by Lisa Orchard
“My name is Sarah.”
The injured teacher groaned in response.
“My Uncle Walt was in the same meeting as you.”
Ali Hameedi just stared and lifted his left arm off the bed and slowly pointed at his ear.
“What?”
He continued to stare and moved his hand like he was writing on an imaginary piece of paper.
“You can’t hear?” Sarah peered at him as he stared at her. She could tell he was trying to read her lips. “You can’t hear?”
He groaned and shook his head.
Sarah held up her finger, telling him she would be back in a minute. She quickly exited the door.
“Jackie,” she whispered.
Jackie whirled around. “What?”
“I need a pen and paper, quick.”
Jackie rushed down the hall, toward the nurses’ station. She was back in seconds with the requested items in hand. “Hurry, Sarah.”
“You got it.”
Sarah went back inside and stood beside Ali Hameedi’s bed. She wrote down these words as she said them. “My uncle is Walt Bennett. Was he in the meeting with you this morning?”
Mr. Hameedi shook his head.
Sarah wrote: He wasn’t in the meeting?
He shook his head again.
Sarah scribbled: He was supposed to be there, do you know where he was?
He motioned for the paper and he scribbled with his left hand the word toilet.
“Uncle Walt went to the bathroom?” Sarah leaned forward, speaking the words that she wrote.
Mr. Hameedi nodded slowly. Sarah could tell it was painful for him to do this.
The door opened wide and a nurse came into view, her rotund rump leading the way. She was overweight and breathed heavily as she pulled a cart of medication with her. Turning the cart around, she let out a squeak of surprise when she laid eyes on Sarah.
“How are we doing today?” she asked in an overly solicitous tone.
“Ah…ah,” Sarah stammered.
“Are you family?” she asked. She studied Sarah, her expression changing from friendly curiosity to suspicion. “You don’t look like family.”
“Um…um…”
“What are you doing here?” Her eyes narrowed into suspicious slits.
“Just asking a few questions.” Sarah tried to make a quick dash for the door.
“Not so fast, young lady.” The nurse placed her body between Sarah and the door. “This man has been in a terrible accident. He’s in horrendous pain.” She spoke through clenched teeth as though she herself were in horrendous pain. She looked Sarah up and down. “You teenagers, you’re all alike. No respect for your elders.” She shook her head and glared at Sarah.
“I’ll just be leaving.” Sarah tried to squeeze past the nurse and the wall on her way to the door.
Stepping toward the wall, the nurse blocked Sarah’s way. “I should call security.”
Sarah stepped back and placed her hands on her hips. “Go ahead. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You teenagers,” the nurse sneered again. “You think you can get away with anything.”
Sarah opened her mouth to speak, but a loud moan from Mr. Hameedi sent the nurse scurrying to his side. She adjusted his pillow and spoke to him in soothing tones. Meanwhile, Sarah made a beeline for the door.
“Jackie, let’s book,” Sarah whispered.
Jackie matched Sarah’s fast pace. “Did that nurse give you a hard time?”
The girls walked rapidly down the hall. After a few seconds, Sarah glanced over her shoulder to make sure the nurse wasn’t behind them. “Why didn’t you warn me?”
“I didn’t have time. She’s pretty fast.”
“No biggie.” Sarah gave Jackie’s hand a squeeze and snickered at the image of her friend trying to outfox the nurse. “It’s kind of funny now.”
“No doubt.”
“Quick, we’ve got to get a soda for Aunt June.” Sarah grabbed Jackie’s arm and pulled her into an alcove that housed some vending machines.
“Did you get any info?”
Sarah frowned. “Just that Uncle Walt wasn’t in the room when the explosion happened.”
“Where was he?”
“In the bathroom.”
Jackie’s face brightened. “That could mean he wasn’t hurt.”
Sarah nodded. “It could. Do you have any idea where that is?”
“Nope. Maybe we can talk to someone who’s been going to the school longer?”
Sarah bit her lip. “Yeah, do you know anyone?”
“Yeah. I can ask my neighbor. She’s a junior.”
