So Over My Head (36 page)
“In here!” My captor yells, causing the horse beside us to stir. “I got company.”
Red Fritz steps into the dimming light of the stable. “You.” His voice is as menacing as one of the villains on Robbie’s cartoons. “This kid’s been a problem from the moment Stewart hired her.” He steps closer to me and runs a gloved finger down my cheek. “And then when I put him in charge of getting rid of you, he couldn’t do that right either. You got her locked up good?”
I thrash against Alfredo, but he only drags me closer to him, ignoring the kick of my legs. “She’s not going anywhere.” He turns to me and drops his hand. “If you know anything about this dog’s collar, you better tell me now.”
“It’s just a name. I thought there would be a map there on the back or something.” I shrug with as much casualness as I can fake. “Guess I was wrong. But you do know the police are up to date on all of this, right?” I watch Red’s eyes widen. “They know I was in contact with Alfredo, that my life was threatened, and that Cherry’s in danger.”
Red stoops down and grabs the dog’s collar. “This is what I was called out here for? I got a fill-in covering the last half of the first show, and you drag me out here to read Betty’s mutt’s tags?” He peers closer. “Who would call an animal Peg Aurora Smith anyway? What’s wrong with names like Spot or Fido?” He shoves the dog aside. “Waste of time.”
“What do we do now?” Alfredo asks.
Red spears me with his beady eyes. “You know what to do. The girl goes with us. I got business to take care of during the second act.” He smiles and pats his pocket. “I just sold the carnival two hours ago. So now I have a show to wrap up, a niece to kill off, and my own little disappearing act to plan.”
Fear roars through my head like a New York subway. “What are you going to do to Cherry?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know, you nosy little brat! You’ve been in my way ever since you went digging through Alfredo’s trailer. Yeah, I’m the one who so kindly returned your flashlight. But you still didn’t take the hint to butt out.” Red blows cigar smoke in my face, and I blink against the burn. “Let’s just say there will be a tragic accident during Cherry’s second performance.” He
tsk
s his tongue. “And she will finally get that family she’s been dreaming of—when she’s reunited with her parents in heaven.” Red holds his large stomach and laughs.
“Cherry’s parents didn’t die in an accident, did they?” As if I have to ask.
“It’s taken a while, but I’ve finally gotten what should’ve been mine all along.” Red jabs his pudgy thumb in his chest. “I was the oldest.
I
should’ve been the one to inherit the carnival—not my brother.”
I send a look of desperation to Alfredo. “Are you seriously going to stand by and let this happen?”
“Red’s cutting me in on the deal.” A wicked glint lights Alfredo’s eye. “It’s been me and him the whole time. He paid me to get Betty off his back.”
“By killing her?” I charge.
“By dating her.”
“Speaking of good shows!” Red claps Alfredo on the back. “Now that was an Oscar-worthy performance. Imagine—that woman ever thinking a man would be interested in her.” His face sobers. “Take care of the kid and be in my trailer fifteen minutes before the final show is over.”
Fear slides across my skin. “If you’re going to kill me, you might as well tell me what you’ve been looking for.”
Red laughs. “Doesn’t matter now. I got the carnival sold, the check in my pocket, and soon I’ll be a grieving uncle. Everything else can just stay buried.” He waves a white hand over my head. “On second thought, bring the girl with us. Stewart can take care of her. We don’t have the time or the resources to deal with her here.” He moves his leering grin close to my face. “Don’t worry. It will be painless—mostly. Just like Betty, I’ve found if I want someone killed well, I have to do it myself.”
My brain shudders. That slimy, creepy, curly-mustached freak.
God, please help me. I’m too young and fashionable to die!
Alfredo tightens his hold on my arms as Red motions him on. “Let’s go.”
“Peg Aurora Smith. Stupid name for a stupid dog.” Red hops into his truck.
“Anything you want to tell me?” Alfredo stares at me with focused intensity.
“Nope.”
His frown is sharp. “It’ll only hurt for a bit.”
I thrash against him as he pulls out a taser. “No!”
