Last Dance (3 page)

Penny-Love heard my low gasp and turned to me in concern. “What is it, Sabine? You just went totally white.”

“I’m okay.” I swallowed hard.

“You don’t sound okay, but whatever.” She glanced over at the Lexus. “Wicked car. Whose is it?”

“My mother’s.” I resisted the urge to run away. “She wasn’t due for two hours.”

“Maybe she hurried because she missed you.”

I snorted. “That will be the day. She doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

“I don’t believe it. Parents can’t resist messing with their kids’ lives like a bad habit. It’s all, you should do this or why aren’t you doing that, but we always make up and hug afterwards. It’s normal to clash with your mother.”

“Nothing’s normal with us. It’s complicated—and hard to talk about.”

“You
never
talk about your family,” she accused.

“There’s not much to tell. My mother hates me, so I’m living here now.” I took a deep breath, then stepped out of the car. “I’d better go inside.”

“Will you be okay?” she asked, twirling a red curl around her finger.

“Sure.” I forced a weak grin. “My mother already kicked me out of the house. What else can she do?”

I was about to find out.

Mom looked her usual perfectionist self, wearing a tailored gray suit, matching heels, and an uptight smile. She started off with fake polite talk, asking about school and friends. Not that she cared. I mean, she wouldn’t even look directly into my face, as if she was afraid of what she might see—or more likely—what I might see. And she kept glancing around, as if expecting a ghost to suddenly pop out.

When she turned to Nona and asked for a private moment with me, my pulse jumped. It took all my willpower not to grab Nona and beg her to stay with me.

Instead, I lifted my chin defiantly as I faced my mother. “Okay we’re alone, so spit it out. What do you want?”

“Sabine, there’s no reason to use that tone with me,” she said. “I’m your mother and no matter what you may think, I do love you.”

“Yeah. It shows.”

“Are you still angry with me?”

“Of course not.”

“Sending you away was harder on me than you.”

“Oh, really?” I arched my brows skeptically.

“Of course. But I’m relieved it’s all worked out for the best. You’re doing well in school and have new friends. Your sisters tell me you even have a boyfriend. What’s his name?”

I hesitated, unwilling to share something so personal, but not comfortable with a direct lie. “Josh DeMarco.”

“DeMarco? Is he Italian?”

“I don’t know,” I said icily. “Or care.”

“I was simply asking a question. I’m sure he’s a charming boy, and I’d love to meet him when I have more time. It’s obvious you’re thriving with your grandmother. You always preferred her anyway. Instead of being angry because I arranged for you to stay here, you should thank me.”

“Thank you,” I said in a voice dripping with sarcasm. “Is there anything else?”

“Well …” She glanced down at her clenched hands. “There is something I need to discuss with you. I came here so we could talk away from the twins.”

“Why? Are they okay?” Alarm leaped in me. “Amy hasn’t had a bad asthma attack, has she?”

“No, nothing like that. But I’m concerned about Ashley’s friend, Leanna.”

I’d never heard the name. “What does that have to do with me?”

“Leanna is the younger sister of that boy from your last school.” She pursed her lips. “The one who died.”

Guilt and pain slammed into me, but I masked my emotions with a shrug. “So?” I folded my arms across my chest. “That still has nothing to do with me.”

“But it does,” my mother insisted. “Leanna will be at your sisters’ birthday party. It could be awkward and remind everyone of that unpleasant time.”

“I’ll stay out of her way.”

“I’m afraid that won’t be enough.”

My stomach clenched. “What do you mean?”

“If you love your sisters, make sure they have a happy birthday.”

“How?” I asked icily.

She met my gaze squarely. “Don’t come to their party.”

I couldn’t talk about Mom’s request, not even to Nona. My heart ached too much, and talking about it wouldn’t solve anything. Besides, Mom was right. Although I’d never met Leanna, she would recognize me as the “freak” who predicted her brother’s death. I’d warned him not to drive on prom night, but he’d just laughed about it with his pals. Only no one was laughing when he died in a fiery crash. Instead they pointed fingers of blame at me, as if knowing made me guilty.

And I loved my sisters too much to ruin their birthday.

How am I going to tell them I can’t go to their party?
I thought, blinking back tears.
Say I have a date? Fake a contagious illness? Or just blow them off like I don’t care? Lying is horrible, I hate it! But what other choice do I have? My lie will be like a secret birthday gift to my sisters, so they can keep believing Mom is perfect and I’m the screw up.

It was so hard, wanting to do the right thing yet not sure what would hurt my sisters more. Finally, I made what seemed like the hardest decision of my life. Before I chickened out, I went to my computer, logged online, then typed a short email:

Amy and Ashley,

Something came up and I can’t make your party. Sorry.

Happy birthday. Love Sabine.

Then I hit “Send.”

