Help Wanted (6 page)

“All right, people.” Mrs. Grouse waved a sheaf of papers in the air. “I was very disappointed in these tests. I expected better of you. Robin—”

Robin's heart sank. She lowered her book, barely acknowledging the teacher with a nod.

“Robin, it looks as if you're the only one who bothered to study for this.” Mrs. Grouse gave one of her rare smiles. “All you other people—shame on you.”

Robin cringed as dark looks shot in her direction.

“Traitor,” Walt mumbled.

She shrugged as Faye glared at her, and when class was finally over, she waited in the hall, bracing herself for the lecture she knew would come.

“I hate you even more.” Faye scowled, crumpling her test paper and tossing it into a trashcan. “When I think of all that sleep I missed for nothing!”

“Sorry.” Robin sighed. “I guess I just have a head for math.”

“You have a head for
everything
that anyone could ever get graded on,” Faye said glumly. “You're really getting on my nerves.”

“Hey, Bailey,” a soft voice spoke behind them, “don't you ever get tired of showing off?”

The girls looked up in surprise. Walt was standing in the doorway, that funny little half smile on his face. Robin tried to think of a clever reply, but Faye didn't give her the chance.

“Maybe you and
I
should study together,” she said coyly. “Since we're obviously the ones who need … practice.”

Walt looked straight at her.

“No, thanks.”

Even with all the chaos in the hall around them, Robin felt the sudden, sickening silence. She also saw the angry flush go over Faye's cheeks and the sullen toss of Faye's head as she took a step away.

“Excuse me,” Faye said with icily forced sweetness. “I hate to be rude, but I have to go flunk another class now.”

“Faye—”

Robin reached for her, but Faye disappeared into the mob of rushing students. After a second of indecision Robin turned solemnly back to Walt.

“You hurt her feelings.”

“I'm sorry. What was I supposed to say?”

Robin stared at him.

“That you want to study with her,” she said at last, even as Walt was shaking his head.

“But I don't.”

The bell sounded, and Robin took a step backward. As a rush of students surged through the hall, someone slammed into her, shoving her up against Walt's chest, and his arm went around her to steady her.

Robin gasped. “Oh, sorry … I'm so sorry—”

“I'm not.”

Startled, Robin looked up at him. His dark eyes gazed back at her calmly, and a slow smile eased across his lips. Several seconds passed before his arm finally slid from her shoulders.

“Well …” Robin glanced back this time before she took a step. “Well … I guess I'll see you later.”

He nodded. He gave his not-quite sort of smile and walked off in the other direction.

Faye was right—yesterday was a weird day, but today is even weirder. In fact, I can't even imagine anything turning out any weirder than it already is
.…

Late for class now, Robin turned the corner and headed for the stairs. The hallway was deserted here, and doors were closing up and down the corridor as teachers started their lectures. Picking up speed, she raced down, digging through her notebook for her homework assignment.

She wasn't really watching where she was going.

She didn't even notice the pitiful heap at the bottom of the stairs until she was practically on top of it.

At the last second Robin's head came up, and she gasped in alarm, swerving to avoid a collision.

There was something almost familiar about the body sprawled there on the floor.

Familiar … and somehow frightening.

The flowing blond hair … the childlike face … and the glassy eyes staring up at Robin in horror.

M
y God,” Robin whispered. “Claudia …”

Robin would have known her anywhere.

She looked just like the portrait of Lillith that Robin had seen hanging at Manorwood last night.

For several horrible seconds Robin could only stare, but then at last she knelt down on the floor and leaned over the prone figure.

“Are you all right?” she burst out. “Are you hurt? Say something—are you—”

“Pushed,” the girl mumbled, and as Robin put her arms around her, the girl sagged against Robin's shoulder. “Pushed,” she whispered again.

“Can you sit up?” Robin was afraid to move her and looked frantically up and down the hallway for help. “Wait here,” she said softly. “I'm going to get the nurse—”

“No!” As if she'd suddenly found some inner reserve of strength, the girl sat up and pushed Robin away. “I don't want the nurse. Really … just … just leave.”

Robin looked at her in surprise. “Come on, it'll be all right. I just don't want you to move in case anything's—”

Robin's voice cut off as she heard footsteps coming leisurely down the stairs, two at a time. She opened her mouth to call for help and saw Parker Swanson's face come into view.

They saw each other at the exact same moment.

Robin's eyes widened and so did his, and in one quick movement he was squatting beside them, tossing his books to the side.

“What happened?”

Robin shook her head at him. “I don't know—I just—”

“Claudia, are you okay?” Parker looked worried, but as he tried to take hold of the girl, she grew even stiffer and pulled out of his reach.

“You know what happened,” she murmured.
“You know.”

Robin saw a quick, unreadable expression flicker over Parker's face. He opened his mouth, then shut it again and stood back up.

“I'll try to find the nurse,” he said to Robin. “Can you stay with her?”

“Sure.”

He disappeared down the hallway, and as Claudia stared after him, Robin had a moment to study the girl.

If Robin hadn't known about the death of Claudia's mother, she would have sworn that Lillith lay on the floor beside her now. Claudia's face was tiny and oval shaped, her eyes a beautiful shade of violet, and her appearance innocently childlike. Long blond hair streamed over her back and shoulders, and as she lowered her lashes, several tears crept out, though she blinked them fiercely away.

“It's all right,” Robin said again. “You're going to be fine.”

The girl shook her head but said nothing.

