by Lisa Orchard
Scott leaned forward and whispered. “It means that it was definitely a bomb that destroyed the school. And it means that you guys probably shouldn’t be running around there looking for clues.” He gave Sarah a measured look.
“What?” she asked.
“You don’t want to mess with the Fibbies.”
“I’m not. I’m just going to find out who did this to Uncle Walt,” Sarah retorted. She looked away from Scott and flicked her hair with an impatient hand.
“I know, but I’m telling you, don’t mess with the FBI.” Scott tapped the table with his index finger for emphasis. “They’re a lot tougher than my dad.”
Sarah sighed and stared at Scott. “Thanks for the warning. So what about the cabin we found last night?”
“It sounds like they kept the bomb materials there,” Scott said with a frown.
“Are you telling me that the things we saw were ingredients for a bomb?” Sarah asked.
Scott nodded.
“Are you kidding me?” Lacey clutched Scott’s arm. “What does all this mean?”
“It means that we found the bomber’s hideout,” Jackie said.
Sarah pursed her lips. “That’s right, but I’m wondering what was in the barrels?”
“Probably fuel oil,” Scott said.
“How do you know all this?” Sarah asked.
“I did some research last night on the Internet.”
“It’s on the Internet?”
“Yeah.” Scott nodded. “Anybody can look it up anytime.”
“Why is the FBI here?” Sarah demanded.
“They come whenever there’s been a bomb.”
Jackie leaned forward. “Why?”
“It’s a Homeland Security thing. You know, just in case the bombers are terrorists.”
Scott’s words hit Sarah like a punch in the stomach. Her belly tightened into a hard knot, and her breath left her body as if she had physically been walloped. Terrorists?
Chapter Seven
Sarah struggled to breathe. She sucked in short, shallow gasps of air.
Terrorists? She couldn’t wrap her mind around the concept. Terrorists in Harrisburg? What is going on? Sarah took another breath, deeper than the last one, and her chest loosened. Relief flooded through her body. Hearing a clamor, she glanced around the restaurant and witnessed the regulars from local businesses coming in for their mid-morning break.
“What do you mean, terrorists?” She swung around and faced Scott, waiting for his answer.
Scott must have seen the fear in Sarah’s eyes. He cleared his throat. “Yeah, whenever there’s a bomb like this, the FBI and Homeland Security automatically become involved.”
“Homeland Security is here too?” Sarah’s stomach clenched even tighter. She shook her head. “Yeah, but terrorists in hicksville Harrisburg?”
“I know it doesn’t make sense, but this same type of bomb has been used in terrorist attacks. They’re not going to rule anything out until they get a look at the evidence.”
Lacey blanched at the news. “I don’t believe it.”
“Yeah, this is totally out there.” Jackie frowned and pulled on a curl.
Sarah and Jackie exchanged a look. Fear along with questions lurked in her friend’s dark eyes.
“What do we do next?” Jackie asked.
Sarah shook her head. “I’m not sure.” Sarah slouched in the booth and sighed, as the enormity of the situation settled in.
Scott studied Sarah. “Why don’t I run this plate and then we’ll go from there.”
Sarah perked up. “Yeah, how long does something like that take?”
“I don’t know. It depends on how busy it is at the station.”
“Why don’t I go with Scott?” Lacey suggested.
“Yeah,” Sarah said with a nod. “Jackie and I’ll go check on Uncle Walt. Let’s meet at the willow tree in a couple of hours.”
The Super Spies finished their sodas and then paid for them. Sarah’s heart felt heavy as she left the restaurant. What if there are terrorists in Harrisburg? She chewed on her thumbnail. This thought added a whole new dimension to the mystery. Her intuition told her if she found the target, then she would find the bombers.
The teens split at the corner of Main and Elm. Scott and Lacey walked toward the police station. Sarah and Jackie turned toward the hospital. Anxious to check on Uncle Walt, Sarah quickened her pace. Maybe if he were awake, he’d be able to answer some questions.
