April Fools (19 page)

"Please -- you've got to beheve me -- we didn't

mean --"

"Move."

Wind lashed at her as she stumbled out onto the road. There was no moon, but Noel waved the thin beam of a flashlight at her feet.

"Look familiar?" Adam said casually, giving her a push from behind.

As the pale light swept out ahead of her, Belinda saw the dirt road angling straight down, swallowed up in a sea of gray fog. She knew where she was now. She knew that somewhere within that swirling mass, the road made a hairpin curve ... and beyond that, a sudden plunge went down and down forever. . . .

"Suicide Drop," the words choked out and she spun around in terror, caught once more in Adam's merciless grip.

"Clever girl," he whispered. "But doesn't it remind you of something else? Another road on another night not so different from this?"

Belinda had a sudden, strange feeling of being outside herself -- of watching herself floating, trapped in Adam's arms. She could feel her shredded blouse, warm and sticky against her side . . . her

body numb with someone else's pain. Her throat felt raw and swollen . . . she heard her own breath rasping in her throat... yet it seemed like someone else who was crying.

"Over there," Noel said, and Adam's hold tightened on her again as he pulled her off the road and into some trees behind a massive wall of rock. Belinda recognized the car hidden there, and her heart thudded sickeningly into her stomach.

"Frank!"

"Yell all you want," Adam told her. "He can't hear you."

As they neared the car, Noel opened the door and shone the flashhght in. Frank's prone body lay across the front seat, and as Belinda tried to reach for him, Noel heaved him over and nodded to Adam.

"Get the other one."

Bewildered, Belinda realized that Adam had released her, that Noel's hand had replaced Adam's upon her arm. As her eyes widened, he reached calmly into his jacket and brought out a gun.

"I don't want to use this. Please don't make me."

"BeUnda!"

She heard her name and spun around with a cry. Hildy was being thrust toward her, and the two girls collapsed in each other's arms.

"Oh, Hildy --"

"I was on my way to Frank's -- and Noel stopped me -- he said something terrible had happened to you -- I got in the car --"

"Ss/i, Hildy, don't --"

"They got Frank at the pool and took his car -- he's still unconscious -- then they put me in the trunk --"

Belinda stared at her in horror. One side of her hair had been savagely chopped off, and her blouse was torn. "Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?"

Hildy opened her mouth but Adam jerked her away. *What? And ruin the happy ending?"

As the girls watched helplessly, Noel handed the gun to Adam and climbed into the front seat. "Walk them down there -- just like we planned. FU bring the car."

"My pleasure." Adam motioned to them, gave a mocking bow. "After you, ladies."

It was hard to see clearly in the feeble glow of the flashlight, but as they made their way down the muddy incline, Belinda sensed that they were getting too close to the edge of the drop. Straining through the fog, she could make out the shape of Frank's car as Noel brought it to a stop, facing the cliff. Adam opened one rear door and pointed his pistol.

"Into the back. Over against the other side."

Belinda couldn't stand it anymore. "What are you doing? Noel!"

As Adam forced her into the car, Noel turned around in the front seat and gave her a long, thoughtful look . . . then put a hand to her cheek and gently wiped her tears.

"I wanted to let you go," he explained softly. "I wanted to call it even --"

"She knows everything!" Adam spat at him. "Are you crazy?"

From the corner of her eye, she could see the gun moving . . . Hildy falling in after her . . .

"But you understand why I can't," Noel went on logically. He pulled Frank's body closer, propping his head on the dashboard. "It won't take long. You won't have time to get out before Adam pushes you over the cliff."

"Six inches," Adam said, smiling. "Six inches from the edge. How many seconds in six... slippery . . . mches?"

"Don't," Hildy sobbed. "Please don't kill us -- don't leave us here --"

"But you won't be alone!" Adam feigned surprise. "We wouldn't be that rude, would we, Noel, to leave them here alone the way they left me? Dear old Gloria will be waiting down there for you -- uh -- you do remember where you dumped her, don't you, Noel?"

"You killed your mother," Belinda's voice was a dull whisper. "That day you took her to the airport -- you brought her here instead -- and all this time --"

''NoelT Adam sounded annoyed. "Noel's great at making plans, but he doesn't have much of a stomach for carrying them out . . . / was the one who --"

"Stop it, Adam," Noel said quietly. "Just quit talking, and do what you have to do."

