The Super Spies and the High School Bomber (12 page)

Sarah sat behind the men and stole a glance over her shoulder. She was right behind the bald guy and saw the wrinkles in his neck where the fat left creases. He wore a small loop earring in his left ear. She turned back, but not before she caught a whiff of his cologne, a woodsy scent that reminded her of Uncle Walt.

The thought of Uncle Walt lying in a hospital bed brought tears to Sarah's eyes.
Were these men after her uncle
? Leaning back in her chair, she hoped she would be able to hear their conversation, but right now they weren't talking. She glanced at Jackie, who pretended to be engrossed in her magazine.

The buzz of a vibrating phone broke the stillness. The younger man grabbed his phone from the chair beside him and immediately read a text.

He nudged the man next to him. “Dude, let's go.”

The bald man grunted and dropped his magazine on the chair beside him. “Where are we going?”

“The barn.”

“The barn?”

The younger man stood and put his phone in his pocket. “Yeah, you know…the old barn.”

Jackie and Sarah exchanged a look as the two men left the lobby. Sarah's palms were damp and she left sweaty smudges on the pages of her magazine.

When the men left, she put her magazine down and looked at Jackie. “What do you think?”

Jackie stared at Sarah with a penetrating glare. “I don't know.”

“I think we should follow them.”

“You're right, girlfriend. But how do we know which barn they're talking about?”

Sarah frowned. “I don't know.”

“Plus, how are we going to follow them? We don't drive, yet.”

“We could take the bus,” Sarah said quickly.

They stood and made their way into the hallway. Sarah glanced over her shoulder, searching for the two men. They were nowhere in sight. She quickened her pace, rushing toward the stairwell. Jackie was right on her heels.

Jackie grabbed Sarah's arm, pulling her to a stop. “I know where they're going…they're going to that nursery out on M-37 called ‘The Old Barn.'”

“Let's hurry.”

They made it to the second floor in record time. Aunt June sat where they had left her. She leafed through the magazine pages with a listless hand.

Sarah studied her aunt—she looked like she had aged ten years in the last seven hours. The worry line creased her brow and her mouth pressed in a grim line as she sat hunched in the chair.

“Any news?” Sarah lowered herself in the chair next to her aunt.

“No, he hasn't woken up yet. I went in to see him, but I could only stay a few minutes. He doesn't look like your uncle.” Her aunt drew in a ragged breath and exhaled slowly. She ran her hand down her thigh as if she were smoothing out a wrinkle. “I'm worried.”

“I am too.” Sarah took a loose strand of her aunt's hair and put it behind her ear. “Is there anything we can do?”

Aunt June shook her head. “No, all we can do is wait.”

Sarah sighed. She wanted to get moving and follow the bombers, but she didn't want to leave her aunt alone. Frowning, she glanced at Jackie.

“Is there anyone that you would like us to call?” Jackie asked.

“Yeah, Aunt June. Do you want someone to come up and sit with you?”

Aunt June sighed and leaned back in her chair. “I should be making some phone calls. I didn't even think about that until now.” She reached for her purse and rummaged around inside. “Why don't I check on my patients? Do you girls have homework or anything like that to work on? I want to do this privately.”

“We don't have homework, but we do have some things we need to do,” Sarah said.

“Where's Lacey?”

“She's with Scott. We're going to meet them down by the willow tree later.”

“Okay, I'll give you a call if anything changes. Why don't we meet back at the house around five?” Aunt June suggested as she fidgeted with a loose strand of hair.

“Okay.” Sarah stood and grabbed Jackie's arm, then hesitated. “Are you going to be all right by yourself?”

“Yes, I'll be fine. It will do me good to check on my patients. Keep my mind off of things.”

“Okay, I'll see you at five.”

The girls rushed out of the room and hurried to the stairwell.

As they speed-walked, Jackie asked, “How are we going to get to The Barn?”

“The bus, remember?”

“A bus?” Jackie wrinkled her nose. “Does one even go out that way?”

