The Lucky Elephant Restaurant

Tuesday, November 3
Chapter 24

“ARTHUR’S GOING NUTS,” Lane said.

“Something to do with the head injury?” Harper concentrated on keeping them in the ruts on John Laurie Boulevard. The city crews were still catching up after the record-breaking snowstorm. The roads were sanded, snow covered, and slick.

“Maybe. Or he was tired of our old furniture, so he’s really happy to be shopping for new. The insurance company’s budget has got him grinning. Even Matt’s getting into it.” Lane looked up the road. Soon they’d see the sign in front of Bobbie’s church. He thought about last night’s nightmare. Two crucified children.

“And Martha?” Harper asked.

“Still in the hospital. The cancer is spreading.” Lane kept his hands palm up to keep from snagging the stitches.

“I don’t know what to…” Harper said.

“There’s not much you can say.”

They drove in silence for the next few minutes.

Harper said, “The media has been awfully quiet since those footprints matched up. Then Dr. Fibre came through with a match from the trunk of Bobbie’s car. Man, yesterday was full of good news. Chief came out of this smelling like a rose.”

The road curved. Bobbie’s sign came into view.

It stood tall against a white backdrop of snow. It said, The Truth Will Set us Free.

“Some things never change, I guess,” Lane said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Harper asked.

“Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, some people will always believe the lie that was Bobbie Reddie,” Lane said.

Harper let the car coast as they neared a red light. The Chevy crabbed sideways when he pressed the brake pedal. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control.” He guided the vehicle out of its skid. “How’s the hotel?”

“Matt likes the waterslide and Arthur likes the food. It’ll be okay for a while.”

The light turned green. The wheels spun. They crept forward.

“I suppose Arthur’s already got a real estate agent,”

Harper laughed.

“As a matter of fact.”

“You’re kidding?”

“I told you he was going nuts,” Lane said. “I think it helps to keep him and Matt busy.”

Harper turned into the mall parking lot. He manouevred around mountains of plowed snow and dodged stranded cars before parking in front of the vet’s office.

Loraine, Jay, and Cole were getting out of Loraine’s Toyota. Cole looked uncertain, and Jay held his nephew’s hand. They stepped through the door. Inside, they found the vet, Dr. Dent, who couldn’t suppress a smile.

“Dr. Ellen Dent.” Harper smiled.

“Come on in.” They followed Dr. Dent into a waiting room. They crowded around the raised examination table. “I’ll be right back.” The doctor stepped out the back door.

Loraine smiled at Lane.

Jay said, “It’s okay, Cole. It’s gonna be okay.”

“Where is he?” Cole asked.

A dog barked when it heard Cole’s voice.

“Eddie!” Cole said.

The dog skidded around the corner on three legs and a cast. Eddie looked hopefully at five pairs of legs, sniffing each in turn, before stopping in front of Cole. Eddie sat on his back legs to look up at Cole.

The boy leaned over and picked up the dog. Cole buried his face in the dog’s fur, grinning when Eddie licked his face.

Lane looked at Loraine who studied him. She shook her head at Lane’s apparent lack of reaction to Cole’s joy.

Lane thought, Years of hiding will do that to you.

Loraine moved next to Lane. “Some day it’s all going to spill out. The longer it takes…”

“The better it will be?” Lane tried to make a joke and failed. He couldn’t forget the sight of Riley’s charred body in the snow.

Jay said, “Uncle Tran says all of you have to come for lunch.”

On the way to the restaurant, Harper was in the driver’s seat. He said, “Guess Dr. Dent blew a big hole in your theory.”

“What do you mean?” Lane asked.

“Some people do recognize the truth, despite evidence to the contrary.” Harper leaned his head back and laughed.

Lane said nothing.

At The Lucky Elephant Restaurant, they found Uncle Tran, Rosie and Tony waiting for them.

Cole kept Eddie tucked inside his jacket. The dog poked his head out when he caught a whiff of food.

Uncle Tran shook hands with all who sat around his table.

Loraine said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Jay speaks very highly of you.”

“My pleasure, also,” Uncle Tran said.

Tony picked up Cole. The boy put his arm around Tony’s shoulder. “Wanna hang out at the mall after lunch?”

“Sure. Hi Rosie,” Cole said.

Rosie touched his cheek with her palm.

When they sat, Cole insisted on being next to her.

Conversation was slow. It picked up after they ordered.

“Uncle, tell them about how you got to Canada,”

Tony said.

Uncle Tran frowned, then told his tale of leaving Saigon. He finished by saying, “And the elephant I carried onto the aircraft was the same one I carried off.”

“What happened to the elephant?” Cole asked.

“It’s up there.” Uncle Tran pointed to the jadegreen elephant with its trunk curled into a U. “And

Mr. Lane? How are your wounds healing?”

“They get a little bit better every day.”

The food arrived. Lane spotted a white-gold wedding band with tiny-embedded diamonds on the waiter’s finger.

Uncle Tran had been watching Lane. Tran said, “He was married last week.”

The waiter set a bowl of satay beef-noodle soup in front of Lane. Exotic spices made his mouth water. He looked up at the jade elephant and remembered the name of the restaurant. Lane looked at the diamond fragments glittering in the waiter’s ring. He looked at Uncle Tran whose head was cocked to the right to get a better view of Lane. Uncle Tran smiled. All at once, Lane understood why Uncle Tran was not a Canadian citizen and might never become one. Lane also knew how it would be possible for Uncle Tran to educate and house so many people.

Lane smiled at Uncle Tran.

Cole studied Tran and Lane while his fingers lifted a shrimp from his bowl of noodles and guided it to his mouth. Eddie poked his nose out of Cole’s jacket and licked the boy’s chin.

Uncle Tran said to Lane, “I see now why you are good at what you do. We will find out if you are equally adept at keeping a secret.”

Cole said, “The secret of what was inside the elephant? I’m really good at secrets.”

“You might have to wait a while to learn this one.”

Rosie put her hand on the back of Cole’s chair. She looked at Jay and winked.

“No I won’t. It’s obvious. The elephant was full of diamonds!” Cole said.

Everyone at the table looked at Uncle Tran. His face paled.

Rosie stared at Cole.

Cole shrank down into his chair, evading eye contact. Tran noted Cole’s reaction and smiled. “Jay tried to warn us about your intelligence. We should have listened. Cole?”

Cole continued to look away.

“You’ve just taught us all something,” Uncle Tran said.

Cole looked at Uncle Tran. “Aren’t adults supposed to teach kids?” Cole looked shocked at his own words and tone of voice he’d used to say it. He lifted another shrimp from the bowl. Eddie’s head poked out of Cole’s jacket. The dog snagged the shrimp from Cole’s fingers.

Lane watched Cole, Jay, Uncle Tran, Harper, Tony, Loraine and Rosie. Their laughter spilled out. It was a crashing waterfall of emotions collected over weeks.

Rosie put her palms on the table to brace herself so she wouldn’t fall over. Tears rolled down Jay’s cheeks. Eddie barked. It took Lane a moment to realize he was laughing with them.