“Awesome.” Sarah peered down the hall. “We better get back to Aunt June.”
“Yeah.”
As the girls hurried down the bright corridor, their tennis shoes sent out high pitched squeaks each time they connected with the waxed floor. People still roamed the halls, their faces marked with anxiety.
The girls weaved their way through the crowd until they found Aunt June. Sarah saw the familiar crease between her brows—so much like her mother’s that a lump rose in her throat. She stopped for a moment to collect herself.
Aunt June caught Sarah’s eye and gave her a wan smile. “There you are.”
“Yes, we had a hard time finding a vending machine,” Sarah lied as she handed her aunt the soda.
“Sarah got a chan—” Jackie started, but was stopped by a quick kick to her shin from Sarah.
“What?” Aunt June asked.
“Nothing,” Sarah said. “Drink your soda, you’ll feel better.” She looked over at Jackie, giving her the ‘shut your mouth or you’re dog meat’ look.
Jackie clamped her lips tightly closed. She seemed to get the message.
“Sarah, what have you been up to?” Aunt June gave Sarah a warning look.
Sarah shrugged. “Nothing.”
“Sarah…”
“For real…nothing.”
Aunt June sighed and gave Sarah a reproachful look and then drank some of the soda. “Let’s get you girls home. I should be taking care of you.”
“Don’t you think we should stay here?” Sarah asked.
Aunt June shook her head. “There’s nothing we can do here.”
“All right.” Sarah sighed and walked out of the waiting room.
The rest of the group followed her. Bright lights shining in the hall blinded Sarah for a moment and her steps faltered. A shrill voice in the midst of all the people caught Sarah’s attention and she looked toward the sound.
“Stop that girl!”
Sarah gasped when she spied the nurse who had been in Ali Hameedi’s room. She shot an alarmed look in Jackie’s direction as the nurse tottered down the hall toward them.
Sarah looked at Aunt June. “I’m feeling claustrophobic—why don’t I meet you guys down by the car?”
Aunt June frowned. “You go ahead. I don’t want you to have another panic attack.”
“I’ll go with you,” Jackie said.
“Stop!”
Aunt June shot Sarah an accusing look. “Sa-rah.”
“We’ve got to go,” Sarah said, avoiding eye contact with her aunt. She grabbed Jackie’s arm and pulled her down the hall. Sarah picked up her pace, and Jackie matched her stride for stride. Their shoes squeaked into the thick atmosphere.
“Stop those girls!” The nurse shouted with an angry screech.
Sarah glanced back and witnessed the nurse gaining on them, her face reddened from the exertion of the chase. Facing forward, Sarah’s heart leapt in her chest and pounded against her rib cage. People in the hallway watched the commotion with curiosity. Some of them even wondered aloud what was going on.
“Stop!” the nurse shrieked.
Sarah cringed at the sound of the nurse’s scream. She would have never thought that in a million years the nurse could catch them. Her pulse raced as she cast another quick glance back.
The nurse shouted again and her expression turned angry when she made eye contact wit
h Sarah. She moved faster; her wheezing growing more pronounced with every step. Just as she reached out to grab Sarah’s shirt, an orderly stepped out of a patient’s room carrying a dinner tray. He collided with the woman, sending dishes and mashed potatoes flying. As they sprawled on the floor, the nurse screamed bloody murder.
Sarah realized this was their chance to escape. The two girls quickened their pace, weaving their way through the crowded corridor. They rushed around the corner and, without thinking, ran toward the congested elevator. Just as the doors were about to close, Jackie stuck her arm between them and they opened.
Sarah grabbed Jackie’s arm and pulled her toward the stairwell. “Let’s take the stairs.”
“Right.”
The two girls dashed down the stairs to the main floor and ran out into another busy hallway. They slowed their pace and ducked through the crowd, until they made it outside. Taking a deep breath, Sarah glanced over her shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief. She squeezed Jackie’s arm and the girls giggled at their close call.
“That nurse almost caught us,” Jackie sputtered.
