JUMP GIRL (The Go Girls Chronicles Book 2)

by Leigh Hutton

  Then Cecile was beside her. Ebony reached out to hug her, but she was too far away.

  ‘Listen, my child,’ Cecile said.

  Ebony’s mouth fell open from the shock, the sound of her mother’s voice, but she did as she was told.

  ‘I’m sorry I was taken from you,’ Cecile continued, ‘but you’ll be fine. I looked after you, you’re not yet aware …’ Cecile smiled, and Ebony’s heart burst with pain. She wanted to hold her. She wanted to join her. Her mother was finally here.

  ‘Don’t cry,’ Cecile said. ‘I love you. I am so proud of you. You are my special, perfect girl.’

  ‘I love you, Mom!’ Ebony said, relieved and crying, for she’d finally been able to speak.

  ‘You need to claim what’s rightfully yours,’ Cecile said. ‘You need to search the only place untouched by them.’

  ‘Where?’ Ebony asked. ‘Where do I look, Cecile?’

  ‘I left it for you. You just need to see.’

  ‘But, where? Mom!’ Ebony reached out, but Cecile was drifting away. ‘Please, stay!’

  ‘I will always be proud of you. My perfect girl.’

  ‘Don’t, Cecile! You can’t leave me again!’

  ‘I love you, Ebony. Claim what is yours.’

  ‘I love you, Mom! NO!’

  ‘Ebony! — Oh God,’ hands took hold of her, ‘we’re here, it’s gonna be okay.’

  Ebony opened her eyes, and the sunlight burned. She was shaking, her body heaving, so cold, drenched and frozen. A blanket was wrapped around her.

  ‘You scared us to death!’ It sounded like Abia. But where is Cecile? ‘Mom?’

  ‘Geez, Winnie, you’d better call a doctor.’

  ‘No!’ Ebony yelled. ‘They can’t find me!’

  ‘It’s okay, sweetheart,’ Abia said. ‘Please, try to open your eyes for me?’

  Ebony did as she asked, and found herself staring into the faces of her friends: Winnie, Abia and Jasmine.

  ‘Hey, girl!’ Jasmine said. ‘How’s my hero doing?’

  ‘I think I’ve had better days,’ Ebony said. A sharp pain in her forehead wiped the weak smile from her face, and she clutched it with her hand. ‘Where am I?’

  ‘You rode Johnny to Cecile’s old place, you crazy thing!’ Jasmine said. She held a bottle of water up for Ebony to drink.

  ‘Thank you.’ It was cold, but tasted so good. She couldn’t stop drinking, and her mind drifted away … Flashes, of Marcus’s barn, of a woman and men, riding Johnny through the fog and the rain. ‘Johnny?’

  Abia pointed down the paddock. Johnny looked up from a bucket of feed and whinnied.

  ‘How long have we been here?’ Ebony asked. Winnie wrapped an arm around her and helped her to sit up. She rested back against the wall of the shelter. The sun was warm, glistening on the lake in front of Cecile’s house. She was at Cecile’s. She’d seen Cecile. Her mother had spoken to her.

  ‘Oh my God!’ Ebony said, dropping the bottle of water. It spilled over her legs, drenching her frozen lap, but she didn’t care.

  She forced herself to stand, but her head spun wildly and her legs collapsed. She would have fallen, if Jasmine and Abia hadn’t been there, to grab her by the arms. ‘We have to go!’

  ‘Where?’ Jasmine asked.

  ‘Where’s my car?’

  ‘At the barn, I assume,’ Abia said. ‘Winnie found it ditched in the forest when she started searching for you, after Johnny went missing and the re-po chick saw a ‘black-haired girl’ galloping him off towards the mountains!’

  The girls laughed, but Ebony started walking.

  ‘Whoa up!’ Jasmine said.

  ‘Ebony.’ Abia appeared in front of her, her hands resting on her shoulders. ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘I need to find my car, now, ’ Ebony said. ‘It’s the only place I haven’t looked for Cecile’s Will.’

  ‘That ees where eet was!’ Winnie pointed from the passenger seat of Abia’s Celica.

  ‘You sure she parked it that far off the road?’ Jasmine asked from the back. She squeezed Ebony’s hand.

  ‘She’s right,’ Ebony said. ‘That’s where it was.’ She wrapped the blanket around herself, still shaking, and looked up the driveway, towards the barn. ‘Let’s head up, see if anyone saw anything.’

