Death Whispers (Death Series, Book 1) (53 page)

Turning to Mom he asked, “How long has it been
since our house was compromised?”

Mom thought about it. “A month at least.”

“See!” Dad exclaimed, resuming his pacing.
“That's what you need to think about, it's the one puzzle piece
that doesn't fit. And with that, I am saying goodnight.”

“Are we safe?” Mom asked, a frown on her face.

“For now. I think they'd be fools to attempt to
reacquire him.”

Technically it was morning.

“
Or
maybe they think, we'll think that and
then
try to take him,” Mom said, worried.

“Don't be anxious,” he said to Mom, then
turned to me. “Didn't Officer Gale say that her partner would be
outside the house tonight?”

I nodded. “Wade.”

“A reprieve for now; off to bed, that's an
order.”

My parents went into their bedroom, softly closing
the door. Onyx and I climbed the steps to my room and as I opened the
door Onyx nudged it aside and jumped up on top of my bed, circling to
find the perfect dog-spot. He finally settled at the foot, giving me
just enough room to sink underneath the covers, which I did as I
kicked off my clothes.

I was so tired that I was wide awake. It made no
sense but that's the way it was; I'd tried to stay awake so long I
had gone over the line. I pulled out my pulse and sent a message to
Jade, my thumb swiping the pad:

Activated:
Just
so you know, I love you...
CH

I powered it down, putting it on my windowsill,
knowing that she was long asleep, that she would wake up to my words
glowing on her pulse.

It'd be the first thing she saw.

I started to drift off just as Mom came into my
room pulling up the covers until they were just under my chin. She
hadn't tucked me in for years. I would have responded but was in that
twilight of sleep, just as you're sinking under into unconsciousness
but awake enough to be aware.

Her breath was warm on my face as she kissed my
forehead, my thoughts ending as sleep pulled me under into dreamless
oblivion.

CHAPTER 34

I
woke up, feeling like I'd been in our washing machine on spin
cycle..
.
for
a couple of hours. I opened one eye, trying to chase the blurry sleep
out of it with a thorough rub. Ah! Seeing better, I squinted my eyes
at the glowing numbers on my computer's monitor.

I leaned forward, one o'clock! I had a moment when
I couldn't remember what day it was. Oh yeah, Saturday. I sat there
for a second and then the whole night came rushing back in living
color: the ghosts, Graysheets, Parker, escaping, Jade's dad and the
cherry on top of the miserable cake, Brett.

I flung myself back down again, Onyx crawled up
and gave my face a disgusting dog-lick. I absently petted his head,
thinking.

I heard Mom downstairs in the kitchen and
figured... pancakes.

Surprisingly, I wasn't that hungry. I powered up
my pulse and messages came in:

Pulse-me,
zombie-master.-
MJ

We
need a plan... like yesterday-
John
Terran.

Then, the message that was really cool:

I
love you too...
JLeC

I did the easy pulses first.

Jonesy,
you moron, stop talking about stuff on the pulse! Let's get together
at the hideaway at like three, we can talk there.-
CH

Okay,
don't get your shorts in a twist! I'll meet ya Have you talked to
our-boy,Terran?
MJ

No...
wait-
CH

Hey.-
John
Terran

Would
you fix your
Profanity-block!
name initials!-
MJ

Yeah,
it royally gets on my nerves.-
CH

Whatever
irritates you guys, I'm all for that.
-John
Terran

sighs
K,
listen.
..CH

Listen?
John Terran

You
know what I mean, John!
CH

Yeah...
I do
laughs
-
John
Terran

Kind
of a terrorist this mornin', huh?
MJ

He
got more sleep than me, that's for sure.-
CH

Ewww...someone's
grouchy, you get fed yet?
MJ

No.-
CH

K,
what's the plan?
John
Terran

I
told Jonesy we should meet at the hideaway at three.-
CH

K-
John
Terran

Let's
do it-
MJ

See
ya-
CH

I pulsed Jade next as a huge rumble rolled through
my stomach. Ouch, better make it fast, needed to fuel-up.

Hey-
CH

Hi.-
JLeC

How's
your side?
CH

It's
okay, sore.-
JLeC

My hate for Jade's dad bloomed anew.

So...
is your aunt pissed at me or can we get together today with the Js?
CH

No,
it was an act. My dumb dad showed up and started hassling her about
where I was now he's in jail... for now-
JLeC

I wondered what they decided to get him for and
asked her.

A
lot. I overheard my aunt talking to Garcia on the phone today and he
resisted arrest.-
JLeC

Yeah
he did
laughs-
CH

I
gtg and eat something
sighs.-
JLeC

Me
too... let's meet at the hideaway about three, K?
CH

I'll
be there... I can't wait to see you
smiles.-
JLeC

Same
here
grins-
CH

I was still trying to play it a little cool with
Jade, but it was getting harder by the week. More and more she was
the center of my world, I orbited her.

