The Accident (14 page)

The lake. Juliet was terrified of the lake.

How terrified? Enough to make her leave Megan’s body willingly to escape the deep, dark water?

And how would she get Juliet out on that water?

She’ll never go near it. Not for me. I can’t make her go out there.

But … was there a chance she’d go out on the lake with someone she liked and trusted? Someone she liked being alone with? Someone like … Justin?

Megan’s mind raced.
Was it possible? But how would I communicate with Justin? Juliet didn’t say I could. Still
…
we both have open minds and we’re such good friends. … And he acts like he’s in love with Juliet, which means maybe, maybe he’s in love with
me.
It’s worth a try. If only I can find him before Juliet does.

Megan went in search of Justin.

Justin made it to the Logan house in ten minutes flat. No one answered his ring. They were probably at the hospital with Thomas.

It was late. They’d be home soon. He’d wait. He really needed to talk to Megan.

Justin went down and sat on the dock. To wait for Megan.

M
EGAN FOUND
J
USTIN SITTING
on the dock behind her house. The wind had died down, and the lake was empty of boats. Everything was peaceful and quiet, as if nothing were wrong. But it was — terribly wrong. What if Justin wasn’t able to hear her?

She’d be lost. At midnight, she would disappear forever.

He has to hear me. He has to! Oh, please, please, Justin hear me!

“Justin, it’s Megan. Can you hear me?”

The moon made little silver ripples on the water, a boat’s motor died somewhere in the distance, and an owl called out a question, but Justin didn’t move. His long legs dangled over the dock, and he trailed a long, thick branch back and forth in the water. He gave no sign that he had heard Megan.

“Justin,
please
hear me! It’s important! I’m right here. Open your mind and listen.”

Justin lifted his head, tipped it slightly. But he said nothing.

“
I can’t do this without your help. You have to hear me, Justin. It’s me, Megan.”

This time, Justin looked around. Although he saw nothing but water and darkness he
felt
something. Megan was near. He knew it. “Megan?” he said tentatively. “Where are you?”

Sudden warmth enveloped Megan. Justin had felt her presence. There was hope.
“Yes, Justin, it’s me. I know you can’t see me, but I’m here. All I want you to do is listen. Will you do that, Justin?”

He continued to peer into the darkness. There were lights all along the shore, some from docks, others from houses close to the water. But as the moon took refuge behind a cloud, the darkness thickened.

“Even if we had lights,”
Megan explained,
“you wouldn’t be able to see me. So just listen!”

“If you’re hiding,” he said, “you’d better give it up. I’m not in the mood for games.”

“I’m not hiding, Justin, I promise.”

Justin climbed to his feet. His mouth looked grim. “I don’t get you, Megan. Playing games after everything that’s happened. Doesn’t seem like you.” He uttered a short, harsh laugh. “But then, lately you just don’t seem like yourself. I miss the old Megan, the one I knew so well.”

“You still know me well, Justin, or you wouldn’t be able to hear me.”

“It’s so strange, Megan. I know you’re here — I can feel it.” Justin’s eyes explored the dock area. “But I can’t see you anywhere.”

Through an open window, Megan heard the grandfather clock in the den strike the quarter-hour. Quarter past eleven. She had exactly forty-five minutes to explain this whole thing to Justin and enlist his help in getting rid of Juliet. That couldn’t possibly be enough time.

“I’m not hiding, Justin. I promise. I need to tell you something. You’re going to find it very hard to believe, but you must. My life depends on it. And you know I’d never lie to you, not ever.”

“Megan,” Justin said slowly, “does this have something to do with what you were trying to tell me a few days ago — about the strange things going on in your house?”

“Yes, Justin.”

“I wish I’d listened to you then,” Justin said as he sat down on the dock. “Well, I’m ready to listen to you now. And I hope it’s not too late.”

“So do I,”
Megan agreed.
“So do I.”

Telling him the story was harder than Megan had imagined. When she’d traded with Juliet, she had believed she was doing the right thing. How could she have known that Juliet was deceitful, vengeful …
evil?

“The reason you can’t see me, Justin, “
she began,
“is that
…
I’ve traded places with a … with someone who died
…
a long time ago.”

