The Locker (20 page)

“Just a stupid old rag,” Dobkin muttered.

“Go on, Dobkin. I'm trying to think.”

I turned my back on him and covered my face with my hands. If Suellen
had
sent the roaches, then how many more horrible things was my mind going to subject me to before this whole thing was over?

And if it wasn't Suellen after all … if the roaches were real …

I could hardly stand to think about that possibility.

I knew if the roaches were real, it could only mean one thing. Someone had deliberately put them there to scare me away.

Someone who knows more about Suellen Downing than they want me to find out.…

“Aunt Celia wouldn't like it if she knew you were up in a tree half the night with that guy next door,” Dobkin said suddenly, coming up behind me.

I nearly jumped out of my skin. I turned and glared at him.

“I wasn't up there half the night. And we were having a serious discussion, nothing else. And what were you doing out of bed spying on me, anyway?”

“I'll make a deal with you,” he said smoothly. “I stay here this evening, and Aunt Celia never finds out about that guy who hangs around in trees.”

“Nice try. Get your jacket.”

I could hear Dobkin muttering as he slammed the door to his room, and I was just about to tell him it wouldn't do any good to lock himself in when I saw a gray car turn into our driveway. At first I thought it was Tyler, but then Noreen honked and waved out the driver's window.

“Come on!” I yelled at Dobkin. “Noreen's here!”

He didn't answer. He pretended like he hadn't heard and made me come all the way up to his room. I ordered him downstairs, and he sulked a little, but when we got outside, Noreen suggested stopping for ice cream, so he perked up and was even halfway civil by the time we headed out of town and he was nose-deep in a chocolate cone.

“I started a grocery list,” Noreen informed me as she turned off the main highway. “I thought we could shop in the morning and just take everything on to the cabin to get it ready. What do you think—pizza or burgers or both?”

“If you have burgers, someone's bound to want hot dogs,” I said.

“You're right. But there's always someone too health-conscious to eat hot dogs
or
burgers.”

“Vegetarian pizza?” I suggested, and she nodded, as if I'd stumbled upon some miraculous cure for hunger.

“Perfect. Sodas … chips and dips … relishes … paper plates—plenty of napkins—”

“Dessert?”

“Ice cream.” She sighed, and Dobkin finally spoke up from the back seat.

“What if it rains?”

“There's an optimist for you.” Noreen made a face into the rearview mirror. “If it rains, we use the microwave, how's that?”

Dobkin lapsed into silence. I could tell he wasn't going to be a bit cooperative about anything, and I mentally steeled myself for an evening of sister torture.

“Your car looks just like Tyler's,” I said, glancing around at the upholstery, and to my surprise Noreen laughed.

“That's 'cause it
is
Tyler's. Or at least, it's Tyler's when he's trying to figure out what's wrong with it.”

I must have looked confused, because she added, “He's been driving it for the last two weeks 'cause it's got a funny noise and I wanted him to fix it.”

I stared at her a minute, something nagging in my mind. At last I said, “So he's a good mechanic?”

“The best. He could take a car apart and put it back together in his sleep.”

I glanced at Dobkin in the rearview mirror, but he was staring out his window. For just a second I'd had a flashback to the two of us stranded out on that country road, and Jimmy Frank looking in under the hood of our van and saying that someone had messed with it.

“He should look at our van, then,” Dobkin said absentmindedly. “It's always breaking down. Maybe he could fix it.”

“I hope we have nice weather tomorrow,” I spoke up, changing the subject. Noreen glanced over and shrugged.

“We're supposed to. But this is the Midwest. Just hang around for ten minutes, and the weather will change.”

I was glad when she turned on the radio. I settled back against the seat and just watched the scenery go by the rest of the way to the cabin. I was surprised to see Jimmy Frank's truck waiting for us there. An old beat-up Chevy was parked beside the steps, and there were folding tables and lawn chairs strapped across its top.

“What took you so long?” Tyler greeted us, propped lazily in the doorway. “We're starved!”

“So what do you want
us
to do about it?” Noreen faked surprise.

“Don't tell me you didn't bring anything to eat tonight.” Tyler groaned. “I can't work on an empty stomach!”

“The secret to being popular,” Noreen confided to me in a smug whisper as she went around to the trunk, “is to always bring the food!”

Behind Tyler, Jimmy Frank was watching us get out of the car. His arms were crossed over his chest, and as Noreen waved, he threw her a glance that was almost indifferent. I could feel him staring at me, and I tried to ignore him as I helped Noreen unload her car. Then I went inside with Dobkin while Tyler showed him around.

The time passed quickly. For all my earlier uneasiness, I had a really good time, and the best part of all was that I didn't think about Suellen once. As the evening wore on, even Jimmy Frank seemed a little more relaxed, smiling at Tyler's dumb jokes, answering Dobkin's questions about what it was like to live on a farm. The four of us scrubbed the cabin from top to bottom while Dobkin divided his attention between watching TV and playing in the back of Jimmy Frank's pickup. For our dinner break Tyler grilled steaks outside, while Noreen and I made a huge salad, and Jimmy Frank took Dobkin for a walk. The two of them came back half an hour later with rocks and a snakeskin and a huge turtle, which Dobkin informed me he was taking home as a pet.

I turned to Jimmy Frank to thank him. He was leaning back against the wall watching Dobkin with this kind of half-tolerant, half-amused look on his face, and Dobkin was telling me how Jimmy Frank was going to take him fishing.

“He knows this secret place on the river,” Dobkin informed me, about as excited as I'd ever seen him. “He promised he'd take me there sometime.”