“There's only one way to find out. There's a bus stop right at the corner.” Sarah pulled open the door that led to the first floor lobby. “We can ask the driver if he goes by the nursery.”

“Okay.”

Speeding past the first floor lobby, Sarah glanced in looking for the men they were chasing. When she came up empty, she quickened her pace and Jackie matched her stride for stride.

They reached the bus stop just as a city bus was pulling up to the corner. The hiss of the brakes and the screeching sound of metal on metal as the bus stopped grated on Sarah's nerves. The heat from the exhaust was another unwelcome intrusion as she waited for the doors to open. The bus was half the size of a school bus, just the right size for the tiny burg.

With a muffled
thunk
, the doors opened. Sarah peered inside and asked the driver, “Hey, do you go out to that nursery, The Old Barn?”

The heavyset driver nodded wearily and lifted his hat to wipe his sweaty brow. “I go right by there. Hop in. That'll be fifty cents.”

Sarah climbed the steps and paid the fare. The temperature seemed to rise ten degrees.
No air conditioning
. She groaned, searching for a place to sit. Since the bus was empty, the girls had their choice. Plopping down in a seat in the middle, Sarah quickly opened the window. Jackie slouched in the seat in front of her, fanning herself with her hand.

“I hope this ride doesn't take too long,” Jackie said, her face flushed from the heat.

“It won't.” Sarah peered out the window, the breeze drifted across her face.

After a fifteen-minute ride, the bus lurched into the parking lot of the nursery. The hissing of the brakes brought the girls to their feet. Upon opening the door, the driver motioned for the girls to step out.

“Do you come back by here?” Sarah asked, pausing on the top step.

“Yep. I'll be back by in an hour. Stand on that corner over there and I'll pick you up.” The driver pointed at the corner where the highway met High Street.

The girls stepped off the bus and watched as it pitched its way through the empty lot. When it pulled onto the street, Sarah spun around and faced the building.

The ancient structure seemed to lean slightly forward as if it were bracing itself against a strong wind. Its weather-beaten wood was a washed-out gray. A faded sign that read ‘The Old Barn' hung above the door. Sarah chuckled—
the name is too funny.
On the side of the building was a faded chewing tobacco sign, betraying the age of the structure.

The barn door gaped open, inviting anyone inside. Around the front of the building stood potted trees and shrubs.

In the distance, Sarah spied three large greenhouses. The sunlight reflected off the glass. She squinted. Through the transparent walls, she spied bright colors and guessed there were flowers growing inside.

The sound of crunching gravel brought Sarah's attention back to the main building. An old woman with a wide brimmed hat watered the potted plants in front of the nursery. She wore a faded denim shirt and khaki shorts.

Sarah searched the parking lot and didn't see the dark green truck. “Are you sure this is ‘The Old Barn' those guys were talking about?”

Jackie pointed at the faded sign. “Yeah, there's the sign.”

Sarah glanced in the direction Jackie pointed. “They really need a new sign.”

“No doubt.”

Sarah frowned. “I don't see the truck anywhere.”

“I know. I don't get it.”

Sighing, Sarah brushed her hair back. “Since we're here we might as well look around.”

“Yeah, we've got an hour to kill.”

As Sarah strolled toward the front of the building, she watched the old woman water the plants. She looked to be in her sixties and appeared strong and able. As she lifted the can, Sarah observed that there was no tremble in her arms or hands.

She walked closer and saw that the woman's blue eyes sparkled with intelligence. Her blonde hair was streaked with gray and captured in a ponytail at the nape of her neck.

She stopped. “Hello, girls. Can I help you?”

Sarah shook her head. “No, we're just looking for a birthday present for my aunt.”

“Well, we have some beautiful flowers inside.” She stooped to water and then stood straight. “They're on sale, too.”

Sarah gave her a polite smile and pulled Jackie toward the door. “Thanks.”

Sarah trudged inside and smelled the earthy scent of dirt. It permeated the air and reminded her of the days when she would play in the mud with her sister.

As she scanned the interior, Sarah spied beautiful flowers perched on tables and in pots that hung from hooks. Their bright colors masked the drab interior.

