“Sink?” I laughed. “You are so far off.”
“Not your thing. Something else missing … ” Her voice trailed off and she rubbed the center of her forehead. “Okay, I’m getting a sense of it. It’s metal. It’s old, well used, and it’s somewhere dark and warm.”
I didn’t say anything. I nonchalantly moved my hands behind my back.
“How about the science lab?” Manny guessed.
“No,” Thorn said. “Not a classroom. Not the cafeteria.”
Pursing my lips tight, I gave nothing away.
She studied me. “You went outside, but that’s not where you left it.”
I just shrugged.
“It’s close by,” Thorn said, pacing around me. “Very close.”
“But she couldn’t hide whatever it is around here without us seeing her,” Manny pointed out.
“Unless she hid it before she returned.” Thorn’s gaze zeroed in on my backpack, which I’d dumped on the floor. She walked to it, then paused and suddenly whirled around.
Thorn came directly towards me. Before I could say anything, she reached inside the pocket of my hooded sweatshirt and withdrew the grip. Any effort to look unimpressed was useless now.
“All right!” Manny pumped his fist.
“Did you ever doubt me?” asked Thorn.
“Not for a second,” said Manny. “Now what the heck is that?”
I ignored Manny’s question. “How did—did you … ?” My words trailed off.
“It’s just a weird talent. Like some people can paint or play the piano. I can find things.” Thorn handed the grip back to me. “And you must have some weird trick, too, or else Manny wouldn’t want us to be partners.”
“Partners,” I echoed with wonder. Maybe, just maybe, Manny wasn’t totally demented.
I really looked at Thorn this time. Past the Morticia makeup, multiple piercings, and heavy chains—into her gray eyes. Amazingly honest eyes. And I knew with sudden clarity that I’d been completely wrong about her. She wasn’t a fake.
I was.
And I remembered what Opal had said about my “gaining a new gift soon.” I’d thought she meant something, not someone. Thorn?
Took you long enough, Opal said. Your intuitive skills are getting rusty, certainly from lack of use. But there’s hope for you.
And when I told Thorn that I was psychic, she didn’t call me crazy.
She believed.
*
When I got home later, Nona was frantically tearing up the house, looking for her missing car keys. She was positive she’d left them in her purse, only they weren’t there. They weren’t in any of her other usual hiding places, either. Not the cubby hole in the recliner, the toe of her slippers, or the fridge.
Something Thorn said jumped into my head.
I went straight to the bathroom sink.
And found the missing keys.
Ten minutes later, Nona was ready for a dinner date with a new client, and she thanked me again for finding her keys.
“Glad to help,” I said from the couch where I was twisting my hair into a braid.
“If you get hungry, there’s leftover rice in the fridge.”
“Thanks, but I won’t need it. Josh is taking me out.”
“Oh, yeah. You have a date. I remember now.” She glanced down at her keys, then gave a sheepish smile. “Guess I have too much on my mind. You and Josh have fun, but it’s a school night so don’t stay out too late.”
“We won’t,” I promised, giving her a hug.
Then she rushed out to her car, and a short while later Josh showed up.
When we’d talked at school about going out, Josh acted all mysterious and wouldn’t tell me what he had planned. He just said to wear outdoor clothes. So the first thing I asked as I fastened the seatbelt in his car was, “Where are we going?”
“Curious?” he asked teasingly, gravel crunching under his tires as he drove down our driveway.
“A little.”
“Only a little?”
“Well … more than a little. Just tell me already. Are we going to play tennis, volleyball, or mini-golf?”
“Nope.” He laughed, and I loved how dimples formed at the corners of his mouth. “Ever toss a Frisbee?”
“Of course.”
“Good.”
“So that’s the big mystery?” I asked, a bit disappointed. “Playing Frisbee?”
“It’s who you play with that matters.”
“Why do I get the feeling you’re not telling me something?”
“Guess you’re psychic,” he said with a laugh.
