The Bakersville Dozen

by Kristina McBride

  I back-stepped, suddenly unsure who to trust.

  My eyes tripped over to Wes. His face was a deep shade of red; his eyes shimmered with fear. And then I noticed the arm wrapped around his neck, how his hands were clawing at the muscle pressing against his windpipe, that his feet were dragging behind him, the toes of his gym shoes digging a skittish pattern across the leaf-strewn ground.

  I felt myself relax, thinking that everything would actually be okay.

  Jude had Wes.

  Which meant he was on my side.

  Wes wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone anymore.

  Not Hannah. Or JJ. Or me.

  Not bat-shit-crazy Suze Moore, either.

  But then I looked at Jude again.

  The anger in his eyes burned into me.

  And I realized that absolutely nothing had been as it seemed.

  CHAPTER 32

  10:21 PM

  Jude smiled as he dragged Wes toward the cabin and threw him against the outside wall. It was a dark smile, void of all kindness. Wes grunted as his shoulder cracked into the wood, and again as he slid into a heap on the ground, his hands circling his throat as he gasped for air. My reflexes kicked in and I moved to rush to his side, but I caught myself.

  “Bailey.” Jude tossed his hair out of his eyes. “I’m glad you made it.”

  Suze stood in the doorway, her palms pressing into its frame, her face full of childlike excitement.

  “This is freaking epic,” a voice called from the trees at the side of the yard.

  I whipped around, seeing her step from the darkness. I had to focus to keep my balance. Seeing dead people, it seemed, had a way of throwing everything off-kilter.

  “Em!” Suze squealed, bounding off the porch and across the shadowed ground. “You’re back!”

  Emily “Teaser Not a Pleaser” Simms shrugged, as though coming back from the dead was no big deal.

  “You’re dead,” I said, my voice trembling. “Both of you. You’re supposed to be dead.”

  Suze and Emily tipped their foreheads together and they both started laughing. I felt the cold chill of terror wrap itself around me. I’d gotten it all wrong.

  “Gotcha, didn’t we?” Suze locked arms with Emily and pulled her toward the cabin.

  As they approached, I stepped sideways, careful to keep out of Wes’s reach. I trusted no one.

  “This makes no sense,” I said, so many questions tumbling through my mind.

  “You want to know what’s going on here, don’t you?” Emily asked, her lips curving up in a smile, her eyes flat and dark, nothing like the girl I’d once thought I knew so well. “I can practically hear your brain churning with all the new information, wondering who and what and where and when and why.”

  “It’s killing her,” Suze said, crossing her arms.

  “No pun intended.” Emily smirked.

  Suze gave a little snort-giggle then pointed down at Wes, who was still tucked into a ball on the ground. “Jude, take care of that, will you? We’re going to get your little virgin girl all set up.”

  “On it,” Jude said, bending down and jerking Wes to his feet.

  Suze and Emily grabbed me, pulling me toward the doorway. I kicked and scratched, fought with everything I had, but that just made them angry.

  As we made our way into the cabin, Suze grabbed a handful of my hair and cracked my head into the doorframe.

  Everything faded to black.

  CHAPTER 33

  10:43 PM

  My head hurt. I felt like I was spinning. I wasn’t sure where I was, but I didn’t want to open my eyes because my stomach was threatening to heave, so I focused on my breath. In and out—slow and steady.

  I heard footsteps. Pacing. Somewhere nearby.

  The scent of fresh cut wood swirled around me.

  “Someone’s missing.”

  The voice was taut, angry, and so familiar it brought back all of my memories in one single flash. I opened my eyes, but just barely, careful to keep my body still. My lashes blurred the scene, but I was able to soak in the details. I was seated in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace. Hannah was across from me, her eyes wide as she watched the others. JJ sat beside her, staring at the floor.

  Suze moved like a caged animal, pacing back and forth, the wood floorboards creaking beneath her weight.

  Across the room, Jude sat in a chair at the white table, chewing on his nails. His elbow was propped on the tabletop, the knife gleaming just a foot away.

