Into the Darkness (18 page)

He backed out. I saw him pause to look at Brayden’s house, but he said nothing, nor did he ask anything. I was glad of that. We drove away slowly. All of the neighbors standing outside their homes paused to look at us. I saw expressions of satisfaction on their faces, as if they had a vested interest in my finding a boyfriend. Maybe they did. Most of them had lived on this street as long as we had and had watched me grow up.

“Did you hear about Howie Knapp?” Shayne asked.

“No, what?”

“He lost control of his father’s Lexus, drove off the road last night leaving Charlotte’s party, and knocked over the Templetons’ brand-new white picket fence. His rear wheels got stuck in the ditch, so he couldn’t just drive away. They called the cops. He and Mitchell Frank were in quite a daze and spent the night in jail. They’re actually going to have to appear in court. Too much X or booze or both. I guess Charlotte’s going to be put in a dungeon when her parents get the full story.”

“Ellie didn’t say anything when she called me this morning.”

“It’s just getting around. Maybe she wasn’t there for the wild end.”

“No. She went off with someone.” I didn’t say whom, and he didn’t ask. I smiled to myself, thinking just how uninterested Shayne was in her, with her lauding him every time she had the opportunity. Maybe he was more oblivious to his admirers than I thought. I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. It could mean that he was so arrogant that he wouldn’t even acknowledge the girls who drooled over him.

“Yeah. Anyway, afterward, the police raided Charlotte’s house, found more drugs, I heard, and lots of beer and open booze bottles. She didn’t have much time to clean up the mess. They also found the illegal fireworks and Audrey David passed out on a chaise longue at the pool. She had to be taken to the emergency room to have her stomach pumped. I heard they took down the names of anyone else still there. We got out just in time.”

“We did. My parents didn’t call me from the store this morning. Maybe they haven’t heard yet.”

“My parents haven’t heard yet, either, but they will. I still had a big to-do at my house this morning,” he said. “Not because of Charlotte’s party. My brat sister wanted to come along in the boat with two of her friends. My parents were going to give in until I whispered in Wendi’s ear, reminding her that I knew where her stash of pot was hidden in her bedroom. I was about to announce it, too, when she piped up and said she had changed her mind. Nothing as effective as blackmail when it comes to my bratty little sister.”

“Everyone I know thinks your sister’s picture should be next to the word
spoiled
in the dictionary.”

He nodded. “No, it should be next to
spoiled rotten
.”

“Don’t your parents realize it, what she is and what she’s becoming?”

He tilted his head and looked at me with his eyebrows raised. “My parents? Remember the famous Toby Glocklin story, the girl who plagiarized a short story and had it published in the high school literary magazine?”

“I heard about it, but that was what, nearly ten years ago, right?”

“Right. Her parents were brought in, and the dean, Dr. Littlefield, placed the story she plagiarized next to hers in the magazine and showed them how it was taken word for word with only very small changes.”

“So? How does that relate?”

“It’s what her mother said when she was confronted with the solid evidence in his office. She said, ‘In an infinite universe, anything’s possible.’ In other words, it was just a coincidence that Toby wrote the story practically word for word. How’s that for being blind to your kid’s failings? I’m afraid that’s true for my parents and my sister.”

“I can’t see my mother or my father saying something like that. They would never make such ridiculous excuses for me.”

“You never gave them the opportunity, Prudence Perfect.”

“And I don’t intend to, either,” I shot back. I think my eyes were as big as Mom’s when she was annoyed or infuriated by something or someone.

He pretended to cower. “Okay, okay. Don’t vaporize me.”

“Just watch where you’re driving. I don’t want to end up in a ditch, too.”

“Yes, boss,” he said, flashing a smile. I held back as long as I could and then laughed.

A little while later, we turned down the road that led to the homes on the west side of the lake. I had never been to his home and had seen it only from a boat recently when we had been invited to the Mallens’ house for the day. Shayne’s family’s house was a large two-story with an enormous back deck that looked out over the water. The dock was right behind the house. It had a good half acre of lawn and some wooded area on both sides. Most of the lake homes were beautiful large structures, but I thought his family’s was one of the nicest with its blue and white decor.

