Souls in Peril (28 page)

“Thanks for the help. I really should learn my way around the computer since my plan is to become a journalist.” Em slowed as they pulled up in front of the house.

“JD, can I ask you something? And I want you to answer honestly. I don
’
t want you to worry about offending me.”

“Sure, Em. You can ask me anything.”

“Does it bother you when I talk about Max?” She turned off the car and faced him. “I mean, I know you were in the accident and all, and seriously hurt, so I don
’
t want to make you feel badly.”

“No. I don
’
t mind. I
’
m just glad you don
’
t blame me, like some of Max
’
s other friends do.” Max
peer
ed into her sky-blue eyes and fell in love with her yet again.

“I don
’
t blame you at all. My dad said you
’
re completely innocent. If anything it
’
s the deer that I
’
m angry with, but it too was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. No one
’
s to blame, JD. Please don
’
t take this on yourself. And Max
’
s friends, they
’
ll be okay. It
’
s just going to take some time,” she promised.

“Thanks, Em. I appreciate that.” Wanting desperately to reach over and caress her cheek, Max wedged his hands under his legs to be safe.

“Thanks for letting me talk about Max. You
’
re the only person who doesn
’
t cringe when I say his name. If ever I bring Max up around my friends, they quickly change the subject. Same for my family.” She shrugged. “It
’
s as if they want to erase the fact that he even existed, you know?

“But he did exist, and I loved him very much. I still love him. My heart hasn
’
t change just because he
’
s de—gone.” She brushed a random tear from her face. “I know they
’
re trying to help me, but to pretend he never existed is not helping me.”

“I
’
m here for you, Em
. A
lways and forever.” Max had to touch her, just a hand over hers.

She blurted out a half-sob, half-laugh. “Max used to say that all the time. I can
’
t believe how much you two have in common. I wish you
c
ould
’
ve gotten to know each other better. You
’
d have been good friends.”

Guilt snaked through Max. He doubted he would have given JD a chance. He was too wrapped up in his own world and his own selfish desires. Why had he never seen how much JD needed a friend? Or Izzy? But Em had. She was a far better person than he.

“Sorry,” she said. “I
’
ve talked your ear
s
off. And I
’
m sure my dad is pacing the floor. I
’
ll see you tomorrow.”

Max climbed out of her little red car. “Thanks for the ride. See ya.” He watched her car drive down the road until she rounded the corner. Em was back in his life, albeit only as a friend, but he
’
d take her any way he could get her, and a friend was better than no Emma at all.

He call
ed
to check on Izzy, but no one answered. Being late, he hoped she was fast asleep. He crawled into bed, and despite the fact that his head throbbed with pain, he fell asleep with sweet thoughts of Em on his mind.

Chapter 1
6

The dream began at Izzy
’
s house. Max, as JD, sat on the barstool as she told him about her father, and her Crohns. A replay of what
’
d happened earlier that day
.

Then the scene changed. He was back at JD
’
s house, and instead of being JD, he was an onlooker, watching as JD curled up in the corner, blocking his head with his arms.

“Where
’
s my pen, fat boy?” Tim kicked JD in the hip
.

“I
’
m really sorry, Tim. I promise I
’
ll find it tomorrow,” JD vowed in the soft, fragile voice Max remembered from school.

“You said that yesterday.” Tim kicked him again, this time in the ribs. That one
had to
hurt
badly
. Max watched as Tim punched and hit JD over and over
.
Max
’
s outrage grew stronger
with each blow
.

JD screamed out, begging Tim to stop, promising he
’
d find the pen. Max reached for JD, tried wrapping himself around him to block the assault, but he couldn
’
t. The blows just passed through him and landed on JD.

Max shot upright in bed, sweat dripping down his forehead. He padded into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. Looking in the mirror, Max stepped ba
ck. His face glowed white
in
pure fear
. “It
’
s just a dream, buddy. It
’
s just a dream.” But JD refused to calm down. He wanted to run away, get as far away from his house as possible. Max walked around to show JD everything was fine.

It was early, four a.m., and JD
’
s heart rate still pounded like a snared rabbit
’
s
. No matter how much Max tried to,
he
couldn
’
t get back to sleep.

“Tell you what. I
’
ll
search
for the pen at school today. It has to be in the locker because if it were in your room, I
’
d have found it by now.” Even after Max
’
s promise, it took JD until five-thirty to calm down enough for Max to fall back asleep.

“JD.” Max felt someone gently nudge him. “Come on, sleepy head. You
’
ll be late for the bus if you don
’
t hurry up.”

