Page 12 of Ghost Falls
“Because we have no money,” Heidi shot back on a loud whisper.
Cope shook his head. “We’ve only seen the accident. I’m a psychic, not a physicist. I have no idea how to change the trajectory the barrel will take. All I can tell you is that the barrel is going to get trapped under the falls and by the time the rescue boat gets him out, it will be too late.”
Heidi looked back and forth between Cope and Tennyson with a speculative look on her face. It was obvious she didn’t fully believe what Cope had told her.
“Everly?” Ten called to his daughter. He motioned her over to join them.
“Hi, Mrs. Cannonball.” Everly held her hand out to the woman, who was quick to shake her hand.
“I was the one who saw Cannonball’s accident,” Everly said gently.
Heidi looked as if she were ready to object, but stopped when Everly set a hand on her shoulder. “I also know that CJ’s missing a math test and show and tell today. I know you think my Dad and Uncle are crazy for talking to you about this, but all we want to do is help. To save Cannonball so that CJ doesn’t have to grow up without him.”
“What else do you know?” Heidi asked, not sounding as skeptical as she had moments earlier.
“That your husband recorded a video for you on his phone. He sent it to Roger who wills end it to you after the accident. The last thing he says in the video is, ‘I love you more than spicy Kung Pao chicken-”
“And that’s saying something,” Heidi recited along with Everly. Her eyes had gone misty. “There’s no way you could possibly know about our little joke.”
“I know it’s hard to believe because I’m only six years old, but I’m telling you the truth. All we want to do is save Cannonball.” Everly looked behind her to where CJ and Wolf were laughing at something. “The only problem is that we don’t know how.”
Heidi sighed, sounding as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders. “I’ve done everything I can to talk him out of this. I’ve brought up CJ growing up without him and how hard losing him would be on both of us, but he’s determined to do the one thing his father couldn’t. It’s as if he needs to be better than Rooster at something. Anything.”
Cope knew this was true. “My father was a businessman. The absolute last thing I wanted to do was follow in his footsteps. I wanted my life to be my own and not spent trying to attain something that was unattainable. I hate to say this, but with Rooster dead, there’s no way for Cannonball to prove anything to him. All he’ll have is that empty feeling because his father won’t be there to pat him on the back and say, ‘attaboy.’”
“Life would have been so much simpler if Rooster had been a better father. The only way Cannonball could ever get the man’s attention was by acting out. Rooster’s been dead for twenty years and my husband is still doing the same thing.” Heidi’s eyes litup. “Wait, can you talk to Rooster? Is he here?” Heidi’s eyes landed on Everly, who sadly shook her head.
“I haven’t been able to find him. What about you, Daddy?” Everly asked.
“Neither of us have been able to find him either. We’ll keep reaching out. Do you think Cannonball would listen to us or even believe what we’re saying?” Cope asked, already knowing the answer.
“To be honest, I didn’t believe in your gift until Everly told the story about the video where Cannonball used our private joke. I’m sure he’ll be harder to convince than I was.”
Cope understood what Heidi was saying. Some people trust what he was saying instantly. For others, it took more time. There were some people who, no matter the evidence Cope presented, would never believe. He had a feeling Cannonball fell in the last category.
Unfortunately for Cannonball and his family, believing in what Cope was saying was a literal matter of life and death.
6
Jude
The buffet smelled absolutely heavenly. Jude clutched his plate like his life depended on it. He’d wanted to grab two, but Cope had cautioned him about slowing down. The last thing Cope wanted was to spend the night taking care of a sick Jude instead of getting his rest. If they were at home, Jude would have pressed his luck, but being that Cope was here to work, he’d do his absolute best to control himself.
Jude assumed they were only going to spend twenty minutes or so at the press conference, but they’d stayed through the whole thing. It reminded Jude a bit of boxing matches where the fighters got weighed in and made a lot of predictions about how they were going to smoke the competition. Unfortunately for Cannonball, his only competition was his dead father.
While they’d walked from the elevator to the ballroom hosting the buffet, Cope had filled Jude in on his and Ten’s conversation with Heidi Jackson. After listening to everything that was said,Jude didn’t hold out a lot of hope that the daredevil would listen to Ten, Cope, or Everly.
“How many lobster tails are you grabbing?” Ronan asked from behind Jude.
“Just one,” Jude said, sounding like he’d lost his best friend.
“What? Are you sick or something? Usually you can knock back five or six of them.” Ronan wore a dubious look. “Oh, wait, you’re shitting me, right? The joke’s on me.”
Jude shook his head. “Not shitting you and there is no joke. Cope asked me to take it easy so I didn’t keep him or the kids up all night getting sick. I know how much this convention means to him and I’ll do whatever it takes for Cope to be successful, even if it mean leaving the lobster tails to you.” Using the tongs, Jude placed the biggest one he could find on his plate
Ronan looked taken aback but Jude’s words. “That’s a good point. It’s different when we’re at home and I can go lay down on the couch if I’m not feeling well. Here, the four of us are in the same room.” Ronan took only one piece of lobster as well.
Moving on to the roast beef, Jude took a piece much smaller than was his usual. “What did you think of the press conference?”
