April Fools (10 page)

"And for yours, of course. I meant yours, too."

"Oh, thanks very much. I'm touched." This time Noel grinned, briefly covering her hand with his own. Reheved, Belinda saw Hildy's car pull up, and she got out.

"Thanks, Noel. I really mean it."

**Well... sure . . . can I call you?"

"Yes. rd like that." Hoping she wouldn't seem rude, Belinda hurried to Hild/s car as her friend got out, and then she waved as Noel drove away.

^Who was that?" Hildy wanted to know.

"Noel."

"And I missed him! You traitor. Gosh, you look awful." Hildy peered at her closely as they went into the house. "Did some cat get to your face?"

"Someone came after me in the park tonight. In

a car."

"Oh, no, Belinda." Hildy's eyes locked on hers, lips moving but nothing more coming out.

"I'm not kidding. I ran all the way back to the Thornes.' Someone knew I'd be taking the shortcut tonight -- they had to know, and --"

"Wait a minute. Who would know that? Whoever you saw could have been the pohce. Or a mugger. Anyone could have been hiding in the parking lot --"

"Adam knew."

"But I thought Adam couldn't walk." Hildy looked confused.

"He can't." For a long while they stared at each other, then, little by little, Belinda told Hildy all that had happened. When she finally finished, Hildy sank back on the couch.

"I can't believe it," she sighed. "It just doesn't make sense. Those things that Adam said to you -- it sounds like it was the same accident, but ..."

"And those keys were there. The gate was open."

"And Cobbs was gone, you said."

"But Noel said Adam had been there all evening."

*^od, it's just too weird. It's almost like someone else knows -- and they're trying to scare you."

Belinda's look was accusing. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Hildy mouthed the word reluctantly. "Frank?"

"Or whoever was watching on the hill that night."

For a moment they were silent. Belinda closed her eyes, completely drained.

"I forgot the pizza."

"Forget about the pizza. I'll call and have one delivered. This is totally bizarre, you know. You shouldn't have even gone back to their house."

"I was afraid to wait for a bus. I was scared to be by myself."

"You should have called me."

"Oh, right." Belinda's glance was scathing. "You've been so supportive till now, beheving everything I say."

Hildy sat there with her head down. BeUnda bit her lip and looked away. After several minutes Hildy got up and went into the kitchen, and Belinda heard her dialing the telephone.

"Oh, God, what's happening?" Belinda whispered to herself. *What am I going to do?' She reached up and cautiously touched her face, the scratches tender and swollen. She remembered Adam's fingers there, and a shiver went through her. Even thinking about it now made her feel weak and terrified.

lOS

"Everyone must be ordering pizza tonight," Hildy stood in the doorway, as if she couldn't quite make up her mind to come in. "It'll be about forty-five minutes."

"That's okay. I'm not very hungry."

"Maybe you will be by then." Hildy walked slowly to the couch, staring down at Behnda's bowed head. "Do you think it was the same accident?"

"Yes. I do."

"And do you ..." Hildy looked surprisingly near tears now -- "do you think Adam knows it was us that night?"

"I think he knows it was me."

"But -- but --"

"Adam thinks he's seen me before, for God's sake --"

"But that's impossible! I mean, how could he?"

Belinda shook her head miserably. "That's what I've beer^trying to tell you -- nothing makes sense. He couldn't have seen me any other place except the crash. Who knows where he could have been lying around there, and we didn't even notice him -- we just ran off and left him there --"

"We didn't know!" Hildy's voice rose nervously. "If we'd known about him, then we'd have helped him. Stop doing this, Belinda; you're scaring me!"

"I'm scaring you?" Belinda's look was incredulous. "Someone's been giving me warnings and leaving sick things around my house, and tonight someone came after me in the park. I can't go to the police -- after what happened the other day, they're already suspicious of me! I can't even tell

my mother, and my best friends won't take me seriously --"

"But -- still -- we can't be sure --"

"Sure? Hildy, it was the same road -- how much of a coincidence can that be?" She paused as Hildy shook her head. "If Adam wants revenge ..."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore, okay?"

"So you're going to pretend there's no danger? It hasn't been happening to you, so you're just going to write it off?" Behnda suppressed a sudden urge to shake some sense into her, and then she saw the look on Hildy's face. "But you really are scared, too, aren't you?"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore. I came over to hear about Noel and to talk about the picnic."