****

I dismounted as my bike was slowing coming to a
jog beside it, the Js already in view by the dump's gate.

They had their bikes too.

“You guys got your bikes too?” I said.

“Yeah, Jonesy said his was at the front of his
house,” John said.

“Maybe Wade,” I said.

“The other cop?” Jonesy asked.

“Yeah, Gale's partner,” John said.

“He watched our house last night,” I said.

Jonesy whistled. “You must rank pretty high.”

I shook my head. “Nah, you heard Garcia, he
wants to bust the Graysheets bad. I think he's just being careful
with me because they've targeted me. But we've got even more problems
than the government psychos, listen.”

I told them what happened after I got to Jade's
house.

John said it best, “What an ass-wipe.”

“He should be flogged,” Jonesy said.

I liked that too.

Just then, Jade rode up on her bike, coming to a
stop, she hit the kickstand. “We've all got our bikes,” she said,
looking around.

“Yeah, looks like a mystery cop got it handled.”

“Garcia?” she asked.

“I don't think he wanted to risk being seen,”
I said.

John looked around. “Let's get these bikes
hidden.”

Good thinking.

Inside
the hideout, we sat on the crates. I had the strangest,
I-was-just-here feeling... 'cuz I was
.

“I can't believe your parents let you go, aren't
they worried?” Jade asked.

“My dad has a plan to relieve some of the
pressure and expose them. Also,” I shrugged, “I gave up the
hideaway.”

Jonesy face-palmed. “No! You told adults about
here?”

John glared at me.

“I know, I know, so not-cool, but, they're not
trying to interfere but look at it from their point of view.”

The
Js just looked at me,
what
point of view?

“I'm just gonna say it: adults don't think like
us.” Jonesy said.

That was true, but I couldn't let my parents think
I was going to dangle myself out there like kidnap bait.

“If it makes ya feel any better, I didn't tell
them about it, only that it was somewhere in the dump.”

“It's kinda bad that the cops know about it
too,” John said.

“And Brett and Carson,” Jade said.

“Yeah.... what-the-hell is with Brett?” Jonesy
asked, crossing his arms. “He got a death-wish?”

Jade lowered her head. I put a hand under her
chin. “This isn't your fault, you know.”

She nodded, a lone tear sliding down her face,
holding her side she spoke so quietly the three of us leaned forward,
“It would be easier on you guys if I wasn't a part of this.”

What?

John said, “Ah, Brett has nothing to do with
you.”

“Yeah!” Jonesy said. “He's a wet asshole
without help from anyone.”

Jade laughed and the sadness passed.

Jonesy nodded, warming up. “And he can join the
needs-to-be-flogged group.”

“Don't forget Carson,” John reminded.

“Yeah, he's first on the list,” Jonesy said.

Jade laughed again. “You guys!”

But we had made her happier, team players.

“Knock-knock!” A voice yelled from the
freezer.

We jumped.

“What the hell...?” Jonesy said.

Jade put a hand on his dark forearm, her hand pale
against it. “It's Tiff and Sophie.”

“Oh, Soph! Great!”

We all looked at each other.

“I mean...” Jonesy paused awkwardly, Jonesy
was never awkward, “I'm glad they're all okay.”

Riiiiggghhht.

“Back here!” Jade said loudly.

Tiff and Sophie came first, with Bry bringing up
the rear, ducking through that last spot.

Bry's face looked really bad.

Jonesy said, “Wow, those gnomes really tore you
up!”

That made Bry smile. Tiff looked like she got
scraped, but we knew the butt of a M-16 had done it, making the
scrape harder to ignore.

“What about your parents?” John asked.

Tiff rolled her eyes. “They think he needs anger
management help.”

Jonesy barked out a laugh. “Are you kidding?”

“No. Remember, it's Bry's job to get the shit
kicked out of him every time we go to a cemetery.”

“Everyone has to do their part,” John said
cryptically.

“Right,” I agreed.

Bry laughed. “You guys are okay.”

I filled Bry, Tiff and Sophie in on the fun at
Jade's house last night.

“Sounds like that guy needs to be flogged,”
Bry said.

Jonesy threw out his hands. “Great minds think
alike.”

“What?” Bry asked.

“Jonesy already thought of that. With a few
other key people on the list,” John said.

“I have a few more people,” Bry said.

“Some teachers?” Tiff said.

We thought about that.

“Kids first, then we start working through the
adults,” I said.

“Nice, Hart,” Bry said.

I did a mock-bow, laughing.

We finished up our mutual admiration and trooped
down the tunnel, stepping out of the freezer, closing it up for the
next meeting.

Our good mood dissipated like a candle blowing
out, smiles fading on our faces as if they'd never been.

Brett and Carson stood there staring at the group.
How long they'd been there was anyone's guess.

Bry looked around. “What? Did someone die?”

“Nah... but we have history with these two,”
Jonesy said in explanation.

“Okay, I'm feeling ya,” Bry said, giving the
two a hard look.