  Clancy met them at the parking lot. He leaned in the window, and glanced back at Ebony. ‘You’re in a whole lot-ta trouble,’ he said. He walked back to the horse transporter, which they’d loaded Johnny into, to speak to Winnie. Winnie hopped out, and they both hurried up to the car. ‘You guys better get out-ta here,’ Clancy said to Abia. ‘That re-po lady got onto Marcus and said she’d be bringin’ the cops.’

  ‘How long ago did she leave?’ Abia asked.

  ‘She’s been here all morning, left just before Annika turned up.’

  ‘Where’s Annika?’ Ebony asked.

  ‘She just buggered off,’ Clancy said. ‘Came to pick up your car.’

  Ebony’s hands clenched into fists and her eyes went wide.

  ‘How long ago did she leave?’

  ‘You just missed her.’

  ‘Where’d she go?’ Jazz asked.

  ‘Probably back to her joint, to try and stop the bank from taking all her possessions.’

  Ebony threw off the blanket, and pounded her hands on the back of Winnie’s seat. ‘Lemme out!’ she said, pushing the seat forward. ‘Clancy, can you find a quiet stall for Johnny, please? And don’t let anyone near him until we get back!’

  ‘’Course, girl.’ Clancy kissed Winnie on the cheek, before jogging back to the horse truck.

  ‘Oh, no you don’t!’ Abia said, reaching into the back seat. ‘Not in your condition!’

  Ebony managed to squeeze past, grab the door handle and push her way out. She ran around the back of the car, and flung the driver’s door open. ‘No offence, Abia — you are an incredible rider,’ she said, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her from the car. ‘But you’re no Schumacher behind the wheel.’

  Ebony chugged an Iced Tea that Jasmine thrust in front of her and swung the car out onto the gravel, to head for the highway and Annika’s Royal Lakes home. Her hands were white and shaking and she couldn’t feel her legs, but her feet seemed to be working, and doing as they were told: hard on the gas and hard on the brakes. She needed to catch up to Annika, before she could make it back to her house — if the banks and everyone who was after Annika caught sight of her Mustang, that would be it; game over, she was sure. She only had one shot at reclaiming her life and doing what Cecile had asked of her. She wasn’t sure what had happened last night, but she did know one thing: her mother had spoken and there was no way she was going to let her down.

  Ebony accelerated hard onto the highway, and merged straight into the fast lane. Whizzing past car after car, the girls searched the horizon for the black Mustang.

  Past Spruce Meadows they sped, and into the city limits. Ebony took a hard left and the road dipped down, over a bridge, up past the golf course — the shortcut to Annika’s.

  ‘What did you mean when you said you’d been searching

  for Cecile’s Will?’ Abia asked, when a red light forced them to stop. Ebony drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, her eyes glued to the light. ‘I’ll fill you in as soon as I can.’

  ‘What if we’re too late?’ Jasmine asked.

  ‘Annika drives even slower than you do,’ Ebony smiled at Abia, ‘and she’s never driven a manual.’

  ‘Oh!’ Winnie’s hand flung between the front seats, pointing. ‘There eet ees!’

  Ebony spotted the white show jumping sticker on the back window of her Mustang, which had just crossed on to the main highway in front of them.

  ‘The short cut paid off!’ Jasmine squealed.

  The light went green, and Ebony floored it, the tyres of the Celica screeching as she took the left hand turn, and sped on to catch Annika. They got up behind her Mustang, and could see Annika’s blonde head through the rear window.

/>   ‘Now what?’ Winnie said. ‘We can’t force her off road!’

  ‘Why not?’ Jasmine giggled.

  ‘Look — she’s stopping,’ Abia said. Annika was indicating left, changing lanes. Ebony’s heart raced and danced with hope. She tucked in behind her Mustang and followed it into the service station.

  Annika parked at a pump on the far left hand side, and hopped out of the car.

  ‘Look!’ Jasmine said. ‘She can’t figure out how to open the gas tank!’

  Ebony smiled, and thanked the Lord for the fact she always seemed to be running on empty. She pulled up beside Annika, and killed the engine. ‘You guys wait here.’

  Winnie and Jasmine nodded, but Abia undid her seatbelt. ‘We’re here if you need us.’

  ‘Thanks guys.’ Ebony smiled, and opened the door.

  She ducked down low, and waited until Annika was hurrying into the station to pay, before creeping around the side of Abia’s car and trying the driver’s door of her Mustang. It was unlocked, so she let herself in. Silly Annika even left the keys in the cup holder!