“You got that right,” Sarah said as she stole another look behind her. “Did you see how close she came?”
Jackie nodded, and the two girls burst into giggles again as they made their way to the vehicle.
Sarah leaned against the car while she waited for her aunt and sister. Weariness invaded her body and she could no longer fight it off.
Jackie put her arm around her. “Hey, you look pooped.”
“I am. I just want to get home and sleep.”
“Do you still want to sneak out?” Jackie asked as she played with her curls.
“Yeah, I’ll just take a quick nap.”
“Cool beans.”
Sarah glanced up and witnessed Aunt June and Lacey walking toward them. The chirp from the remote, as her aunt unlocked the car doors, made Sarah jump. Her nerves were still on edge from her narrow escape. Opening the door, she waited for Jackie to slide to the other side, then she climbed in beside her. As she leaned her head back, Sarah closed her eyes and let out a weary sigh. Jackie gave her arm a squeeze.
Aunt June buckled her seatbelt and looked back at Sarah. “What was that nurse’s problem?”
Sarah sighed and shrugged. “Beats me.”
“Sarah…”
Peeking from beneath her eyelids, Sarah said, “I have no idea…for real.”
“Umm hmm,” Aunt June said with a knowing look. “You’re not fooling me, Sarah.”
Sarah was silent. She crossed her fingers and kept her eyes closed, hoping her blank expression would discourage any further conversation. Aunt June exhaled heavily, and Sarah heard the jingle of car keys, then the engine roared to life. Sinking into the seat, she sighed again. Another argument avoided.
On the ride home, Sarah thought about the events of the day. Who is the lone fireman and is he involved in the bombing?
She nudged Jackie and spoke in a low voice. “Don’t forget the willow tree, around midnight.”
Jackie nodded.
“Bring a flashlight.”
Chapter Four
Sarah rose at eleven-thirty and quickly dressed in a dark shirt and sweat pants. Biting her lip, she silently berated herself for napping longer than she intended, and she glanced at Lacey to make sure she was asleep before making her way to the willow tree. She traveled toward the window whispering a grateful prayer that the house was a tri-level and stopped. Realizing that she couldn’t sneak through it like she had in the past, she crept up the stairs and out the back door.
She paused on the porch and listened to the night’s sounds. Even though a catastrophe had occurred today, the night still followed its familiar rhythm.
A full moon hung in the sky and lit the way. It reminded Sarah of a snow-white Christmas ornament hanging on a tree. She turned her focus back to her journey and made her way to their meeting place. Hoping Jackie was already there, Sarah picked up her pace.
Reaching the tree, Sarah breathed in the perfume of the wild flowers that grew by the creek. This scent mixed with the nearby bog’s swampy odor. These familiar aromas comforted her, much like a kitchen warmed after a day of baking would soothe her on a snowy day.
She listened to the bullfrogs as they crooned their twangy rubber band music. These notes combined with the rhythm of the water making its way to the ocean brought her peace.
“Whoo. Whoo.” Sarah whispered the secret call.
“Whoo. Whoo.” Jackie responded.
The leafy canopy swallowed her as she walked beneath the willow branches. As Sarah moved toward the trunk of the tree, the gentle touch of the willow’s pliable branches reminded her of a simpler, more innocent time.
“Hey,” Sarah greeted her friend.
“Hey, girlfriend.”
“Any more news?”
Jackie nodded, sending her curls into a wild dance. “Yeah, I talked to that girl.”
“What did she say?” Sarah held her breath.
“She said that the bathroom is down the hall from the faculty lounge.”
“So…what does that mean?”
Jackie blew her curls out of her face. “Beats me.”
Sarah furrowed her brow. “I guess it all depends on where the bomb exploded.”
“Yeah, I’ll listen to the police scanner tomorrow.”
“I brought some Tootsie Rolls.” Sarah dug into her pocket and pulled out her favorite candy. “Want some?”
“Absolutely.”
Sarah smiled and handed Jackie the treat. “Nothing like chocolate on a sneaking-out mission.”
“You can say that again, girlfriend.”
