The Secrets of Lake Road

“Okay, okay, I promise. Is that it?”


“No.” Caroline started from the beginning, telling Megan about the times she had overheard bits and pieces of Billy’s name mentioned by Gram and her mother through the years and especially now after Sara had drowned. She told her how she discovered Billy had drowned when her parents were teenagers. She read about it that day at the Country Store when she had searched the old Lake Reporters.

“I remember. Boring,” Megan said. “What about it?”

Caroline told her how she had put two and two together, that Johnny was named after Billy and that he was really Billy’s son, not Caroline’s father’s.

“Holy shit,” Megan blurted.

“Shhh,” Caroline said. “Keep it down.”

“And you told Johnny?”

“Sort of.”

“Wow, that’s totally messed up.” Megan shook her head. “So, now what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know.”

There was a knock at the door.

Caroline grabbed Megan’s arm. “Promise you won’t say anything. Not until my family figures this out.”

Megan held up her hand. “I get it. You don’t have to worry.”

“Megan,” Mrs. Roberts said. “Jeff’s out front looking for you.”

Megan flung the door open.

Her mother started. “It’s late. I’m not sure you should be going out tonight.”

“Please, Mom. It’s summertime. And Caroline is out. She’ll come with me.” Megan looked over her shoulder at Caroline, pleading with her to say yes.

Mrs. Robert’s crossed her arms. “And what do you plan on doing?”

“I don’t know. We’ll think of something. Isn’t that right, Caroline?”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Mrs. Roberts said.

“Please, Mom. I promise we won’t get into any trouble.”

“Well,” Mrs. Roberts said, “as long as you two stay together.”

“We will,” Megan said, and pulled Caroline with her.

Mrs. Roberts followed them to the door. She touched Caroline’s shoulder. “Everything all right, dear?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Everything’s just super.”

*

Caroline dragged her feet a few paces behind Megan and Jeff, not wanting to tag along on their date or whatever it was they were doing. She’d split as soon as they were far enough away from Megan’s cabin and out of sight. She was trying to think of where she could go, since home wasn’t an option. But when they reached the ballpark, the Needlemeyer twins and Adam were waiting for them.

Ted held a flashlight over a sheet of paper that explained the rules and regulations for the big fishing tournament tomorrow.

Megan stepped back from the group and mumbled, “More boy stuff.”

“I’m totally doing this,” Jeff said about the tournament. “First prize is a hundred bucks. Who wouldn’t try for that?”

The boys nodded, an air of excitement surrounded them.

Adam tugged on Caroline’s arm. “Are you fishing tomorrow?” he asked.

“Nah,” she said, having made up her mind while talking with Gram. “Not this year. Besides, I’ll be too busy rooting for you.”

“Well, I know just the spot to catch the biggest trout anyone has ever pulled out of the lake,” he said.

“You do not,” Ted said.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Then show us.”

“I’m not showing you,” Adam said. “You’re the competition.”

“You won’t show us because you’re lying. You don’t have a fishing hole.”

“I do too,” Adam whined.

“Leave him alone,” Caroline said, although the boys ribbing had started lifting her mood. The familiar role of mediator was comforting, a sign something hadn’t changed. She gazed across the open field. Every few seconds the lightning bugs flashed their presence.

“Show us your fishing hole, and we’ll show you ours. That way we’re even,” Ned said.

“Yeah, help the new guy out,” Jeff chimed in.

Adam looked at Caroline, and she nodded. Catching the biggest trout was more luck than anything else. Besides, she didn’t want to go home.

It was that easy. They were off on some kind of quest to find Adam’s honey hole. Caroline trailed behind Adam, the Needlemeyer twins behind her. Jeff grabbed Megan’s hand and pulled her along, taking up the rear. They made their way through the path in the woods that would take them to the lake.

They walked single file, sticks and leaves crunching under their sneakers. Poison ivy spread through the woods to their left. Cougar barked on their right. Adam stopped abruptly, and Caroline nearly walked into the back of him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of beef jerky. “Always prepared,” he said, and exchanged a knowing look with her.