Suspicious Minds (Stranger Things Novels #1)(39)

“Good work, men,” he said and went back upstairs to his own office. Once there, he called his contact in D.C. The man who could make things happen. Dr. Brenner liked men who could make things happen.

“I have a favor to ask. It’s about a young man named Andrew Rich.”





8.


Terry sat on the sofa waiting for Andrew. Dave waited with her. She’d rushed straight over after her last class, on edge about what the verdict would be.

“It’ll be all right,” Dave said, for the third time. “They just gave me a slap on the wrist.”

Dave’s parents had gotten an attorney friend of the family to contact the university on the boys’ behalf. They’d managed to talk away the criminal charges and—everyone hoped—any serious ones from the school. “An engaged student body that undertakes acts of civil disobedience should be encouraged in this day and age,” the argument had gone.

Terry imagined that Dave’s parents had probably also written a big check to the school. Andrew’s family hadn’t been thrilled to find him in trouble again. They did not support civil disobedience, though they adored Andrew enough to forgive him anything. They had money but not the kind of money Dave had been born into. The third friend, Michael, had also gotten a pass.

So Terry didn’t know why she was this nervous. Andrew would be fine. That made the most sense. Why didn’t her roiling stomach believe it? Maybe it was the argument she’d had with Becky the night before.

Andrew opened the front door and came in. He went over to the kitchen to grab a beer. He returned and sat, then reclined so his head was on Terry’s lap. He looked up at her.

“Hi,” he said. “This is a good view.”

She almost smiled. “Thank you. But you’re killing us. What happened?”

A blink. Andrew sat up and popped the top on the beer, took a sip. “I’m out.”

Terry felt numb. “Wait, what? Out?”

“They kicked you out?” Dave was shaking his head, shocked.

“Please tell me you’re joking.” Her hands were shaking and she made an effort to still them.

“I wish I was.” Andrew shrugged. “I knew this could happen. I’ll accept the consequences.”

The consequences…

“The draft lottery is coming up. Next week!” Terry knew she wasn’t helping by saying this, but the words were out before she could stop them. She saw Andrew in a soldier’s uniform. This couldn’t be happening.

“I know,” Andrew said. “We’ll just have to hope this is my bad luck for now. I’m eligible to reapply in six months. I just have to hang on.”

Dave had gone quieter than Terry had ever seen him. Six months was an eternity for a healthy person to stay home with a draft coming up.

“You could go to Canada,” she said.

“No,” Andrew said. “My family is here. My roots are here. I knew what I was doing. These are the consequences. I won’t be a traitor to my country.”

Dave shook his head again. “It’s not fair, man. Maybe our lawyer could make some more calls…This is my fault.”

“No,” Andrew said, “I made my own call.”

A burst of pride filled Terry. The same pride she’d felt in the cafeteria when they’d run in to protest. But this was more. Andrew might have been spoiled. He might have had an easier time of it than her. But he had grown past that.

“I love you,” she said, blurting it.

Andrew smiled. A real smile. “I love you too, babe. See? This day’s not all bad.”

But it was. Small victories barely mattered in such big wars.

It was a very bad day.





1.


From a booth, clocked out, Terry watched through the window for the first hint of Alice’s muscle car. The second it appeared, Terry shot to her feet and waved goodbye to her coworkers. “See you guys tomorrow.”

“Good luck to you and your old man!” the cook called back, a chorus echoed by the people in the dining room.

“Thanks,” Terry said, soaking in every well-wish because it couldn’t hurt. She ran out to meet Alice and hopped in as soon as the car stopped.

“Am I late?” Alice asked.

“Right on time, as usual.” Terry had to smile.

Alice had volunteered to pick up Terry after they both got off work. They were headed to Dave and Andrew’s to watch the televised lottery, which would determine the order that men would be drafted going forward. This wasn’t a true party, just a small gathering of friends. The occasion was too tense for celebration.

“Gloria couldn’t come,” Alice said. “Her church is watching together.”

“Did you ask Ken?”

“No, but if he’s psychic he doesn’t need to watch, does he? Besides, he has a student deferment.” Alice guided the car back out to the highway. “How was work?”

The two of them were making small talk. Of all the things. She’d never heard Alice make small talk before, which probably meant she’d only bother with people she truly liked or was comfortable with. Terry smiled again. “Busy. You?”

Alice scrubbed a hand over a cheek that still had a touch of grease on it. “We had a tricky repair come in this morning and I fought with it all day. But it finally submitted to my charms.”