A slight breeze wafted through the trees, blowing the leaves and cooling Sarah’s face. She smiled, and for a brief moment it seemed like she was a normal teenager enjoying the fall day. Then reality crashed down on her like a tidal wave. Grief overwhelmed her as she thought about how the bombing had changed so many lives in the blink of an eye. Sarah swallowed her emotions and turned her attention to her journey.
The trees that lined the sidewalk along Main Street were Japanese Maples. Their leaves were a deep crimson color and Sarah loved their petite beauty. They were perfect for lining the sidewalk on a busy street.
Sarah sighed. “Maybe Uncle Walt’s awake.”
“That would be really cool beans.”
The two girls reached the hospital and rushed inside. It seemed like a huge weight landed on Sarah’s shoulders as she entered the doors. The hair on the back of her neck prickled. She slowed her pace as she walked through the lobby. Her radar was sending alarm signals to her brain. She looked around, searching for the cause of her anxiety. Stopping abruptly, she stared. Shock ran through her body like a bolt of lightning.
Two men sat in the first floor waiting area. A muscular man appeared to be wedged into one of the plastic hospital chairs. He seemed uncomfortable and sat at an angle as he leafed through a magazine. As he turned the pages, he glanced at the clock on the wall. The bright hospital lights bounced off his bald head. He looks kind of like that actor who played the corrupt boxer in that movie I watched with Uncle Walt.
A younger man sat next to him. He was also well developed and he appeared to be texting on his phone. His blond hair was cropped short and he had some sort of scar on his forearm. Sarah’s heart leapt to her throat when she spied the large scar. It appeared to be a recent injury and still painful.
She grabbed Jackie’s arm. “Hey.”
“What?” Jackie asked, startled by Sarah’s strong grip on her arm.
“Look.” Sarah motioned to the men with her head, trying to be inconspicuous.
“Oh crap.” Jackie grabbed Sarah’s arm and pulled her out of sight. “What are they doing here?”
“That’s a good question.” Sarah peered around the corner, before swinging back toward Jackie. “Are they checking to see how their target is doing?”
“I don’t know.”
“What if their target is Uncle Walt?” Sarah’s throat constricted and the question came out high-pitched and unnatural.
Jackie grabbed her arm and her eyes darkened with intensity as she stared at Sarah. “Does that mean they’re going to bomb the hospital?”
Jackie’s words hit Sarah like a freight train. Her heart lurched in her chest and sweat broke out under her arms. “We have to find out who the target is once and for all.”
“I hear you, girlfriend. How are we going to do that?”
“I have no idea.” Sarah shook her head. She peeked around the corner again. After a few seconds, she pulled her head back. “Let’s go sit behind them and maybe they’ll say something.”
Jackie nodded and bit her lip.
Sarah took a deep breath and strolled toward the lobby. She tried to maintain a casual air, but she knew she was faking it badly. I’m too keyed up. Hoping the men didn’t notice, she grabbed a seat directly behind them. Jackie walked behind her, fluffing her curls.
The two girls sat behind the men and both of them grabbed for the same magazine. There was a good-natured tussle with Sarah winning out. Jackie grumbled and walked to another table and grabbed a different one. All the magazines were outdated b
ut Sarah didn’t care; she didn’t think she’d be able to read one word of any article.
Sarah sat behind the men and stole a glance over her shoulder. She was right behind the bald guy and saw the wrinkles in his neck where the fat left creases. He wore a small loop earring in his left ear. She turned back, but not before she caught a whiff of his cologne, a woodsy scent that reminded her of Uncle Walt.
The thought of Uncle Walt lying in a hospital bed brought tears to Sarah’s eyes. Were these men after her uncle? Leaning back in her chair, she hoped she would be able to hear their conversation, but right now they weren’t talking. She glanced at Jackie, who pretended to be engrossed in her magazine.
The buzz of a vibrating phone broke the stillness. The younger man grabbed his phone from the chair beside him and immediately read a text.
He nudged the man next to him. “Dude, let’s go.”
The bald man grunted and dropped his magazine on the chair beside him. “Where are we going?”
“The barn.”
“The barn?”
