Poisoned (7 page)

“Sheesh! Don’t make such a mess.” Jeri picked up the wrappers and tossed them in the wastebasket. “I don’t want ants and roaches crawling all over.”

“Yes, boss.” Rosa saluted. “Whatever you say, sir!”

Jeri sighed. “Sorry.”

Rosa popped another cracker sandwich into her mouth. “You don’t seem to like anything about me lately—not my clothes or my food or anything.”

Jeri took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “I guess I’m just nervous. My project is due, but it’s too boring to win the scholarship. And with our friends getting poisoned, it’s pretty hard to concentrate!” She grabbed her denim shorts and changed out of her school uniform, then scooped up her project papers. “I’m going downstairs to work. See ya later.”

Brooke was already in the study room, her books and laptop spread over one of the tables. Jeri took the table by the window.

“What’re you working on?” Brooke asked, stretching her arms behind her back.

“My article for the media fair. I need to write up my interview with Mr. Petrie yesterday.”

“I’m surprised he talked to you.”

“Why? Do you know him?”

“No, I only saw him Saturday when he delivered the flowers for Abby’s dinner.” She shrugged. “I thanked him, but he just stomped off without answering. Mean old man.”

“He’s usually not like that. I wonder what was bugging him.”

“I don’t know.” Brooke mimicked his voice. “When he left, he was muttering, ‘What goes around, comes around,’ or something like that.”

Jeri raised one eyebrow, but said nothing. Her grandpa up in Iowa used that expression lots of times. It meant you’d reap what you sowed, that there’d be consequences to pay for your actions. It
could
be taken as a threat, almost like Mr. Petrie intended revenge on somebody. Who? Nikki?

Jeri hated to believe that Mr. Petrie could be like that, but if they weren’t dealing with a virus, then it had to be
somebody,
didn’t it? Accidental food poisoning might happen once—and it might even affect lots of people—but it wouldn’t keep happening.

After working hard on her outline before supper, Jeri wrote her rough draft after she ate. By the time she’d revised it into shape hours later, Rosa was asleep and snoring softly. She’d left Jeri’s desk light on.

Rosa’s snacks were on her desk, and Jeri was ravenous. One chocolate cupcake with frosting was left in an opened cellophane package. She knew Rosa would let her have it if she were awake. Jeri took it and bit into it.
Ahhh … heaven.

However, on the second bite, a scary thought occurred to her. It would have been so easy for someone to sneak into their unlocked dorm room while Rosa slept and tamper with the open package of snack cakes. Regretfully, Jeri tossed the rest of it into the garbage.

Still hungry, she dropped into her purple beanbag chair. She’d done her best on the article, but she knew it wasn’t spectacular. Not enough to impress the judges atthe media fair anyway. As she reclined on the beanbag, her mind drifted and she dozed in the quiet room.

Then her arm tickled. The skin prickled, and she jerked. “Ick!” she whispered, brushing at her arm.

She peered closely in the dim light of her desk lamp, but couldn’t see anything. Then she felt the same crawly sensation up the back of her bare leg.

Covering her mouth, she suppressed a scream.

Jeri scrambled up from the beanbag and dashed for the brightly lit hallway. She crouched down and spotted two brown ants marching up her leg. “Yuck!” She brushed them off and stomped hard on them. Jeri sighed in exasperation. Rosa’s cupcake wrappers and cracker crumbs were an open invitation to ants and other bugs.

Back in the room, she removed and shook out her T-shirt and shorts, then put on pj’s. First thing in the morning, she’d make Rosa get rid of the food or store it in a tight plastic container. Crawling under the covers, Jeri snuggled down, muttered a quick prayer for God to kill the ants, and then dropped off to sleep.

Over Mexican food for lunch in the dining hall Thursday, Jeri and Rosa argued about keeping food in

their room. Finally Abby interrupted. “I’ll have a good surprise for you after school if you stop fighting.”

“We aren’t fighting.” Rosa stood abruptly. “See you later. I’ll only be around a few minutes after school though.”

Jeri looked up from her taco in surprise. “Why?”

“I’m going shopping with Shauna,” she said casually.

“Really?” Abby asked. “Ms. Carter said you can go shopping on a school night?”

“I ran out of some stuff I need for my art fair project.” Rosa shrugged and then grinned. “Can I help it if the art supply store is next to the pizza place?”