I had never seen it from the front, and when I did, I thought it was even more impressive.

“I didn’t realize how large your house is,” I said.

“It’s eight thousand square feet and has six bedrooms. Wendi thinks there are two for her. Half the time, she has someone sleeping over.”

“It’s beautiful. I love the stone and the wood and those large windows.”

“They wanted as much natural lighting as they could get. It took nearly three years to finish when you consider all the detailed work inside.”

It was very quiet, with just the sound of motorboats on the lake.

“Is your family here?”

“My parents are visiting friends,” he said, “and Wendi decided to visit one of hers when she couldn’t get to go boating, so for most of the day, it’s just us.”

“And whoever else is on the lake,” I said.

We walked up to the porch. There was a wooden swing wide enough to hold four people.

“This looks so relaxing.”

“Try it.”

I sat on it and looked out at the landscaped front and surrounding trees. Anyone turning into Shayne’s driveway would surely feel as if he or she had left all the commotion and noise of everyday life behind. Between the rear of the house with its view of the lake and this, I wouldn’t care to leave home, I thought. I laughed to myself, thinking of Thoreau. This would be a little over the top for him.

Shayne sat beside me, lowering himself tentatively, with a smile on his face.

“It’s not the hot seat,” I said.

He laughed. “I don’t actually sit here much,” he said. “Actually, I never sit here, but watching you and the way you appreciate everything makes it look more inviting than ever.”

“It’s so peaceful. You’re lucky, Shayne.”

“I know. How else would I have gotten you out with me today?”

“I think that took a little more than luck.”

He smiled. “I hope so. I should have told you to wear a hat. Do you have any sunscreen in your bag?”

“Oh, no. I didn’t think . . .”

“No problem. I’ve got some in the house. It gets
pretty hot out there, but the breeze can fool you. I learned the hard way when I was younger. I got so sunburned that I nearly ended up in the hospital. I’ll give you one of my baseball caps. I picked up our subs this morning and have it all in the kitchen. C’mon,” he said, standing up and reaching for my hand.

He led me to the front door and unlocked it. The house was as impressive inside as the outside had promised. It had a vaulted ceiling in the entryway and beautiful tiled flooring that flowed gracefully into the large family room. Everywhere possible, there were windows so that the house was as bright inside as could be. What a contrast, I thought, to the dark, cold home Brayden was trapped in.

I could see the patio doors that led out back and the walkway to the dock. Shayne went to the kitchen to get the subs and drinks and returned with a baseball cap as well as the sunscreen, as I looked around. The fireplace must have taken a long time to build, I thought. It went as high as the ceiling, and these ceilings were at least eighteen feet high. He put the cap on my head.

“Perfect,” he said. “It looks way better on you than it does on me, too.”

“Are you absolutely sure?”

“I’m, shall we say, overly confident, but I’m not stupid. I know beauty when I see it.”

I glanced at him. He looked sincere, but there was still that twinkle in his eyes that kept me from trusting him.

“Speaking of beauty, this is such a beautiful room. It’s large, but it looks comfortable and warm.”

“I’ll show you around when we return,” he said. “We have a great entertainment center.”

“Okay.”

We headed out the back and down the slate steps to the dock. I paused to look around the property, the wide patio, the barbecue area, chaises, and an outside fire pit. Then I turned to look up at the house.

“Now that I’m here and see it close up, I think this is probably the most beautiful home in Echo Lake,” I said. “It’s much nicer that Charlotte’s, even though they have more land.”

“My mother would have it no other way,” he replied. “If someone built one larger, we’d have an addition put on the following day.” He gazed out at the lake, standing with his hands on his hips and smiling.

“Do you like your mother?”

“Like her? Sure. Why?”

“You blame her for a lot.”

“It just sounds like it. Whose shoes would I rather be in?” He nodded at the lake. “Maybe I take this all for granted too much. Glad you’re here. It’s like having my eyes opened. What a day, huh?”

“Yes,” I said, taking in the lake. There were already a half-dozen boats on it and two small sailboats. We could hear the laughter and the screams of people enjoying the water. Someone went by on water skis.

“You ever do that?”

“No. It looks hard.”