The younger man stood and put his phone in his pocket. “Yeah, you know…the old barn.”
Jackie and Sarah exchanged a look as the two men left the lobby. Sarah’s palms were damp and she left sweaty smudges on the pages of her magazine.
When the men left, she put her magazine down and looked at Jackie. “What do you think?”
Jackie stared at Sarah with a penetrating glare. “I don’t know.”
“I think we should follow them.”
“You’re right, girlfriend. But how do we know which barn they’re talking about?”
Sarah frowned. “I don’t know.”
“Plus, how are we going to follow them? We don’t drive, yet.”
“We could take the bus,” Sarah said quickly.
They stood and made their way into the hallway. Sarah glanced over her shoulder, searching for the two men. They were nowhere in sight. She quickened her pace, rushing toward the stairwell. Jackie was right on her heels.
Jackie grabbed Sarah’s arm, pulling her to a stop. “I know where they’re going…they’re going to that nursery out on M-37 called ‘The Old Barn.’”
“Let’s hurry.”
They made it to the second floor in record time. Aunt June sat where they had left her. She leafed through the magazine pages with a listless hand.
Sarah studied her aunt—she looked like she had aged ten years in the last seven hours. The worry line creased her brow and her mouth pressed in a grim line as she sat hunched in the chair.
“Any news?” Sarah lowered herself in the chair next to her aunt.
“No, he hasn’t woken up yet. I went in to see him, but I could only stay a few minutes. He doesn’t look like your uncle.” Her aunt drew in a ragged breath and exhaled slowly. She ran her hand down her thigh as if she were smoothing out a wrinkle. “I’m worried.”
“I am too.” Sarah took a loose strand of her aunt’s hair and put it behind her ear. “Is there anything we can do?”
Aunt June shook her head. “No, all we can do is wait.”
Sarah sighed. She wanted to get moving and follow the bombers, but she didn’t want to leave her aunt alone. Frowning, she glanced at Jackie.
“Is there anyone that you would like us to call?” Jackie asked.
“Yeah, Aunt June. Do you want someone to come up and sit with you?”
Aunt June sighed and leaned back in her chair. “I should be making some phone calls. I didn’t even think about that until now.” She reached for her purse and rummaged around inside. “Why don’t I check on my patients? Do you girls have homework or anything like that to work on? I want to do this privately.”
“We don’t have homework, but we do have some things we need to do,” Sarah said.
“Where’s Lacey?”
“She’s with Scott. We’re going to meet them down by the willow tree later.”
“Okay, I’ll give you a call if anything changes. Why don’t we meet back at the house around five?” Aunt June suggested as she fidgeted with a loose strand of hair.
“Okay.” Sarah stood and grabbed Jackie’s arm, then hesitated. “Are you going to be all right by yourself?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine. It will do me good to check on my patients. Keep my mind off of things.”
“Okay, I’ll see you at five.”
The girls rushed out of the room and hurried to the stairwell.
As they speed-walked, Jackie asked, “How are we going to get to The Barn?”
“The bus, remember?”
“A bus?” Jackie wrinkled her nose. “Does one even go out that way?”
“There’s only one way to find out. There’s a bus stop right at the corner.” Sarah pulled open the door that led to the first floor lobby. “We can ask the driver if he goes by the nursery.”
“Okay.”
Speeding past the first floor lobby, Sarah glanced in looking for the men they were chasing. When she came up empty, she quickened her pace and Jackie matched her stride for stride.
They reached the bus stop just as a city bus was pulling up to the corner. The hiss of the brakes and the screeching sound of metal on metal as the bus stopped grated on Sarah’s nerves. The heat from the exhaust was another unwelcome intrusion as she waited for the doors to open. The bus was half the size of a school bus, just the right size for the tiny burg.
With a muffled thunk, the doors opened. Sarah peered inside and asked the driver, “Hey, do you go out to that nursery, The Old Barn?”
The heavyset driver nodded wearily and lifted his hat to wipe his sweaty brow. “I go right by there. Hop in. That’ll be fifty cents.”
