Dan looked at him sharply. Cliff’s fists were clenched, and his expression was grim. Was Cliff the one to help him?
“Why don’t you drop by if you’ve got some time tonight, Cliff?” Dan kept his voice carefully neutral. “There’re a couple of plays we haven’t gone over yet.”
“Sure, Coach. Is seven too early? I have to pick up Connie at nine. She’s filling in for Inga at the drugstore tonight.”
“Seven’s just fine.” Dan smiled as they helped him into the van. For the first time he felt hopeful. Cliff might just believe him. Between them they had to fix it so Marian would never kill anyone again!
It was still early, but no one was moving on the street. Marian stared out the living-room window and sighed. It felt like Nisswa was under siege. No one was venturing out tonight. People were locked up in the safety of their homes. Even though the sheriff wouldn’t confirm or deny the rumor, everyone in town believed that Jenny had been murdered. Marian wasn’t sure how she felt about it. She was certain she had chased something in the woods, but she didn’t know whether it was an animal or a man. The whole frenzied episode was a confused blur when she tried to recall it. She was better off not thinking about it all.
Marian turned from the window and walked to the couch. She was at loose ends tonight. Cliff was still closed up with Dan in the den. They were talking hockey, she supposed. She really should do something useful until Dan was free.
There were no papers to correct. She had finished them during her break. Of course, there were always lesson plans, but they could wait. She was already three weeks ahead, and that was far enough.
She climbed up the stairs and went into her bedroom. There was plenty to do up here. She could always reorganize the closet, but that seemed like too much work. Perhaps she’d finish her book or just stretch out on the bed and relax.
Marian heard the front door close, and she watched from the window as Cliff left. He got into his bright green van and drove away. Cliff wasn’t afraid to go out at night. Or was he? He had looked pretty nervous when he left the house.
It was nearly nine. She supposed she could go downstairs and watch a little television with Dan. She didn’t want to leave him alone too much. He’d been so quiet the past few days. Then, after he was asleep, she’d help Laura with her homework. She had enough work sheets for Becky and Jenny, too. The girls had to keep up with their class, and there was a whole page of subtraction problems to do before school tomorrow.
CHAPTER 20
“Are you sure it’s safe up here?” Connie shivered as Cliff turned the van around at the top of the hill. Usually, there were other cars; it was the place for teenagers to park. Tonight the hill was deserted. There weren’t even any tire tracks in the snow.
“It’s safe as long as we lock the doors.” Cliff sounded surprised as he backed the van around and parked it. “Don’t tell me you’re turning chicken on me, Connie. We’ve been up here lots of times before.”
“But not after Jenny!”
Her voice was so sharp that Cliff turned to stare at her. Connie was really freaked out tonight.
“They were all talking about it down at the drugstore. Mr. Allen said he went down to Our Own Hardware and ordered a gun. He’s sure Jenny was murdered!”
“Aw, come on, Connie. . . .” Cliff reached out with his good arm and patted her shoulder. “People are just overreacting, that’s all. Switch places with me, will you? This cast gets in the way.”
“But aren’t you scared?” Connie climbed over him and slid under the wheel. She settled her head against Cliff’s chest. “I am. I get scared every time I think of Jenny. And Becky, too!”
“Relax. There’s no one up here but us. Just don’t think about it anymore. This is the first time we’ve been alone in two weeks.”
“That’s true.” Connie cuddled a little closer and ran her fingers up under his jacket. “Why don’t we turn the heater on, Cliff? Then we won’t need our coats.”
“Just for a minute. Go ahead and start the engine. We’ll let the van warm up a little, but then we have to turn it off. Lots of people die from carbon monoxide poisoning in the winter.”
He was so careful. That was one of the things she loved best about him. Connie started the engine and pushed the lever on the heater to high. Then she slipped out of her coat and draped it over both of them.
