Almost Midnight by C. C. Hunter
His chest felt heavy from the thought. She did that thing again with her hair, pulling it up and letting it fall on her shoulders. He studied her profile, a small nose, full lips that looked soft and always shiny. Large brown eyes, slightly slanted, with thick dark lashes.
He tucked his hands into his jeans pockets and tried to push the tug on his emotions away. While Chase really liked girls, he hated thinking of himself as one of those guys who got all sappy-eyed and started tossing around the L word. But for the life of him, it felt as if it was where he was heading. And he wasn’t sure he could stop it.
He glanced back at Tami, who was still smiling. Still the most beautiful thing he’d ever laid eyes on.
He wasn’t sure he wanted to stop it.
NOVEMBER 1, 8 A.M.
BREAKING NEWS: UPDATE
An emergency crew has decided to brave the weather and embark on a rescue mission, hoping to find survivors of the wreckage of the Cessna 210 carrying Dr. Tallman and four other passengers.
Despite the deteriorating weather conditions, the emergency rescue crew is gathering supplies and is expected to depart on the rescue mission in the next few hours. Dr. Tallman’s plane fell off radar twenty minutes after leaving Jasper Regional Airport yesterday at 4 p.m. “There are five people out there who could be alive,” says Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteer Tom Phillips. “Three are just teenagers. If they are alive, I’m sure they are desperate for help. If they are not, we need to bring closure to the families. It only seems right that we try to get to them as soon as possible.”
Sheriff Ted Carter released this in his latest statement: “While two SAR helicopters have flown over the wreckage this morning, visibility is still low, and unfortunately no signs of life have been reported.” Tom Phillips also told the media, “While under normal weather conditions the hike up the Jasper range could take up to three hours, with these weather conditions it could take twice as long.”
Family and friends of the Tallmans flew in last night after being notified that the plane went missing. “I want to know my daughter is still alive. I have to believe she is,” says Cary Collins, father of fifteen-year-old Tami Collins. The Faith Tabernacle church in Jasper has opened its doors to the family and is holding an open service for any of the townspeople who would like to stop in and pray for the Tallman family and Tami Collins’s safe return.
Chapter Two
OCTOBER 31, 11 A.M.
Chase’s parents dropped them off at the corner of First Street and Walnut Avenue with instructions to meet them back at the same corner in four hours. The first thing Mindy wanted to do was go to the square where the biggest crowd hung out to listen to the band play.
Chase’s stomach had other plans, and he would’ve loved to have snagged a hot dog from one of the concession stands. They’d passed at least three and the smell had called his name. All the blood they’d drawn for the study was probably increasing his appetite, he thought, but he didn’t argue with Mindy.
Didn’t argue even when he knew it wasn’t the music that Mindy wanted.
She wanted to find Eric. The thought hit then that his parents had expected him to watch out for his sister. And damn it, he knew his parents would say that meant keeping her away from sixteen-year-olds who leered at her. Then again, weren’t his parents being a tad ridiculous about the whole no-dating-until-sixteen rule? Hell, most of the girls in his class were already dating.
They walked the town square—snaking through the crowds, separating groups of friends—Mindy in the front and leading at a breakneck pace. She accidentally bumped into a guy wearing a black robe with a knife sticking out of his chest. And his sister, so intent in her search for a certain blond dude, didn’t even notice. There must have been a costume contest happening because a good third of the attendees were dressed like creatures of the dark.
Chase offered an apologetic shrug when Mindy stormed through a group of friends, some sporting pale skin and fake fangs, others wearing werewolf masks.
You didn’t want to piss off a park full of werewolves or vampires. Once or twice, he glanced at Tami at his side and she just shrugged as if she’d realized how crazed his sister was as well.
They’d made three or four treks—he’d lost count—around the square, without one glimpse of the boob-gawking Eric.
After the third time walking through the same group of creatures, who were looking pissed at his sister’s lack of manners, Chase finally took her by the arm and tried to get her to see reason. “Mindy. He’s not here. Let’s go grab something to eat.”