Max pried his eyes open, still tired from JD
’
s panic attack earlier. He rolled over, tugging the sheet around his head.

“Get up, fat boy,” bellowed Tim from the other room.

“Tim, don
’
t talk to JD like that.” She rubbed Max
’
s arm. “He
’
s a little on edge today. Don
’
t listen to him. Tim
’
s waiting to hear if he got the job he applied for at Farmer Joe
’
s Tractor Supply. I hope he gets it. Maybe then we
’
ll be able to buy another car.”  She
stepped
over to the window and pulled back the curtains. The sun
’
s
bold
rays fell across Max, making it impossible to sleep.
T
ugg
ing
back the sheet
,
he
got up
and
took a shower, standing under the water as long as he dared. JD struggled to bring the dream back into focus. “Nope. You have enough on your plate without thinking about a pointless dream,” he said, getting dressed.

With no
time for breakfast, he grabbed his backpack, and since
Mel
already left for work, he
shuffled
out the door in silence. Tim lay sprawled out on the couch watching old
Three Stooges
reruns.

“That certainly explains a lot,” he muttered
, closing the screen door.
He jogged to the corner for the bus, arriving as it started to pull away. Waving
wild
ly at the driver, she stopped and Max ran and climbed in.

No Izzy. He
surveyed
the bus, but didn
’
t see her. No open seats in the front meant he
’
d have to sit in the back. Max made his way slowly as feet and backpacks were shoved in his path. He stepped over them, though the temptation to stomp on the outstretched feet surged through him. Greg turned to a short, overweight kid who
’
d tried to kick
Max but missed and said, “Real
mature, Mitch. Leave JD alone
.
” He rolled his eyes and turned back to the girl sitting next to him.

“That was nice of you, Greg. I wish more people would stand up for
others
.” Nancy Daybell,
a
tall, curly brown haired, totally hot babe looped her arm around Greg
’
s and settled her head on his shoulder. Max recognized her from
JD
’
s
third period
Lit
class. She
’
d moved to the area from Virginia about a month before the accident. Clearly Greg hoped to impress her by playing the role of the hero i
nstead of his usual—the villain.
Max didn
’
t care as long as he didn
’
t pick on JD.

He sat and worried about Izzy, though he didn
’
t know why. She
’
d been sick and missed school
before
, yet he felt this time it was different. After PE, he
asked
to use the office phone to call her, but the school
’
s secretary, Ornery Ethel, as the student body called her, wouldn
’
t allow him.

He stormed out of the office and went directly to journalism class, shoving the door open as he entered the room. Em, already there, turned and came to his side.

“JD, what
’
s wrong? Did someone do something to you?” She gave him the once over, which Max found sweet. He liked the protective mother hen side of her.

“No. It
’
s Izzy. She was really sick yesterday and I haven
’
t been able to get
a
hold of her. She
’
s not here today and when I tried to call her to find out if she
’
s okay, Ornery Ethel wouldn
’
t let me use the phone.” Max shoved his hand through his hair. Em smiled
at his Max-like action. But he didn
’
t care at the moment,
Izzy
took all of his
concentrat
ion
right now.

Em slipped her hand into her purse, and stealth-like handed Max her cell. “Don
’
t get caught. If I get caught using my phone during school hours again, my dad
’
s taking it away.”

Max silently thanked her and told Mr. Roberts he needed to use the bathroom. He called Izzy
’
s house and a man answered.

“Is Izzy there?”

“JD, is that you?”

Max knew it had to be her father. His voiced hardened, remembering yesterday. “Yes. Is Izzy there?”

“Hello, JD. I haven
’
t seen you around much. How
’
ve you been doing since the accident?” he asked.

“Fine.”

“It
’
s a shame that entire family had to die. If you need a lawyer, let me know.” His oily voice ratcheted Max
’
s nerves.

“Yeah, I
’
ll do that,”
scumbag, child molester
. “Can I speak to Izzy please?”

“Sorry,
JD.
S
he had another one of her attacks last night just after I got home from my business trip. I had to take her to the hospital, the poor thing.”

Max sucked in a lung full of air and swallowed the bile that crept up his throat. “Is she at Port Fare General?”

“Yes, room 345.” Max hung up on him. He Googled the hospital for the number then called.

“Izzy, It
’
s Ma
— ah, JD. What happened?”

“Hi, JD.” Her voice sounded incredibly weak. Max could barely hear her. “I can
’
t talk. I have to go downstairs for some tests.”

“I
’
ll come by after school,” he promised. She hung up without answering him.