"I had a quick look around the gardens," Jeffrey was saying. "But it's like they just disappeared."
Jessica's heart began pounding with a dull, steady beat. Her sister was out in the dark with a boy who was definitely obsessed, possibly a menace. And Jessica knew she had to find Elizabeth fast.
But if she could only wait a few more minutes, it would be time for her and A.J. to go up to the podium. Leaving before then would mean A.J. might find out about Christopher and not want her to be his queen. At the very least, she would be out of the room at the critical moment. Also, it would be the height of cruelty to tell A.J. the truth just when he was about to be honored on stage in front of a roomful of people. For his sake, she had to wait until later.
Liz will be OK, she told herself fervently. Nothing can happen with so many people around.
But at the same time her conscience asked her a nagging question: What are you afraid could happen?
"Just a few more minutes," she whispered, wincing as though in pain. She couldn't even look at Jeffrey. "I'll help you look."
As she locked her gaze on the podium again, Jessica gritted her teeth together. Maybe she was just letting her imagination get away with her, she speculated. After all, she knew she was always blowing things out of proportion. Christopher probably wasn't any real danger at all.
Liz will be OK, she repeated to herself.
"Don't you think we should get back to the dance?" Elizabeth forced her voice to sound normal, but inside, her nerves were stretched tight. The clubhouse was almost out of sight through the trees.
"No," Christopher replied. He held her firmly by the arm and was leading her past the clay tennis courts. In the distance, the rolling green golf course blackened into the night.
Without warning, he stopped, and Elizabeth stumbled slightly. His eyes searched hers in the light from the distant parking lot lamps.
"Jessica, when I met you, I knew we had to be together," he said, his voice low and hoarse. "I knew it."
"I knew it, too," Elizabeth said. She managed a cool, unruffled smile. Lowering her eyes, Elizabeth tried to pull her arm out of Christopher's viselike grip. But he held on tight. "Let's go back and dance on the patio, OK? That was really fun," she said.
Christopher turned away. "No."
Elizabeth's mind raced. She knew she had to keep talking, keep the situation under control. But she had no idea what was going to happen, what Christopher was planning. It was getting harder and harder to believe she hadn't made a huge mistake going off with him.
In the back of her mind, Elizabeth was reliving the fear and uncertainty that had taken over her world when she was kidnapped once before. For a few weeks, she had worked as a candy striper at the local hospital, and a disturbed young orderly had fallen in love with her. Unfortunately his way of showing how much he cared had been to knock her out in the hospital parking lot and hold her captive for several days in a primitive shack. It had been the worst experience of Elizabeth's sixteen years, one she didn't want to repeat now with Christopher.
But I had to keep him away from Jess, she said to herself. There was nothing else I could do.
"Could we at least sit down, then?" she ventured. Elizabeth knew that the farther away from the lights and the people they walked, the more at risk she was. She smiled bravely and moved closer to Christopher. "There's a bench over there."
He was silent for a long moment, and Elizabeth found herself wondering what he was thinking. Finally he nodded. "OK, Jessica. I really want to talk to you."
"I want to talk to you, too," Elizabeth echoed as they walked to the bench and sat down. He still kept his hand clasped around her arm.
"I've been thinking," he explained. "I know of a way for us to be together all the time."
A prickle of fear made the hairs on the back of Elizabeth's neck stand up. "What do you mean?"
"We don't have to go back there," he went on obliviously, nodding toward the distant lights and faint sound of applause. "We don't need them."
"But—" Elizabeth's throat closed up, and she had to swallow hard before she went on. "My parents are there, and they're probably wondering where I am."
Christopher's grip tightened. "No, they're not."
For a moment Elizabeth considered screaming. She certainly felt frightened enough to scream. But with the speeches and applause, who would hear her so far away? she asked herself with growing panic.
As a last, desperate effort she whispered, "I told A.J. I'd meet him by the door. He'll start looking for me in a minute."
"No, he won't!" Christopher yelled at her, his voice suddenly angry and harsh. He wrenched her arm and yanked her to her feet. "He won't!"