My face went hot and I glanced quickly out the window. He didn’t seem to notice I wasn’t laughing with him and reached across the seat for my hand. I held on tight, reminding myself this was what I wanted—to be a normal girl out with a cute, popular guy. It didn’t matter that Josh didn’t know all my secrets; in fact, I preferred it that way.
“If it’s okay with you,” he went on, “we’ll grab some deli sandwiches and take them to a park.”
“Sure!” I said a bit too brightly. “But isn’t it kind of late in the day for a picnic?”
“We’ve got almost two hours of daylight.”
“Okay. A picnic sounds great.” I eyed him suspiciously, sure there was more to this than playing Frisbee in the park. But I’d find out soon enough.
Josh popped in a CD and turned up the music. After a quick stop at a deli, instead of heading toward the park by the high school, Josh turned into an upscale subdivision.
“Isn’t this your neighborhood?” I asked with a puzzled expression.
“Yeah. I have to pick up a surprise at my house. You’re gonna love him.”
“Him?” I asked uncertainly, hoping this wasn’t going to be another double date. “Someone else is going with us?”
“Not exactly someone.” He grinned. “Horse.”
“Oh—your dog!”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “It’s about time you two got to know each other.”
“Cool surprise. I love dogs.”
“Since he’s triple the size of most dogs, there’s more to love.” Josh stepped out of the car, then turned back to me. “Wait here. I’ll only be a sec.”
I watched him go around the side yard and disappear through a gate. I heard exciting barking and smiled to myself, guessing that Josh was being greeted by sloppy doggy kisses. When the gate opened minutes later, Josh was struggling to hold a leash attached to a huge dog that looked like a cross between a golden retriever and an elephant. Josh had only moved a few feet forward when someone called out his name.
Turning sideways in my seat, I spotted Evan Marshall coming over from the house next door. I leaned closer to my open window.
“Hey, Evan,” Josh said, jerking hard on the leash and nearly falling over except Evan lunged forward to steady him. “Thanks.”
“No prob.” Evan slapped him on the shoulder. “So, where’ve you been lately? Haven’t seen you around much.”
“Busy, I guess.” Josh shrugged. “How come you aren’t at practice?”
“Cancelled, because Coach has a dentist appointment. But things are going great.” Evan’s face lit up. “Get this, some college scout is gonna show up at our next game. So we’re totally working our butts off. Getting noticed so early in my career would be huge.”
“Man, that’s great! Good luck.”
“Thanks. So where you and Horse headed?”
“The park.”
“Cool. I don’t have anything else to do, so I’ll come along. Did you bring Horse’s favorite Frisbee? I’m always blown away when he jumps like ten feet and catches it. He’s the greatest dog.”
“Yeah, he is—but the thing is … ” Josh shifted uncomfortably and glanced at the car.
Evan followed his gaze and abruptly stopped smiling. “Oh. I see,” was all he said. But his shoulders slumped like he’d just lost an important game, and I almost felt sorry for him.
“You can still—” Jos
h started to say.
“No.” Evan frowned and shook his head. “You don’t need me around.”
“But we want you. We can make room in the car.”
“Don’t bother. I got stuff to do anyway.” Then before Josh could protest, Evan turned and strode back to his house.
“Sorry about that,” I told Josh after Horse was settled into the backseat.
“Nothing to be sorry about.”
“I didn’t mean to cause problems for you with Evan.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” Josh said casually, but the furrow in his brow showed he was concerned.
“Evan thinks it is.”
“He runs hot and cold. He’ll get over it.”
“I don’t think he approves of me.”
“How could he not? You’re perfect.”
I laughed wryly. “I’m far from perfect. You have no idea.”
“The proper way to accept a compliment is to say ‘thank you.’”
“Thank you,” I said with a smile.
“See,” Josh said after Horse gave a sharp bark from the back seat. “Even Horse agrees with me, so don’t worry about Evan. He’ll be fine.”