  “We’re short one player without Tripp. But I think we’re inching toward two.” Emily was standing next to me, peering down at Wes, who sat in the chair on my right. His body was slack. Blood stained the hairline directly above his left eye and dripped down the side of his face. Worry began to seep into my fear. “Did you have to hit him so hard?”

  “What’s it matter?” Jude asked. “If he dies, he dies.”

  “That’s not what has me worried,” Suze said, her words icy and hard. “Where’s Tripp?”

  “Dunno,” Jude answered, his voice telling me he couldn’t have cared less.

  “What do you mean, you don’t know?” Suze stopped pacing, swiveling on Jude. “You said they’ve all been following the clues.”

  Jude shrugged. “He left Bailey and Wes back at Cold Stone.”

  “And you just let him?”

  “What the hell else was I supposed to do?”

  Suze started pacing again, faster now. Emily abandoned Wes, crossing the room and leaning against the far wall with one foot propped behind her.

  I tried not to panic, but there were so many things working against me. Like the restraints clamped around each of my ankles. Looking at the length of the chain spiraling toward the bolt in the floor, I realized that I might be able to take a few steps if I stood up, but no more than that. Same thing for Hannah, JJ, and Wes.

  I tried to ignore the way Wes’s head had lolled back unnaturally, and how that meant he probably wouldn’t be walking any time soon. For now, I needed to stay still. The longer they thought I was unconscious, the better.

  “I put the extra envelopes in Wes’s truck before I went into Cold Stone,” Jude said. “Do I get any credit for that? It was the perfect set-up. When they pulled up outside, Bailey found them and bolted away. But not before she tried to shoot him.”

  “Did you say ‘shoot’?” Suze asked, her voice low and contemplative.

  “Yeah.” Jude’s hand disappeared behind his back for a moment, then snapped into view, his fingers clasped around the thick handle of a gun.

  “Shocking development,” Suze said. “I didn’t think Bailey had it in her. Though I’m not surprised she aimed at the wrong boyfriend.”

  I risked a glance in Wes’s direction. He was folded in on himself, his head still hanging at an unnatural angle. His left eye was almost swollen shut. I wanted to tell him how sorry I was. But I was afraid I’d never have that chance.

  “Well, this puts a new spin on things,” Suze said, grabbing the gun from Jude’s hand and turning it over in her own. “It’s perfect, actually. Now, what about Tripp?”

  “The three of them read the clue in the parking lot back at Cold Stone. But then Tripp got a call and took off. I had to choose between following him wherever the hell he was going, or following these two. Figured you’d prefer me out here for the closing ceremony.”

  Suze pointed the gun at Jude’s chest. “Don’t fuck with me.”

  “I’m not. I swear.”

  “This has to end perfectly. Perfectly. Do you understand?”

  “I got it,” Jude said. “Losing Tripp isn’t that big of a deal. We’ve got Wes. Dead or alive, he’s all we need. And now with this gun, it’ll be a piece of cake to pin the entire thing on him.”

  “You think so, huh?” Suze’s hand dropped to her side, the barrel aiming toward Jude.

  “I do,” Jude said, standing from the table, looking Suze directly in the eye. “Especially considering your experience with setting people up.” />
  Suze smiled, tipping her head to one side, waiting for what would come next.

  “First, Roger Turley,” Jude said, circling Suze slowly. She turned with him, her eyes following his footsteps, hand gripping the gun so hard her knuckles had turned white.

  “As if you care about him,” Suze said.

  “Fine. Turley was a no-brainer. But why me?” Jude asked, his voice raw. “I gave you and Emily a camera that was untraceable. But you switched it out with the one from school before you prepped the cave last night.”

  “If you know about that,” Suze said, “it means Bailey saw the video. And she actually confronted you? I’m impressed. I bet that put a dent in the whole ‘Cutest Couple’ status.”

  “She thought it was me,” Jude said. “She accused me of doing everything.”

  “Well,” Emily said with a giggle. “She’s not so far off, is she?”

  “Shut up!” Jude said. “We’re in this together. We’re supposed to protect one another.”

  “Yeah,” Suze said. “But I thought it might be fun to spice things up.”

