Death, Doom and Detention

When Jared stepped closer, Cameron ran interference by blocking me again. “Are you good?” he asked Jared, holding me back with an arm made of steel.

“Cameron, what the heck?”

“Why are you asking?” Jared took the challenge in Cameron’s expression with a particular kind of glee.

“You don’t seem yourself today,” he responded, pushing me farther back.

“And you know me so well.”

What the heck? I tried to push past Cameron. I failed.

“I want to talk to Lorelei,” Jared said. “Alone.”

Cameron angled his head. “I don’t think so.”

“Cameron.” I socked him on the arm. “What are you doing?” They hadn’t behaved so aggressively toward each other since Jared first showed up in Riley’s Switch. They’d almost killed each other that time. And they tore half the town apart in the process.

“Okay, guys,” Brooke said, putting on her supervisor’s hat. She held up her palms for a cease-fire. “Clearly everyone’s blood sugars have dropped to dangerous levels. Let’s just go to lunch.” She grabbed Cameron’s sleeve. Cameron grabbed mine, and I grabbed Glitch’s.

Jared stayed back a solid minute, measuring Cameron like he was sizing him up for a coffin.

“Jared, come on,” I called out over my shoulder. I didn’t know what to think, what to say. Admittedly, Jared was acting different. His movements. His expressions. Even his countenance was full of something strange, something foreign.

He finally followed us, his steps slow and methodical.

We each got our lunch and sat at our table, but the boys hardly touched theirs. Except for Glitch. He inhaled his burger. It was amazing to watch. I didn’t bother asking Jared and Cameron what was up between them again. They clearly weren’t going to spill. Instead, I brought up another subject that had continued to elude us. The new kid.

I took a drink of my water. “I can’t believe we haven’t seen him at all today.”

“We need to find out his name,” Cameron said, “find out where he lives.”

“We could break into Davis’s office.”

“Can I join you?” We looked up at Ashlee. She was becoming a regular.

“Sure,” I said.

I moved over so she could pull up a chair.

“Jared, you remember Ashlee.”

He nodded. I was grateful for at least that, considering his mood.

She gave a bashful smile, then said, “So, when?”

“When?” Brooke asked.

“When are we breaking into Davis’s office?”

Brooke and I chuckled, then Brooke said, “Probably not for a while. But I like your attitude.”

After glancing under her lashes several times toward Glitch, who was too consumed with the amount of ketchup he got on each fry to notice, she said, “I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation. It sounded interesting.”

“Oh, no big,” Glitch said. “Do you know who that new kid is? We need a name and address if possible.”

“His name is Vincent,” she said with a soft laugh. “But I don’t know his address. I can try to get it, though. I’m an office aide last hour.”

“Awesome,” Brooke said. “That would be great. And it would save us from getting arrested for breaking and entering.”

I agreed and took a bite of my turkey sandwich just as the creature whose name shall not be spoken aloud appeared. Out of nowhere. She was just there. And my mouth was full and unattractive.

Shockingly, her eyes alighted on Jared. They always alighted on Jared. Like he was the last source of water in a scorched desert and she was parched. “Hi, Jared.”

He watched me chew a few seconds, then smiled up at her. The fact that it was more congenial than genuine wouldn’t matter to Tabitha. Either way, a smile would only encourage her. “Have you thought about my proposal?”

Proposal? I swallowed hard and took a drink to wash it down. Holy cow, she irked.

“What proposal is that?” I asked him.

He smiled at me, the same congenial smile he’d just offered Tabitha. I gasped softly, then caught myself. Surely we were beyond congenial, but showing any emotion in front of Tab was dangerous.

“Tabitha asked if I could pose for her drawing class,” he said.

Oh, for Pete’s sake. “You’re taking drawing?” I asked her, trying to unglue my teeth.

“Yes, at the community college. And we need models.” Her eyes glittered with the prospect. “I knew Jared could probably use the money, living on his own as he does, so I offered to get him an application.”

Despite the fact that Jared had been in pretty much every thought I’d had for the last few weeks, I hadn’t taken into account that he might actually need spending money. Everything he needed was supplied to him by the Order. Mostly through our store, of course, and the members of the Order. Honestly, those women baked more than Sara Lee.

But he was a guy. Surely he needed guy things. Like, I didn’t know, shoe polish or something. I had never even thought about offering to help him find a job or have him do things around the store to earn some extra cash. He was always busy watching and lurking, his habits frighteningly similar to Cameron’s. They took their jobs very seriously.

“Actually, I’m still considering it. Can I get back to you?”

She brightened. “Absolutely.” She handed him a card. “Call me when you decide.”