Behnda groaned and threw up her hands. "The picnic. Okay, you win . . . even though you know Fm not going to --"

'Whoops, there's the bell!" Hildy jumped up, obviously reUeved to have the unpleasant discussion at an end. She raced to the door and jerked it open. "Okay, get your tastebuds all set for --"

"Hi. Is Belinda here?"

" -- some guy," Hildy finished. 'Who are you?"

'Who is it?" Alarm rose in Belinda, and she was halfway off the couch when she saw the tall boy step into the house. "Noel! What are you doing here?" Helplessly she glanced around at the messy hving room, the dirty dishes sitting on the end tables, the clutter. Too late now . . .he's already seen what a slob I am.

"I know I just saw you," he said almost shyly. Hildy was just standing there gaping at him, and he looked away, embarrassed.

"No -- that's okay. Come in. Sit down." Belinda started to clear some magazines off a chair, then noticed that Hildy had her back to them and was staring out the door. "Hildy, you can shut the door now --"

"I wanted to talk to you," Noel began, "but if you're busy --"

"Pizza," Belinda said. "We're just waiting for pizza and -- Hildy, will you please shut the door?"

"There's someone out there," Hildy whispered.

"What?" Belinda was instantly alert, and as Hildy backed into the room, she crept to the curtains at the window and tried to peer out. "Turn off the lights, Hildy! Shut that door!"

While Noel looked on in dismay, Hildy slammed the door and hit the light switch, crowding in close to Belinda.

"I don't see anything," Belinda mumbled. "Are you positive -- ?"

"Yes! He was right out there on the sidewalk!"

"Where? What was he doing?"

"Just standing there looking at the house. Look -- oh, God -- there he is --"

'"Where?" Belinda's voice raised, and as her eyes scanned the darkness of the lawn, a stealthy movement drew her eyes to the shrubbery near the driveway. "Oh . . . Noel ..."

"What is it?" And Noel was already opening the

door, starting down the walk, even as Belinda grabbed for him, puUing him back. "It's too late, Noel -- he's gone --" "Gone? But did you get a good look at him?" "Yes." Belinda stared at him as he shut the door . . . stared at Hildy as she gazed back with wide, scared eyes. "Yes," she said again, and this time a laugh bubbled up, nervous and more than a little incredulous. "It... it looked like Cobbs."

"Cobbs!" Noel was looking at her as if she'd just sprouted three heads. "Behnda, are you serious?" But he parted the curtains and peered out into the night.

And suddenly he wasn't smihng anymore.

"It was probably just someone taking a walk," Hildy said quickly. "Oh, come on, Belinda, whoever it was just stopped to think or catch his breath or something --"

Belinda gave a small nod. "Probably. ..."

Noel glanced back at them over his shoulder. "Things look so different in the dark -- shadows can play tricks with your eyes." He turned from the window and sighed. "And anyway, what possible reason would Cobbs have for lurking around in the dark? If he did have some reason for coming here to your house, he'd come to the door and ring the bell --" Noel paused, throwing Belinda a half-amused look. "He's funny about manners that way."

In spite of her nervousness, Hildy snickered, immediately catching a glare from Belinda. "Uh . . . I'll watch for the food," Hildy said, and promptly went out onto the porch, closing the door behind her.

"Belinda, why do I get the feeling there's more going on here than I know about?" Noel came up

quietly to her side. "Will you please tell me what's --"

"Nothing." Belinda smiled. "It's nothing. We were telling ghost stories when you came -- we scared ourselves, that's all." She hadn't fooled him, and she knew it. "Come on and sit down. The pizza should be here any minute."

The look on Noel's face was still wary, but he took a chair while Belinda perched on the arm of the couch.

"I was worried about you," Noel said. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm okay. Really."

"Ever since I brought you home, I've just been driving around... thinking about Adam. And thinking maybe you should know some things --"

BeUnda glanced up apprehensively. "What kinds of things?"

"Things I've heard . . . things that might help you understand him -- if Adam can ever be understood." He looked uncomfortable, almost guilty, and Behnda felt sorry for him. "I don't hke repeating things hke this -- that's how vicious rumors get started -- and Adam's not here to give his side."