“Nothing like chocolate on a sneaking-out mission.”
The two girls laughed at Sarah’s joke, enjoying a carefree moment after a stress-filled day.
Sarah grew silent as she chewed her candy. Her thoughts turned to the Cat Lady as they often did when Sarah was under the willow tree. She felt connected to the old woman in some mysterious way and she hoped the Cat Lady knew that her killer had been caught.
“Earth to Sarah,” Jackie whispered.
Sarah chuckled. “I’m here, just thinking.”
“About what?”
“The Cat Lady.”
“Oh,” Jackie said as she gazed toward the creek. “Yeah, I’m so glad we caught her killer.”
“Me too,” Sarah responded with a sad smile. “Looks like we’ve got another mystery to solve.”
“That’s right! Time for the Super Spies to put on their capes.”
“No capes. Detectives keep a low profile,” Sarah stated with an exaggerated frown.
Jackie snickered. “It’s not too late to become fashionable, you know?”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
The girls laughed, and then grew silent again. Sarah gave Jackie another Tootsie Roll.
“Didn’t bring Lacey, huh?”
“No way.”
“Hmmm.”
“It’s just too much for her, you know?”
Jackie nodded and pulled on one of her curls. “Yeah, probably. Are you ready to go?”
“Yep.”
The girls checked to make sure their flashlights worked before starting their journey to the school.
They walked the same path they had earlier that day. This time there were no injured people running away. The scorched scent of the explosion hung in the air, and an occasional wisp of ash would float from the sky. Sarah was amazed by the stillness of the night. It was a sharp contrast from the chaotic morning.
The events of the day paraded through Sarah’s mind as she traveled toward the school. Focusing on the image of the lone fireman who had run away created a sense of urgency inside her. Where had he been going? She was sure he had been running toward a destination. Sarah picked up her pace and hurried toward the institution. Jackie matched her stride for stride.
Reaching the high school, Sarah was surprised to find it ablaze with lights. Emergency cre
ws worked through the night in search of more victims from the blast. A shiver of hope tingled down her spine. Her uncle could still be found.
“I wasn’t expecting this,” Jackie whispered.
“I know. I figured they’d only have a few people up here guarding the area.” Sarah chewed on her thumbnail.
“What should we do?”
Sarah pulled her thumb out of her mouth and wiped it on her sweatpants. “Let’s follow Scott’s trail. Maybe there won’t be so many people in back.”
“Cool beans.”
The girls retraced their steps and were soon behind the building. Much to Sarah’s dismay, the back parking lot crawled with emergency personnel.
“Bummer. There are firemen everywhere,” Sarah whispered.
“What do you think?”
Sarah thought for a moment. “We can still do it. We’ll just walk along the path.”
“You don’t think we’ll be seen?”
Sarah shook her head. “No way.”
“Are you sure?” Jackie’s expression reflected her doubt.
“They’re too busy. They aren’t even looking this way.”
“You’ve got a point,” Jackie said, her eyes on the emergency workers.
“We’ll have to keep our flashlights off until we’re in the woods,” Sarah said.
“I figured.” Jackie still hesitated.
“We’ll walk along the edge of the field until we’ve gone past the rubble.”
“I like that plan better.”
Sarah cracked a smile. “I knew you would.”
The two girls crept down the hill until they were on level ground. Sarah veered off to the left and Jackie trailed behind her. They skirted the parking lot, carefully staying in the shadows.
Reaching the baseball field, Sarah paused and waited for Jackie to catch up. The girls turned on their flashlights and then crept until they came to the spot where the fireman had left his coat.
“Are you ready?” Sarah whispered.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Let’s do it.”
Sarah entered the woods, the beam of her light cast an eerie shadow. She was in unfamiliar territory and she knew she was out of her element. Her pulse raced.
The trees stood tall and silent. Their leaves were starting to change color. If she had been here for any other reason, she would have stopped and admired their beauty. Sarah shivered in the stillness and peered around her. It seemed like the hardwoods watched her, and a chill ran down her spine. Taking a deep breath, Sarah forged ahead.