After that, I kept too busy for thinking, feeling, hurting. Since Nona wouldn’t let me back in her office, I tackled housework. Then I stayed up past midnight embroidering a pillowcase with delicate pink roses. The next morning, after washing and folding four loads of laundry, I shrugged into my jacket and went outside to gather eggs.

A sliver of sunshine broke through the gray sky, then disappeared behind puffy white clouds. The ground was damp with dew and fallen leaves crinkled under my boots. I tightened my jacket, rubbing my chilled hands together.

The basket was nearly full with brown speckled eggs when I heard a motor rumble and saw Dominic by the barn starting up his truck. His secondhand Ford had some dents, but was dependable. Dominic had proven himself dependable too. He’d helped me out of a few tough situations, and I was learning to trust him. Still we weren’t exactly friends, more like reluctant allies.

Penny-Love practically drooled over Dominic, flirting outrageously when he was around. He was good-looking, I guess, if you went for the surly, mysterious type. But I didn’t. I’d already found the perfect guy. Josh was tall, athletic, and so considerate he volunteered regularly at hospitals. How could I not fall for someone who made sick kids laugh by pulling stuffed rabbits out of bedpans? Josh embraced humanity, while Dominic avoided people, preferring to work outdoors with animals.

“Hey, wait!” I called to Dominic, setting my basket on the porch as I rushed over to his open truck window. “We need to talk about Nona.”

“When I get back,” Dominic said briskly.

“How long will that be?”

“Don’t know.” He had an irritating habit of speaking in short sentences—when he bothered to speak at all.

“You’re planning on being gone awhile or you wouldn’t have packed.” I pointed to the worn brown suitcase on his passenger seat. “Where are you going?”

“Astoria.”

“Oregon? But that’s over five hundred miles away.” I narrowed my gaze. “Does this have something to do with Nona’s remedy book?”

He shrugged. “Depends.”

“Depends on what?”

“If I find it.”

“We’re supposed to work together. You can’t just leave without telling me anything. And who will take care of the livestock while you’re gone?”

“It’s been arranged.”

His calm tone infuriated me. “Shouldn’t you tell Nona that you’re leaving?”

“Did already.”

“But you didn’t bother to fill me in on whatever lead you’re following. That’s not how partners work. If you found out something important, I demand to know what it is.” I grabbed the edge of the car window. “You’re not going anywhere till I have some answers.”

I expected him to yell at me to get out of his way. But instead of losing his temper, he broke into a smile. “You think you’re strong enough to stop my truck?”

“Probably not.”

He chuckled. “But you’d try anyway?”

“Sometimes trying is all you can do.”

“I know,” he said with a nod. “You’re good at it.”

Our eyes met and we weren’t talking about the truck anymore. Energy sizzled between us, making me hot and uncomfortable, like wearing a wool jacket on a sunny day. I didn’t understand these feelings, nor did I want to. Dominic and I only had one thing in common: my grandmother.

“Okay, partner, here’s the situation,” he said briskly, shutting off the truck’s engine so the yard was suddenly quiet. Even the chickens ceased cackling. “I’ve been making calls and checking records for Florence Jane Walker Tuttle.”

“Nona’s grandmother?” I asked eagerly. “What did you find?”

“I tracked down this guy, Alex Tuttle, who has old pictures of a distant aunt named Agnes.”

“Our Agnes?”

“Don’t know. But I plan to find out.”

“So you’re driving all the way up the Oregon coast? Couldn’t you just ask on the phone?”

“Not if I want to look through family albums.”

“Albums?”

“Very old family albums.”

“Wow. I’d love to see them.”

“So come with me.” He held out his hand invitingly, his fingertips brushing against my arm.

I jumped back, my skin tingling where he’d touched. “You can’t be serious.”

“Why not? We are
partners.
” He spoke the word in a soft, teasing way and he studied me with a look that made me uneasy.

“But—I can’t just drive off with you.”

“Why not? Afraid?”

“Of course not!” I faked a laugh. “Not even.”

“Then get in the truck.”

“I can’t! I have school tomorrow.”

“Skip it.”

“I wish I could—for a lot of reasons.” I shifted uneasily on the driveway. “But I have responsibilities, like the school newspaper, homework, and my friends.”

“Your wannabe magician boyfriend?” he asked with a sneer.

“Leave Josh out of this. And shouldn’t you have some kind of school, too?”

“Not me.” He grinned wickedly. “Besides, I got to move on this fast. Tuttle may have more than old pictures.”

“Like what?”

“Well …” Dominic drew out the word deliberately. “He mentioned a trunk of old books.”

“And?” I prompted.

“One of them could be the remedy book.”

I appreciated Dominic’s dedication to helping Nona, but I resented being left out and wanted to be the one to find the remedy book.

Remembering Dominic studying me, as if he could see through my clothes, added to my sour mood. What was it with him anyway? Why had he invited me to go with him? He usually shunned the human race, so his sudden offer was confusing. Maybe he felt sorry for me because I’d failed to find results on my own. Well, I’d show him! While he drove to another state after clues, I’d find out more right here.