Jeri knew Shauna was old enough to drive. “Why does a girl that old want to go shopping with a sixth grader?”

“Because I’m
fun,”
Rosa said, bristling.
“Some
people think I have a great sense of humor.”

“I think you’re funny,” Jeri said, stung by her tone. She forced herself to smile. “I hope you have fun tonight,” she said.
“Really.”

Rosa paused and then flashed a huge smile. “Thanks. I will. Anything you want me to bring you?”

Jeri gave her a playful punch on the arm. “How about some bug spray?”

That evening after supper Jeri worked at her computer. She was trying—without success—to make her article exciting when Abby stuck her head in the door.

“Hey, mate, fancy a brownie?” she asked. “They’ll be done in two minutes.”

“You don’t have to ask me twice!” Jeri shoved back from her computer and followed the blonde British girl downstairs. “Another home ec project?”

“No, Ms. Carter just said I could make some.”

“So you’re feeling okay now?”

“Just tired. I hate being sick.” She smiled. “Brownies just sounded really good today.”

Jeri grinned. “Chocolate
always
sounds good.
A chocolate brownie doeth good like a medicine,”
she said, misquoting one of her mom’s favorite Bible verses.

She followed Abby into the kitchen where Abby handed her a warm brownie on a paper napkin. She took a small bite. “This tastes so good,” she said. “I hope you made enough.”

Abby finished cutting the brownies, placed them on a plate, and grabbed a handful of paper napkins. She led the way to the living room. There five girls sat on the floor around the large coffee table, creating scrapbook pages. Jeri leaned over Emily’s shoulder to see. The photos were mostly silly shots taken in the dorm of girls making goofy faces. A bowl containing a few popcorn hulls was on the floor near them.

Abby stood in the doorway. “Anybody hungry?” she asked, holding out the plate of warm brownies.

“Yum!” Brooke said, reaching for one.

Abby handed her a napkin. “I made them from scratch.”

Brooke’s smile faded and her hand dropped. “Actually, I’m not that hungry. I’m full of popcorn. Thanks, though.”

“You can take one for later,” Abby said.

“Okay.”

“Here, everybody. Help yourselves.” Abby handed the plate to Emily, who said, “Thanks” and passed it on without taking one. Hannah took a brownie, but she set it on the table without taking a bite.

“I guess we’re all full of popcorn.” Fidgeting, Emily avoided looking at Abby.

Jeri’s eyes narrowed. What was going on? Abby looked confused, and then her face flushed bright pink. When it dawned on Jeri what was happening, she wanted to smack those girls. They didn’t trust Abby! What did they think? That she was trying to poison them?

She grabbed the plate of brownies and stuffed another one in her mouth. “You all don’t know what you’re missing.” She turned to Abby. “Mind if I take another one with me?”

“No. Help yourself.” Abby’s voice was subdued as she turned and headed upstairs.

Jeri glared at the group, but each girl stared at the scrapbooking materials on the table. Jeri wished Rosa was home. She’d eat a brownie—or several. Fuming, Jeri ran up the stairs behind Abby. She started to follow her, but Abby shook her head and disappeared into her room. She shut the door firmly. Jeri stood in the hallway, finished the third brownie, and then headed to her own room.

This was going too far. It was bad enough that Abby felt guilty about serving some spoiled food last weekend.

Now
the girls acted like she was doing something to their food on purpose! What were they thinking?
I have to get to the bottom of this now.
At this rate, Abby wouldn’t want to come back next year. And to Jeri, Abby was the best thing about the Landmark School for Girls.

By the time Rosa got back at 9:30, Jeri was ready for bed. Rosa dropped a neon pink shopping bag on her bed. Jeri started telling her about the girls’ reactions to Abby’s brownies—but her voice drifted off when she realized Rosa wasn’t listening.

Jeri studied her friend’s serious expression. “Anything the matter?”

“No.” Rosa sniffed. “What stinks in here?”

“Ant spray. I got some from Ms. Carter.” Jeri peered closer. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Rosa shook her head and went to stand before the mirror. Jeri studied her friend’s reflection. Her tan legs and bare arms showed no signs of injury that Jeri could see.

“Did you and Shauna have a fight?” Jeri finally asked.

“No.” Rosa gulped. “Shauna wasn’t even there when it happened.”

“When
what
happened?”