She frowned, obviously unhappy, and looked about ready to toss some ugly insult his way. But he kind of understood that she wasn’t as upset at him as she was disappointed at being stood up by the guy she had a major crush on. He remembered hearing the jerk tell Mindy several times that he’d be at the festival and for her to please show up and find him.
“We can come back later and see if he’s here,” Chase offered, noting the hurt in her eyes. Hurt that he recognized as rejection. Sort of how he’d felt when Susie Muller had told him he didn’t know how to kiss.
“I’m kind of hungry, too,” Tami said, moving in beside him, chasing all thoughts of Susie from his mind.
The warmth of Tami’s shoulder against his had him wondering if the brush was accidental or if maybe … just maybe, she liked touching him as much as he liked her touching him.
“Fine,” his sister said, but the pain in her expression and her rejected posture had him forgetting about Tami for a second and disliking Eric even more.
If the guy stood his sister up, he’d better not show his ugly face back at the cabin before they left tomorrow, because Chase would tell him what he thought. Then he might get Baxter after his butt.
* * *
They all ordered hot dogs—two for him and one for each of the girls—with extra mustard and one order of nachos. Since his dad had slipped Chase three twenties before getting out of the car, he picked up the bill. He kind of liked paying for Tami. It made it almost feel like a date. Of course, if it were a date, she might be holding his hand and he might be trying to figure out how to sneak a kiss. But not wanting to be disappointed, he tried not to think about it too much.
They sat at an empty picnic table set out for the festival. Tami, who’d borrowed Mindy’s phone because hers had lost juice, was trying to call her parents, but for some reason couldn’t get the call to go through. He studied her under his lashes, noticing little things. Like the shape of her lips or the way she messed with her hair.
“We must have a bad connection here,” she said and set the phone down.
She had chosen to sit beside him and not beside Mindy. Was he over-reading her every move? Or was it possible she had a thing for him, too?
A group of vampires, several of the ones they’d charged past in their search for Eric, sat at the picnic table next to them.
Mindy, as if seeing them for the first time, stared and then shuddered. She leaned down and spoke in a whisper. “They’re freaky, don’t you think?”
Chase looked at the group of teens. They must have lost their werewolf friends, because these were all dressed in black, probably doused with some kind of white powder to make them appear extra pale, and wore fake fangs. One of the guys had a few drops of fake blood running down his chin and one girl had what looked like bite marks on her neck.
“There has to be some costume contest going on,” Chase said. Not that these guys were going to win, Chase thought. “Did you see that zombie with the skin hanging off his face? He almost looked real.”
“They’re still freaky,” Mindy said, and cut her eyes back to the table of vampires.
“You’ve been reading too many novels,” Chase said and took his first bite of hot dog. The spicy mustard filled his taste buds and reminded him how hungry he really was. But even starved, he stopped himself from poking the whole thing in his mouth, the way he might have done if he was just with his guy friends. The last thing he wanted to do was look lik
“No,” Mindy said, and scooped up a chip dripping with cheese and sliced jalapeños. “It’s not the books. I’ve been reading too many of Dad’s reports.”
Chase picked up his soda. “Reports?”
“His medical reports,” she said. “I went by his work a couple of weeks ago and he was with a patient so I went and waited for him in his office.” She leaned in and spoke quietly. “There was a file open on his desk and it was about some virus that made people crave blood. Human blood.”
Tami almost choked on a nacho. “So you’re saying that vampires actually exist?”
“No, I didn’t say that,” Mindy said. “I’m saying a virus exists that makes people crazy and they want to drink blood. You can call it anything you want.”
Chase chuckled. “I think you just read it wrong.”
“I didn’t,” Mindy said. “I mean, maybe it was about one of his patients in the loony house, but…”
“Dad’s a nephrologist, meaning a kidney doctor, not a shrink. His patients aren’t in the loony house.”