“We could always get in the back.” Cliff’s voice was shaking a little, and Connie knew what that meant. It had been a long time. For a while the weather had been too terrible to park. And then there were all those baby-sitting jobs. She wouldn’t do anything in somebody else’s house. It was one of her rules. Peggy Volker got in trouble last year, when Mrs. Bjornson caught her in the bedroom with Tommy. The kids were all sleeping, and they hadn’t been really doing anything so awful, but Mrs. Bjornson told everyone in town not to hire Peggy again.
“I’d better set my watch. I have to be home at eleven. My parents are really cracking down now. They said they wouldn’t even let me go out if it was anyone but you.”
“That’s what I like. Loyalty.” Cliff watched her set her new digital watch with the alarm feature. “Nice watch, Connie. Did you get it for Christmas?”
“My boyfriend gave it to me.” Connie laughed. “It’s the best present I ever got. I just love it, Cliff.”
Cliff figured the watch was worth the forty-five dollars he’d spent, just to see the expression on her face when she opened it. Connie wasn’t expecting anything so expensive. She was worth it, though. Connie was the prettiest girl in the senior class, and she was the nicest, too. Cliff felt very lucky she was in love with him.
“Come on, Romeo. Let’s see what you can do in the cast.” Connie switched off the engine and climbed in the back. Cliff had an old mattress back here, and it was almost like their own apartment. Of course, it was nicer in the summer, but Cliff couldn’t do anything about that.
Connie shivered with anticipation as she heard Cliff taking off his clothes. She loved these wonderful private moments just between the two of them. She thought about it all the time. Right in the middle of algebra class she would catch her breath and remember the way his hard body fit into hers.
“Hurry up, Cliff.” Connie pulled off her sweater and tossed her bra in the front seat. She couldn’t get her clothes off fast enough. Her voice was low and kind of breathy. She always sounded like this when she knew they were going to do it. She loved to cover up under the blanket and touch him all over. He was so hard and strong and wonderful. Right now, just thinking about it, she could hardly wait.
“You feel so good!” Cliff groaned as he slipped in under the blanket. She was toasty warm, and her skin felt like hot velvet under his fingertips. He propped himself on his elbow and slipped one hand up to touch her. There was no way he could get enough of her.
And she was just as crazy about making love as he was. It was amazing. Connie read all the books on technique, and they tried everything. He’d just about died when she licked him all over with her hot little tongue. Connie would try anything if she thought he’d like it. And he felt exactly the same way about her.
“You do it to me this time.” Connie pulled him close and reached down to fondle him eagerly. “And tell me what it’s like. I want to know.”
“You got yourself a deal.” Cliff lowered his head to kiss her. He’d been wanting to do this all week. It was impossible to think about anything except her responsive body and the moans of pleasure she gave when his tongue found the best places. Cliff forgot all about Mr. Larsen and his shocking suspicions for a long, wonderful time.
“Cliff Heller! I don’t believe it!”
Connie pulled on her slacks and brushed back her long brown hair. “Here . . . snap my bra, will you? Mr. Larsen can’t be serious! Are you sure it wasn’t some kind of sick joke?”
“You should have seen his face, Connie.” Cliff propped his feet against the dashboard and put on his socks. Connie said that for some reason, it made her feel weird if he left them on. “Mr. Larsen was serious. I’m sure he was. He really thinks Mrs. Larsen murdered Jenny.”
“But, Cliff . . . that’s impossible, isn’t it?” Connie stopped fixing her hair and stared at him. “You don’t think she did it, do you?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure what to think. It all made sense the way he explained it. He says Mrs. Larsen hasn’t been right in the head since Laura died. He thinks she flips out sometimes and acts normal the rest of the time. And when she’s flipped out, she kills Laura’s friends so Laura can have playmates.”
“Ooh!” Connie wrinkled her face. “That’s creepy!”
“I’m not saying it’s true, but it could be.” Cliff shrugged. “You know Mrs. Larsen, Connie. Does she ever act weird to you?”
Connie took time to think. “Well . . . she was kind of spaced out right after Laura was killed, but that’s only natural. It was a shock. I don’t know, Cliff. I never really noticed. When I work in her room, I spend most of my time with the kids.”
“Watch her when you go down there tomorrow, will you? I’m just curious, that’s all. It’s probably not true, but the coach is a straight guy. I don’t think he’d say anything like that if he didn’t believe it.”