Sarah climbed the steps and paid the fare. The temperature seemed to rise ten degrees. No air conditioning. She groaned, searching for a place to sit. Since the bus was empty, the girls had their choice. Plopping down in a seat in the middle, Sarah quickly opened the window. Jackie slouched in the seat in front of her, fanning herself with her hand.
“I hope this ride doesn’t take too long,” Jackie said, her face flushed from the heat.
“It won’t.” Sarah peered out the window, the breeze drifted across her face.
After a fifteen-minute ride, the bus lurched into the parking lot of the nursery. The hissing of the brakes brought the girls to their feet. Upon opening the door, the driver motioned for the girls to step out.
“Do you come back by here?” Sarah asked, pausing on the top step.
“Yep. I’ll be back by in an hour. Stand on that corner over there and I’ll pick you up.” The driver pointed at the corner where the highway met High Street.
The girls stepped off the bus and watched as it pitched its way through the empty lot. When it pulled onto the street, Sarah spun around and faced the building.
The ancient structure seemed to lean slightly forward as if it were bracing itself against a strong wind. Its weather-beaten wood was a washed-out gray. A faded sign that read ‘The Old Barn’ hung above the door. Sarah chuckled—the name is too funny. On the side of the building was a faded chewing tobacco sign, betraying the age of the structure.
The barn door gaped open, inviting anyone inside. Around the front of the building stood potted trees and shrubs.
In the distance, Sarah spied three large greenhouses. The sunlight reflected off the glass. She squinted. Through the transparent walls, she spied bright colors and guessed there were flowers growing inside.
The sound of crunching gravel brought Sarah’s attention back to the main building. An old woman with a wide brimmed hat watered the potted plants in front of the nursery. She wore a faded denim shirt and khaki shorts.
Sarah searched the parking lot and didn’t see the dark green truck. “Are you sure this is ‘The Old Barn’ those guys were talking about?”
Jackie pointed at the faded sign. “Yeah, there’s the sign.”
Sarah glanced in the direction Jackie pointed. “They really need a new sign.”
“No doubt.”
Sarah frowned. “I don’t see the truck anywhere.”
“I know. I don’t get it.”
Sighing, Sarah brushed her hair back. “Since we’re here we might as well look around.”
“Yeah, we’ve got an hour to kill.”
As Sarah strolled toward the front of the building, she watched the old woman water the plants. She looked to be in her sixties and appeared strong and able. As she lifted the can, Sarah observed that there was no tremble in her arms or hands.
She walked closer and saw that the woman’s blue eyes sparkled with intelligence. Her blonde hair was streaked with gray and captured in a ponytail at the nape of her neck.
She stopped. “Hello, girls. Can I help you?”
Sarah shook her head. “No, we’re just looking for a birthday present for my aunt.”
“Well, we have some beautiful flowers inside.” She stooped to water and then stood straight. “They’re on sale, too.”
Sarah gave her a polite smile and pulled Jackie toward the door. “Thanks.”
Sarah trudged inside and smelled the earthy scent of dirt. It permeated the air and reminded her of the days when she would play in the mud with her sister.
As she scanned the interior, Sarah spied beautiful flowers perched on tables and in pots that hung from hooks. Their bright colors masked the drab interior.
To her right stood a large wooden desk with an old-fashioned cash register sitting on top of it. In front of the desk was a display of tulip bulbs. Each bulb had its own container with a picture of the tulip in bloom attached to it. There were at least twenty different versions a customer could choose from.
Jackie nudged Sarah and whispered. “So…what are we looking for?”
“We’re looking for that green truck.”
“Then why are we in here?”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Be-e-e-ca-a-ause….we can’t tell that lady we’re looking for a truck. She has to think we’re shopping.”
Jackie chuckled. “Got it, girlfriend.”
“You go down that aisle, and I’ll go down this one.”
“Okay.”
The girls fanned out, pretending to examine flowers. Sarah peered through a window whenever she came to one. Where is that truck? She gnawed on her thumbnail and then pulled it from her mouth. Noticing there wasn’t much of a nail left, Sarah bit her lip instead.