Home to Whiskey Creek (Whiskey Creek #4)(36)
Author: Brenda Novak

“He’ll be saying a few words. So will Noah.”

“I must’ve read the paper too quickly,” Gran said. “I didn’t know he’d be speaking.”

“Cody and Noah completed more passes than any other quarterback/receiver duo in the history of the school,” Eve explained.

“They could play almost any sport,” Addy said, remembering.

Gran gave her a nudge. “You were here when that team did so well. Why don’t you go sit with Eve so you can watch the show?”

Addy shook her head. She remembered the excitement the entire student body had felt when their football team won so many games. There were other good players, but Cody and Noah, the twins, were the highlight of the team. They’d been standouts on the baseball diamond, as well. “There’ll be more people wanting to buy from us during half than at any other time. You need me here.”

“Our mother’s already planning to help,” Misty volunteered.

“She’s got my aunt with her. So they’ll both be here,” Savannah chipped in.

“See?” Gran pushed her toward the exit. “We’ll be fine. Go get reacquainted with your old friends, take a rest. I don’t want you to overdo it, anyway, not after the past week.”

“I’m fine,” Addy argued, but Gran insisted and the next thing she knew she was walking to the stands with Eve.

* * *

“Those bruises are looking better,” Ted said as he slid over to make room for her.

Addy smiled. Of all Noah’s friends, she knew Ted the least. He hadn’t played sports. He’d been president of the student body, captain of the debate team and was voted most likely to become a politician. That she didn’t know him actually made it more comfortable to be around him because, to her, he felt neutral. “They’ll go away eventually.”

He shifted his attention to Eve, who was handing out the baked goods. “Where’s my dinner?” he asked.

Riley didn’t seem happy, either. “Oh, man! You didn’t bring any dogs?”

“I didn’t want to miss half time,” Eve said. “Have Jacob go get some.”

“He’s messing around with his friends.” Riley stood and peered over the crowd, searching for his son. “I can’t get him to answer his phone. I doubt he can even hear it.”

“There’s still three minutes, and three minutes in a football game can last ten,” Ted said. “You wouldn’t have missed half.”

“Feel free to risk it, if you want,” she told him. “But seeing them retire Cody’s number is the whole reason I came. I’m not going to be standing in line for junk food when that happens.”

Cheyenne and Dylan Amos were sitting in front of them. Cheyenne twisted around to say hello, and Dylan gave Addy a nod. Neither she nor he mentioned that they’d seen each other at the police station last night. Aaron wasn’t with them. But Baxter was. Addy got the impression that almost everyone was eager for the ceremony, except Baxter. He was too nervous.

“Noah doesn’t like this sort of thing, doesn’t like talking about Cody,” he confided to Eve.

She placed a reassuring hand on his leg. “He’ll get through it, Bax.”

“He doesn’t like it,” he said again.

Addy watched him fidget, wondering about the intensity of his empathy. But then the clock ran down and she let it go. She didn’t want to be a spectator at this ceremony any more than Noah wanted to be part of it. And yet, once the Homecoming winners had been announced, and the cheerleaders, dance team and band had performed, she couldn’t look away. Mayor Rackham had stepped up to the podium, every bit as handsome and poised as she anticipated Noah would look in his fifties. His wife stood behind him, forever the supportive spouse, as he awarded a plaque to Coach Nobis, who waved proudly to the crowd.

From there the principal took over and announced that he wanted to honor a very special young man who had made a world of difference at Eureka High. He talked about Cody’s many athletic accomplishments, how he’d lettered in two different varsity sports and set a new weightlifting record. He said Cody was a gifted leader and a popular student and closed by saying he’d never met a boy with more promise. Then he held up Cody’s football jersey, now framed, and indicated that it would hang on the wall at the school from here on. He said Cody’s number would never be used again, that he’d never be forgotten, and he gave a plaque signifying the retirement of his number to Mayor Rackham, who choked up when he accepted it.

That was hard to watch. But it got even harder when the mayor stepped aside so Noah could speak.

“Oh, my God, here he goes,” Baxter whispered.

Eve took Baxter’s hand. “He’ll be fine. Calm down.”

It was one thing to see Cody’s parents after so long. To know how much they’d suffered because of the loss of their son. But Addy had never heard Noah talk about his brother’s death, not beyond the one statement he’d made to her: you know my brother died in there.

That had been stated in irritation and as a cautionary remark. This was different. Noah stood at the podium, staring up into the stands, at a complete loss. For the first few seconds, he wasn’t even able to speak. When he did manage a few words, his voice cracked, and he fell silent again.

Tears streamed down Baxter’s cheeks. Some of Noah’s other friends were crying, too. Addy heard a full-blown sob and glanced around to see that it was Shania Carpenter. She was sitting not far away, absolutely inconsolable, while those around her did their best to provide comfort.

That was when Addy realized there was a whole other dimension to Cody’s death than she’d considered before: letting his loved ones go on believing he’d died in an accident was actually the kindest thing she could do. Then they didn’t have to face the truth, didn’t have to know he wasn’t nearly as admirable as they wanted to believe.

She tried to imagine how the mayor would react if he learned that the son he’d just praised—the boy everyone so admired—had instigated a gang rape. And Noah. What would it do to him?

13

It was late, but Addy couldn’t sleep. Chief Stacy had stopped by as soon as they’d returned from the game. He’d wanted to bring them the news about Shania’s lack of clarity concerning the night Addy was kidnapped. He acted as if that should confirm Aaron was responsible, but Addy continued to insist he wasn’t the one. By the time Stacy had left, she could tell Aaron’s lack of a solid alibi wasn’t enough for Stacy to arrest him. But the police chief hadn’t given up. He was looking for evidence, and he was focusing on Dylan’s brother.