Free The Final Shortcut by G. Bernard Ray Page B

know who they are.”
    Clyde put his hands on his hips and looked hard at him, “I can’t prove anything without dragging both of you through the mud. Besides I turned my back on your business for years.” They both made their way out the door stopping and sitting on the patrol car to get some fresh air.
    “I got some money stashed, I’m gonna just haul ass one day…I swear!” Junior came out a few minutes later; he took one look at him and held out his hand for the keys. Marty smiled, “You’re a good boy, thoughtful and kind. Don’t ever get married though, unless you find an angel, or a sainted virgin, or a….” He lost his train of thought, rambling from the effects of a couple too many beers.
    “Don’t worry Dad. I won’t.” Junior helped his beleaguered father in the truck and trotted around to the drivers’ side. Marty was nearly napping as they drove home, Junior couldn’t help but think about what his father said. He wouldn’t marry any girl except Celeste, and he knew she would come around sooner or later. It would only take a little while for him to impress her, and to show her what a real loser Wesley was. The warm night air blew through the windows as they drove. It was mid-April and the seasons were changing fast. A time when all God’s creature’s thoughts to turn to love. Junior was already imagining what a date with his dream girl would be like. “Just give it some time. She’ll come around.” He spoke to himself and smiled, confident in his dreams.
    The sun rose early the next morning and Junior was out early enjoying the day. It wasn’t hunting season right now but he dearly enjoyed his family spread. He had bought a new dirt bike and he spent endless hours riding through the hills, finding new trails. Looking for game signs and new hunting spot. Today as he wandered about, he decided to check out the construction on the interstate. Which would be finished soon. From a vantage point on a nearby hill he could see straight down the roadbed. It was going to come very near to their property before turning uphill and to the right. This would make his store more accessible and more profitable. As he sat and looked around, he could see dust flying up from the nearby road. It was the road that led toward the Groomes home. He could see Wesley in his new Mustang flying around turns and spinning his wheels, his favorite past time. He had heard through the grapevine that the loser was going off to college in the fall and he knew that then he would be able to win Celeste away from him. Wesley was almost three years older than her and Junior was sure it was only a matter of time. “Don’t drive too fast punk. You wouldn’t want to wreck your Daddy’s new car.” He spoke out loud and crossed his fingers in a mocking gesture. He whistled a little tune and started back home. Maybe Dad would be up now. They had planned to go exploring on the newest part of their land, now almost seven hundred acres. There was supposed to be an old coal mine on it somewhere and Junior couldn’t wait to see if they could find it.
    After two months of searching Marty and his look alike had found remnants of a sign pointing to the employee parking lot. By intensifying their search they found several more markers and eventually the mine itself. And today they were set to check it out. However, it had been sealed. Rocks and debris completely covered the opening.
    “That’s what they had to do I reckon, to keep anybody from getting lost or killed in there.” Junior stood next to his father and studied the blocked passage, wishing for an opening. He stood just more than six feet tall and weighed in at two hundred ten pounds, just a hair shorter but half a foot wider than his Dad.
    “You think it’s deep. I mean could we possibly find a way in?” Junior climbed onto the pile closely scrutinizing it.
    “Oh, I doubt we could get through there without a bulldozer. I would imagine they used a good bit of