Untraceable (7 page)

I walk faster down the sidewalk toward work. The dilapidated buildings make the town look as old and poor as it is. The store banners are faded and even missing a few letters. A “for sale” sign hangs on the door of an empty storefront. One shop down, only twenty-three to go. When I pass by the general store, Mr. Fields is standing outside with a short bald man.

He sees me and waves. “Well, hello Grace. How’s … everything?”

I pretend not to notice his awkward pause. “Fine, thanks.” I speed walk past him with my head down to avoid any more questions. What am I supposed to say? People only want to hear the good stuff so they can go on with their day without feeling guilty. Mr. Fields doesn’t ask anything else. He stares up at his sign and continues his conversation with the man I’ve never seen before.

As I turn the corner, Ms. Green, the town’s hairstylist and gossip expert, sets her sights on me like a nuclear missile to its target. Before she reaches me, I veer off the town’s main drag and duck down a side street, taking a shortcut to work. These people don’t get it. Just because they’ve read about my family and the missing case in
The Smoky Review
, doesn’t mean they know me.

At least not the
real
me.

I’m so deep in thought, I almost don’t notice the footsteps echoing behind me.

In perfect rhythm with mine.
 

I speed up. They speed up.

I slow down. They slow down.

No doubt about it. Someone’s following me.

I stop dead in my tracks. “I can hear you, you know.”

“Man. You’re good. I’ll give you that.”

“It’s not hard to hear an elephant coming.” I spin around and my heart slips a little when I see Wyn.

He looks better than usual. I cock my head and try to figure out what it is. Is it the new dark jeans, the navy Coldplay t-shirt, or the Converse shoes.

My voice cracks as I shake off the all-too-familiar feeling of attraction and confusion. “What do you expect? I’m trained in self defense and wilderness survival.”

Wyn rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I know. You’re a badass.”

I nod once. “And don’t you forget it!”

He smiles and tilts his head to one side like a little puppy. I’ve seen that look so many times before. Wyn and I have been friends since we were babies. Pooped and played together. Last year, we even started dating and everything seemed okay until Dad disappeared. Wyn tried to comfort me, but it was just too weird, so we broke up at the worst possible time. I guess he was tired of me pushing him away, and I felt smothered.

Now I’ve heard Skyler Stevens has been draping herself all over him, trying to get noticed. I wonder if he just hangs out with her because Carl’s her father or because he really likes her. After all, Skyler’s petite, pretty, and perky. The total opposite of me.

Never got what GI Joe saw in that blond doll anyway.

“Dating Barbie yet?”

Wyn raises one eyebrow. “Why? Is Skipper jealous?”

“You wish.” I poke the chicken-pock scar in the middle of his forehead. “You’re certainly no Ken.”

He puffs out his chest ever so slightly. Assuming I don’t notice. “Thank goodness. Because I hear he has no banana in his hammock. If you know what I mean.”

I try not to laugh because it’s true. “That’s because
Barbie’s
got them.”

He smirks and flexes his skinny arms. “Ken’s got nothing on this.”

Even though he’s kidding, I know Wyn’s always been a little sensitive about being on the skinny side, so I squeeze his bicep. “You definitely have much better hair. Anyway, you’re changing the subject.” I glance around, all spy-like. “So where is she? Your shadow.”

“If this isn’t an official inquiry on who I really want to be dating, then I plead the fifth. Besides, it would be rude of me to talk about another girl in front of a lady.” He flashes me a bright-toothed smile.

I give him a look. “Oh brother, you’re such a shyster.”

“Are you from the ‘50s? Who says shyster anyway? Kinda dorky.”

“Like
dorky
is any cooler.”

Wyn shoves his hands in his pockets and strolls next to me. “You know, you almost gave me a heart attack the other day.” His strides are longer than mine, so he does a lot of starting and stopping. Reminds me of how my mom drives, first accelerating then braking every few feet. He pushes my shoulder. “You’re lucky I lured Carl out of the office and distracted Bernice for that long.”

I wink at him. “I knew you could handle it. Bernice loves to flirt with you.”

“Ha, ha.” Wyn grabs for me.

Without warning, I clutch onto his wrist and fold his arm behind his back. He didn’t even know what happened. “Gotcha! Magic phrase, please.”

“This game was funny when we were five.”

I pull on his arm a little but not enough to hurt him.

He mumbles. “Amazing Grace.” He jerks on his arm. “Now let go. I have a rep to protect.”

I release my grip and smile. “So you’ve said.”

Wyn steps back a few inches to safety. However, the scent of his cologne lingers in the air, making me think back to all the times I could smell him on my jacket hours after he dropped me off. He rubs his shoulder and gives me a strange look. “Man, you are strong. You sure you’re not a guy trapped in a girl’s body?”

“Are you sure
you’re
not a guy trapped in a girl’s body?” I cover my mouth and smirk.

He puts his palm against my forehead like a church healer and pushes me backwards. “Very funny.” He keeps a straight face, but I can tell he wants to laugh. He waits a few seconds. “Weeeeell? Did you find the file?”

“I did better than that.” I stare at him with a look that says,
Come on, think about it.

His silly grin fades, and he throws his head back and looks at the sun. “Ah man! Come on, G.” He leans in closer and lowers his voice. “Seriously, did you steal it?”

“Does a one-legged duck swim in circles?”