And I knew just where to start. Agnes’s Bible. Taking out the thick, brittle book, I fluttered through age-worn pages and made a list of births, marriages, and deaths going back almost two hundred years. My family tree branched across paper with mostly unfamiliar names. So many unknown, forgotten relatives with tragedies and triumphs recorded in brief passages.

By the next morning, I had twelve pages of information in my notebook—and I was eager to show it to Dominic. Only there was no word from him yet. I jumped whenever the phone rang and kept listening for the sound of a truck. Nona didn’t seem concerned, and assured me we’d hear from him when he had news. Her voice rang with hope, and I was relieved she’d showed no signs of illness. Instead, she was like a super woman, already in her office making calls before I’d even started breakfast.

There was nothing for me to do, except go to school—which I
so
did
not
want to do. The news about Danielle nearly bleeding to death on the football field would be Gossip Topic #1. And if anyone found out about my part in that drama, I’d become Topic #2.

Penny-Love met me on the way, and I was relieved she didn’t even mention Danielle. Old news already, I thought hopefully. Instead Penny-Love went on and on about the Fall Fling Dance: what she was wearing, the guy she planned to ask, and elaborate decorating plans.

Relieved to slip into my normal routine, I only half-listened. It was like there were two Sabines, one who could act like a dance was as important as world peace, and another who heard voices and had psychic visions. Guess it was no accident my sign was Gemini. I never talked about weird stuff at school. Mostly, I did a lot of listening. Especially with Penny-Love. It’s funny how people liked you when you let them talk. After being run out of my last school, it was a relief to be accepted and even popular.

Penny-Love was the Queen Bee of Sheridan High. A self-proclaimed diva, she knew everything about everyone, sometimes even before they knew. She filled me in on the latest three D’s: dating, dumping, and dissing. I nodded at appropriate pauses and tried to pay attention. But my mind kept wandering back to the cozy yellow house on Lilac Lane. How was Nona doing alone? Had her upbeat attitude been real or an act? Why was I wasting my time at school when she might need me? I had a strong feeling I should have stayed home.

At my locker I found out why.

“Well if it isn’t Sabine,” a voice spoke low and menacing. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”

An icy chill swept over me as I faced Evan Marshall. Tall, with broad shoulders and narrowed dark eyes, he stood in front of my locker. His aura sparked with crimson and a green as dark as nightforest. His scowl was evidence he still blamed me for ruining his friendship with Josh. But it was his own deceit that backfired on him.

“Move aside,” I ordered. “You’re blocking my locker.”

“Are you always this rude in the morning?” he drawled, bending slightly to look into my eyes.

I wanted to fire back with some witty comment, but what was the use? I didn’t have the energy to educate jerks. So I just glared and repeated, “Move.”

“Sure, sure—after we have a little talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“Really?” His sarcastic smile made me shiver. “Not even about poor, crazy Danielle?”

“Have some respect. She
was
your girlfriend.”

“I know, and I felt bad when I heard she was in the hospital. So I went to visit her yesterday.”

“You did?” I asked, startled. “How did your
new
girlfriend feel about that?”

“Shelby said it was cool that I cared about an old friend, and that I’m the sweetest, nicest guy she’s ever met.”

“She needs to get out more. Now would you please move aside so I can get to my locker.”

“Not until I thank you for helping Danielle,” he said with barbed sarcasm.

“Me?” I shook my head. “I don’t know what you mean. I didn’t do anything.”

“Oh don’t be modest. I know what happened Friday night.” He leaned in closer and ominously lowered his voice. “The nurses wouldn’t let me talk with Danielle, but I had a long conversation with her father. And he told me some amazing things. About you.”

I gulped and glanced down at the cement ground.

“How did you know Danielle was in trouble?” Evan demanded.

“A lucky guess.”

“You guessed she was bleeding to death on the football field at night?”

It did sound kind of far-fetched when he put it that way. I twisted the end of my braid. “The bell is going to ring and I need my Lit book. I don’t have time to waste arguing with you.”

“Who’s arguing? I’m just asking some questions.”

“And blocking my locker.”

“Oh, am I?” His eyes glittered dangerously. “I am
soooo
sorry. I didn’t mean to inconvenience you and waste your valuable time. Thanks to you, I have tons of free time. You got me kicked off the football team and turned Josh against me. I owe you so much and I totally believe in payback.”

“Move out of my way!”

“Not until you answer one question.”

“Get lost!”

“What’s your secret?” he persisted. “I knew there was something strange about you from the start. Josh wouldn’t listen to me when I warned him you were trouble. It’s like you’ve cast a spell on him. He’s blind to you, but I’m not. You’re hiding something. I don’t know what it is … but I’m going to find out.”

Then he made a sweeping gesture toward my locker, stepped aside, and walked away.