A Quill Ladder (55 page)

Selena smiled and then moved until she was standing only a few centimeters away from Caleb, close enough for him to feel her breath. She had curved her body so that it would fit perfectly against his.
“
So like your father. We should be working together on this. It
’
s for the benefit of us all. Your father understands. Any information you want to give me about the location of the map would be most appreciated.
”

Caleb kept his face straight and blas
é
.
“’
Fraid the map Mark just ate is the only one I knew about. Is it okay if Abbey and I head out?
”

Selena
’
s face tightened for just a second, and then she smiled again.
“
I
’
m afraid you
’
re going to have to stay. At least until we verify that the maps are at the library, or you decide you
’
re going to cooperate. The pair of you can just sit right over there.
”
Selena gestured at a set of chairs that occupied the far wall.

Just then Abbey heard a familiar howl.

Farley.

Then the one remaining Tiffany lamp went out, and they were in the dark.

It was Mark who screamed first, and then the room transformed into a dramatic push of bodies around the map table, with the crunch of glass from the first Tiffany lamp under their feet.

“
For God
’
s sake, don
’
t move.
”
Selena
’
s voice.
“
And don
’
t the pair of you shoot anyone either
…
Yet.
”
There was an ominousness to the
“
yet
”
that Abbey didn
’
t like at all.

Farley
’
s barks came closer. Then the door to the map room swung open with a crash, and light from the streetlight shimmered down the hall. It had grown dark outside while they
’
d studied the map. The bleakness of midwinter night. Abbey
’
s mother would be waiting outside the hospital for them soon.

“
Who
’
s there?
”
Selena said, sharply. But there was no answer.

“
Go outside and help Jake,
”
Selena ordered.
“
He
’
s so useless sometimes. It
’
s got to be Ian. Or Sylvain. They play these kinds of games.
”

“
No,
”
Abbey yelled. What if Farley got shot? But Damian had already taken off down the hall and out the front door.

“
Everyone out,
”
Selena said, and everyone filed out of the map room and into the dimly illuminated hall.

“
Someone must have cut the power to the house,
”
Dr. Ford said.

“
We have to get to the library,
”
Selena said.
“
I don
’
t have time for this. The three of you sit there.
”
She pointed at Abbey, Caleb, and Kasey, then at the overstuffed couches in the living room.
“
Mark and I are going to make a run for the library. Nate, you guard these children. Ford, you find a candle and continue searching the house. When Damian gets back, send him after me.
”

This was punctuated by wild yips and the sound of gunfire outside.

Farley. Abbey bit back tears of terror. A rock shattered the living room window. Abbey screamed, and Mark dropped to his knees behind the couch, whimpering. The dining room window exploded next, in a tinkle of glass, followed by more gunshots.

Selena thrust a long fingernail at Dr. Ford.
“
You go outside and help Damian. I want this to stop.
”
A frown creased Dr. Ford
’
s face, and he opened his mouth, but then pulled out a gun of his own and turned and exited by the front door.

“
The police are going to be coming any second,
”
Kasey said.

“
Let
’
s go, Mark,
”
Selena directed.

Mark didn
’
t respond.

“
Get up. Nate, make him get up.
”
Nate walked over and thrust his gun at Mark
’
s prone form.

Caleb launched himself out of the armchair that he occupied, swung his leg into the air, and kicked the gun. The weapon fired into the living room wall and flew across the room. Nate and Caleb both dove for it, their arms a blur of punches and clawing. Selena tripped around their writhing forms, trying to snatch up the gun herself. Kasey and Abbey both dashed across the room and, between the two of them, managed to grab her. Selena struggled against them, slashing with her long fingernails, her face a twist of fury marked by red lipstick.

“
Get out!
”
Caleb yelled.
“
Get out and run!
”
His face was already bruised and bleeding. The gun skittered out from underneath him and Nate, slid across the hardwood floor, and came to rest next to Mark, who had risen to a sitting position with his back against the couch, clutching his satchel to his side. Mark stared at the gun.

“
Pick up the gun, Mark!
”
Abbey screamed.
“
Pick it up!
”
Selena wrenched at her, nearly dislocating Abbey
’
s shoulder.

“
Guns are very unsafe
…”
Mark said softly.

He reached out a tentative hand for the gun as Nate plowed a heavy punch into Caleb
’
s eye. Caleb stopped moving, and his head hit the floor with a sickening thud. Nate careened to his feet and staggered toward the gun.

Mark picked up the gun and raised it until it was pointed at Nate.
“
Guns are very unsafe,
”
he repeated. His hand was shaking.