"Can I ask where you heard them from?"

A reluctant nod. "My mom. And Fred, too. But they're -- I mean -- how could they really know. Adam? How could anybody really know Adam?"

Belinda nodded. "All right -- I get what you're saying."

Noel paused, then shoved his hands deep in his pockets, angUng himself stiffly back in his chair.

"Adam has a history of . . . well . . . imagining things."

"What does that mean exactly?"

"It means that sometimes he makes things up or . . . thinks things happen that really don't. Fred told me himself a long time ago. That Adam was always in trouble. That Adam always had a chip on his shoulder. That Adam was a compulsive liar. Fred blamed himself -- for running out on him when Adam really needed a father."

"It sounds like people have been running out on Adam all his life," Belinda said gloomily.

"I guess he's been hurt a lot. So he acts tough to protect himself. Like . . . I'll hurt you first so you can't ever hurt me . . . something like that."

Belinda sighed and sprawled back against the cushions.

"Anyway," Noel went on, "I guess now he's having this -- I don't know -- delusion -- that somebody else caused this car accident he was in and --"

"Caused . . ."As Belinda tried to speak, every nerve jolted, the room swaying around her. "What ... did you say?"

". . . Adam says someone tried to run him off the road." Noel was speaking, but she heard him distantly, down a long dark tunnel of fear. ". . . has nightmares about it."

Belinda stared, her lips moving soundlessly.

"... don't know where he gets these things in his head -- hey, are you okay?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine." Smile, Belinda. "Poor Adam. Vm just so sorry --"

"And it's so obvious he just missed the curve and went off the road -- of course Mom can't remember much of anything -- with all the pills she had in her when it happened." He shook his head. "She always dopes herself up when she has to fly --"

Belinda tried to stand up but her body wouldn't move.

"Anyway . . .'^ Noel's voice sank apologetically, "if Adam seems more weird than usual, he's been through a hell of a lot. And ... well, if he's directing it all at you... maybe it's just because you're willing to listen to his feelings -- none of the rest of us can stand to be around him."

This time she managed to heave herself out of her chair. As she tried to stand, however, her foot snagged on the cushion and Noel caught her, just as Hildy and Frank came through the front door.

"Well, well, Belinda, don't let us interrupt -- oof!" Frank doubled over as Hildy elbowed him in the stomach, and Noel released Belinda, blushing as they stared at him.

"I found him outside," Hildy gave a nervous smile, not sure about Belinda's reaction. "And he paid for the pizza, so what could I do?"

Belinda stood there stiffly, Frank's earUer behavior still painfully fresh in her mind.

**Well, aren't you gonna introduce us to your friend?" Frank grinned. He stuck out his hand and Noel shook it politely. "I'm Frank Scaleri. And if

you're some new secret of Belinda's, she's kept it very well."

Noel smiled, the picture of courtesy. "Noel Ashby."

"I'm Hildy Crane." Hildy watched Noel's fingers close around her own. "I'm Belinda's best friend. And Frank's. Well -- actually -- we're all best friends."

"Nice to meet you, Hildy. Sorry to run out like this, but I really have to get back --"

"Uhhhh . . ."In one quick movement Hildy got between Noel and the door, while Belinda looked on in dismay. "Uhhh . . . Belinda... we really need to talk about the picnic."

"Yes. The picnic." Frank nodded vigorously. "The good ole senior picnic. Yes, indeed."

BeUnda was staring at them in shock. She could feel her cheeks beginning to bum. "We can talk about it later -- "

"But the . . . uh . . . numbers!" Hildy piped up, a triumphant smile on her face. "We have to know how many are going! Do you have a date yet, BeUnda?"

Belinda was absolutely mortified. As she glared at Hildy, Noel looked at each of them in turn, and a slow smile spread over his face.

"And what picnic is this?" he asked graciously.

Belinda pleaded with her eyes, but Hildy rushed on. "Our senior picnic. It's gonna be in the park -- and it's gonna be so much fun -- they're gonna have a band and --"

"Yeah, Noel, do you like picnics?" Frank asked with exaggerated casualness.

"I love picnics," Noel looked amused. "And Fd love to take you, Belinda, if you don't ah-eady have a date."