"The Grim Reaper's Dance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Clemens Judy)

Chapter Six 

She woke with a start. It was dark. So dark she couldn’t see the other end of the shed. Noises came from outside—the sound of tires on gravel. Not heavy tires, like a tractor, but something lighter. The sounds stopped briefly, then resumed, accompanied by footsteps.

“Here they come!” Death’s breath hissed in her ear.

Casey eased silently to her feet, her brain instantly clear of fuzziness. “Here comes who?” Her muscles tingled and her breath deepened, her senses on hyper alert. Her eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness, and she watched the outline of two bicycles and their riders enter the shed. The people kicked the stands to prop up the bikes, not speaking, or even whispering. Casey waited, hands loose at her sides, balanced on the balls of her feet.

Death watched, quiet now, but so close Casey could feel the chill.

The taller of the two shadows turned toward Casey and jumped back, grabbing toward the other.

“Who are you?” The taller one’s voice—a man’s, Casey thought—was husky, and quiet.

“Nobody,” Casey said.

Death chuckled.

“What do you want?” The second figure. Female, this time.

“I was just sleeping. I didn’t take anything.”

The taller one hesitated, but the female stepped forward, her eyes narrowed in the darkness. “There’s nothing here to take.”

More sounds came from the outside, and three additional people came in the door, halting when they saw the postures of the first two.

“What’s wrong?” Another female voice.

The tall one gestured toward Casey. “We have a guest.”

All three new people turned to Casey, one of them flicking on a flashlight and shining it in her face. “What do you want?”

They were very concerned with that.

Casey held up a hand to shield her eyes. “A place to sleep. That’s all.”

The one with the flashlight ran the light up and down Casey’s body, taking in the burlap bed at her feet. Death struck a pose as the flashlight came near, but the light went straight through, illuminating only the wall of the shed.

“What’s your name?” The first female again—a teenager, if Casey was seeing correctly.

“Casey.”

“Casey what?”

Casey hesitated. “Jones.” With a pang she thought of Eric, from back in Clymer, Ohio. She’d told him Smith, and he’d immediately equated it with Jones, yet another anonymous name. She should probably just go ahead and use Doe.

This girl seemed to believe Jones as much as Eric had believed Smith. “Terry, close the door.”

One of the last three—a guy this time—pulled the sliding door, and with a grunt shut off the only exit to the outside.

Casey remembered the broom with the cracked handle, as well as the iron implements hanging behind her. Plenty of weapons, but one against five? Only if she took them by surprise. And she didn’t exactly like the idea of beating up teenagers.

“Sheryl, can you light us up, please?” the first girl said.

The second girl handed her flashlight to another person and lit a match, holding it up to the oil lamp Casey had seen earlier. It cast a glow over the center of the shed, leaving the corners shadowed.

The teenagers looked like any group of kids. The girls were both slim, within an inch or two of Casey’s height. The second one, who had lit the lamp, was fair, freckled, and pretty; the other, who seemed to be the leader of the group, had dark hair, her skin pale in the light. While she wasn’t a traditional beauty, she was striking, and Casey could feel her charisma and focus. Casey wondered if the girl’s hair was naturally dark, or if it had had help from a bottle. Her fingernails, painted black, had Casey leaning toward the direction of cosmetics.

The boys were about as different from each other as they could be. The first was tall, thick, and handsome, his mouth partway open as he stared. His elevator didn’t look to be stopping at all the floors. The second boy was shorter—as short as the girls, light-haired, and thin—and cute as a hormonal button. More with-it, definitely, than the tall boy. The third one was still growing into his face, his ears and nose larger than what might be required, and his body hung softer and rounder than the others.

Death wandered toward the lamp and stopped at its base, blowing at the flame. It flickered, but didn’t go out.

“This is our place,” the tall guy said.

Casey held out her hands in a placating gesture. “I’ll go. I’m not trying to step on anyone’s toes. I just needed a place to sleep.”

“Wait.” The first girl came closer, studying Casey’s clothes. “You don’t look so good.”

Death laughed. “Told you so.”

“Where are you from?”

Casey held her non-threatening stance. “I’m just traveling through. I can leave.”

“No. Hold on.” The girl nodded to the guy holding the flashlight—Terry, had the girl called him? “You bring the usual?”

“Sure. Everybody’s favorite.”

Oh, great. A teenage drinking party. Or something worse. Casey let her hands drop. “Look. I’ll just go, okay?”

“No. Stay.” The girl gave a little smile. “I’m Bailey. Bailey Jones.”

Casey checked a laugh. “Nice to meet you, Bailey. Are we related?”