Mindy took a big sip of her drink and rolled her eyes at Chase’s disbelief. “Hey … I’m just telling you what I read.”
“To be fair,” Tami said, “crazy people could have bad kidneys. I don’t think kidney disease is prejudiced against the mentally unstable.”
Chase chuckled, and studied the girl’s sassy smile. That’s part of what he liked about Tami, she said some of the most unexpected things. “I guess they could,” he admitted.
Tami picked up a chip and Chase realized how great it was just being here. With her. Watching her eat. He bet he could watch her clip her toenails and be happy.
“You know,” Tami said. “I heard once that there are bars that actually cater to people who want to drink blood. Yuk! What kind of person would drink blood?”
“The kind that’s really thirsty,” a dark voice said at the end of the table.
They all turned to the voice. Eric stood there, tall, but not as tall as Chase. And blond.
His sister stared up at him with some kind of love-struck grin. “Anyone ever tell you that you look like Josh Holloway?” his sister asked.
“Yeah, all the time.” Eric grinned. “I’m lost. You wanna find me?”
What? That was so lame! But Mindy smiled. Chase sneaked a peek at Tami. And while she did seem to be admiring the guy, she didn’t look nearly as taken as his sister. Perhaps she preferred dark-haired guys over blonds. He could hope.
“So you made it,” Eric said, his gaze locked on Mindy.
“I told you I would,” his sister said, a goofy smile still plastered on her face. Holy crap, he hoped he didn’t smile at Tami that way.
Eric looked over at the other table and called out a greeting to a couple of the vampires eating pizza. Then he looked back at their table and finally acknowledged Chase and Tami. Chase nodded a hello. Picking up his hot dog, he tried to push away his aversion for the guy. Like it or not, it appeared as if they would be spending the rest of the afternoon with him. But when he looked back and found Eric staring at his sister as if he’d found a present and was ready to unwrap it, Chase wasn’t sure he could push his dislike—or his distrust—of the guy aside.
That was okay, he’d just have to pretend. But one thing was for sure, he wasn’t going to let Eric get his sister alone. Something about this guy just smelled like trouble.
Chase didn’t like trouble.
NOVEMBER 1, 10 A.M.
NEWS FLASH
Emergency crews head out hoping to find survivors
Three Search and Rescue (SAR) teams, as well as volunteers with the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) trained in emergency care, started their trek up Mount Jacobs hoping to arrive at the wrecked Cessna 210 carrying Dr. Tallman’s family and family friend, Tami Collins. According to Jake Steins, who has led several similar rescue missions in this area, it is still questionable if they can get to the wreckage in the current weather conditions. If all goes well, they expect to arrive at the crash site in six to eight hours.
While no signs of life have been seen by helicopters that have flown over the site, there is evidence of a recent fire. It is unknown if the fire came as a result of the crash or if survivors built a fire to ward off the cold or signal for help. The community, family, and friends are holding out hope that the passengers are simply huddling in the wreckage to escape the storm and the freezing temperatures.
“Sometimes all you can hang onto is your faith,” said a friend of the Tallman family.
Chapter Three
OCTOBER 31, 1 P.M.
“Sit down and join us,” Mindy said and scooted over, patting the bench seat next to her.
Eric didn’t hesitate to take the invitation, only the jerk took the invitation a little too far. Hell, Chase didn’t think you could get a piece of sock lint between the dude and his sister.
Chase shot the guy a frown, hoping he’d get the message, but he obviously didn’t understand because he proceeded to put his arm around Mindy, letting his hand dangle down her shoulder practically touching her right breast.
Thankfully, even Mindy seemed to not like it, because she leaned forward to snag another nacho, displacing his hand from her shoulder.
Not wanting to call the guy out just yet, but damn close, Chase focused on eating his hot dog. But not happy, he forgot his manners and shoved the rest of the bun and meat into his mouth.
“You want something to eat?” Mindy asked Eric, pulling the nachos toward him.