  Ebony started the engine, and threw it into reverse but her feet found the brakes, and she put it back in ‘Park’. If she just took the car, she realised, then Annika would make a scene, and the last thing she needed was interest from the authorities. Not until she found the Will.

  She turned the key and let the engine die, then flicked her hood up and ducked low in the seat.

  When Annika appeared at the window, Ebony rolled it down a fraction. ‘Get in,’ she said.

  Annika’s face fell with shock, and she opened her mouth, most likely to scream — ‘Uh, uh!’ Ebony said, holding a finger to her lips. She glanced back at the Celica. ‘I’ve got back up, so unless you want trouble, Annika, I’d get in the car.’

  Annika narrowed her eyes and shook her head, her hands on her hips. She stood for a moment, her lips quivering with rage and her cheeks going red. Then she made her way around the car and got in.

  Ebony brought it back to life, reversed, and drove around the lot, past all the bowsers, and down the alley behind the station. She kept going, past a tall row of backyard fences, and parked at the end of the gravel alley. A golf course was out in front of them, and the foothills beyond, shining in the late afternoon sun.

  She glanced in her rearview. Abia pulled up behind, and the girls filed out and rested against the hood, their arms crossed, like a horsey-girl mafia. Ebony couldn’t help but smile.

  ‘This car’s mine, you know,’ Annika said. Her hands were clamped down on her thighs, her eyes wide and glassy. Ebony couldn’t remember ever seeing her look so confused, or vulnerable.

  ‘It isn’t and you know it,’ she said.

  ‘Well, they took mine!’ Annika’s eyes welled, like she could burst into tears. ‘What was I supposed to do, walk everywhere? I took a cab to the barn, where I knew I’d find this. Cecile left me her business, so this should be mine, too!’

  ‘Annika,’ Ebony said, locking her gaze. ‘I need you to get out of my car.’

  ‘Here?’ Annika said, looking around. ‘But, I’ll get robbed, or something!’

  ‘Have you not spent all our money and maxed all your cards?’

  Annika opened her mouth to object, but must have thought better of it. She bit her bottom lip, and hunched into the seat.

  When a tear slipped from the corner of her eye, and she wiped it away quickly, Ebony felt a bit sorry for her. She was actually human. Ebony had never seen Her Heinous as anything but evil before.

  ‘I’m … sorry, Ebony,’ Annika said, her head falling into her trembling hands. ‘I was never smart like Cecile. She was always so perfect. ’

  Ebony took a deep breath, and looked down over the golf course.

  Annika sighed. ‘I suppose you hate me now?’

  ‘I would have appreciated some honesty and kindness, Annika,’ Ebony said, taking a breath. ‘But, no. I don’t hate you.’

  ‘I’ve really mucked up my life.’

  ‘Maybe all of this has been the wake up call you needed.’

  Annika glanced at Ebony, and smiled. She actually smiled. Ebony’s eyes went wide with shock; she never thought the woman’s face was capable of such an expression. ‘You really are wise,’ Annika said. ‘For a punk … I think I’m jealous of that.’

  Ebony glanced back at her friends — Jasmine balled a fist and fake-punched the air. Ebony laughed, and looked back at Annika. ‘You know, I think being a punk has given me an advantage.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I don’t expect perfection from myself,’ Ebony said. ‘I’m just working on getting better. Once you recognise who you are, and accept it, then you can fall in love and truly soar.’

  ‘That’s pretty powerful.’ Annika wiped at the corners of her made-up eyes with the sleeves of her jean jacket.

  ‘I’m still going to need you to get out of my car, though,’ Ebony said, grinning. ‘Abia will drop you home.’

  Annika nodded. ‘Thanks, Ebony,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry to hear about Monster. And I’m sorry, for spending all the money.’

  Ebony took a deep breath, and eased back into her seat. She missed her horse, her brave, courageous little horse, but, at that moment, she also felt some peace. When she’d found him, Monster had had such little hope, but then he’d grown to love her, and he’d thrived, and had so much fun with his life. Monster had lived, and given her so many wonderful memories and achievements, and they’d done it all without the help of Cecile’s money. She hadn’t needed it. Making her own way and finding her own top horse had proved all the more rewarding, and now, she knew she could do it on her own, and that was something that no one could ever take away from her.

  ‘That’s okay, Annika,’ she said. ‘Good luck … with your home, and everything.’ Then she reached across, and held the door open, for Annika to leave.