Wyn ignores my joke and smacks his forehead. “You said you were going to look at it, not steal it. Captain’s gonna kill me if he finds out I helped you break into his office. Probably dock my pay too. I need that job.”

I feel bad for a second. Not only does Wyn work for Carl doing odd jobs, but ever since Wyn’s dad left when he was five, Carl’s been a stand-in father to him. I definitely don’t want to jeopardize the only male connection he has ever had. He needs it. “Chill out. I didn’t break in, he
left
me there. There’s a difference.”

“Shoot. Tell that to Judge Huey. If you get caught, you’re on your own.”

I pluck a piece of fuzz off his shirt. “You mean, if
you
get caught.”

The corners of his mouth turn down. “I don’t follow.”

“I got what I needed. Now, I want to see if you can put it back,” I whisper. Adding some drama, I survey the area before sliding the file out of my bag and hold it against his chest.

“Ohhhh, no!” He backs away with his hands up, as if touching it will contaminate it. Then again, knowing Carl, he’s probably already got Wyn’s fingerprints on file, since Skyler is his daughter. “You’re whacked if you think I’m going in there with that. Besides, I already did you a favor.”

 
“
Psst
. You didn’t do me a favor, you
owed
me a favor.”

He leans in and pokes my shoulder with one finger. “Hey! You can’t keep holding that against me. You only changed one grade and that was over a year ago. I’ve paid you back, in more ways than one.” He winks.

I wrinkle my reddening face and lightly smack the back of his head. “Whatever. Anyway, I didn’t just change your grade; I illegally hacked into the school’s computer. So I say, eye for an eye, know what I mean?”

Wyn glares at me for a second before snatching the file out of my hand and stuffing it into his leather messenger bag. “Fine. But we’re even now. I’m puttin’ my foot down. I’m tired of doing all your dirty work.”

“If it makes you feel better, we can call it even.” I shrug and watch an older couple walk by holding hands. “At least, for now.”

“Ha! You’re dreaming. So was the B&E worth anything? What’d you find out?”

“Not much new. Just notes on a partial boot print and an anonymous call about a place called Sidehill. Ever heard of it?”

Wyn thinks for a second. “No, but have you asked Tommy yet? He’s lived here his whole life. He knows every trail out there.”

“I’m heading to work now, so I’ll ask him.”

“What kind of boot was it?”

I shake my head. “Didn’t say. ‘Make unknown.’”

His eyes light up. “You might be able to track that down. There was a case Carl was on last year. You know how they caught the guy? They tracked his tread to some custom boot maker and found the purchase order. I think Mama Sue still owns that boot place on the reservation.”

“She’s still alive? I totally forgot about her.” I glance at Wyn out of the corner of my eye. “You know? You’re not as dumb as you look.”

He can’t help but laugh out loud. “Gee, thanks.”

I hook my arm through his and walk along with him. For a second, it feels like six months ago when he used to escort me to work. Before everything bad happened. “Seriously, the boot lady is a good idea, but there was no picture. Must be on his computer.”

He keeps his eyes straight ahead. “Don’t look at me.”

I study his face as he continues walking. “Wyn? Thanks for helping me. I know Carl would be pissed if he found out.”

“Why? Because I’m aiding a felon? No harm in that.”

“That, and because the case is pretty much closed at this point.” I stare up at the white puffs spotting the perfect blue sky. “Unless I find something concrete he can use.”

Wyn swaggers next to me and pats my hand, still hooked through his arm. “G, you know he’d help you if he could. It’s out of his hands.”

“Geez, you’re hanging out with him so much, you’re starting to sound like him.” We stop in front of my work, and he looks down at me. I notice the familiar freckle under his right eye. I used to love that little sun spot.

I immediately break away, putting some space between us. I don’t want to want Wyn back. I lean back against the wall with one foot up, standing like a plastic flamingo, and try to go on with the conversation as if the thoughts about him aren’t going on inside my head. “Carl could fight to keep the case open.”

“Why do you say that?”

I tell him about the Cheetos bag. “I’m betting it belongs to my dad.”

Wyn mimics my stance, and his eyes grow wide. “Man, I’m getting a little worried about you. Seems like you’re getting obsessed with this whole thing. I mean, you’re hanging your hat on Cheetos.”

I push off with my foot and cross my arms. “Obsessed? That bag could be evidence. It shouldn’t be out that far, and my dad’s missing, and he just happens to love them. Maybe it’s a clue. And if you don’t want to help me, I’ll do it on my own.” I turn away, but Wyn circles around me and blocks my exit.

He cups my face with hands. “Easy, tiger. It’s me, and last time I checked, I
am
helping you. I mean, come on, Grace. You don’t talk to me for three months. Three. And the minute you call, I drop everything to help, so that’s not fair.”

“I know.”

He moves my bangs away from my eyes with his finger. “I’m just worried, that’s all. Doesn’t mean I’m against you. Neither is Captain. But you gotta chill out a little.”

The tension in my body drains. “You’re right, but I’m serious, Wyn … I won’t stop until I figure out what happened out there.” I stare at the distant mountains cloaked in mist. “I need to know.”

“Fair enough. But don’t push me away again. Deal?”

“Deal.” I nod and squeeze his hand. “Hey. I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

He holds my hand longer than the average shake. He smiles at me. “No, you’re not. And don’t you go all soft on me now.”