Part 6 (1/2)

What was most unsettling was that, although Serena looked fl.u.s.tered and out of breath, she lacked the one crucial expression that Ash and her other four schoolmates currently shared: confusion.

”Are you all right, Serena?” Ash asked. She placed a hand on the girl's elbow. ”This is Ashline Wilde, by the way.”

”Thank you, Ash,” Serena said in her light and airy voice. ”Did you fend off those two men all by yourself?”

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Even as she asked, her blind eyes shrewdly looked to where the other four had cl.u.s.tered.

”She had a little help,” Raja said, and picked up the walking stick. The s.h.i.+ny orb on the top was caked with the kidnapper's blood. She wrinkled her nose with disgust. ”Why don't I clean this up before I give it back to you?”

Serena just nodded, the disconcerting grin not leaving her face. ”I definitely heard Rolfe Hanssen as well.”

”Guilty as charged,” Rolfe said.

”Lily and Ade, too,” Ade offered helpfully.

Serena giggled, a strange and ghostly laugh. ”At least we'll have something to talk about during photography tomorrow, won't we, Lily?”

Lily squinted at her. ”You're not in my-oh, we're making jokes now?”

Ash withdrew her cell phone from her purse. ”Well, I can't imagine this will go over well with the headmistress, but we're going to have to call the cops.” She flipped the phone open.

Before she could even dial a single digit, Serena's hand shot out and wrapped around her wrist, with such ferocity that Ash actually jumped. Serena's grip was stronger than Ash would have imagined for such a small girl. Then again, Serena had spent at least a full minute clinging to the dock railing for dear life.

”No,” Serena whispered. ”No police.”

”Are you kidding me?” Raja said. ”Two men in 73 dark clothes and camo just tried to pull a blind girl- no offense-into a windowless van. That's some pretty twisted s.h.i.+t.”

”We've even got some of their blood.” Lily pointed to the walking stick in Raja's hands. ”Maybe they can do some of their DNA hocus-pocus and track these guys down.”

”No. Police,” Serena repeated, breaking down the words with finality.

”Those were your bookies, weren't they?” Rolfe suggested. ”You have a gambling problem and they came to collect.”

Serena giggled hoa.r.s.ely again. ”When you can't see the cards, you do lose your chips awfully fast.” When no one laughed and she seemed to sense that everyone was still staring at her, she said, ”Listen, I'm really tired.

It has to be well after midnight. Two dudes just chased me down the street and tried to throw me into a van . .

. and I have an algebra quiz first period. Do you know how exhausting it is to take a test in braille? So do me a favor. . . . Let me get a good night's rest, sleep it off, and go about my day, and I'll give the cops a statement when I'm good and ready.”

Ash opened her mouth to argue, but the phone, which was still open in her hand, suddenly chimed to life. Startled at first, she glanced down at the caller ID.

Darren's photo popped up on the screen. ”s.h.i.+t,” she mumbled. ”Sorry. I have to take this.”

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She hit the send b.u.t.ton, and before she could even get a word out, Darren's harsh whisper exploded out through the phone. ”Where the h.e.l.l are you, Ash?”

Ash breathed with relief. At least they hadn't left without her, and it was comforting to hear a friendly voice. ”Long story. Just sort of got held up with a couple of other outlaws from Blackwood, and . . . Wait, why are you whispering?”

Darren scoffed on the other end of the phone, and she heard Jackie hiss something at him in the background.

The phone thumped around as it changed hands, and Jackie spoke into the receiver. ”We're whispering because the sheriff just crashed the party here at the Bent Horseshoe.

Headmistress Riley must have noticed a few too many empty beds tonight, or empty s.p.a.ces in the parking garage. All I know is that Darren and I are hiding on the floor in his truck and waiting for you to get that hot little a.s.s of yours over here!”

”s.h.i.+t,” Ash cursed. ”Listen, Jackie, I'm here with friends. You and Darren get the h.e.l.l out of there. I'll find my own way back.”

”Okay,” Jackie said hesitantly. ”But if I check your bed in an hour and you're not in it, I'm heading back to town with my hunting rifle and getting you.” The phone clicked off.

”Picnic's over,” Ash said, and flipped her phone closed. ”The headmistress is on to us, and the sheriff and his posse decided to crash our little party.”

”Last chance,” Rolfe offered Serena. ”We can walk you right up to the sheriff and help you give your statement.

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h.e.l.l, the excitement from all this might convince the headmistress not to crack down on us.”

Serena's gray eyes gleamed in the dim light of the alley. ”Just get me back to campus.”

”You can ride in my Audi,” Lily told Serena.

”What about you?” Ash asked Raja. ”Is your broom parked nearby?”

”Hilarious.” Raja was grimly scrolling through a text on her own phone. ”Colt was my ride, and he's inside distracting the sheriff with ranger talk, so looks like I'm squeezing in with you guys too.”

The six Blackwood escapees scurried down the alleyway, with Ash leading Serena by the hand. The girl seemed to be finding their entire escapade pleasantly amusing despite her attempted abduction just minutes earlier. Though, to be fair, Serena was something of a loner on campus. It was safe for Ashline to say that this was probably the most excitement the girl had experienced in a long while.

They reached the mouth of the alley, and from their cloak of darkness on the lampless street corner, they studied the scene in front of the Bent Horseshoe. A green Ford Explorer with ”Sheriff” stenciled on the side was parked prominently in front of the entrance to the saloon, the red and blues on top flickering to lend it some limp presence of authority. Ash had met the sheriff once when he'd stopped by Blackwood for a school a.s.sembly on wilderness survival back in the dead of winter. He didn't strike 76 her as the type to kick through the saloon doors and start busting heads, especially at a watering hole where he was regularly ent.i.tled to free beer.

Leaning against the Ford Explorer was a very young and somnolent deputy, who seemed far more concerned with puffing away at his cigarette than paying the bar any mind.

Lily's silver convertible was parked at the end of the line of cars in front of the saloon, its top down and glimmering with a fresh coat of dew. Ash stifled a laugh. ”An Audi with a soft top in a line of pickups and rental cars?

Way to blend in with the locals, Lily.”

Lily shrugged. ”Dad always says, 'If you can't stand out, then you should just sit down.'”