“
Ungh.
”
Caleb let out a groan.

“
Right, buddy. They are. Just hand the gun over to Uncle Nate, and we
’
ll all be fine.
”
Nate closed in on Mark
’
s trembling form, and Selena redoubled her struggles. Mark fired the gun. The bullet sailed over Nate
’
s shoulder and hit the wall in the stairwell behind them.

Nate stopped approaching.

Mark
’
s face was tight and squinty and tears ran down his cheeks, but he steadied the gun and kept it pointed at Nate.

Caleb rolled over and rose to his knees. Blood covered his face, and his eye was swollen and red. He made a wide, unsteady circle around Nate until he was standing next to Mark. He held out his hand, and Mark handed him the gun.

“
Okay,
”
Caleb said, turning to Kasey.
“
Do you have a room that locks?
”

“
No, but I have an old dog kennel in the kitchen. It
’
s big,
”
Kasey said.

The four of them maneuvered Selena and Nate into the kitchen and forced them to crawl into the wire dog kennel, all while watching the front door for Damian or Dr. Ford. Kasey turned the key in the kennel lock just as they heard Dr. Ford
’
s voice from the living room.
“
Where are you? I can
’
t find them.
”

“
We
’
re here!
”
Selena screamed.
“
Help us!
”

Abbey, Caleb, Mark, and Kasey bolted out the kitchen door and into the damp, cool night. Abbey had taken her winter coat off in the map room, but there was no time to retrieve it now. Mark, she noted, still carried his satchel.

They ran in darkness and silence through back yards, climbing fences and skirting laundry lines. Motion lights flicked on and illuminated Caleb
’
s bloodied face and the silver sheen of the gun as they ran. The occasional sounds of scrabbling and flash of lights behind them made them feel like they were being chased. Abbey tried not to think of Farley bleeding to death in Kasey
’
s yard.

Abbey
’
s heart was throbbing heavily in her chest by the time they finally escaped the person, or people, behind them, and they gathered behind a garden shed to debate what to do. The houses in this part of town backed on to the Moon River, and the willow trees that lined the river hung low over the dark glistening water.

By mutual agreement, the four of them made their way down the steep bank to the river
’
s edge and huddled beneath the fronds of one of the lush trees. A small rowboat was tied to the tree and bobbed gently in the water.

“
Do you think someone
’
s following us, or are they searching the house?
”
Abbey whispered.

“
I can
’
t tell. I think they want Mark,
”
Caleb said. He had slowed in the last five minutes, and Abbey was scared that he was more hurt than he was letting on.

“
I have to get back to my cats,
”
Kasey said.
“
The police will be there by now. I don
’
t know what
’
s going on here, or who you are, but I don
’
t think I want to be involved.
”

“
We
’
re really sorry. It
’
s a long story. We have to get to our mother,
”
Abbey said.
“
And our dog. And get home.
”

“
I have a friend who lives near here,
”
Kasey said.
“
I
’
m going to head to her house and wait for the police there. You can come if you want.
”
He didn
’
t actually look too keen about having them come. Abbey shook her head. She was sure none of them wanted to run into the police and have to explain who they were or why they were here.

“
We
’
ll carry on ourselves. Sorry, again,
”
Abbey said.

“
It
’
s okay. It might have happened anyway. That Ford fellow had already contacted me. I
’
m moving my map to a safety deposit box. But if I need you as witnesses, or need to talk to you, where can I find you?
”
Kasey asked.

“
Contact us through Simon Sinclair, of Sinclair Systems,
”
Abbey said.
“
He
’
s our uncle.
”

Kasey raised his eyebrows at this, but nodded. Then he made his way along the river
’
s edge for several meters before scrabbling back up the bank and disappearing from sight.

Motion lights from a few houses down shimmered on the river, and the sound of someone climbing over a fence was quite distinct now.

“
We have to go,
”
Abbey whispered harshly. She noticed that Caleb was clutching his ribcage and was half doubled over.
“
Are you okay?
”

Caleb shook his head.
“
I don
’
t know if I can walk any further.
”

“
Give me the gun and get in the boat,
”
Abbey ordered.

“
What?
”

“
You and Mark get in the boat. Hurry. There
’
s only room for two. Someone has to get help. The river goes right by the hospital. Float to the hospital and get Mom. Simon will be there with her. Get Simon to take you to meet me at the apothecary. I
’
ll cut through the yards to the street. We don
’
t have time to waste. Go. If I
’
m not at the apothecary, you
’
ll know what to do.
”