Chapter 12
‘That’s one hell of a story, son,’ said my dad and took a drink from his beer. My mom slowly shook her head, and looked at me with sad eyes.
‘I just don’t know what to do Dad. I love Brooke, but at this point I feel like I don’t know who she is or if I ever knew.’
‘I’m calling Chief Harris. I want to hear his opinion about this. If Mike has already talked to him, then so be it.’
While my dad was on the phone I sat down with my mom. She put an arm around my shoulders and leaned into me.
‘Don’t worry dear, everything will be all right.’
‘I really hope so, because I feel so betrayed.’
My dad hung up the phone, and turned to us.
‘The Chief says to come by tomorrow morning, there is nothing he can do now.’
The next morning after breakfast my dad and I got ready to leave for the police station. He had called the school and told them I would be late . As I opened the door to step outside I heard a siren getting closer. At first I thought it was on our street, but I saw it pass on the parallel street, between the houses, it was an ambulance. Suddenly the siren stopped. My dad came out and we got into the car and drove off. When we got closer to where I usually got on the school bus we could see a group of people standing around something on the ground, and the ambulance was parked next to them. I told my dad to stop. I had recognized a light blue backpack on the ground just like the one Mike had. I opened the door and ran over to the group. When I reached them, a person was lying on the sidewalk, and there was blood in his hair, and spreading out like a halo around his head. It was Mike. I screamed his name, and tried to get closer, but someone was holding me back.
‘What happened?’ I yelled.
‘He was on the sidewalk, and this van jumped the curb and hit him from behind,’ one person said.
‘Yeah. The van just drove over him and then continued on like nothing happened.’
‘I was walking on the opposite side of the street and saw it all,’ said a woman with two dogs.
While we were standing there a police cruiser arrived and Chief Harris got out. He confered with the medics from the ambulance and them gave them a nod. They proceeded to lift up Mike on a gurney which they rolled into the ambulance.
The Chief saw me and walked over to where I was standing. ‘John, Mike is alive, but he is seriously injured. The medics don’t know if he is going to survive.’
My dad, who had arrived, put an arm around me and said to Chief Harris.
‘We have something we need to tell you. Can we meet at the station, when you have finished here?’
Back at the station I let my dad do the talking. I felt empty, like if someone has ripped everything out of me. I had already lost one of my best friends, and now I might lose the other, it was too much to handle. My hands trembeld, and I began to sob uncontrollably. Chief Harris called the reception asking the person there to bring a glass of water. I drank it in big gulps, to get the sobbing under control, although my hands were still shaking.
‘I will contact the police in Nevada and Los Angeles, to find out more about this Amanda Richards. Meanwhile, I suggest that young John, doesn’t see Amanda, or Brooke, whatever she calls herself. If she calls your house, tell her to contact me.’
‘Did you talk to Mike before he got hit?’ I asked in a weak voice.
‘No, I came in a bit later today, and there was a note on my desk that he had called, but when I called him back, his parents told me he had left for school.’
My dad and I got up and we shook hands with the Chief who said,
‘The reason why I was late this morning is because I went to Mr.Jones garage and the darndest thing has happened. Mr. Jones got his Quad back, it was parked outside his garage with a typed note on it, which said: “Thanks for lending me the Quad, I needed it to protect what’s mine.”
My dad dropped me off at school even though I don’t want to be here, but I thought he was right when he told me that there was nothing I could do at the hospital. They had taken Mike to the next town which had a teaching hospital with head injury specialists.
The day went by in slow motion, one class merged into another until the day was over. I decided to walk home; I needed the fresh air and time to think.
‘Hey babe!’
I almost fell over. Brooke had jumped out in front me from behind a tree and wrapped her arms around me. I wriggle free and looked at her.
‘What are you doing here?’
‘I came to pick you up; I thought we could go down to the river. Let’s go, the car is around the corner.’
‘I don’t think so Brooke. Chief Harris says I am not supposed to see you. Actually I am supposed to contact him if I do.’
‘Please, John, I’ll be extra nice to you.’ She came closer and kissed me on my earlobe, and her hand slid up the inside of my leg. I couldn’t resist her advances, her touch, that aroma of her skin and her beauty just got the better of me.
‘Alright Brooke, but I can only stay for a short while.’
‘I don’t know about short, I want you deep inside me for a long time,’ she said knowing her words turned me on.
Brooke was lying on top of me, slowly kissing my cheeks. She looked into my eyes, and said,
‘I’m sorry for yesterday, calling you a snitch. I was just so upset. My time with my uncle is something I want to forget. After he gave me the Mercedes, he thought he had certain rights, you know. I didn’t agree, so one night I packed my bag and left. I don’t know what happened after that. All this about a fire was as much news to me as to you when you told me. I didn’t want to tell you about my parents, because it hurts so much when I remember them. Also, I like being by myself, I don’t want the system to get hold of me, and put me in a foster family. That’s why I say my parents travel a lot.’
Her green eyes were so beautiful, and innocent. How could I have suspected her of anything, she was like an angel, my angel. I put my arms around her, and held her close, feeling the heat from her body warming me. It felt so good to be with her again, how could I ever had doubted her. If her uncle had plans to molest an underage juvenile, then leaving was the best thing she could have done, and not wanting to talk about her parents' murder made sense to me.
‘John, it’s time to go. We should get you back, so your parents don’t put out an APB on you. I have to take care of what’s mine’
That sounded like I had heard it before. Her boobs, touched my face as she stood up, and distracted me from what she had just said.
‘You’re right. When can I see you again?’
‘Soon baby, soon.’
‘Why won’t you let me come to your home?’
‘It’s not that I don’t want you to visit me, but I like being here by the river while we still can. It is such a turn on for me, and you want me hot, don’t you?’ she said with a mischievous smile.
‘Where have you been?’ asked my mother. Worry showing on her face, when I got home.
‘Nowhere special, I just needed a long walk that’s all.’
‘But school ended almost four hours ago?’
‘Mom, I just needed to be alone for a while, OK.’
‘John, Mike’s parents called to tell us he died an hour ago from his injuries.’
I had been with Brooke when my best friend had died; I had been having sex, whilst my friend took his last breath. Overcome with guilt, I retched and then puked all over the floor.
‘Honey, let's take you to the bathroom.’
My mother helped me to the bathroom, where I was sick again. After a while there was nothing left in my stomach. Only a taste of bile in my mouth. She took me to my room, and helped me undress. I laid down, but when I closed my eyes I saw Brooke’s face and then Mike’s face, looking down at me. I opened my eyes and took a few deep breaths. My mother was sitting beside me stroking my cheek and hair until I finally fell asleep.