For a second, Rose just sat there, her hands clenched on the wheel. She tried turning the ignition off and back on, tried pumping the clutch and the gas in turn, tried shifting into every different gear in the hopes that one of them might magically coax the car back to life.
Nothing.
Grumbling under her breath, Rose climbed from the car, slamming the door extra hard, as if that would somehow ensure that the Escort would feel properly guilty for stranding her out here. She looked up and down the roadway, but no cars were coming in either direction. Lisa and Charlene were long gone. And no one else knew she was out here.
Above her, the dark sky began to growl with the promise of an approaching storm.
Justin had said it would be raining. She tried not to think about that.
Just in case, Rose pulled an umbrella out of the trunk. Then she began to walk.
Chapter Seventy-One
KARL
Karl whimpered as the truck rumbled to life. He curled his knees to his chest, squeezing his eyes shut as the vehicle rolled away from the curb and picked up speed. Stinging wind slapped against the tarp over his body, and he pressed himself against the side of the truck bed to try to shield himself as much as possible.
Just stay calm, he told himself. If this truck belonged to one of the students or teachers at the school, they probably lived nearby. All Karl had to do was stay small and quiet until the truck parked, then walk back to town.
Maybe this would actually be a good thing. This way, Robbie would really have no idea where to look for him.
It started to rain, first a gentle spray, then a downpour. The tarp fluttered around him, doing very little to protect him from the pummeling rain. Karl huddled even smaller as he bounced around the back of the truck, his clothing quickly soaked from the water leaking around the edges of the tarp and splashing up from the bed.
How far had they gone? He was starting to worry they were driving too far away, but he wasn’t used to not being able to see anything. Maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on him. Maybe they hadn’t gone that far after all.
The truck had turned a few times, but never slowed long enough for Karl to try to escape. His heart raced as he ran through worst-case scenarios in his head. What if the driver lived a hundred miles away? What if he got in an accident? What if he was a kidnapper and actually knew Karl was back here, and was taking him into the middle of nowhere to murder him?
That last thought spooked Karl enough to peek out from under the tarp, hoping to see something familiar. If he could figure out where they were, maybe it would be better to jump and run, as soon as the truck slowed down some. But rain sprayed into his eyes, making it impossible to identify anything in the dark.
He needed to sit up if he wanted a better view.
Holding tight to the edge of the bed, Karl pulled himself upright, looking around to get his bearings. To his surprise, he realized he actually did know where they were—the driver had just pulled onto Wilson Bridge, heading toward Karl’s house. This was perfect. Once the driver reached the stop sign on the opposite side, that would be the perfect place for Karl to jump out.
Karl shifted into a crouch, still clutching the side of the truck bed. He didn’t dare try to get to his feet yet, not at this speed, but he could at least get into a position that would allow him to move quickly when the time came.
His sneaker caught on one of the shovels as he adjusted his position, making him lose his balance. Karl let out a yelp as the shovels clattered under his feet. He grasped at the truck, suddenly terrified he might fall out.
He heard a muffled shout and turned his head toward the cab of the truck.
The driver looked back at him, his eyes wide in the rearview mirror.
Chapter Seventy-Two
SHAWN
The truck skidded down Clayton Road, away from the school.
Shawn blinked rapidly, pulling in deep breaths. Mr. Warren had hit the floor hard, but Shawn thought he would be okay. He had to be okay. All Shawn had wanted was to get that list of locker numbers. No one was supposed to be there. No one was supposed to get hurt.
He didn’t think Mrs. Warren had gotten a good look at him in the parking lot.
And he didn’t think anyone had seen his truck parked around the corner.
Everything would be okay.
He followed the curve of the road toward Wilson Bridge. He’d drive to the fishing lot on the other side—it would be empty tonight—and burn the list. No one would know. Then he’d head to the debate, and no one would be the wiser.
Of course, the liquor stains on his pants might be a problem. He didn’t have time to stop at home for a change of clothes. Hmm. How was he going to explain that?
It started to rain, first a little, then a lot. Shawn turned the wipers as high as they would go, but they were still barely able to keep up with the rivers of water pouring onto the windshield.
Actually, this was good. If he parked down the street and walked the rest of the way to the community center, it would look like he just got caught in the rain. The stain on his pants would blend in with the rain. Problem solved.
As the truck passed under the steel arches of the bridge, something shifted in the bed of the truck. Shawn glanced in the rearview mirror, wondering whether something had fallen out, then squinted, trying to figure out what he was seeing.
A dark shape, moving around low in the bed. He couldn’t make it out in the rain.
Then he realized what it was. “What the hell?”
There was a person in the back of his truck.
Shawn’s eyes widened as whoever it was turned to look toward him. Their eyes met in the mirror as Shawn slammed on the brakes.
In his shock, he’d forgotten how hard it was raining.
The truck wheels locked, but the vehicle didn’t stop moving. It skidded and skipped over the wet pavement, spinning toward the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road, where— All the blood drained from Shawn’s face.
Someone was standing on the sidewalk, her face shining in his headlights, her mouth hanging open in surprise.
He was going to hit her. And there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Then, suddenly, she was gone, replaced by someone else.
He didn’t have time to see who it was before his tires hit the curb. The front of the car jumped into the air, Shawn pitched forward, and a body slammed against the windshield with sickening, deadly force.
Chapter Seventy-Three
ROSE
The bridge spooled out endlessly before her. Rose splashed through the puddles on the sidewalk, drenching the soft cream slacks she’d so carefully ironed that morning for the debate. But right now, her clothes were the last thing she cared about.
Too late too late too late, her feet seemed to pound out with every step. She tried to check her watch, but she knew what it would say. She’d left Charlene’s house with plenty of time to drive, but not nearly enough to walk. Even if she were capable of morphing into a track star and sprinting the few miles to the school through the pouring rain, there was no way she would make it in time to save the Warrens.
Any minute now, the fire would start. Noah was probably still waiting for her at her house. And Justin . . . well, she knew better than to rely on him.
Her eyes grew hot, tears mixing with raindrops. She’d failed. After everything, all her work, all her determination. Nothing was going to change. It had all been for nothing.
The rain and the darkness pressed in on her, suffocating her, the river roaring angrily far below. She had never felt so alone.