Rosa wrapped her arms around herself. “It was at the pizzeria. Shauna went to the restroom to wash sauce off her shorts, and I was by myself eating breadsticks.” She paused and a shudder passed through her. “Then these two guys — high school, I guess — came over to our booth. One sat real close beside me and the other one across from me.”

Jeri held her breath for a moment, bracing herself. “Then what?”

“They called me
babe
and said there was a party they wanted to take me to. I told them no, and they just laughed. The one beside me scooted so close I could smell his stinky breath.” She glanced at Jeri in alarm. “I was smashed against the wall and couldn’t get away from him.”

Jeri’s stomach knotted in fear as she imagined the scene. If she’d been trapped by two high school creeps, she’d have been too paralyzed to even scream. “What’d you do?”

“I told them to leave me alone!” Her eyes flashed with anger then. “You know what they said? They told me to stop playing innocent. Then that creep put his hand on my leg!”

Jeri’s heart hammered. “Did he hurt you?”

“No. Shauna came back then and told them to get lost or she’d call mall security. They said they’d be looking for me later, but they left.” She sighed. “I don’t know why they bothered
me.”

Jeri hugged Rosa and said, “I’m so sorry that happened. I’m so glad Shauna came back to help you get rid of those creeps. Are you okay?” She could feel Rosa relax as Jeri held her a moment longer.

Rosa nodded. “I’m gonna take a quick shower.”

Jeri crawled in bed and snuggled down into her pillow when Rosa left the room. Lying there, she imagined what Rosa had gone through with those boys and thanked Godthat she was only frightened. If Shauna hadn’t shown up when she did, it could have turned out much worse. Rosa might be interested in attracting boys, but she didn’t deserve that kind of attention! Jeri already knew what kind of guy she wanted someday. The
Dallas
kind.

Whenever Jeri brought up the subject of boys at home, her mom usually reminded her of a verse in 1 Peter. Your beauty “should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Would a gentle and quiet spirit really be enough though? It was kinda hard for Jeri to believe. Sure, God thought those traits were worth a lot, but would some boy?

As she lay there, her mind drifted to the people she liked best at Landmark School, like Abby and Rosa and Ms. Carter and Emily. What traits did she admire about them? Well … they were friendly, always ready to help, encouraging when she was down. None of those traits, Jeri realized, had anything to do with looks. Not a single one. Abby and Rosa were definitely cute, but that wasn’t what Jeri valued about them.

Jeri rolled over, throwing her arm over her eyes. What was taking Rosa so long in the bathroom? Probably telling her story to every girl who came in there.

Each time Jeri closed her eyes, she pictured the high school boys harassing Rosa, or Nikki being taken to the infirmary, or the girls refusing to eat Abby’s brownies, or Claire claiming Sierra would win the scholarship.

Jeri tossed back and forth. By the time Rosa came back, Jeri was wide awake. Just minutes later, Rosa was sound asleep, hugging a stuffed bunny. Jeri stared at the patterns of shifting light on the ceiling made from trees outside swaying in the breeze.

The giant red numbers on her digital clock changed, slowly but surely. Mentally she reviewed the order of events. Saturday night—just five nights ago—Abby fixed the birthday supper and five girls (including herself) got sick. Nikki spent the night in the infirmary. Monday night she found Brooke sick again in the restroom. After breakfast on Tuesday, some girls and Miss Barbara were sick, and Abby went to the infirmary. Tuesday evening Emily, Brooke, and Nikki watched the movie together, ate trail mix, and got sick—with Emily landing in the hospital. Jeri had learned from Mr. Petrie that some common plants were poisonous, so the poisonings could have been accidental. But could so
many
incidents be accidental?

But if it was on purpose, why?

With so many getting sick, it was impossible to tell who was targeted. Was one girl the intended victim, and the rest of the girls poisoned to confuse everyone? It did make it look more like a virus that way.

Jeri went over the possibilities in her mind. Nikki could be the target. She got the sickest after the birthday dinner, putting her in danger of not being able to compete on Saturday. Then she got sick again on the trail mix. There

were probably several girls besides Janeen who needed to win that horse show scholarship.

Or had Nikki simply made someone mad enough to take revenge? Nikki could be more abrasive than sandpaper on an open sore. An angry girl might not fight back directly, since Nikki was bigger than most everybody. But poisoning the food would certainly be great revenge.