To her right stood a large wooden desk with an old-fashioned cash register sitting on top of it. In front of the desk was a display of tulip bulbs. Each bulb had its own container with a picture of the tulip in bloom attached to it. There were at least twenty different versions a customer could choose from.

Jackie nudged Sarah and whispered. “So…what are we looking for?”

“We're looking for that green truck.”

“Then why are we in here?”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Be-e-e-ca-a-ause….we can't tell that lady we're looking for a truck. She has to think we're shopping.”

Jackie chuckled. “Got it, girlfriend.”

“You go down that aisle, and I'll go down this one.”

“Okay.”

The girls fanned out, pretending to examine flowers. Sarah peered through a window whenever she came to one.
Where is that truck?
She gnawed on her thumbnail and then pulled it from her mouth. Noticing there wasn't much of a nail left, Sarah bit her lip instead.

When she reached the back of the greenhouse, Sarah glanced at Jackie and raised her hands in a gesture of confusion. Jackie imitated her move and the girls met in the center aisle.

“I don't see it anywhere,” Sarah said.

“Me either.”

“We're going to have to walk around outside,” Sarah whispered and pointed to a back door. “I wonder if we can go through there.”

“There's only one way to find out.” Jackie brushed her curls away from her face. “Let's go, girlfriend.”

Leading the way, Jackie walked toward the door. Sarah glanced back toward the front looking for the old woman. When she didn't see her, Sarah followed her friend to the back of the building.

When she caught up to Jackie, Sarah grabbed her arm. “Be really quiet when you open the door.”

“Okay.”

Jackie pulled on the door. It opened with a rusty squeak and Sarah winced at the sound before following Jackie through.

They found themselves facing a greenhouse. Perched on the door was a sign that read
Employees Only
.

“Bummer.” Jackie pressed her lips into a tight line. “It's probably locked.”

“Probably.” Sarah walked around Jackie and tried the door. “Yep, it's locked.” She squinted in the sun. “Well, let's walk around on the outside. That truck has got to be here somewhere.”

“No doubt.”

As she strolled around the side of the greenhouse, Sarah cast furtive glances around her, watching for the old woman and the bombers.

The gravel crunched under Sarah's feet. It sounded like thunder booming. Turning the corner, they came to the back of the greenhouse. Parked behind it was the green truck with a cap on the back of it.

“That cap is a new development,” Sarah whispered.

“Yep.”

Sarah and Jackie exchanged a quick glance and scurried up to the vehicle. Peering inside, Sarah frowned at the fast food wrappers and soda cans littering the floor.

“Do you think it's the same truck?” Jackie asked.

“I don't know. I'll check the plate number.” Sarah dashed to the front of the truck and studied the plate. “It's the bomber's truck.” She hustled back to the door and found it unlocked. “I'm going to look inside.”

“I'll be the look out,” Jackie whispered.

Sarah climbed inside and wrinkled her nose at the faint scent of oil. The seat felt greasy.
Gros
s. Grimacing, Sarah wiped her hand on her shirt. She reached for the glove compartment and pushed the button to open it. Nothing happened.

Sarah struggled with the entry of the glove compartment for a few more minutes, before giving up.
It must be locked
.

She sighed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. It was at least twenty degrees hotter in the truck and sweat trickled down her back. Peering through the window, she made eye contact with her friend.

Jackie gave her the “thumbs up” sign. Sarah nodded, then ducked down searching under the seats. She cringed as she pushed greasy food wrappers aside.
These guys are total slobs
.

Sarah almost screamed when she pulled a mouth guard out from under the seat. The clear plastic had turned a dingy yellow and she could tell it was old. The mouth guard had been ripped right at the spot where it was supposed to attach to the football helmet. Disgusted, she threw it down and grimaced before wiping her hand on her shirt again. This time she looked under the seat before sticking her hand beneath it. Spying a black object, she pulled it out.
A cell phone
.
Who leaves a cell phone under their seat?

Sarah jumped at the sound of someone knocking on the window. Frightened, she looked at Jackie's frantic gestures.