“Yeah, I’m starved,” the guy said. But he didn’t partake in the nachos. Instead, he looked across the table. “You gonna eat that hot dog?” he asked Chase.
With his mouth full, he didn’t answer before Mindy said, “Oh, he’s done. He already had one.” Before he knew what she planned to do, she popped up and stole Chase’s second hot dog and dropped it in front of Eric.
Chase chewed the bun and meat in his mouth with a little more gusto and stared at his sister.
She glared back.
Eric never seemed to notice the glaring match.
Before Chase could swallow and claim dibs on his lunch, the creep picked up the hot dog and practically pushed the whole damn thing in his mouth.
The guy’s cheeks puffed out. Oh yeah, Chase thought, realizing why big bites looked disgusting. The gawker/hot dog stealer now had a little mustard oozing from his lips, and with his cheeks stretched out like a chipmunk, he probably couldn’t even feel it.
“Are you ready to go have our palms read?” Tami asked, as if sensing the tension.
“Palms read?” Eric said, his mouth still full as he made a face. “That’s stupid.”
Chase leaned forward. “Then I guess we’ll see you later. Come on, Mindy,” he said, and when he heard his tone, he realized he sounded a bit like his dad. Deep and serious.
Tami stood up as if she completely understood and agreed with Chase’s plan. Then she picked up Mindy’s phone and dropped it in her pocket. “You ready?” she asked Mindy.
Mindy, however, didn’t answer Tami. She’d gone back to her favorite pastime of glaring at Chase.
“Hey, I think it’s stupid,” Eric said, still talking around Chase’s hot dog, “but I’ll go along for the laughs.”
“Good.” Mindy cut another cold look at Chase as if warning him not to come between her and the boy she obviously thought was going to be her Prince Charming. Not that there was one thing charming about the guy.
Chase almost spoke up right then and told the guy to take a hike or go hang out with his vampire buds, but another glance at Mindy’s tight-lipped, squinty-eyed glare and he knew she would raise all kinds of hell. He didn’t want Tami to get mixed up in their sibling rivalry. So he shut his mouth, snagged his soda cup, and stood up.
The hot dog thief could come, but Chase wasn’t going to take his eyes off him. Stealing a hot dog was one thing, but if he tried anything with Mindy, he’d have more than Chase’s eyes on him.
<
Unfortunately, it hadn’t worked out for them.
Chase summed up Eric. Probably sixteen, he had a wide set of shoulders on him and probably a tad more muscle. Chase didn’t care if the guy was older, or if he was built like a brick house. If he stepped out of line one more time, he’d put him in his place.
* * *
“I’m kind of scared,” Tami said later while standing beside the palm reader. “You go first.” She shot Chase a sweet but vulnerable smile. He was hit again by how pretty she was. Her father was American but her mom was Hawaiian, and she had the perfect blend. Her skin tone was just a tad olive and her hair was a couple shades lighter than black, and her eyes dark brown. He couldn’t actually say she was his type. He didn’t know if he actually had a type. But Susie Muller had also been brunette with dark eyes, not that Susie held a candle to Tami.
“Do you mind going first?” Tami asked, making Chase realize he’d just been standing there staring at her like an idiot. Probably even had that goofy smile on his face, too.
“No, that’s fine.”
The palm reader sat at a table with a black tablecloth, her hands folded on top. A sign on the table read: CAUTION: I WILL TELL THE TRUTH, NO MATTER HOW GOOD OR BAD.
She had jet-black hair, coal-black eyes, and she was dressed in bright orange. She reminded Chase of a gypsy. And maybe she was.
“Just two of you?” the woman asked.
“Yes,” Chase answered. Because Eric thought it was stupid, Mindy had decided against getting her palm read. He could tell Tami wanted company getting hers read, and if it made her happy … He didn’t really mind. He didn’t believe in it, but for Tami he’d do it.
Chase pulled out a twenty to pay for their reading.
“I can pay for mine,” Tami said. “My dad gave me money. And your dad hasn’t let me pay for anything.”