Still, I was worried—not because I cared if Evan liked me. To be honest, I didn’t like him much and would be happy never seeing him again. But I cared about Josh and knew his friendship with Evan meant a lot to him. Growing up together and dealing with the loss of Josh’s brother had created a deep bond. If Evan continued to resent me, it could cause serious problems.
And I wondered …
If it came down to a choice between Evan and me—who would Josh choose?
The next morning, I found out that Josh wasn’t the only one with friendship issues. When I headed for school, Penny-Love was waiting for me by Nona’s mailbox. I could tell by the way she stood with her hands on her hips and her lips puckered into a pout that something was up.
“I have a confession to make,” she said bluntly.
“About what?”
“How I’ve been feeling—not that you’ve noticed,” she accused. “Since you hooked up with Josh, you’ve forgotten about me. We’re supposed to be best friends.”
“We are—the very best.”
“Then how come you’re suddenly so busy? I had to get up early just to meet you this morning and you haven’t been over to my house in a week. If you aren’t with Josh, you’re talking on the phone with him.”
“Well, we are going out. Josh isn’t spending much time with his friends, either.”
“It’s not just Josh. You’re always busy with newspaper work, too.”
“I went to your cheer club meeting,” I reminded her.
“Which you ran out on early without telling me why.”
“Sorry.” I squeezed her hand. “I didn’t know you were feeling this way.”
“Now you know, so don’t shut me out anymore. And there’s another thing.” She moved aside so a trio of elementary kids could pass. Once the kids were out of range, she said in a hushed tone, “I have to ask you something, even though it’s gonna sound crazy.”
“Crazy?” My heart jumped with the worry that she’d found out my secret. At my last school I’d had this friend, Brianne, and people thought we were sisters because we were together so much—until she found out about me. I don’t know if she was scared of me or bitter because I’d kept something from her. When I saw the petition to get me kicked out of school, her name was on the first page.
“You’re gonna laugh when I tell you,” Penny-Love said. “I mean, one of the things I admire about you is your easygoing attitude. I have my drama moments, but never you. You’re the most normal person I know, so I’m sure the rumor is totally untrue.”
“Rumor?” I managed to smile like I was amused. “What?”
“A friend of Jill’s saw you hanging out yesterday with a Goth freak. I told Jill her friend was mistaken, that it must have been someone else because you wouldn’t be caught dead with one of those losers.”
“Well … ” I hesitated. “Thorn isn’t a loser.”
“Are you serious? You’re too busy for me, but you find time to hang out with someone named Thorn?”
“I barely know her. She’s helping with a—a project.”
“What project?”
“With the newspaper. It was Manny’s idea.”
“So this is Manny’s doing. Is she his latest girlfriend?”
“No, just a friend.”
“As long as she doesn’t become your friend, too.” Penny-Love picked up her backpack, and we started walking. “For a second there you had me worried. Afraid you’d gone over to the dark side.”
“Never happen.” I glanced away guiltily. Maybe I should have said something more to defend Thorn, but I didn’t want to hurt Penny-Love, and she was already sensitive about our friendship. So I smoothed things over by inviting her to my house tonight.
“Great! I’ve been curious about that guy your grandmother hired. If he’s the hottie I spotted out in the pasture on my way here, I’ve got to meet him.”
“Bad idea. Dominic is rude and totally antisocial.”
“Oh, a challenge!” She rubbed her hands together. “Nothing I like better—especially when he’s fine.”
“You’ll just be asking to be shot down. He’s not your type.”
She didn’t argue, but the gleam in her eyes worried me.
*
The rest of the school day made me feel like a circus juggler, only instead of balls, I juggled people. Passing notes to Penny-Love in homeroom, admiring Josh’s latest magic trick, and listening to my teachers so I didn’t miss any assignments. Wearing a permanent smile, always hiding a part of myself. This was especially hard with Josh because when he looked at me, so sweet and caring, I’d long to tell him everything. Only I didn’t dare.