“Oh, it’s so easy. I’ll get you up on skis, if not this time, next time.”

I knelt down to feel the water.

“I know it feels cold, but once you’re in it, you’ll love it,” he said.

“I haven’t gone swimming yet this summer.”

“Well, let’s not waste time.”

Shayne explained that his father’s boat was an eight-and-a-half-foot Azure with a 450-horsepower engine. It was white with a thick brown stripe. I thought it looked brand new and said so.

“It is brand new,” he said. “Actually, it’s only a month old. This is probably the tenth time it’s been out. It has an extended swim platform, so we’ll ride around and then anchor and take a dip, okay?”

He helped me into the boat. The white cushion seats were very comfortable.

“Have you been in a boat much?” he asked as I moved nervously to keep my balance. He undid the mooring.

“No, not at all.”

“We’ll go slow,” he said. “Or not,” he added with a smile.

I sat up front, and he handed me the sunscreen. I began to dab it on my face. When I was finished, I handed it back to him. “Thanks.”

He reached out to spread some around my lips and around my nose. “Can’t take any chances with this face,” he said. Then he put some on, too.

“Whose face did you mean?” I asked, and he laughed.

“You know what’s going to happen if I keep seeing you?”

“I have a few ideas.”

“No, happen to me, I mean. I’ll develop an inferiority complex.”

“If I could accomplish that, they’d probably send me to the CIA’s psychological ops department.”

He widened his smile. “Where have you been all my life?”

“Two feet back, covered in the long shadow you cast.”

“Okay, okay,” he said, holding up his hands. “I surrender. I won’t even celebrate my birthday . . . more than once a year.”

It was my turn to smile. Could he be charming, after all? Maybe it really was just a case of everything coming too easily to him. I sat back and closed my eyes a moment to feel the breeze and the warm sunshine. The lake had a freshwater aroma that came from the plants around it and the fish that swam in it. It was as if every green leaf radiated the scent of life itself, flourishing, rich, and healthy. Suddenly, I felt his lips touch mine. It was surprising but soft and warm. I opened my eyes as he pulled back.

“Couldn’t help it,” he said. “You are too beautiful to resist.”

“Why do I think you’ve used that line before?”

“You’re just naturally skeptical. That’s all right. I’ll wait.”

“For what?”

“Your faith in me, in my honesty.”

“Let’s hope it happens before either of us reaches social security age.”

He roared and then got behind the steering wheel and started the engine. He backed up, slowly turned, and
headed out toward the middle of the lake. Try as hard as I could, I wasn’t able to hide my excitement. I squealed with delight as the boat bounced when he sped up and the water spray sprinkled my cheeks. After we made one large circle, he slowed down.

“You want to try it?”

“What, steer?”

“All of it. It’s easy. C’mon,” he said, stopping to change seats with me.

I eased into the driver’s seat, and he showed me how to accelerate. I started very slowly.

“Watch where you’re going,” he advised as I kept dropping my eyes to my hands. We were heading for one of the sailboats. He reached around to help me turn the wheel. Our cheeks were touching. “Go on, you can go faster now,” he said. “That’s it.”

I was really having a great time. He sat back and watched me with a wide smile on his face.

“What?”

“I just love the way the excitement radiates in your face.”

As we crossed the lake, I thought of something. “I want to show you a place on the lake,” I said, and turned the boat so that we headed toward the small lagoon Brayden had taken me to.

“Don’t get too close here,” Shayne advised. “There are stumps and large rocks. We never come down this way.” He reached over to turn the wheel a bit. “So? What’s the big deal?”

“It doesn’t look the same at night,” I said, not hiding my disappointment. I didn’t see as many birds, either.

“You were here at night? With whom?”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t see it the same way. Sorry.”

He studied the shore suspiciously. “Let’s get back out to the middle,” he said. “We’ll take a nice dip and then have some lunch.”

I slipped out of the driver’s seat, and he took over. As we accelerated and turned away from the lagoon, I looked back and was positive that I saw Brayden standing very close to where we had been and looking out at us. He was so well hidden by the leaves of the bushes that I was sure that Shayne couldn’t have seen him. Even before we turned too far to see him, he was gone.