“You're—” Robin broke off, biting her lip. Maybe Claudia didn't know about the cataloging yet—or that Robin had even been to Manorwood. “You're new here, aren't you?”

At last the girl looked her full in the face. Claudia's eyes were so sad, so bewildered, that Robin felt an ache in her own heart.

“I just started here today,” Claudia said at last.

“Oh. Well. That explains it.”

Robin gave her a reassuring pat, but Claudia remained limp against her.

“That explains it,” Robin repeated lamely. “I didn't think you looked familiar.”

“Maybe I should get up.”

“I'm not sure that's such a good idea—” Robin began, but Claudia's hand clamped tightly onto her arm.

“You must have
seen
her—there on the steps—right before you came down!” The girl's voice rose, and her eyes shot to the top of the empty staircase.

“Who?” Robin asked. “I didn't see anyone. There was just me.”

“No,” the girl murmured, and again her eyes darted to the landing above. “No, she was there, you see. I have to get up. I have to get away.”

Robin tightened her hold around Claudia's shoulders. “But everyone's in class right now—no one's going to come trampling over you. Those stairs are pretty slippery on damp days like this. You're lucky you—”

“I didn't slip. She pushed me.”

Robin stared at her. Claudia's delicate brows drew together in a stubborn line, and her eyes lowered to the floor.

“Who?” Robin asked quietly. “Who pushed you?”

For a long moment the girl said nothing.

Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she said, “It doesn't matter.”

Robin felt the fragile body shiver against her. Claudia felt cold and small and helpless.

“But it does matter,” Robin tried again. “I can't imagine any of the kids here doing something like that. In the first place they don't even know you. In the second place … well … they just wouldn't.”

“I'd … I'd rather not talk about it,” Claudia mumbled. Again her eyes blinked, as if fighting back tears, and her face tightened into a mask of soft defiance. “Just leave me alone,” she whispered. “Please.”

Before Robin could answer, Parker reappeared with the school nurse. Robin stood up and let Miss Danton take over, and after a quick examination it was decided that Claudia had suffered nothing more than bruises and a bad scare.

“Would you like to go home?” Miss Danton offered, but Claudia shook her head adamantly. Apparently Parker had already told the nurse that he and Claudia were related, because now Miss Danton looked questioningly at him. He in turn only looked at the floor.

“Are you sure?” Miss Danton asked again.

“Yes, thank you. I'm fine.” Claudia stood slowly and brushed herself off, though Robin could see the girl's hands were still shaking.

“I can take her home if she wants to go,” Parker finally said.

Claudia shook her head. Miss Danton nodded.

“Well, why don't you come back with me and lie down for a minute,” she said briskly, “just to make sure you're not dizzy. Robin … Parker … I'll write you two late-notes for class. Thanks for your help.”

They watched Miss Danton lead Claudia off to the infirmary, and then Parker turned to Robin with a grin.

“So. Now you've met my crazy grandfather
and
my crazy sister. We're a family full of surprises.”

“She wasn't exactly crazy,” Robin said, a little stiffly. “She just happened to have fallen down a whole flight of—”

“Yeah, and she told you she'd been pushed, too, didn't she? That it wasn't an accident.”

Robin's mouth opened in surprise. “How did you know?”

Parker shook his head and looked smug.

“I told her she'd imagined it,” Robin went on quickly. “That no one here would do such a thing. I told her the stairs were slippery and—”

“Her eyes got all big and scared, and you felt sorry for her.” Parker leaned over to pick up his books. “Works every time.”

“How can you be so cold about it?” Robin burst out angrily.

“Because I know her. After a while you will, too.” Parker sighed. “She's just like her mother. And I'm sure my grandfather had a few choice things to say about
her!
”

“Nothing very nice and nothing very concrete,” Robin said, bristling. “Everyone seems to be making such a mystery out of the poor woman. All I want to do is get her books in order.”

“Her name was Lillith, and she wasn't what I'd call a ‘poor woman.'” Parker's tone was sarcastic. “In fact, after she married my father, she was quite rich.”

“That's not what I meant, and you know it.”

“Oh!” He faked surprise. “I get it! You're talking about the suicide thing! Yes, it's true. Lillith did herself in, but at least she was considerate enough to do it outside. And as for crazy old Claudia—”

“You're disgusting.” Robin snatched up her books and glared at him. “And in case you didn't notice just now, Claudia was really scared.”

“And you're naive,” Parker countered smoothly. “Don't be taken in by what
seems
to be.” He looked down at her and grinned. “Except me, of course. Who
seems
to be a wonderful, lovable guy—which I truly
am.
”

Robin turned her back on him and walked away, but he quickly fell into step beside her.

“So we're going to be working in close proximity,” he mused. “Hmmm … this could turn out to be very interesting. Very enlightening.”

“I'm there to work,” Robin said sharply.
“If
I take the job at all. I still haven't decided yet.”

“Oh, I see.” Parker chuckled. “Okay, then, if you
do
decide to take the job—which you
will
, because you find me extremely fascinating and want very much to be close to me—this could turn out to be very educational and professional. Does that suit you better?”

When Robin didn't answer, he reached down and tugged on a strand of her hair.

“You really don't feel comfortable with me, do you?” he teased.

“I just want to get to class,” Robin said, avoiding his eyes. “I'm late enough as it is.”

“And that really shook you up back there, didn't it? Finding crazy old Claudia like that.”

“Well, maybe you think it's funny, but I don't.” Robin bit her lip, still seeing that pathetic heap at the bottom of the stairs. “The poor thing looked so scared … so …”