"Noel, please." BeUnda looked into his eyes, the

I

gentle eyes so calm and so resolved. "Please don't do this --"

Adam slammed the back door.

"Push it over," Noel mumbled. He started to get out, his body crouched on the edge of the seat, ghostlike in the shadows.

Adam grinned in at them through the window.

And pointed the gun at Noel's face.

"Close the door," he said. "You're not going anywhere."

For a split instant everything froze. Belinda saw Noel's look of disbeUef . . . the leering triumph of Adam as he cUcked back the hammer.

"April Fools'," Adam hissed. "The joke's on you."

"iVo.'" Behnda screamed.

Noel's door flew open, knocking Adam off balance. Cursing, Adam fell backward, the gun sailing through the air, as Noel landed on top of him. The fog was so thick now that Belinda couldn't see anything out the windows -- but she could hear the thuds and groans of a scuffle . . . and she could hear Hildy's rising hysteria.

**We're moving, Belinda! And the doors won't open -- they're locked or something!"

**We'll have to get out the front!" Desperately, Belinda angled herself over the seat, trying to move Frank, to reach the handle. The door shivered in the wind and blew open.

^We have to crawl over! Come on -- hurry!"

"I can't -- I --" Hildy shrieked as something hit them from behind. Behnda toppled back down beside her, gazing in horror out the back windshield as Noel slammed Adam up against the trunk.

They felt the car rock forward, mud giving way beneath the wheels.

"Hildy! Come on!" In sheer panic, Belinda scrambled into the front, giving Frank a shove toward the door. "Hildy -- please --"

Frank's body stuck across the doorway. Belinda heard Hildy's sobs, felt Hildy's arms flailing behind her as they both tried to dislodge Frank and roll him through the door.

And then they started to shde.

Belinda's head swiveled -- she saw Hildy looking at her with a horrible, helpless understanding --

"Belinda --" she choked.

And "Belindar someone echoed. "Belinda! Hang on!"

In slow motion, Belinda saw Frank's body suddenly disappear, heard the back door burst open. As she stared, dazed, a pair of strong arms suddenly grabbed her and jerked her free. She saw a nightmare kaleidoscope of black night, Hildy sprawled on the ground, and whirlpools of red and blue lights, reflected in the thick, wet fog.

The car went over the drop.

Suddenly there were voices . . . cars . . . people running . . . and Noel holding her.

"Freeze! Police!"

"Okay, son -- move away from there -- put the girl down -- nice and easy --"

"You -- step back! Put your hands where I can see them --"

"Miss Belinda -- oh, Miss Belinda, are you quite aU right?"

The world slowed . . . righted itself. . . air, cold and real upon her face . . . the swirling rainbows, police lights . . . the ground hard and safe beneath her. She swayed and realized that no one had hold of her now, and then she took one unsteady step as a familiar old face materialized out of the mist.

"Cobbs ... is that really you?"

"Yes, miss. Sit down now, miss, you're going to be right as rain --"

"But -- but how did you know? How did you find me?"

"Ah, Miss Belinda, you underestimate me, I fear." Cobbs's look was reproachful, but there was a touch of pride in his tone. "It was the telephone call, rd thought all along there was skulduggery going on with those two -- but when I called you tonight, things finally began falling into place. I drove immediately to the house -- just in time to see them escorting you into a car I didn't recognize. So I followed. And then" -- he nodded solemnly -- "I rang the poHce straightaway. On the car telephone."

"Oh, Cobbs." Belinda shook her head, too drained to move. ^Where's Hildy?"

"I do believe they're tending to her now."

"Is she all right? And Frank? Are they -- ?" Belinda broke off at the sudden sound of upraised voices. Several yards away five policemen were dragging Adam into a patrol car, his bloody face twisted in rage.

Belinda turned away, her eyes desperately searching the darkness.

And then she found him.

Noel was standing quietly, handcuffed between two policemen. As Behnda watched, he suddenly turned and looked at her, his eyes full upon her face. He made no effort to struggle. As his lips moved soundlessly, he took a step toward her, but they jerked him back.

Tears rolled down Belinda's cheeks as the po-hcemen pulled Noel away from her. He looked back over his shoulder, resigned somehow... very tired.