  “I planted two dead bodies in the last three days,” Jude said. “How ‘spiced up’ do you need this to be?”

  “Hey, guys,” Emily said. “I think—”

  “God, fine,” Suze said. “You caught me. I was planting evidence to cover myself.”

  “And frame me?” Jude asked.

  “Sorry.” Suze shrugged. “It was a back-up plan. I’m not about to take the fall for this.”

  “Guys,” Emily said, pushing off the wall and taking a few steps toward Suze and Jude.

  “It was your idea,” Jude said. “The whole entire thing was—”

  “Don’t pull that shit with me,” Suze said. “You were in on this from day one.”

  “Guys!” Emily said. “Bailey’s awake.”

  Suze sighed, turning and walking toward me. She stood there for a moment, then kneeled down in front of me, her free hand patting my knee. “You’re probably a little confused.”

  I nodded, wondering how to best play this out “Just trying to figure out what the hell is going on.”

  Suze’s pats turned into little smacks, the sting of her hand on my leg biting through my jeans. “Oh, I’ll explain all of that. After you tell me where Tripp is.”

  I shook my head. “I have no idea.”

  “She’s lying,” Emily said, stepping between Wes and me.

  “I’m not.” I shifted in my chair, watching in horror as Emily wrapped her hands around Wes’s neck.

  “Where is Tripp?” Emily asked. “Tell us now, or Wes dies a little faster.”

  “Tripp wouldn’t tell us,” I said, my words strung together, tumbling out of me. “He just said he had a plan.”

  “Lovely. That means we don’t have much time.” Suze stood and walked to the front of the fireplace, propping her hands on her hips in a way that pointed the gun directly at Wes’s face. I wanted to pull him to me, out of the line of fire, but I suspected that trying to save him, might put him in more danger. The only good thing was that the gun seemed to spook Emily. Her hands dropped from Wes’s neck and she stepped away.

  Hannah tapped her foot again, whisper-soft. When I looked up at her, I saw her mouth the words, Get her talking.

  I had no idea how to do that, and I had no desire to hear anything Suze had to say. But then I understood—it was our only way out. “We don’t have much time for what?”

  Suze beamed, her entire face lighting up, life sparking back into those cold, dead eyes. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this.”

  “I don’t,” I said. “But I’m curious.”

  “I bet she’s dying to know,” Emily said with a giggle. “Get it? She’s dying to—”

  “The whole thing started over Winter Break,” Jude said. “With you and Wes and your dirty little secret.”

  Jude’s words hit hard, the memory of that night welling up in my mind: Wes leading me up the staircase, my thumb flicking the lock on the door as I closed it behind me, my body tingling as Wes traced his fingertips across every inch of my skin.

  “You thought that you and Wes were the only two who knew?” Jude said, crossing the floor and standing directly in front of me.

  “Jude,” I said. “I’m sorry. I—”

  “Sorry?” Jude asked, leaning down, his breath hot on my face. “You’re a little slut is what you are.”

  “Shut up, Jude,” Hannah said. “She loves Wes. Always has.”

  “That true?” Jude asked, his face inches from mine.

  “Yes.” I blinked away my tears. Anger rose up from inside me, mixing in with all of my fear.

  “Cut the dramatics, Jude.” Suze rolled her eyes. “And don’t ruin the story. It’s always best to start at the beginning.”

  CHAPTER 34

  10:53 PM

  “It started last summer. At the farm.” Suze looked around, her eyes flitting over every face in the room. “All of us were there. It was the night of Jonsey’s end-of-summer party, just a week or so before everyone heading out of town left for college.”

  Jude backed away from me as she talked, circling around the room and placing himself directly behind Hannah. He locked eyes with me, his expression void of all emotion. The change was so complete, I wondered how I could have missed the fact that this version of him existed beneath the surface

  “Jude was wasted,” Suze said, rolling her eyes. “Sloppy drunk and sulking, sitting under the big tree near the barn, all by himself.”

  “I wasn’t sulking,” Jude said.

  “Yeah. You were. And when I asked you what was wrong, you told me you’d asked Bailey out and she’d denied you.”