Elizabeth shook her head, speechless with fear. Christopher was staring at her, a furious intensity making his eyes enormous.
"Come on. We're leaving."
Her heart lurched. "No—I don't want to leave, Christopher. I—I'm not who you think I am!"
He laughed tonelessly and began dragging her toward the parking lot. "I know exactly who you are, Jessica."
"No!" Elizabeth planted her feet and tried to tear his fingers from her arm. She was nearly frantic. "Let go of me!"
There was a click, and the light of a distant overhead lamp gleamed along a metal blade. Christopher pressed the flat of the blade on Elizabeth's arm. Her heart seemed to stop.
For the space of several seconds, neither of them said a word. Then Christopher sighed heavily. "If you would only like me as much as I like you, I wouldn't have had to do this, you know."
He sounded so reasonable, so sane, that Elizabeth couldn't connect his voice with the cold metal against her skin. Behind her, the loudest round of applause so far burst out into the still evening air. She pressed her lips together, praying nothing unexpected would happen to trigger his irrational anger and praying at the same time that something would happen to set her free.
"What do you want me to do?" Her voice was a ragged whisper.
He jerked his head toward the parking lot. "We're leaving. Come on."
Breathing hard, Christopher strode across the lawn with Elizabeth stumbling behind him. His fingers gripped her arm like iron clamps, and Elizabeth plucked at them hopelessly. There was no way for her to break free, even without the threat of the knife.
Up ahead, the parking lot was illuminated by pools of light from tall lamps. Insects hovered around the bulbs, and a thin halo of mist glowed above the cars. Elizabeth had to bite back a yelp of pain as gravel wedged into her open-toed sandals.
"Christopher—please," she gasped, near tears. "Please don't do this. Whatever you want, let's talk about it. You're making a big mistake."
"I know what I'm doing," he insisted. He yanked her savagely and almost sent her crashing into a parked car. Suddenly his face softened, and he shook his head. "Jessica—you're making this harder than it should be. Just relax."
"I can't."
Elizabeth's teeth began to chatter. One moment Christopher was quiet and concerned, and the next moment he was angry and uncontrollable.
I have to get out of this, she thought wildly. What can I do?
She thought again about the crowds inside, the music, the applause, and the noise, and knew that even if no one heard her, she couldn't just go meekly with Christopher. She opened her mouth to scream.
"Don't." Christopher pointed the knife at her again, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Just do what I say, Jessica. Everything will be OK."
Crushed, Elizabeth felt her shoulders sag. There had to be a way, but she didn't know what it was. They were still weaving through the parked cars, but ahead she recognized the Volkswagen convertible she had seen him driving at the mall. When they reached it, he took out his keys and opened the trunk.
"What are you doing?" she whispered.
He didn't answer but took out a short length of rope.
Elizabeth backed up a step. "No—"
Before she could turn and wrestle away, Christopher had grabbed her other hand and
was tying her wrists together. Struggling wildly, Elizabeth kicked at his shins and tried to squirm out of his grip, but he was too strong. In moments she was trussed up tightly. Tears ran unchecked down her face.
"Don't make a sound, or you know what I'll do," he said in a menacing, quiet voice.
A numb, helpless fear had settled in Elizabeth's heart. She just stared at him mutely. She couldn't speak at all. The whole world had been compressed into one small space in time, and she had never felt more alone.
Christopher shifted the knife in his hand for a better grip and gazed at her thoughtfully. Then he pointed the knife at the trunk. "Get in."
Elizabeth's eyes widened still further. "No, please. I won't make any trou—"
He brought one hand up across her mouth, and the other around her waist to her tied hands. Overcome with panic, Elizabeth tried again to struggle away. No matter what she did, though, Christopher didn't lose his grip. He held on to her tied wrists and forced her back. The edge of the open trunk cut against the backs of her thighs until her knees buckled under her. As she collapsed, sobbing and still fighting, into the trunk of the car, Christopher swung her legs up and reached for the lid.
"No!" Elizabeth looked up through her scalding tears and saw the light disappearing. Then she let out a moan as darkness enveloped her.