Violent heat pours through my body as I scream.
The electricity stops and darkness pulls me down.
And my final thoughts are of the dog.
Because she’s been the answer all along.
O
w. My head. Where am I? Why am I moving?
My eyes flutter open, and a floorboard comes into focus. So do my bound ankles.
OOh, crap. I’m in Red’s truck. I have to get out of here! If only I could reach my phone.
My body jerks as I force myself to breathe through my nose, slow and deep. Duct tape covers my mouth.
Don’t panic. Do not panic,
Bella
.
The vehicle comes to a rough stop, and the engine shudders into silence. “Get her out and bring her to the haunted house,” Red says. “I’ve already missed more of the show than I meant to. Let’s make this quick, because I sure can’t miss my niece’s Praying Mantis.”
The door swings open and Alfredo’s hands pull me out by my arms. “I know you’re awake, so there’s no point in bothering to pretend otherwise.” He heaves my body into his arms and over his shoulder, pinning my legs down with his iron grip.
The dark of the night covers us as the two men walk toward the haunted house. The eerie quiet of the closed rides does nothing to comfort me.
God, please rescue me. Save me from a really painful
death. I have a cat to raise!
I’m jostled into Alfredo’s bony shoulder as he climbs the steps into the dark spook house. My eyes search all around for anyone to help me. I scream behind my tape, but it goes nowhere.
“Throw her inside. Shackle her to that rail.”
Alfredo does as Red commands. He drops me on the floor, and pain rockets through my body. He jerks my hands overhead and in two swift motions locks my cuffs to a rail. I donkey kick him with my duct taped legs, but he barely stumbles.
“Is she secure?”
Alfredo’s nod is grave. “Don’t you think this is clumsy—leaving her to die like this? You know they’ll see the cuffs first thing.”
“Who cares?” Red glances out the door. “We’ll be long gone with a big check to share. If anyone knows how to stay out of sight, it’s you.” He throws down his cigar. “Are you sure she’s secure?”
Alfredo’s eyes laser into mine. “Two twists and a tug couldn’t even get her out of these babies.”
Tears flow unchecked down my face. No, I’m not a crier, but if there ever was a reason for it, surely this is it. And to die here of all places. Home of the worst job I’ve ever had. Well, aside from Pancho’s Mexican Villa. And scooping poop at Dolly’s. And getting attacked by the maxi-pad machine at the Summer Fresh factory. But, no, this
has
to be the worst. Because none of those other jobs resulted in my death.
“Light her up.” Red runs his fingers down the curve of his mustache. “Don’t worry, girl. Once the smoke gets to going good, it’ll knock you out. You won’t feel a thing.”
I flop like a fish, yanking on the cuffs, screaming behind my gag.
Help me! Someone help me
. Panic fills my chest as I struggle to breathe.
“There’s enough plywood on this thing to make one heck of a bonfire.” Red checks his watch. “Ten minutes until Cherry’s routine. Get to it.”
Alfredo’s wide eyes bore into mine again. Like he’s trying to send me some sort of message, but I don’t know what. Forgive him? Yeah, right. I’ll consider that when my body is melting like a s’more.
The magician slams the door, and I’m thrown into darkness. Seconds later, I hear something slide through the handle. I’m toast. Literally.
God, please
.
With ears on attuned to every sound, I listen as the men work outside, my body jerking with every noise. Finally . . . silence.
Silence is not good. Silence means the fire has started. And I’m minutes away from the end. Why didn’t I tell Luke how I felt about him? Why didn’t I tell my mom I loved her today? Or call my dad. Or punch Budge in the arm. And Robbie—I’ll miss that little guy and all his superhero fantasies.
Tears continue to drop on my cheeks, and I wonder if I could cry enough to douse out some flames.
I scream behind the tape as smoke filters its way into the trailer.
Please, someone see the smoke and call for help. It’s my only hope
.
Smoke billows through the cracks of the walls, and a full minute passes until I see a flame lick the wall. I pull on the cuffs with all I’ve got.
