you’re not the only one who recognized Bobby’s car back there. But I
was
the only one who talked to Sergeant Laurence about the fact we were probably being followed, and got his direct phone number.”
“I wondered why you hitched a ride on a school bus with a bunch of strangers,” I tell her.
“No, you didn’t,” Theo says. “You were just glad the hot chick got on the bus with us.”
I turn red, but Mia doesn’t seem to notice and keeps talking.
“I read your energy fields outside the diner. I knew you were good people and that I was supposed to help you. Your energy vibed with mine. Didn’t you feel it?”
“Um … no,” I say. And the only thing I feel now is scared. “What are we going to do about Bobby?”
“We could both run,” Mia says, looking at Theo. “Just the two of us.”
Huh. Isn’t quitting your job and saving a dog enough for you? You want to run away and become a fugitive, too? And what about
me
? What’s this “two” stuff?
“What’s this ‘we’ stuff?” Theo asks her. “It’s my problem.”
“
You
might have gotten yourself in trouble,” she tells him, “but
we’re
getting you out. That’s how trouble works. Don’t ask me how I know.”
I’m dying to ask how she knows. But instead, I say, “We’ve got to talk to my dad. He’ll know what to do.”
“No,” Theo says. “I’ve already gotten you guys in way too deep. Next gas stop, I’m taking off. Bobby’ll figure out I split, leave you alone, come looking for me.”
“That’s not how it’s going to play out,” Dad says.
Dad. He and Gus are sitting across the aisle, leaning forward. For how long? How did I
not
notice the bus had stopped and Dad and Gus were listening to us talk?
Dad warned me when I insisted on bringing Theo that something bad was going to happen. He also said he wouldn’t lift a finger to help. I hope he’s changed his mind. I hope he’s got a good idea. And most of all, I hope he’s been right all along and that things really will all work out. Theo could use that kind of thinking right now.
“Mia’s right,” Dad says. “This isn’t something you’re going to fix on your own. We’ll figure something out. Together.”
I start to feel better. Until I hear honking. Somebody is laying on their horn. I look out the window.
Bobby.
He’s standing outside the bus next to a car, reaching through the open window to lean on the horn. Once he has our attention, Bobby gestures to Theo to get out of the bus.
Dad shakes his head. “No. You’re not getting off.” He takes a deep breath and starts to say more, but Mia waggles her phone at him and his face lights up. I don’t know what code they’re speaking that makes him change his mind, but he nods and says, “All right, let’s do this. We’re not sending Theo out there alone.”
“Keep calm,” Gus tells us. “Stick together. That guy’s a bully, and bullies back down if ya stand up to ’em, show ’em you’re not scared.”
I’m the second one off the bus, after Theo and just before Dad. I look around the parking lot and shake my head. Just our luck today that Dad had to park in the creepiest, most deserted place on earth. There’s not a soul around or another building that I can see. When did it get so dark? It’s nighttime already; what time is it? Except for the bus’s and the car’s headlights, the parking lot is dark.
We’re outside an abandoned haunted house. One of those roadside attractions. The shutters are hanging off the front windows, part of the roof has collapsed, and piles of garbage cover the front porch. There are fake—I hope—tombstones scattered around the front yard.
As Dad steps off the bus, I’m still looking around, trying to get my bearings and my night vision, when my whole world seems to explode because I’m shoved from the side, sent flying into Dad’s arms. He keeps me from falling and then moves between me and Bobby, Gus on one side, Theo on the other, and Atticus
was
the only one who talked to Sergeant Laurence about the fact we were probably being followed, and got his direct phone number.”
“I wondered why you hitched a ride on a school bus with a bunch of strangers,” I tell her.
“No, you didn’t,” Theo says. “You were just glad the hot chick got on the bus with us.”
I turn red, but Mia doesn’t seem to notice and keeps talking.
“I read your energy fields outside the diner. I knew you were good people and that I was supposed to help you. Your energy vibed with mine. Didn’t you feel it?”
“Um … no,” I say. And the only thing I feel now is scared. “What are we going to do about Bobby?”
“We could both run,” Mia says, looking at Theo. “Just the two of us.”
Huh. Isn’t quitting your job and saving a dog enough for you? You want to run away and become a fugitive, too? And what about
me
? What’s this “two” stuff?
“What’s this ‘we’ stuff?” Theo asks her. “It’s my problem.”
“
You
might have gotten yourself in trouble,” she tells him, “but
we’re
getting you out. That’s how trouble works. Don’t ask me how I know.”
I’m dying to ask how she knows. But instead, I say, “We’ve got to talk to my dad. He’ll know what to do.”
“No,” Theo says. “I’ve already gotten you guys in way too deep. Next gas stop, I’m taking off. Bobby’ll figure out I split, leave you alone, come looking for me.”
“That’s not how it’s going to play out,” Dad says.
Dad. He and Gus are sitting across the aisle, leaning forward. For how long? How did I
not
notice the bus had stopped and Dad and Gus were listening to us talk?
Dad warned me when I insisted on bringing Theo that something bad was going to happen. He also said he wouldn’t lift a finger to help. I hope he’s changed his mind. I hope he’s got a good idea. And most of all, I hope he’s been right all along and that things really will all work out. Theo could use that kind of thinking right now.
“Mia’s right,” Dad says. “This isn’t something you’re going to fix on your own. We’ll figure something out. Together.”
I start to feel better. Until I hear honking. Somebody is laying on their horn. I look out the window.
Bobby.
He’s standing outside the bus next to a car, reaching through the open window to lean on the horn. Once he has our attention, Bobby gestures to Theo to get out of the bus.
Dad shakes his head. “No. You’re not getting off.” He takes a deep breath and starts to say more, but Mia waggles her phone at him and his face lights up. I don’t know what code they’re speaking that makes him change his mind, but he nods and says, “All right, let’s do this. We’re not sending Theo out there alone.”
“Keep calm,” Gus tells us. “Stick together. That guy’s a bully, and bullies back down if ya stand up to ’em, show ’em you’re not scared.”
I’m the second one off the bus, after Theo and just before Dad. I look around the parking lot and shake my head. Just our luck today that Dad had to park in the creepiest, most deserted place on earth. There’s not a soul around or another building that I can see. When did it get so dark? It’s nighttime already; what time is it? Except for the bus’s and the car’s headlights, the parking lot is dark.
We’re outside an abandoned haunted house. One of those roadside attractions. The shutters are hanging off the front windows, part of the roof has collapsed, and piles of garbage cover the front porch. There are fake—I hope—tombstones scattered around the front yard.
As Dad steps off the bus, I’m still looking around, trying to get my bearings and my night vision, when my whole world seems to explode because I’m shoved from the side, sent flying into Dad’s arms. He keeps me from falling and then moves between me and Bobby, Gus on one side, Theo on the other, and Atticus
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