Part 6 (1/2)
”He's been gone these nine years.”
”Please open the door. Please!”
”This is my son's house. Dr. Ernest Youngman.”
”Is he home?”
”I wish he were. I'm sure he would know precisely what to do in this sort of predicament. But he simply isn't here. He's off to Big Bear for the weekend with the whole kit *n' kaboodle. Everyone but me, that is.” Her face lit up. A bony old hand with liver spots appeared in front of her face, and snapped its fingers. ”I'll call up Ernest right this very minute and ...”
Jody swung the Slugger hard with both hands.
Its fat end struck the door just below Mrs. Youngman's face.
The blow sounded like a shotgun blast.
The old lady jumped.
”Open the door or I'll break it down!” Jody shouted.
The face vanished.
Oh, G.o.d, now I've done it.
Lowering the bat, Jody rushed forward and pressed her face to the bars. She couldn't see Mrs. Youngman. ”I'm sorry,” she said. ”Please. I'm so scared. If they get me, they're gonna chop me up and ... Please!”
”You made me pee myself!”
”I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Really.”
”You're a vicious child!”
”I'm not. Really. I'm sorry.”
”A juvenile delinquent, that's what you are!”
”Jody!” Andy's voice. Calling from somewhere not far away.
His voice thrilled her with joy; he'd made it. The creeps hadn't caught up with him. But his voice also shot terror through her; he was on his way, and they were sure to be close behind him.
Jody whirled around and spotted Andy as he dashed past the end of the hedge by the driveway. She waved her arm.
”Where are they?” she called.
”Coming,” he yelled. Changing direction, he raced straight toward her. Apparently, he could see that the door's spy hatch was open. ”You got him!”
”Afraid not. He's at Big Bear. n.o.body's here but his mother, and she won't let us in.”
”Mable!” Andy shouted as he ran closer. ”It's Andy! Mable, you've gotta let us in!”
Hearing metallic rattles and clacks, Jody turned to the door. It swung wide open.
She lunged over the threshold. Mrs. Youngman, behind the door, scowled at her. The old woman's eyes were red and full of tears.
”I'm sorry,” Jody said.
”The damage has been done, you mean thing.”
Andy charged into the foyer. As he flopped onto the marble floor, huffing, Jody took the door from Mrs. Youngman.
She gazed past its edge as she swept it along.
Out on the sidewalk, the man with the knife ran into view from beyond the hedge.
Jody finished shutting the door very fast.
But not fast enough, she was sure of that. He'd been looking at her.
She groaned as she twisted the deadbolt lock.
”What?” Andy gasped.
”I think he saw me.”
Chapter Five.
”They'll be coming in,” Jody said.
Andy, still gasping on the floor, shook his head. Sweat dripped off his hair as if he'd just stepped out of a shower. His jeans hung low, showing where his tan ended. The skin of his back was ruddy and wet, crisscrossed with welts and scratches. ”Maybe not,” he gasped.
”We're witnesses. They've gotta kill us.”
”n.o.body's going to kill anyone,” Mrs. Youngman said. Sniffing, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. ”The both of you come with me. We'll call the police this instant.”
Andy pushed himself off the floor. He backhanded sweat out of his eyes. His chest and belly looked worse than his back.
”What happened to you?” Jody asked.
”Went through some bushes. Fell. Couple times.” He grinned. ”Really gave 'em a run.”
”Let's not dally,” Mrs. Youngman said. She led the way. She wore a pale blue nightgown. Jody, hurrying after her, saw that the back of it had a wet place down below her rump.
”I'm really sorry I scared you that way.”
”Hush about it.”
”I'm not a jerk. I don't do stuff like that. I just ... I kind of went nuts for a second. You know? Those guys, they're like ... Do you have a gun?”