Eleven
Jessica stood between Jeffrey and A. J., gnawing her lower lip and twisting her fingers together. Something was wrong, she could feel it. That Elizabeth had been gone so long with Christopher was making her feel sick inside. Mr. McKormick droned on and on without making any sense to her. A.J. was looking over his essay again for his signal.
Beside her, Jeffrey whispered, "Do you think I should go look for her?" His eyes were filled with worry.
"I don't know," Jessica replied. She glanced at A.J. and then at the podium. All around them, people were smiling expectantly and watching Mr. McKormick. No one knew the turmoil she felt inside.
"And now the moment you've all been waiting for," Mr. McKormick announced. He rubbed his hands together and beamed down at A.J. "This is the fifth year we've had our essay contest, and believe me, it gets harder and harder each year to pick one essay out of all the terrific entries we get."
A.J. smiled bashfully and fidgeted with his tie. "Wish me luck," he whispered to Jessica. She returned his smile mechanically.
"But we did pick a winner, and I'm proud to say the winning essay was written by a newcomer to Sweet Valley. I guess he settled in real fast," Mr. McKormick continued with a jovial smile. "So let's all give a big hand to A.J. Morgan. Come on up here, A.J.!"
Applause broke out, and Jessica watched A.J. mount to the microphone. He smiled, nodded, and waved to his parents. Jessica waited. Then, without warning, a suffocating fear overwhelmed her. She stood rooted to the spot, her heart churning wildly.
Liz! No!
Something terrible was happening to Elizabeth. There was no doubt in Jessica's heart or her mind. The inborn, unconscious connection to her identical twin went deeper than logic or common sense. Her sister was in danger, and that was all that mattered.
"What?" Jeffrey asked, clutching her arm. "What is it?"
Jessica stared at him blindly. She had to find Elizabeth before it was too late. With a strangled moan, she pushed past Jeffrey and plunged through the crowd.
Oblivious of the surprised looks and startled cries, Jessica fought her way to the terrace doors. She was frantic, desperate. Her entire being was focused on finding her sister.
"Liz!" she gasped, stumbling out onto the terrace. She looked right and left past the swinging paper lanterns and then sprinted off into the grass.
"Jessica! What is it? Wait!" Jeffrey was racing to catch up with her, and his voice held a note of panic. "Where is she?"
Jessica didn't have time to explain. Her feet were already soaked with dew, and she slipped on the grass. Panting, she stopped and looked around again. To her right, the golf course stretched off into the darkness. To her left was the parking lot. She winced, breathing hard.
"I'll look by the tennis courts," Jeffrey said. He veered off toward the right.
Still uncertain, Jessica clenched her fists and squeezed her eyes shut. Where is Elizabeth?
Her eyes snapped open, and she whirled around to face the parking lot. She didn't know why she was so sure all of a sudden. She only knew she was. Without hesitating any more, she raced toward the parking lot.
"Liz! Liz, where are you?" Her voice rang out in the stillness. Gravel crunched under her feet as she raced around the parked cars. Under the lights, neat rows of cars went off in each direction.
"Jeffrey! Jeffrey, this way!" she cried. She sent a frightened look in the direction of the tennis courts. She wasn't sure she could handle Christopher alone. In fact, she was terrified of ever seeing him again.
But she couldn't delay. She pushed herself away from the car she had been leaning on and dodged into the next clear aisle. Then she stopped. Off to the left, she had heard a sound.
She squinted into the dimness and tried to hear past her own ragged breathing. Then she heard it again: a car trying to start. Instantly she ran in the direction of the noise, and when she rounded the end of one long row, she saw Christopher's Volkswagen in a pool of light.
"No! Stop!"
Even as she screamed, the car's engine roared into life, and the car backed up on squealing tires.
"Jessica!" Jeffrey yelled from a distance.
Without stopping to think, Jessica ran directly for the moving car. Christopher's face was faintly visible through the windshield as he put the car in gear.
"Stop!" Jessica stumbled and practically fell against the car. She hammered her fists on the hood. "What are you doing? Where is she?"