“Probably, if we go back far enough. That’s Johnny.” She pointed at the tall one. “Sheryl, Martin, and Terry.” She indicated the pudgy one. “Terry’s got the goods. Martin?”

Martin slid a bulging backpack from his shoulders and pulled out two little speakers. He set them on one of the wall’s wooden slats and attached them to an iPod. Music filled the room; some singer-songwriter Casey didn’t recognize. Death immediately pulled out a guitar and began strumming, crooning along with the music, following a tune Casey had never heard.

From his still-fat pack Martin retrieved a blanket, which he spread out on the dirt floor. Terry, also carrying a bag, set it down and pulled out a stack of napkins, paper cups, and plates, setting them all in the middle of the blanket.

Casey wondered when teenagers had gotten so finicky about getting drunk.

“Pick a spot,” Bailey said.

When Casey hesitated Bailey took a seat herself, followed by all three guys. Only Sheryl still stood, watching Casey from beside the oil lamp.

“So sit,” Death said, strumming a chord. “At least pretend to be social.”

Casey found a place on the edge of the blanket and sat butterfly style, ready to jump up at a moment’s provocation. She could feel Sheryl watching her, and kept the girl in her sightlines.

“What did you bring tonight?” Bailey leaned toward Terry.

Terry smiled and reached into his bag. When he brought his hand back out, it was holding a Tupperware container, one of the kind big enough to hold a pie.

Casey glanced at Death, who had stopped playing long enough to stand over Terry, sniffing. “Looks promising.”

Terry set the container down, looking around at the others. “Voil#224;!” He peeled off the lid, and there sat…

“Cinnamon rolls?”

Terry glanced at Casey, his eyes pained. “What’s wrong with cinnamon rolls?”

“Nothing. I mean, cinnamon rolls are great, but…just not what I was expecting.”

“Oh. You were probably expecting this.” He reached back into his bag and pulled out a half-gallon jug of milk.

Casey laughed. “Nope. Can’t say I was expecting that, either.”

Bailey grinned. “Terry’s folks own the bakery in town, so Terry’s always bringing us day-olds. What was it last night?”

Johnny moaned. “Blueberry muffins. They were amazing.”

“Yeah,” Martin said. “I missed those. Bummer.”

“Wait a minute.” Casey rubbed her forehead. “Do your parents know you’re here?”

The kids looked at her in shock. All except Sheryl, who still watched from the lamp, her face a blank.

“Our parents don’t even know we’re gone,” Terry said. “As far as they know, we’re in bed.”

Casey automatically looked at her wrist, where she used to wear a watch. “What time is it?”

“About two.” Bailey shrugged. “Our parents are way dead asleep. Now, Terry, how about passing out those rolls?”

Casey wasn’t going to say no, and her roll was gone in four quick bites, her milk in a few swallows. When she finished she found five pairs of eyes riveted on her face. Six, if you counted Death’s.

“What?” she said.

“Want another one?” Terry held out the Tupperware. “You look…um…a little hungry?”

“Sorry. I guess… I’d love another one.”

She ate another two, and finished off the milk. By the time the rolls were gone, the kids were digging in their packs and handing her more food. A granola bar, a bruised peach, a Snickers, and even a pack of gum.

“I’m okay,” she said. “Really. You don’t have to—”

“I know who you are.” Sheryl. Her voice was hard. “You’re the one who was in that truck accident. You ran away from the cops.”

Death winced, strumming an atonal chord. “Uh-oh.”

“I didn’t run from the cops,” Casey said. “I left the hospital. Nothing illegal about that.”

“Yeah, except they’ve been asking for you to come in to the station.”

Casey looked at Death, who shrugged.

“I didn’t know that. What else are they saying?”

Sheryl turned to her friends. “She’s wanted for questioning about the accident. The trucker died. She was with him. It was probably her fault.”

“They’re saying that?” Casey was shocked.

“No.” Bailey shot Sheryl a look. “That’s Sheryl’s interpretation. They’re just saying they want to ask you questions so they can determine what happened. They’re not blaming you. Right, Martin?”

He nodded.

“They’re also saying if anybody sees her they’re supposed to turn her in.” Sheryl reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. “Anybody want to do the honors?”

“Sheryl,” Bailey said. “Cut it out. Put the phone away.”

“We’re supposed to—”

“And since when do we do everything we’re supposed to? Come on.”

Sheryl glared at Bailey, her thumb over her phone.

“Come on, Sher.” Terry this time, his voice gentler than Bailey’s. “Give the lady a break.”

“Why?”

“Because if you call you give up our place here. And because it would drive your parents crazy.”

