Richard Hale - Frozen Past

Suddenly, little Mel Stinson and her brother Robbie came running up the path behind the two bikes. John hesitated not sure what to do. He didn’t want the two little kids anywhere near the action, yet if he didn’t signal shortly, the opportunity would pass. He waited and watched. Just as he was about to nix the whole plan, Mr. Stinson came running up behind his kids and grabbed them both, scooping them up in his arms as they squealed.

“You two need to wait for your mother,” John heard him say, and watched him turn toward the pool carrying the two little ones back around the bend, disappearing. Just then, Jason and his pal passed his hiding place at a leisurely pace, chatting about dunking some little girl and laughing when she came up crying. Assholes.

He gave the signal.

The light came on and Jimmy pressed the button, looking up. Luke could see the two kids riding up onto the bridge as the engine fired. It made a loud ‘whooshing’ sound, streaking away from them toward the two riders.

They both turned toward the sudden noise and Luke watched as their mouths fell open in shock. The rocket engine impacted the beam just as the front tire of Jason’s bike reached that exact point. The loud bang echoed through the woods. John’s timing couldn’t have been better.

Jason reacted by reflexively veering away from the loud concussion and steering his bike into his friend’s who kept pace to the left of him. Luke watched in horror as both bikes and riders drove off the side of the bridge into the creek. Jason actually let out a little scream.

“Oh damn!” Jimmy yelled as he jumped up and ran toward the bridge. Luke and Ellie followed right behind him.

“I told you guys!” Ellie yelled. “I knew something bad would happen.”

All Luke could think about was what happened when John went into the creek. They were barely able to get him out in time. How would they rescue two kids who also might be hurt from falling in on their bikes?

It took them a few seconds to get through the dense woods and Luke could see John approaching from his hiding place. John had a huge smile on his face and looked to be laughing as he whooped and hollered. Jimmy got to the bridge first and stood at the edge looking down. When Luke arrived next to him he was shocked at what he saw. Ellie sank to her knees next to him and said, “Thank God!”

The two boys were sitting in the mud on the other side of the creek. Their bikes lay to the side with one halfway in the water, its back tire spinning as the current rushed through the spokes. They were covered in mud, but appeared to be unhurt. John stopped next to Jimmy and bent over with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. He was laughing between gasps. Jimmy started laughing too and then Luke joined them in relief. Ellie, apparently, did not think it was funny.

Mr. Stinson ran up behind them with Mel and her brother in tow. “What was that noise?” He said. “Are you kids ok? It sounded like a gunshot!”

It was then he saw the two boys below and began to put two and two together. He rushed over the bridge and down the embankment, helping Jason and his friend up the slope with their bikes. Jimmy and Luke followed to help. Ellie stood there as Mel came up to her and grabbed her hand. John didn’t move.

“You two ok?” Mr. Stinson asked Jason and his friend when they made it back up to the path. They nodded, but said nothing. Mr. Stinson walked onto the bridge and looked down at the wire that was still attached to the support beam. A small charred area blackened the wood at the point of attachment. He looked up at Luke and his group of friends.

“What did you guys do?” he asked.

“We just wanted to scare them,” Jimmy said. “We didn’t know they would drive over the side of the bridge.”

“You kids could have killed them,” he yelled angrily. “You know that, right?”

“They almost killed me this morning!” John said, just as angry. Luke couldn’t believe he was talking to an adult like that. “They came barreling over the bridge while we were sitting on it and Jason kicked Ellie out of the way. She fell into me and I fell off into the fast water. You saw how strong it was this morning right? I almost drowned and they didn’t even stop.”

“That still doesn’t give you the right to endanger their lives.” He looked at Ellie who was holding his daughter’s hand as she hid behind her leg. “And Ellie, I can’t believe you’d be a part of this. Does your mother know what kind of people you hang out with? Maybe I need to call her.” He noticed his little girl and said, “Mel, come here.” The little girl didn’t move and she shyly shook her head.

“Now!” her father demanded and she reluctantly left Ellie’s side and went to her father.

“We’re sorry Mr. Stinson,” Ellie said, as tears began running down her cheeks. “We didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“You should be telling these boys you’re sorry, not me,” he said.

“I won’t,” John said defiantly. “They owe us an apology.”

“What is your name young man?” Mr. Stinson demanded.

“John Besner. Do you want my phone number too? I’m sure my dad would love to talk to you, especially after you take up with the two boys who tried to kill me.”

“Who tried to kill who?”

The voice made them all turn and Luke’s heart sank when he saw Detective Jennings and his partner standing with Mrs. Stinson.

“Just what the heck is going on here?” Jaxon said. “We heard a gunshot.”

Jaxon and Sally had spent the rest of the morning with the forensics team at the Lolly residence collecting the video data and scouring the yard and bushes next door for any clues. They had been able to preserve the video surveillance data but had pretty much struck out on any evidence left by the killer around the surrounding environment. Burt looked very anxious as the crew trampled through his and his neighbor’s yard. Jaxon kept reassuring him they would damage as little as possible. When it was all said and done, the grass looked a little beat down and the neighbor’s hedge had some leaves misplaced, but the majority of the yards looked unscathed. The neighbor had not been home.

They were just about to leave the scene, saying their goodbyes to the Lolly’s, when they heard what sounded like a gunshot. Jogging off toward the sound, Jaxon radioed in as he ran that possible shots had been fired and they needed back-up. That order was quickly canceled when they discovered the scene at the foot bridge. Jaxon was highly amused.

After the eldest of the teenagers explained what had happened and what they had done, Sally smiled at Jaxon and he almost chuckled as he turned away from the kids and the Stinson family. Kids! What next? He thought.

Turning back to address the small group, he tried to put on as stern a face as he could. “You kids do know this could be considered assault, right? Maybe even assault with a deadly-uh-rocket engine.” He heard Sally snort behind him and struggled to keep it together. “This is serious stuff.”

“Yes sir,” they all chimed in. All except the one kid who fumed off to the side. John was his name if he remembered correctly. Jaxon sent his best glaring stare John’s way and the kid eventually looked down at his feet.

“And you two,” Jaxon pointed to the kids with the bikes, “kicking someone off of a bridge into a flooded creek could also be considered assault. You have to learn to share the road-uh path-with other pedestrians. They have the right of way. You hear me?”

They both nodded but said nothing. One of the kids, the one covered from head to toe in mud, looked about to cry. He was doing his best to hold it together.