Counting on Starlight (16 page)

“Okay.” Kristen and the other girl, Shaina, headed for the other bus, where band members milled outside the door.

Liann looked at the rest of the troupe. “Ladies, go ahead and board. I’m going to see where Maddie is. We’re leaving in five minutes.”

She hopped back onto the curb and trotted into the gym. A pair of band students,  one tall, one short, wheeled a kettle drum toward the exit. “Hey, do you two know Maddie Tucker?”             

“Yup, we know her.” The short kid had freckles competing with acne on his face.

“Have you seen her?” Liann asked.

“Yeah, she already went out to the buses,” the tall kid said. “‘She was in a big hurry, afraid we’d left already.”

“Great.” Liann hurried back outside.  They had a sixty-minute trip to Waco, then a quick supper break before going right into warm-ups, before hitting the stands in time to see the kick-off.

“You ready?” Jessica asked as Liann stepped onto the bus.

“Yup. Ready to go.” She didn’t like them splitting up on separate buses, but it couldn’t be helped. Sometimes, it happened. She found an empty seat and settled down with her MP3 player to tune out the roar and chatter of the kids.

Tonight, she wanted to see Jake. Last night she’d told him about what she’d seen on Facebook, which he verified and read more while she was on the phone with him. She was relieved that Mr. and Mrs. Tucker were arriving on Sunday. Relieved, and wondering what they’d think of her. But getting to the bottom of what was happening to Maddie—that mattered the most.

They headed north out of Starlight for Waco, down a two-lane highway flanked by ranch land. She watched the fields roll by, the cedar-covered buttes rising up from the pasture land. She tried to picture California. One of the first things she’d do after returning would be drive to the Pacific, wiggle her toes in the sand, and wade in the surf. The nearest beach from here—as in a real Gulf Coast beach—lay about four hours southeast.

She dozed, dreaming of sand and surf and calling out cheers. She woke to feel the bus jolting to a stop. The stuffy air felt thick as oatmeal. She stood and opened the window above her head.

“Yea! We’re here, we made it!” A few of the kids cheered. Liann wanted to add her own to the mix. She thought of Jake, riding along with the coaching staff and the team in their air-conditioned travel buses. The inequality of the band and color guard riding in regular school buses while the glory of the high school rode in comfort wasn't lost on Liann. She wouldn’t miss that bit of Texas culture on returning to California.

Liann climbed down with the rest of the band and stretched her tight muscles. Another thing she wouldn’t miss about Texas was the road trips between schools. She waited to see her girls on her bus as they exited one by one.

“Let’s get the equipment together and gather to the side.” She drew back, motioning to the girls. Here came Kristen and Shaina from the other bus. No Maddie.

“Where’s Maddie?” She glanced from Kristen to Shaina. “Did she get on the bus?”

“I—I didn’t see her.” Kristen hugged the flags she carried. “I’m sure she got on one of the buses.”

“We only had two buses for the band and guard.” Liann’s heart started a jackhammer beat. “Captain and co-captain, get everyone organized, and I’ll be right back.” She ran to the second bus, emptying its last few students.

One of the drum majors stood by the door as Liann pounded up the steps and onto the bus. “Is anyone left in here?” Silly question. No dark shapes had moved in the windows. She stood and looked to the rear of the bus. Empty.

Liann flew off that bus then back to the one she rode on. She hadn’t seen Maddie there, either. Her hands shook as she reached for her cell phone and dialed. “Jake, pick up, please.” He had a million things to do right now, but he needed to know Maddie was missing.

“Liann, I can’t talk right now. I’m sorry.”

“I know. But Maddie—she’s missing.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m by the band buses. She never got on either bus. Someone told me she did, and our group got split up. It’s happened before, kids getting on a different bus, so I didn’t think it was a big deal, and—”

“I’ll meet you right there.”

#                            

Jake checked in with Blann. “Coach—I need to take care of a situation. It’s my sister. I’ll be right back, in time for our procession.”

“Do what you’ve got to do, Tucker. We don’t need any more situations today. We’ve had enough with Tim's monkey business in turning town TSU.” Blann’s tone was crusty, but Jake heard the warmth underneath.

He started walking toward the band buses then broke into a run. This couldn’t be a coincidence. He found Liann, fighting back tears and talking to the band director.

“Section leaders,” she called to the students. “Listen up. We need to find Maddie Tucker. She was on one of the buses, and somehow she’s not with the group.”

“We saw her leaving the gym” said two of the percussion players.

“We believe you,” the band director said. “But we need to find out if anyone remembers seeing Maddie on either one of the buses.”

Jake stepped up to them. “How did this happen?”

“We don’t know, Jake.” Liann’s voice shook. “We were loading the buses, and someone told me she was in the rest room. So I loaded up the others and went back to check for her.”

He glanced at the band director then took Liann by the arm. “C’mon, I need to tell you something.”

When they turned away from the group, her tears flowed, and each one cut him like a knife. “Jake. I never thought this would happen. Where could she be?”

“I have a suspicion.” He pulled her around behind the last bus, blocking the view of the band group. “Tim Rollins left campus today. We talked to his parents, and they assumed he was still at school. I think he and Maddie made some kind of plans.”

“I should have looked harder for her. I probably just missed her. Why would she do that? Why does she fight against those who love her and want to help her?” Liann gave a little sob.

Jake pulled her close, and she leaned on him. “Shhh... You did the right thing. And you trusted Maddie, so you didn’t know she wouldn’t be where she was supposed to be. We all trusted her.” He sighed and closed his eyes. “I need to call the police.”

Liann stood up straight. “Or maybe I should. I’m not sure what the school's protocol is, but the sooner we get people looking for her—or them—the better.”

