supervised the Fourth of July fireworks. It was true the summer vacationers, campers, and tourists could sometimes get out of hand, but the biggest crime in town was the toilet papering of the mayor’s car last Halloween. Still, Mama insisted on taking precautions. That woman watched way too much world news.

  After removing her jacket and rain boots, Hannah headed into the kitchen. The light blinked on the phone, indicating a message. Was that Liam? Had he called the house when she didn’t answer her cell? Filled with hope, she pressed the numbers for the password and listened. Her shoulders slumped when she recognized her mother’s voice.

  “Hi, honey. It’s me. I hope practice went well. I’ve left this message on your cellphone, too. It’s five-fifteen. I’m delayed at the office. I should be home by seven at the latest. I’ll bring pizza. Papa’s still at the hospital. Wendell Holmes fell and broke his hip, so it’ll just be us tonight. Love you.”

  The message ended. Hannah erased it and went to the fridge to get a glass of milk and some yogurt to tide her over. Until she’d turned twelve, Mama had insisted Mrs. Grossman, the housekeeper, stay with her after school, not wanting her to be alone in the house, which she claimed was isolated since the closest neighbor was two hundred yards away. Both she and Mrs. G. had been happy to see those days behind them.

  As a real estate agent with Pinehurst Realty over in Westley, a larger town to the west of Cedar Grove, Mama usually managed to get home by five, but sometimes she was delayed. If Mama was going to be late, it probably meant a new listing. As far as her father went, Papa was the chief surgeon at Cedar Grove Memorial, the town’s small but highly efficient hospital, where Hannah did her community volunteer work once a week. Repairing broken people was just part of his job. While he was usually home for supper, sometimes emergencies happened.

  Finishing her snack, she rinsed the yogurt cup and tossed it in the recycling bin and then rinsed her glass, putting it in the dishwasher. Grabbing her backpack, she headed up to her room to do her homework. Since this was a long weekend, she had an extra day to get it done, but with no one home, she might as well do it now. Of course, if anyone was online, that might change her plans.

  Hannah tossed the backpack on the floor next to her desk, turned on her laptop, and plugged in her cellphone. She went into her en suite bathroom to shower and wash off the sweat from her practice. The hot water soothed her tight muscles, and the new herbal fragrance, from the designer shampoo and conditioner she’d begged Mama to buy, eased her nervousness.

  Ten minutes later, her hair wrapped in a towel, wearing her favorite fluffy pjs, she reached for her cellphone and checked messages and texts. The only message was the one Mama had left. Disappointed she set it down to continue charging and clicked the Internet icon on her computer, hoping someone would be online to help her pass the time.

  Her cellphone rang, and she practically dislocated her shoulder reaching for it.

  “Hello?” she answered quickly, not bothering to check the display, the towel tumbling to the floor.

  “Has he called yet?” Mari’s voice dashed her hopes.

  “No, and he won’t be able to if you’re on the line with me,” Hannah answered, her voice tinged with sarcasm to hide her disappointment. She picked up the wet towel.

  “We’ve got time. Erik was just talking to him, and they were whispering about something. That has to be you; otherwise, my dumb jerk brother doesn’t bother lowering his voice. Erik said Liam was going to call you after his run. He always goes out and trains along the road in front of his place at this time of day.”

  Hannah glanced out the window. “Seriously? No wonder he beats the pants off Malcolm. It’s foggy and raining. Mama would have a fit if I tried to run on the road in this, and I can’t see Mr. Don’t Mess My Hair Porter taking a chance on getting wet.”

  “You live off the main highway just on the outskirts of town. Liam’s farm is off a county road that probably doesn’t see five cars a day, just like ours,” Mari said and laughed. “I’ve got to go. Mom’s got supper ready. Call me as soon as he phones. I think he’s going to ask you to go on the haunted corn maze excursion with the 4H group. Your cousin Mina will probably be there, too.”

  Hannah grinned. “I hope you’re right. Mina asked me to go with her, but I haven’t said yes yet. Maybe she can take you instead.”

  Mari laughed. “What’s that old expression? Two’s company, three’s a crowd, and four’s just plain ridiculous. But call me as soon as you hear.”

  Hannah hung up. That haunted corn maze would be awesome and would give her lots of excuses to
cuddle closely. Things were definitely looking up. Reaching for her math book, she settled down to work.

  * * * *

  Going through his stretching routine, Liam forced himself to tamp down the apprehension today’s note, the conversation with Erik, the sounds around him, and his mother’s concern had raised. This kind of weather didn’t help either and brought back another unpleasant memory. It had been a day a lot like this when his older brother had gone fishing and drowned. Had that really been five years ago? Strange, he’d never really thought about it, but at the moment, he was the same age Mike had been when he died. Maybe that was why his mother seemed to be in such a heavy Mama Bear mode these days.

  He shook off the uneasy sensation. Instead of worrying about non-existent dangers and idiots who liked to mess others up for the fun of it, he let himself dwell on Saturday and Hannah. If she agreed to go to the maze with him, he would be the envy of all the guys in the 4 H club, most of whom attended Central like she did. Well, they’d missed their chance. He had it on good authority that Malcolm had made a play for her and had been shot down. Of course, she could do the same thing to him, but Mari had told him to go for it, and he would. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

  If anyone wanted to see him fail, both with Hannah and in a race, it would be Malcolm, but there was no way he could be behind the threats. As Erik had pointed out, getting into the locker room was as hard as getting into Fort Knox, so the chances were a guy from Central certainly couldn’t. So who did have access?