“What?”

“I know, I know how it sounds, Justin, but please, just hear me out. It’s really important that you listen and that you believe me.”

“You traded places with a … ghost? Is that what you’re telling me? Megan, come on. Quit kidding around. I’m in no mood for this.” The disbelief in his voice chilled Megan.

But she had to keep trying.
“It’s true, Justin. She was my grandmother’s stepsister. She showed up a week ago, in that old mirror in my bedroom, and she asked me to trade places with her for one week. At first I said no. I was scared. Terrified. But she kept begging me. I started to feel sorry for her.”

“You were talking to a ghost in your mirror? Megan …”

“Just listen to me, Justin, please. She said that all she wanted was one week. And after I’d thought about it, one week didn’t seem like so much. It seemed like such a little thing. And she was so sad and seemed so sweet.”

“A little thing? To give your life to somebody else?” Justin’s voice held amazement, but the disbelief was gone. He could hear the urgency in her voice, and he trusted her. “Why didn’t you tell me? I guess you tried to — but I was too worried about Jenny’s accident to pay any attention.”

“I wanted to tell you everything. But I couldn’t. She said not to tell anyone. I thought she was sweet and nice, and it wouldn’t hurt to give her just one little week out of a whole lifetime. Does that … do you think that’s crazy?”

Justin sat in stunned silence. “I knew there was something … but this … I’d never have guessed this.” He shook his head, his eyes focused on the water.

“I thought Juliet was gentle and good, and I felt
s
orry for her. But she isn’t. She’s evil. She did all those things
…
caused all the accidents
—
Jenny’s, Hilary’s, my mom’s, Thomas’s. She hated my grandmother, and she’s getting even. That’s why she’s here.

“Anyway … we were supposed to trade back tonight at midnight. That’s what she told me. But
…
but Juliet never intended to. She was lying the whole time. I just didn’t figure that out
—
until today.”

“But, Megan … what does that mean?”

“It means … that if I can’t find a way to
force
her to switch back before midnight tonight, Juliet will keep my life, and I’ll be trapped in this horrible place
…
forever.”

Megan had told her story. There was nothing more to say. She could feel the seconds ticking away, her time running out. Would Justin believe her?

Justin sat silently for a long moment. Then he said, “So, how are we going to make her switch back?”

He was going to help. He believed her, and he was going to help.
“Oh, thank you, Justin! Thank you!”
But there was still a battle ahead of them, Megan thought.
“The only thing I could think of was this: Juliet is terrified of the lake. It’s where she died. Remember that night in Lickety-Split when you talked about a boat ride? Remember how scared she got? I thought, if we could get her out on the lake, maybe she’d be so frightened, she’d leave my body. That’s what has to happen. She has to leave it willingly.”

Justin stood up, but he didn’t know where to look. The sound of Megan’s voice came from all around him, not just from one place. “What do you want me to do?”

“You have to find her, Justin. Right away. There isn’t much time left. I’ll help look for her. And I’ll stay with you the whole time, but I’ll have to be careful. If she senses that I’m with you, she’ll know there’s something wrong, and you’ll never get her out on the lake.”

There were no boats on the lake now. It was quiet, as if it had gone to sleep for the night. Justin looked out over the black water. “If she’s that afraid, what makes you think I can get her out on the lake?”

“You can do it, Justin. I know you can. Promise her a special romantic boat ride, just the two of you in the moonlight. She loves being alone with you and she loves romance. It’s our only hope.”

“You think she’ll agree to it?” Justin’s voice was doubtful.

“Her fear of the lake is the only thing I know for sure about Juliet. So I don’t have any other plan if this one doesn’t work. That’s why it has to work. I know the two of us together can beat her. I know we can!”

The determination in her voice weakened Justin’s doubts.

“Come on, then,” he said, and added with a wondering laugh, “wherever you are. Let’s go get Juliet and offer her a nice midnight boat ride.”

“Before
midnight,”
Megan warned as Justin began running up the slope toward the house.
“Midnight would be too late.”

Under the terrace lights, Justin glanced at his watch. It was eleven-thirty. Drawing in a quick breath of alarm, he began running faster.

