Double Jeopardy

7

9:00 P.M.

TRAVIS FOUND STACI AT the lighted, outdoor basketball court behind John Neely Bryan Junior High School playing a little two-on-one. A pair of black teenage boys were the two; she was the one.

“Travis!” As soon as she saw him, she tossed the ball to one of her friends, who was at least a foot taller than she was. She ran to meet Travis at his car. “I thought you weren’t coming!”

“I was delayed. Sorry. Big new trial.”

“Another trial? You just finished one.”

“I know. Popular, aren’t I?”

“You never spend any time with me anymore.”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“You know what I mean.” She sat down on the curb, her fists under her chin.

Travis sat beside her. “What’s wrong, Staci? Trouble at home?”

“Oh, just the usual. Nobody likes me.”

“That’s not true, Staci. Your aunt Marnie is crazy about you.”

“Aunt Marnie was crazy about my mother. She puts up with me ’cause she thinks she has to.”

“That isn’t—” He stopped short. No point in offering superficial denials. Staci knew the score. “Look, how’s school going?”

“Oh, same old same old.”

“Yo, Staci!” It was one of her two friends on the basketball court. “Let’s go!”

“You guys play without me for a while,” Staci shouted back. “I’m okay.” She smiled. “They’re worried ’cause you’re some big old white guy they don’t know. You must look like a suspicious character. Maybe they sense that you used to be a cop. Doc and Jameel aren’t too keen on cops.”

“Any reason in particular?”

“Well … they’ve been arrested twice for breaking and entering.”

“That’ll do it.” He watched Doc effortlessly toss the basketball into the hoop from half-court. “Well, I’m glad you’ve made some friends.”

“Yeah, Doc and Jameel are okay. They just like me ’cause I’m good on the court. But that’s okay. They’re way cool.”

“Kind of late for basketball, isn’t it?”

Staci shrugged. “Gotta stay in practice.”

“When I stopped by the house, your aunt was pretty grumpy. Thought you should be at home.”

“What else is new?”

“How are your grades?”

“Oh …” Staci picked up a rock and threw it across the street. “ ’Bout the same. A’s and B’s in art and gym. My grades in English suck.”

“Like how bad?”

“C-plus, C-minus.”

“That’s not so bad,” Travis said. Especially for a girl diagnosed with ADD—Attention Deficit Disorder. It caused Staci to have problems with concentration; she was also prone to procrastination and forgetfulness, and she was easily distracted. The doctors weren’t sure if the disorder was caused by a malfunction within the inner ear—the most common cause of ADD—or if it was simply an emotional problem stemming from the traumatic loss of her mother.

“You should hear what Aunt Marnie says about me. How stupid I am, how lazy I am. She thinks I’m pond scum.” Staci clasped his hand. “Let’s go camping, Travis. Like that time last spring at Robbers’ Cave.”

“You’re not listening. I can’t go to Robbers’ Cave. I’ve got a new trial. It’s going to last at least a week. Maybe longer.”

She kicked a tin can. “Figures.”

“As soon as this trial is over, we’ll do something together. I promise.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Aw, cheer up. Wanna see a magic trick?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Look, there’s something in your ear.”

“Oh, Travis, please.” He reached behind her ear. “I’ve seen this trick a million—” She looked down at his opened palm. “It’s a charm! For my Disney bracelet!”

She reached out, but just before she got the charm, Travis closed his fists, whirled them around a few times, then extended his opened palms. “Look! It disappeared!”

“Puh-leese, Travis. It didn’t disappear. It’s up your sleeve.” She grabbed his arm, shook it, and caught a tiny gold Goofy.

“That trick fooled everyone back when I was in the third grade.”

“That’s the problem, Travis. You haven’t learned any new tricks since you were in the third grade.”

“Oh yeah? How about this one?” He took two large blue marbles from his coat pocket and extended his hands, knuckles up. He swirled his hands around in a confusing blur. “Okay, which hand are the marbles in?”

“Really, Travis, who cares?” She snapped the Goofy figurine onto her bracelet. “My mom gave me this bracelet,” she said quietly.

“I know.”

“Aunt Marnie hid my picture of her. She said it was making me all sad and moody. Maybe she was right.” She wrapped the bracelet around her wrist. “You’re gonna laugh, Travis, but sometimes, late at night, I imagine Mom’s talking to me. Not just a word or two. Whole big long conversations.” She looked down at her sneakers. “She says a lot of nice stuff. In my head, I mean. Acts like she really likes me or something.”

Travis smiled. “She does, sweetheart.”

“Yeah, right.” Staci hesitated, as if there was something she wanted to say but couldn’t. “Travis, this is real stupid. I know it’s been four years, but … I still miss her.”

Travis opened his arms and Staci crawled inside. He felt a cold saltwater sprinkle on his neck. “That’s not stupid, honey,” he said, hugging her tightly. “I still miss her, too.”