Right this moment Cherry is getting ready to fall to her death. And there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
And I’m about to burn up in a carnival attraction dedicated to horror. The irony does not escape me.
God, just let it be quick. I want to pass out from smoke inhalation
just like Red said. That is possible, right? He wasn’t just lying?
Because I don’t know if I can believe a word out of his fat, lying
mouth
.
I close my eyes against the smoke and hang my head. So many things I wanted to do still. Tell Jake he needs to fight for my mom. Let Luke know I’m over the moon for him, that I don’t want to go another day without being the girlfriend of the bossiest, most arrogant boy on campus. I wanted to go to college and write for a university newspaper. Get married. Meet Prince Harry. Maybe marry Prince Harry and decorate Buckingham Palace.
The smoke. It’s getting to me. I have to think. There has to be a way out of here. Now can’t be my time. Not like this.
Lord, what do
you want me to do
?
Why was Alfredo staring at me so hard? What was he trying to tell me? Think! I cough into my shoulder and recall every word that came out of that dirty crook’s mouth.
Two twists and a tug couldn’t even get her out of these babies
.
Of course! The handcuffs. He was letting me know the cuffs are his magician’s props.
I get to my knees and turn my head against the flow of the smoke. Flames eat at the wall and climb higher. Closer.
I twist the cuffs once. Twice.
And pull.
My hands snap loose of the restraints, and I nearly collapse on the floor.
Thank you, God!
Quickly, I rip off the tape from my mouth and legs. “Help! Help me! I’m trapped!” Covering my mouth with my T-shirt, I pound on the wall in front of me.
I quickly look to the entrance, but the door is fully engulfed. No time to lose. Must get out.
Reaching into my back pocket, I rip out my phone. I punch in Luke’s number. No answer.
“Luke, I’m trapped in the haunted house! Please come get me. Cherry’s in trouble. Do not let her take the trapeze.”
And get me!
Find me! Rescue me
.
Now to call 9-1-1. A board pops overhead, and with a shout, I jump out of the way.
And lose my phone.
The roof is going to cave. I can’t stop to find the phone. I just have to get out.
Using my hands, I fumble along the walls and try to feel for a door. I know there’s at least one more. People go into the haunted house, so they have to come out. I hope.
Splinters tear into my fingers as I grope along the rough wooden surface, moving along fast enough to stay ahead of the flames. But I know it could go at any time.
“Help me! Someone!” I scream some more then cover my mouth. The smoke—it’s too much. Recalling Mrs. Bryant’s ninth-grade health class, I stoop as low as I can to the ground, still searching for a door. I push past the light-headedness and keep moving.
“Bella?”
I freeze. Did I just hear my name?
Please, God!
“Here I am!” I wheeze and cough. “In here!”
“Bella!”
Just gonna sit down for a second and close my eyes. So sleepy. Feeling oozy. Head spinning. Eyes sting. Throat raw.
Air flows over me, and I hear my name again. “Bella! Can you hear me?”
Then arms lift me up and cradle me close. Is this what dying feels like?
“Bella, hang on.”
I nearly choke on the fresh air as it hits my lungs. I’m gently rested on the ground, and suddenly Luke’s face looms near and aims close. Mouth open.
“Wait!” My lungs spasm as I wheeze. I push his face away and just move the breath in and out. I’m alive!
Luke sighs big and drops his head to mine. “You’re okay. Thank God you’re okay.” He says this over and over.
“Luke?”
He doesn’t move. “Yes?”
“Get off.”
He lifts me to him and pulls close. “Some girls will do anything to avoid mouth-to-mouth.”
I wrap my arms around him and just hold tight, letting the night air cleanse my mind and lungs. “Omigosh!” I shove him away and ease into a sitting position. “We have to save Cherry! Did you tell them not to let her go on?”
He frowns. “No, I heard the first part of your message and just ran out.”
“We have to go.” I stumble to my feet, and he helps me to stand. “Stewart’s going to drop Cherry tonight. Red wants her dead. I heard the whole thing.”