  I looked at Wes—saw the blood trickling down his face, the knobby lump forming just under his hairline, the swollen eye—and hated myself. They were planning to pin everything on him. All because of me.

  Suze smoothed the fabric of her shirt down over her stomach, taking a deep, composing breath.

  “So, Jude here, he wanted you,” Suze said. “I told him that the only way he could get to you was to take his time. It was obvious that you needed some space to get Wesley “Party Boy” Green out of your system. There was no way he’d be able to deny the temptation of slutty coeds wearing “fuck-me” shoes, getting shit-ass drunk on keg beer. Which meant it was only a matter of time before you were left broken-hearted. And Jude, here, was primed and ready to swoop in and take all of those bad feelings away.”

  “You’re the reason I agreed to go on that first date with Jude,” I said to Suze. She had walked up to me in the hallway at school last fall, lockers slamming all around us. “You said all he talked about during science lab was me. That he wasn’t going to give up, so I might as well give in.”

  “And it worked,” Jude said. “The next time I asked you out, you said yes.”

  “But Suze didn’t do all of that just to make you happy,” JJ said. “She worked you, Jude. Emily, too. Just like she works everyone.”

  “So smart, JJ,” Suze said. “Such a shame that brilliant mind of yours only has a few hours left to live.”

  “You’re behind The Bakersville Dozen,” I said, shaking my head with disbelief. Jude had been right by my side through all of it. And I hadn’t suspected a thing. “You and Jude created that video. But why?”

  “Those girls needed a reality check,” Suze said. “They had everything they’d ever wanted, and it all came to them so easily. That’s not how life works.”

  “So you were jealous?” Hannah asked.

  “A little. Maybe,” Suze said with a shrug. “But I was angry, too. It wasn’t fair. I thought I’d teach everyone a little lesson. I followed the girls for a few weeks, shooting as much footage as I could.”

  “How’d you get Jude to go along with your plan?” I asked. “He’s not stupid. He’d never risk his future at OSU without—”

  “You don’t know your boyfriend very well, do you?” Suze scrunched her nose up and flashed a wicked smil
e. “Jude is the ideal accomplice. He’s sneaky, but popular—totally likable. And he doesn’t care who he hurts.”

  “That’s not true.” I looked at Jude, hoping to find a shred of the boyfriend I had known. If I could appeal to that side of him, I might have a chance. “You’re kind, loving and—”

  “I think I just threw up in my mouth a little,” Emily said. “How are you so clueless?”

  “Give me some credit,” Jude said with a snort. “I played a good game.”

  “That was my ticket,” Suze said. “Jude thinks everything is a game. Shit, he only wanted you because he thought you were virgin blood. Of course, the truth was obvious to me—hence ‘Like a Virgin’—but Jude thought you were the ultimate conquest of senior year. So I reeled him in, using you as my bait. When I finally told him my plan, which made his quest for your virginity seem like child’s play, he was all in.”

  “Jude?” I said, my eyes searching his. He looked back at me with a blank stare.

  “He’s the only reason you made the list,” Suze said. “I had nothing against you, Bailey. But Jude thought you’d break sooner if you were facing a particularly difficult situation. He’d be your shoulder to cry on. You’d get lost in the moment. And then you’d give it up.”

  “How’d that work out for you, Judas?” Hannah asked, swiveling to face him. “Oh, wait. Bailey never gave you what you wanted, did she?”

  JJ laughed, the sound bursting in the room.

  Jude back-handed Hannah across the face so hard she was nearly knocked out of her chair. She righted herself slowly, taking in a deep breath, and tossed her hair out of her face.

  Tears burned my eyes. Jude wasn’t Jude anymore. The truth was, he never had been. I couldn’t believe I’d been so stupid.

  “Keep your mouth shut, Hannah,” Jude said. “You were never part of the plan. Don’t give me a reason to take you out before this is over.”

  “But you didn’t stop with the video,” I said, trying to distract him. “Why move on to the kidnappings? I mean, you could have gotten away with everything.”

  “We still will,” Emily said, bouncing on the balls of her feet like an overeager child. “The plan is solid. We’ll come out looking like victims and then go on with the rest of our lives.”