“I need to let Coach Blann know, too. He’s the school’s athletic program director, so technically he’s acting administration this evening.”

He’d failed. The realization nearly knocked him over as Liann dialed the Starlight Police Department and reported Maddie as missing. “I have her brother right here with me, ma’am,” she was saying to the dispatcher. “Okay, here he is.”

Jake gave the information the dispatcher requested. “Except I don’t know what she was wearing. I don’t remember. She probably has a blue backpack with her.” He also gave Tim’s information. When he ended the call, Liann was wiping away fresh tears.

“I know she and Tim were together, but why this drastic move? He’s got a wonderful future ahead of him at TSU, and it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s where Maddie decides to apply after this school year.” Liann shook her head.

“Because of Cassandra Waters.”

“What does she have to do with it?”

Jake frowned and looked across at the parking lot. “Everything. Because everything’s changed. Rumor has it that Cassandra is pregnant.”

Chapter 14

“Oh no.” Liann’s mind replayed the memories of Homecoming, of seeing Cassandra, then Tim and Maddie’s argument, then Cassandra’s venomous look at Maddie.

“I need to call my parents. They were planning to start driving to Texas first thing in the morning. But I can book them plane tickets instead.” Jake moved one arm from around her then reached in his pocket.

“I want to go look for her.” She didn’t want to leave the circle of his arm. “I can go with you.”

Jake shook his head. “You stay here. The rest of your girls need you. Maddie’s my family, and I can go.”

“I understand. But please, please call me if you hear anything.”

“I will.” He kissed her on the forehead before he left.

Liann regained her composure then stepped out from behind the bus. The girls from the guard clustered around the equipment. She took a deep breath as she approached.

“Okay, ladies. Maddie’s not here, but we’ll keep going. You’re going to do a great job tonight.” She saw the questioning glances. “Do any of you know if Maddie had plans to meet anyone after school, or right before last period? It’s important, because she should have been on the bus today.”

Most of them murmured, “No,” or “She didn’t say anything to me.”

Kristen frowned, her dark straight hair falling around her face.

“Kristen... Did she say anything to you?”

“Not...not really. I knew she wasn’t happy. She really likes Tim, but Cassandra Waters and her fellow harpies were being terrible to her because of him. Sorry, but Tim and her were over right after school got out last year.” Kristin brushed her hair away from her face.

“I know most of that, but thanks for telling me.” Liann stepped closer. “Hey, people are looking for her right now, and I’m sure they’ll find her. We’re going to go out there tonight, and we’re going to do a beautiful job..”

By the time they took their seats on the bleachers, the girls talked and chatted almost like they normally did, with a few glances toward Liann.

Ms. Rivers,” a young woman’s voice called. Liann searched for the voice’s owner and saw one of the football trainers waving at her. “Coach Blann wants to see you.”

If they’d found Maddie or Tim already, Jake would have called. But for the head coach and school athletics director to be asking for her? She’d only been to the principal’s office once when she was in school. That same feeling had burned itself into her memory and resurfaced now. She kept her knees from shaking as she stepped carefully along the bleachers and met the trainer at the aisle.

“Okay, let’s go.” She followed the young woman wearing the screaming yellow shirt and black pants, with her hair tied back in a ponytail..

The electric atmosphere of Friday night football tingled and popped in the stadium, but Liann’s nerves were numb.
Lord, protect Maddie. Give her family comfort and peace. Help someone find her. And while You’re at it, I have the feeling that something’s looming ahead for me.

The trainer led her to the door to the visitor locker room. “Wait here, Ms. Rivers.”

Seconds later, Coach Blann emerged. Gray hair, a military haircut, wire-rimmed glasses and a shrewd gaze. His athletic physique preserved, but for a bit of a potbelly. He carried something pinched between his fingers. A toothpick?

“Ms. Rivers, we’ve got a serious situation here with one of your students tonight.”

“Yes, Coach. As soon as I knew Maddie Tucker was missing, I let Jake know. He said he would tell you before he left, and we called the police together.”

“I should’ve made the phone call, if we should have made a phone call at all.” His words felt like a slap. “I’m the highest-ranking administrator here at this school function, and I should have been in the loop at the very beginning.”

“Sir, I wasn’t entirely sure of protocol, and Jake was worried about his sister. We weren’t trying to go behind your back. We did think it was important for someone to be searching for her as soon as possible.”

“Now because of one of
your
students, I have an outstanding player who’s throwing away his future by his actions.”

Liann’s face grew hot and she tried not to grit her teeth. “Coach. I think his actions a few months ago helped form his future. Also, since you’re the senior administrator, Maddie Tucker is your student too. In fact, if she hadn’t joined color guard this year, you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation.” Her boldness made her stand up straighter.

“I’m sure this is all a simple misunderstanding, and Maddie will turn up—at home, probably. Calling the police is jumping the gun. We need to call everyone before calling the police.” He lifted up a toothpick and chewed the end of it.

Unbelievable. “I care about my students, sir. When they’re not where they’re supposed to be and their family doesn’t know where they are, I’m concerned. It was Coach Tucker's decision to search for his sister. Not mine.” Even with her knees locked, they still threatened to shake.

“Coach, we’re ready!” someone shouted from inside the locker room.

“You’re right, it was Tucker’s decision. This isn’t the end of the matter, you can be sure. Keep me posted on if you find her.” He chomped on his toothpick for emphasis before turning his back on her and heading into the locker room.

Liann was shaking as she returned to the bleachers. She had the lowliest of positions. She still wasn’t sure what violation she’d committed, if any. She couldn’t call Jake about this, not when Maddie was still missing. His sister was his most important priority.

#