  While Abia drove Annika home, the girls got to work, searching the Mustang. They pulled up the floor mats, ripped riding shirts and dirty saddle pads from the trunk, and emptied the glove box and centre console.

  Jasmine ran over to the service station, to get some coffees and chocolate bars. Ebony was fighting to keep upright, so bad was the pain from her head, her tail bone, her throat killed every time she swallowed. She had to sit down, as her head was spinning and she felt like she could spew. She’d been running on pure adrenaline since taking off on Johnny, but even adrenaline has a lifespan.

  ‘Rest now,’ Winnie said, laying a horse blanket from the trunk over Ebony’s lap.

  ‘Thanks, Win,’ Ebony said, bringing her knees up to her chest and curling into a ball in her passenger seat.

  Where could it be? She thought, closing her eyes. Is there even another Will? Maybe she’d hallucinated the whole thing, and Cecile and her angel hadn’t come to her last night in the dark. Maybe, she was going crazy.

  Jasmine came back and the girls took a break, resting against the hood, to drink their coffees and eat their chocolate. Ebony managed to drag herself out, but kept her eyes on the car. When she’d finished her Snickers, she went back to searching, and, grimacing, pulled up the carpet in the trunk and under the floor mats.

  A poof of dust, but no Will.

  ‘Argh!’ she said, kicking the ground. Her legs collapsed beneath her, and she sat crossed legged on the frozen gravel. Jasmine and Winnie sat down next to her, their arms around her to stop her shaking.

  ‘Thanks for trying, guys,’ Ebony said, resting her head on Winnie’s shoulder. ‘I guess I’m nuts.’

  ‘Don’t say that,’ Jasmine said, popping the last bite of Mars Bar into her mouth. She took a while to chew and after she’d swallowed, sprung to her feet. ‘Oh, my God!’ she said, hopping on the spot and clapping her hands. ‘I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before!’

  ‘Maybe she crazy,’ Winnie said.

  Ebony looked up at Jazz. The sun was shining through her hair, turning it golden. She was so pretty, and excited. But, why?

  ‘The se
cret compartment!’ Jasmine said, grabbing Ebony by the hands. ‘Your car has a secret compartment!’

  ‘No, it doesn’t,’ Ebony said, forcing her exhausted, screaming body to stand and squinting her eyes against the bright sun.

  Jasmine dragged her around to the driver’s door and disappeared inside. ‘A guy from school just got one of these,’ she said. ‘It’s an older one, but he was so excited to show all of us the ‘smuggle spot’, right …’

  Ebony peered into the car, watching Jasmine flip open the centre console, and reach inside … ‘I was RIGHT!’ She screamed, making Ebony and Winnie jump.

  ‘Great work, Jazz!’ Ebony patted her on the back as she crawled inside.

  ‘Oh, wow …’ Jasmine said.

  The centre console had a fake bottom. Underneath, Ebony could see inside her car, but there was one object that obviously did not belong. A black, metal box, about the size of an A4 envelop.

  ‘Do you think that’s it?’ Jasmine asked.

  Ebony reached down, feeling the coolness of the box against her fingertips, and pulled it out carefully, dusting off the top.

  ‘Holy …’ Ebony’s hands were shaking so badly, Winnie had to catch the box and its contents before they could fall to the ground. She rested them gently in Ebony’s lap, and helped her to open the yellow envelope within.

  Ebony read the words, ‘Last Will and Testament …’ before starting to cry. There was also a disc, in a clear plastic case, marked, ‘For Ebony’s eyes only’, in Cecile’s handwriting.

  Abia drove Ebony and Jasmine back to her cottage with Winnie following in the Celica. The girls got Ebony inside, and settled at the dining room table. Abia got them all cups of hot green tea, then sat down with Ebony, as she read through the document.

  It appeared that everything had been left to her: Cecile’s country house at Millarville, her city apartment and other real estate holdings, Appassionata Enterprises, stock portfolios, business and personal accounts. Everything, or rather, everything that Samson hadn’t already managed to spend or sell.

  Ebony couldn’t hold it back, and stained the front of the Will with big drops of salty tears. No matter how many millions she now had to her name, there was one very important thing that she hadn’t found hidden in the secret compartment of her car. Cecile herself. Her mother was dead, and the realisation that she would never see her again, never hear her voice, hurt more than the happiness brought from finally discovering the truth about her home, and possibly why her mother had been killed.