I stared at Jimmy Frank, and his eyes shifted slowly onto mine. He looked like he was almost smiling, yet there was still this wariness about him, this holding back.

“Thanks,” I said. “I guess you know you've made a friend for life.”

He didn't say anything. He shrugged and glanced briefly at Dobkin, and then he went outside, where Tyler was busy with the steaks.

It was late by the time we were ready to leave. The cabin looked great, and as we all went out to our cars, we made plans about what time to meet the next day. I felt warm and happy inside, watching everyone say good night. There was this sense of accomplishment about the cabin, and this sense of camaraderie I'd missed out on for so long, and as I watched Tyler and Noreen laughing and teasing each other, I found myself thinking that maybe—finally—this was a place I could end up belonging.

“Marlee, come on!” Noreen's voice jarred me out of my reverie, and I realized that the others were getting into their cars.

“I'll take her home,” Tyler said. Noreen and Jimmy Frank exchanged looks, and he drew himself up indignantly. “Oh, what? What's the big deal? I mean—I
do
live right next door to her!”

“We know,” Noreen cooed sweetly.

“I'm only being sensible about this,” Tyler went on. “I'm only thinking about you. So you won't have to go out of your way.”

Noreen was smiling and nodding her head. “I know, Tyler. And don't think for a second that I don't appreciate your unselfishness. Your kindness. Your chivalry.”

“I want to ride with Jimmy Frank,” Dobkin spoke up. “He said I could go in the back of the truck.”

I started to protest, but Jimmy Frank already had ahold of him, lifting him onto the bed of the pickup.

“It'll be okay,” he assured me. “I'll drive slow till we get to town, and then I'll put him back inside.”

“Well, good night, all.” Noreen waved, stifling a yawn. “See you guys tomorrow. Marlee—is nine too early for grocery shopping?”

“No—see you then.” I waved back.

Tyler and I got in his car and led the procession out. We crossed the bridge and stopped to put the chain back up. Noreen passed us, honking her horn. Jimmy Frank pulled around us, too, and I caught a glimpse of Dobkin squeezed back into one corner of the truck bed. He was wearing Jimmy Frank's hat.

“Tired?” Tyler asked as we started off again.

“Exhausted,” I admitted. I looked over and smiled at him. “It was fun, though. I had a really good time.”

“I'll remember that after the party tomorrow,” Tyler said, straight-faced. “When it has to be cleaned all over again.”

His hand slid across the seat and lightly covered my fingers.

“Why don't you close your eyes?” he said softly. “It'll be a while till we get home. You can take a nap, if you want.”

The thought was tempting. Darkness flowed thickly past the car windows, and Tyler's hand stroked mine, and suddenly I could hardly stay awake.

“I should watch out for Dobkin,” I murmured.

“Why?” Tyler asked. “He's with Jimmy Frank, and they're way ahead of us by now. He'll be okay.”

My eyelids drooped. I leaned my head back against the seat, and I let myself drift.

The explosion shattered my sleep.

Bolting up, I looked around in confusion, trying to remember where I was, and then I saw Tyler beside me, leaning partway out his open window.

“Damn,” he muttered, “we've got a flat.”

He pulled the car off to the shoulder beneath some trees. As I sat there shaking and trying to come fully awake, I stared out at the pitch-black road and felt a sudden stab of fear. The woods were swarming with shadows. The silence was unnerving … unnatural.

“Do you think the others know we're in trouble?” I asked Tyler as he opened his door.

“Of course they don't know,” he informed me. “And we're not in trouble. I know how to fix a flat tire.”

I couldn't stay there in the car alone. I climbed out after Tyler and glanced around nervously at the darkness. Suddenly I was frightened—really frightened—with this strange, deep knowing inside me that something horrible was about to happen.

“Damn!” Tyler said.

“What is it?”

He was squatting beside the left front tire. He had a flashlight in his hand, and he swung it angrily against the side of his car.

“This is crazy,” he muttered. “It looks like the tire's been cut.”

He went around to the back. I heard him open the trunk and rummage around. In a few seconds he came back with a tire iron and squatted down again.

“Can I help?” I asked him.

“Sure. You can hold the light while I try to get this stupid thing off.”

He pried at the hubcap, popping it free. He swore again under his breath.

“Now what?” I worried.

“The lug wrench.” He sighed. “Would you mind?”

I shook my head and started around to the trunk.

I shone the flashlight into the dark interior, and I leaned slowly forward, groping through a clutter of old tools, trying to find the one he needed.

And then I froze.

My hand stopped in midair and my blood stopped in my veins and my heart stopped beating while the whole world slammed to a sickening halt—

“What is it, Marlee?” a voice said softly in my ear.

I spun around, my mouth open to scream, and Tyler was right there, his eyes narrowed, taking a step toward me, reaching out his hands—

“No,” I whispered. “Oh, no … no …”

“What?” His voice was low … only a whisper now, and he was coming closer … closer … “What is it, Marlee … what do you see …?”

“She was here!” I cried, and the silence shattered around me, but not the picture I could see in my mind—the horrible vivid picture in all its gory detail—

“What are you talking about?” he mumbled.

He took another step. I crouched back against the fender and stared at him, and then I glanced wildly into the yawning hole of the trunk—

“Suellen!” I screamed. “She was here! Right inside here!
Right before she died!
”

I saw Tyler's arm lifting at his side.

I saw the tire iron clutched in his hand.

And I saw the trees reaching out to catch me as I plunged into the woods and ran.

23

M
arlee! Marlee, come back here!”

His voice followed me through the night.

I didn't know where I was going, I only ran, ran for my life, and tried to escape—from Tyler, from Suellen, from the grisly pictures in my mind.