There was a metallic beeping, and both of them jumped. Then Connie laughed and pushed the button on her watch.
“Time to go home,” she announced. “Come on, Cliff.... I don’t want to be late. I’ll spy on Mrs. Larsen for you tomorrow. And I won’t say a word to anybody about it. But I still think Mr. Larsen’s playing some kind of sick joke on you.”
“Wild honey.” Cliff grinned at her as he started the van. Then he laughed at her puzzled expression. “You taste like wild honey. I never ate any before, but I know that’s what it would taste like. It’s really nice, Connie. I could get addicted to wild honey in a big hurry.”
Connie blushed. Cliff said the sweetest things. She could feel the tingling start at her toes and work its way up to the rest of her body. Cliff had really done it to her tonight. He was wonderful!
Her house was on a side street, a block from the school. Cliff pulled up in front and shut off the engine. Then he pulled her close for one last kiss.
Connie noticed that the porch light was on. The drapes opened a crack and then closed again. Her mother was waiting. She mustn’t stay out here too long. She had to be on her best behavior now so her parents would be pleased.
“Good night, Cliff. I had a wonderful time.” Connie laughed out loud. She sounded so proper now. She wanted to throw her arms around him and give him a big, hot kiss, but she settled for a quick peck on the cheek at the door. Cliff understood. That little peck was just in case her parents were looking. Then she stood with the door partway open, watching him until he got back in the van.
They had to get more time alone. Maybe tomorrow night, if she could talk her parents into letting her out of the house. Cliff made her feel so good. She felt warm all over just thinking about what they had done tonight. And she wanted to do it all over again.
It was much too early to get up. It was still dark in Laura’s room, and Marian tried to go back to sleep. She had at least another hour before she had to start getting ready for school.
No, it was no use. She was awake now. Marian flicked on the lamp next to the bed and blinked in the sudden flood of brightness. There was no sound from downstairs. Dan was still fast asleep. Something had awakened her long before her normal time to get up.
Marian shivered slightly and pulled Laura’s blanket up around her shoulders. The house was always so cold right before dawn. She remembered hearing that most terminal patients in hospitals died in that dark, cold hour just before daybreak.
Why was she awake at this ungodly hour? Marian drew in her breath sharply. Laura. Had Laura been here?
She reached for her robe and struggled into it, looking frantically around the room for some sign that her baby had been here again. She was sure Laura’s diary had been on the table, but now it was gone. Could Laura be teasing her by hiding the book?
Marian made a careful search of the room. There was nothing hidden among the books on the table, no diary in the toy box or on any of the shelves. She searched the closet thoroughly, but it wasn’t there, either. The diary was gone, just like Laura.
Suddenly she remembered, and Marian rushed to the bed. Laura used to hide her favorite things under her pillow. Yes, there it was. She had been sleeping on Laura’s diary.
Her hands trembled as she turned to the proper page. It was Tuesday, January tenth. The page was completely blank.
It was such a disappointment that Marian dropped to her knees by the side of the bed. There was no message, no word from her darling baby. Tears formed in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks as she knelt there, head bowed, shoulders quivering in despair.
“Please, baby!” Her voice was a whisper. “Send me a message, Laura. Please!”
Gradually the sobs diminished. Marian’s shoulders straightened, and a look of rapture came over her face. Her eyes were closed. She was listening with every pore of her body. Her baby was calling to her, and only she could hear.
The room was lighter now. The muscles in her legs were cramped from sitting in one position for so long. Marian blinked and looked at the clock. It was nearly six thirty, and she had to put on the coffee. Dan would be awake soon, and Harvey wanted the teachers there early today. This was the morning the new safety procedures went into effect. And teachers were required to meet the buses and take immediate charge of their classes.
Marian took a shower and dressed quickly. She gazed in the mirror as she brushed her hair. She looked different today. A smile was hiding behind her eyes, and her cheeks had a healthy, rosy glow. She looked happy. That was the difference. It was a wonderful day when her baby talked to her!