And ran into Juliet as he rounded a corner of the house. He almost called out her real name in surprise but caught himself just in time.

“Justin!” Juliet cried, obviously happy to see him. “I’ve been looking all over for you! This town is completely dead tonight.” She made a face of disgust. “They’re all a bunch of scaredy-cats. There was absolutely no one at the mall, so Cappie and I went to a movie. The theater was practically empty. And no one was eating pizza, either.” A note of petulance crept into her voice. “Where have you been, Justin?”

Megan, staying a safe distance away, saw Justin struggle to speak. It was one thing to listen to a story about Megan changing places with Juliet, and something else to be staring at the proof.

Snap out of it, Justin! There’s no time for that! And if you’re not careful, she’ll guess that you know something. Remember the boat ride. Get her down to the dock. Hurry!

“Hey, gorgeous,” Justin said then, throwing an arm around Juliet’s shoulders, “I was looking for you, too. I’ve got a great idea. Your folks aren’t home. I checked. So how about if you and me take a little boat ride, just the two of us? I know this great little island on the other side of the cove. …”

Caught off-guard, Juliet pulled away from him, backing up against the house. Her eyes were wild with fear.

Good. That’s a start. I
want
her to be afraid.

“I’ve … I’ve got a terrible headache, Justin,” Juliet stammered. “I came home to get some aspirin and go to bed. I don’t want to be all puffy-eyed for my party tomorrow.”

Justin pulled her close to his chest. “I thought you said you were looking for me,” he said softly.

“Well, I was. The headache just came on, a minute ago. It’s a real killer, honest.”

“Oh, come on, Meg. Just the two of us. A nice, quiet boat ride out to this little island I know is just what you need.”

Juliet shook her head. “No, honestly, Justin, I can’t. I told you, I don’t like the lake anymore. My mom —”

“Oh, your mom’s fine,” Justin said impatiently. “You’re being silly.” He reached down and tipped her chin up toward him. Smiling down at her, he said, “Megan, I thought you were really growing up this week. You seemed so different, like you were ready to stop being Mommy and Daddy’s little girl. But if you’re afraid to be alone with me …”

Juliet hesitated. Megan knew she was thinking that being Megan wouldn’t be nearly as much fun if she didn’t have Justin. “Why can’t we be together inside?” she whispered. “You said no one was home.”

Hurry, Justin, hurry! Make her quit stalling!

“Megan,” Justin said firmly, “I am going for a boat ride. If you won’t come, I’ll find someone else who will.” He paused, then added, “Vicki loves the water.”

The den window was open. Breaking the stillness, the chime signaled the quarter-hour.

Fifteen minutes! I have only fifteen minutes to get rid of Juliet. That isn’t nearly enough time! She’s going to win. Oh, no, she can’t! She can’t win!

Justin softened his voice. “A moonlit boat ride,” he said softly, holding Juliet close. “What could be more romantic?”

Without waiting for an answer, he placed a firm grip on Juliet’s elbow and began leading her down to the dock. When they reached it, she pulled back; “There’s no moon,” she complained, her voice shaking. “What fun is a midnight boat ride without a moon?”

“It’s just hiding behind a cloud. It’ll come out in a minute.” Justin grinned. “It’s waiting for you to make up your mind. C’mon, let’s go!” He jumped into the motorboat and held out his hand to Juliet.

But she hung back. As Justin started the motor and the lantern came on, Megan could see that Juliet’s face was pale and strained. She was chewing on her lower lip.

“Megan, what’s with you?” he said, deliberately layering each word with suspicion. “You’re looking at this boat like it’s a two-headed monster. You’re acting really weird.”

Then there was one long, scary moment as Juliet debated with herself. Megan could see her wavering between her horror of the lake and her determination to hold onto Justin. She didn’t want to lose him now, now that she thought she
owned
Megan’s life.

Megan waited.
She’s thinking the boat ride will be a short one. She’s thinking that it’s not as if she actually has to go
into
the water. And she’s wondering just how much fun my life would be without Justin in it.

“Nothing’s more romantic,” Justin said softly, “than two people alone on an island at night.”

Juliet stepped into the boat.