Christopher's eyes grew wide with shock, and his mouth opened in a yell. By reflex, he leaned heavily on the horn, sending a strident blast into the night. Then he jammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car. "How did you get out?" he demanded, moving quickly to Jessica's side.
"Where is she? Where's my sister?" she sobbed. The sight of him made her want to scream, but she had to find her twin.
"Come on, I don't know how you got out. Get back inside."
Christopher made a lunge to grab her, but Jessica kicked him in the shin with all her strength. He gasped with pain. "Don't do that," he growled. He grabbed for her again, but Jessica jumped to one side.
"Jeffrey!" she screamed.
Footsteps pounded on the gravel, and Jeffrey launched himself out of the shadows at the other boy. Christopher hit the ground with a thud, and Jessica fought back a scream. The two boys began fighting and rolling on the ground. At the same moment she heard a banging, hammering noise from the back of Christopher's car.
"Liz!" In tears, Jessica ripped the keys from the car's ignition, ran to the trunk, and fumbled with the lock. "Lizzie!" she sobbed.
The frenzied banging increased while Jessica struggled to open the trunk. Suddenly the lid popped up, and Jessica saw her sister tied up inside.
"Liz!" she cried out in pain.
Elizabeth was trying to hold back tears. "Jessica! You found me!"
Crying with relief and fear and guilt, Jessica reached in to untie her sister's wrists. Her hands were shaking so hard, she almost couldn't do it, but finally the knots came free. She helped Elizabeth clamber out of the trunk, and they threw their arms around each other.
"I knew you were in danger," Jessica choked, hugging her sister tight. "I could feel it. I felt like I couldn't breathe."
They broke apart and stared into each other's eyes. ''We're so lucky," Jessica breathed. It seemed almost a miracle that she had found her twin.
Elizabeth managed a slight smile and nodded. Then they both became aware of the fight going on behind them. As Jessica and Elizabeth ran to help, Jeffrey emerged on top, pinning Christopher's arms up behind his back. Christopher went limp, all the fight suddenly drained from him.
The twins looked down at him with mi
ngled horror and confusion. He stared at them bleakly, taking in for the first time the fact that there were two girls instead of one. He closed his eyes.
"Jessica." His voice was a whisper full of despair.
She shuddered and looked away.
"Are you all right, Liz?" Jeffrey croaked. He was breathing hard, his upper lip was cut, and his clothes were covered in dirt.
Elizabeth nodded. "Yes," she whispered.
"Who is this guy? What was he doing?" Jeffrey went on, angry and hurt and bewildered. "Why was he trying to take you—" His voice cracked, and he gripped Christopher's wrists.
"It's my fault," Jessica said, tears flowing again. "It's all my fault."
Elizabeth shook her head. "No, it's not, Jess. You didn't know he would try to do this!"
"But if I only would have told A.J. . . ."
"Jess! Don't think about that." Elizabeth grabbed Jessica's arm. "Is it over yet? Did you get crowned?"
Jessica shook her head. "A.J. was just starting to read his essay when I left." She shrugged. "It's too late."
"No, it's not. Go on back," Elizabeth urged her.
"But, Lizzie!"
"Go on." Elizabeth glanced at Christopher and winced. "I only went with him so you could get what you wanted, Jess. Go on. There's still time."
Even though it seemed like an eternity, Jessica realized it had only been a few minutes since her blind dash from inside the country club. A.J. might not even have finished reading his essay yet. She sent a forlorn look back at the brightly lit building. It seemed impossibly far away and out of reach.
Her sister shoved her. "Go on." Elizabeth's voice was weary but firm. "Please."
Jessica looked searchingly into her sister's eyes. What she saw there made up her mind. "OK, Liz. I will."
Twelve
As Jessica ran back through the parking lot, she tried to put Christopher's defeated expression out of her mind. It was sad and confusing and scary, too. And she didn't want to dwell on what might have happened to Elizabeth if she hadn't found her in time. As her feet hit the path to the clubhouse, two security guards came toward her.
Two-Boy Weekend (Sweet Valley High Book 54) Page 8