"Noel," she whispered.

But he said nothing.

And then he was gone.

"IVe decided you can have Frank," Hildy said.

Belinda glanced up disinterestedly from the couch, her eyes Hngering a moment on Hildy^s head bowed over a math book. It had been three days now since their ordeal, and she still wasn't used to Hildy's hair cut so short.

"I don't want Frank. I don't want any guy. I've decided I really like my life dull and boring."

"Huh. Frank's been pretty dull and boring lately. He doesn't remember much, but he's awfully quiet these days." Hildy lowered her head as Belinda went back to her notes. "Belinda ... I haven't been a good friend."

"Oh, Hildy, stop it --"

"No, really, I haven't, and I know it. When you were scared and upset and needed me tq come through for you, I didn't. I was just too scared of losing Frank." She took a deep breath, and her voice sounded sad. "I'm not like you, Behnda. I've always

needed someone else to make me feel good about myself."

Belinda smiled at Hildy's woeful expression. "And I'm so together, right?" She chuckled. "Come on, it doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does. I could have lost you^ Suddenly she reached out and hugged Belinda tight. "I'll be better, okay?"

They pulled apart, smiling, and Belinda gave her a teasing look.

"So where does this leave poor Frank?"

Well... I don't know. At least this new Frank doesn't seem to know any jokes." As Hildy grinned back, her face suddenly softened and she put one hand on Behnda's arm. "And I'm sorry about Noel, Belinda. Honest. I know you really liked him." Cautiously she added,
What's gonna happen to him?"

"Cobbs said Noel and Adam are both going through tests right now -- to see if they're competent to stand trial."

"And if they are?"

**Well. . . with Mr. Thome dead now, and Mrs. Thome's body recovered ..." Belinda looked away. "They'll be tried as adults 'cause they're eighteen."

**Well, a lot of good it did them getting all that money when they can't even --" Hildy broke off as the doorbell rang and Belinda went to answer it.

"Cobbs!"

"Good afternoon, miss. I trust you're feeling much improved?"

* Why, yes -- come in. I'm so glad to see you --"

"I'm not surprised. I was wondering perhaps if I might speak with Mrs. Swanson?"

"Mom? Sure. Sit down. Would you like some coffee?"

"Not terribly."

"I'd make tea, but I'm afraid it wouldn't come out like yours."

"Undoubtedly not. Then perhaps I should?"

They stared, surpised, as Cobbs went into the kitchen, surveyed it regally, then advanced cautiously toward the dirty stove.

"Good heavens, is it safe to touch?"

"Mr. Cobbs!" said Mrs. Swanson in the doorway behind them. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Yes, madame," Cobbs acknowledged. "If I might have a moment of your time --"

"Of course. Won't you sit down?"

"I think not. I've come for a reason, so I'll make my point. My professional opinion is that you're sadly in need of domestic service, am I correct?"

Mom's mouth dropped open. Hildy and Belinda looked at each other in delight.

"Service, Mr. Cobbs? Well, really --"

"No offense intended, madame" -- his eyes raised in secret appall at the messy kitchen -- "but it so happens that I am presently in a position to offer my services."

Mrs. Swanson's expression was somewhere between shocked and amused. "Well, that's very nice of you to think of us, and Belinda's very fond of you --"

"NaturaUy."

"Please, Mom?" Belinda begged, while Hildy joined in.

''But" Mrs. Swanson silenced them both with a look. "Fm afraid we couldn't possibly pay you a decent salary --"

''Tut, tuty madame -- you bother yourself with trifles. Mr. Frederick Thorne has provided for me most generously in his will, and salary is of little importance to me. What my former employer has also done, by his untimely passing, is to provide me with an abundance of leisure time and no way of fiUing it."

Mrs. Swanson looked suspicious. She glanced at Belinda and Hildy, who were nodding vigorously.

^Well. . . I . . ."

"It appears to me that Miss Belinda needs a

stronger hand," Cobbs went on blandly. "Perhaps

then she would find herself in far less trouble" --

the eyebrow raised, the eyes settling sternly on

Belinda -- "and make a wiser choice about her

men."

This time Mrs. Swanson burst out laughing, and as Cobbs went to the sink and began filling the kettle, she shook her head. "Well. . . since you put it that way -- I suppose something could be worked out."