Sheryl stared at him a long time before sticking her phone back in her pocket. “For now.”

Casey let out her breath. She had to get out of the area, and fast. She could take the bag of information with her, and figure it out on the road.

“You’re still wearing the same clothes, aren’t you?” Bailey indicated Casey’s shirt.

“I didn’t have any others.”

“And couldn’t buy any?”

“I don’t have any money.”

“Don’t have— Why not?”

“Because she’s a fugitive,” Sheryl said. “Her stuff’s probably still in the truck.”

Casey ignored her. “It’s a long story. Look, I’ll just be going.”

She stood, but Bailey grabbed her pants leg. “Don’t go. Please.”

“Thanks for the food. Really, I appreciate it. But I can’t be found here. I didn’t have anything to do with the accident. It wasn’t my fault. And I don’t want you folks getting in trouble because of me.”

“We won’t. And I believe you about the accident. We all believe you. Don’t we?” She widened her eyes at her friends, all of whom nodded vigorously. Except, again, for Sheryl.

“If it wasn’t your fault,” Sheryl said, “why can’t you talk to the cops? She’s running from something.” This last was to the other teens.

“So what?” Martin said. “Isn’t everybody? Aren’t you?”

“I am not running from the cops.”

“Sheryl…” Bailey sounded irritated.

“Don’t Sheryl me. You… She…” Sheryl shoved the sliding door open and barged out.

Bailey sighed. “Terry—”

“I’m on it.” He jumped up and followed Sheryl out the door.

“I’m sorry,” Casey said. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble.”

Bailey waved a hand. “Not your fault. Sheryl doesn’t exactly like strangers, or any adults, really.”

“Yeah,” Johnny said. “Especially after last week, when—.”

The others looked at him sharply and he jerked back, as if they’d slapped him. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to say anything.”

“Stay here.” Bailey wouldn’t let go of Casey’s pants. “Nobody will find you.”

“But Sheryl—”

“—will be fine. We’ll take care of her. Believe me, the last thing Sheryl wants is to call the cops.”

“We’ll bring you stuff,” Martin said. “Clothes and food and a sleeping bag. Stay as long as you want.”

“But won’t someone find me?”

“No one ever comes out here except us,” Bailey said. “I should know. We own this shed and all twelve hundred acres around it.”

“But—”

“You’re safe here. Even when these fields get harvested no one bothers with the shed.”

Casey glanced over at Death, who was humming along with the present song, eyes closed. Big help there. She really didn’t want to leave the area. She wanted to stay close, within range of Evan’s truck, close to where she knew Owen Dixon and Randy Westing—Blond Guy and Gun Man—were. Unless they’d already run off.

“You are hiding, aren’t you?” Terry and Sheryl were back inside, Terry inquisitive, Sheryl lurking behind him.

Casey considered Terry, and his question. “I am.”

“Why?” Terry didn’t look angry, or scared. Just…curious.

Casey looked at Death again, and this time got a little shrug, like what did she have to lose? And really…not much. But these kids? They did, whoever they were. Knowing too much could only get them in trouble.

“I just need some time,” Casey said. “I was in a…a bad situation.”

Sheryl shook her hair out of her face. “Killing somebody would do that.”

“Sheryl,” Bailey said, her voice sharp. “She didn’t kill anybody.”

Sheryl stared at the far corner of the shed.

“I promise,” Casey said, looking right at Sheryl. “I didn’t kill the truck driver. I just need a place to stay. Just for a little while. If what Bailey says is true, no one will even know I’m here.”

“It is true,” Bailey said. “But you know, there are…places you can go. No one will know where you are. He won’t know where you are.”

He? “Um,” Casey said. “Who won’t?”

“You know,” Bailey said. “Whoever it is that you’re running from. Your boyfriend? Husband?”

“No,” Casey said, “that’s not it, I—”

“We can’t get mixed up with this,” Sheryl said. “With her. Whoever she really is.”

Terry nodded. “Sheryl’s right.”

“No, she’s not,” Martin said. “Sheryl means she can’t get mixed up in it.”

“Martin!” Terry looked shocked.

“What? Just because Sheryl’s—” He stopped, glancing at Casey. “Look, it doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t do anything. Sheryl can stay out of it.”

Sheryl gasped. “That’s not fair!”

“We’ll keep you safe,” Bailey said to Casey. “I promise. You can stay here as long as you want.”

Casey gave a short laugh under her breath. It was Bailey’s own little group of night owls Bailey should be protecting. Casey didn’t exactly have a good record of late. She should tell Bailey to get the hell away from her while she and her friends still had a chance to survive unscathed.

“Thanks,” she said instead. “I would love to stay.”