At least there were no secrets with Manny, who still teased that I was his “miracle.” After glancing around the classroom to make sure no one was watching, he handed me a paper from my “To Be Edited” folder, and I pretended to work while he clued me in on the latest news. “I accidentally found a memo to the principal from the police.”
“‘Accidentally’?” I couldn’t help but grin. “Where? In his pocket?”
“On his desk.”
“How did you manage that without getting caught?”
He smirked. “A journalist can’t divulge professional secrets.”
“So what did you learn?” I picked up a red pen and marked a misspelled word on the article.
“Regis High football players are cleared—partying that night with lots of witnesses. The janitor is out of the hospital, but has no memory of the attack. The police checked local pawnshops for the missing stuff—without success. They also received an anonymous tip saying that the stolen things were still at school.”
“An anonymous tip?” I said, shivering despite the sun shining through the classroom windows. “I wonder who called it in.”
“I was hoping you could tell me.”
I shook my head. “It’s not that easy.”
“Well, if something comes to you, let me know. Recovering the missing items would make a great article.” Manny leaned closer to whisper, “Which is why we’re going to search the school tonight.”
“We are?”
“Yeah—before anyone else does. Thorn’s cool with the plan, and we’re gonna meet in the Taco Bell parking lot at ten. Are you in?”
“Sure. As long as I don’t have to do anything illegal.”
“Misdemeanors only. And no one will find out.”
“You’re sure?”
“Trust me.”
Not exactly encouraging words. But taking action was better than waiting around. So I nodded, and hoped I wasn’t heading for trouble.
*
What was my grandmother doing on the porch with a paintbrush and a cow?
As I neared the house, I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. Nona’s gray-blond hair was wrapped in a bandanna and h
er oversized gray T-shirt brushed inches above the porch floor as she squatted on a low stool to paint blue, pink, and yellow flowers on her cow, Daphne.
I had to ask, even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer. “Nona, what’s going on?”
“I’m painting.”
“On a cow? Can’t you use a canvas like normal people?”
“Most people aren’t as sensitive to the needs of their pets as I am.” Nona patted Daphne’s tawny head. “Poor dear was feeling like a plain Jane next to Stormy so I’m giving her a make over.”
“But Stormy is a horse.”
“Shhh!” Nona gave me a critical look. “Daphne has enough self-esteem issues to deal with. Dominic explained it all to me. He’s very knowledgeable about animals.”
“He told you to paint flowers on a cow?”
“Of course not.” Nona laughed. “He suggested I weave ribbons in her tail. The flowers were my idea. And I’m using natural washable paints that have vitamins and a skin softener mixed in. My own creation.”
“She’s a cow, not a cover model. And Penny-Love will be here soon. How am I going to explained a flowered cow?”
“Tell her it’s the latest in modern art.”
I spread out my arms in frustration. “Why can’t you be an ordinary grandmother who works in a garden or bakes homemade cookies?”
“There’s a whole plate of homemade carob chip and asparagus cookies in the kitchen. Help yourself.”
“Someone needs help,” I muttered.
Daphne turned to moo at me, and I had a feeling I was being chastised.
Amazingly, when Penny-Love arrived, she didn’t even notice the cow. But she didn’t miss a muscle on Dominic’s tanned, hard body.
“He’s so hot!” Penny-Love pressed her face up against the window in my attic bedroom, peering down at Dominic as he repaired a broken fence board. “Do you have any binoculars?”
“No.” I tugged on her arm. “Get away from the window, and I’ll help you with your homework.”
“He’s wiping sweat off his brow. Now he’s hammering again. Oops! He dropped a nail and is reaching for a new one. Thank you, gravity!”
“Pen, stop it.”
“He’s saying something to that wild bird perched on a fence post.”
“Dominic calls the falcon Dagger.”
“How sweet! I adore guys who like animals. It shows a deep sensitivity. Now he’s petting the falcon. What a fantastic animal.”
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