Justice for All (The Outcast Book #1) Read online

  “Don’t argue with me, Robin. Your sister would kill us both if she knew what you were up to. You’ve done good work—your dad would be proud—but now it’s time to back off. Got it?”

  “I got it. So how is Jessica?”

  “Lonely. She wants you home. So do I.”

  “Thanks.”

  “That means you have to keep your nose clean, all right?”

  “Yes. Is she still trying to sell the house?”

  “A couple of people have kicked the tires, but nothing definite.”

  “Oh.”

  “Are you disappointed?”

  “I don’t know. Should I be?”

  “That’s up to you.”

  “Now you sound like Dr. Tyrell.”

  “He says you’re really coming along in your sessions. Melanie too.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Look, I’d love to talk, but we don’t want to use up the minutes on that phone. Remember what I said: lie low and keep your nose clean.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Call me in a couple of days. If I don’t call you first.”

  “I will. Love you.”

  “I love you too, sweetie. Bye.”

  The connection goes dead. I power down the phone and then slip it into my jacket pocket. When I get back to the room, Melanie raises an eyebrow. “That took a while.”

  “Just a little backed up I guess,” I say, patting my stomach.

  “Gross.” She turns back to the stack of papers on her desk that are for the first full-sized issue of The Outcast. I glance back towards the closet, where the wig and leather jacket are. I hope I won’t need them tomorrow night. Despite what Carol said, I’m not going to stay out of this. I’m going to see it through to the end; that’s what Daddy would want.

  I hop on my bed to finish my homework and then turn in early. I have a big day ahead.

  Chapter 26

  The next day everything goes back to normal—mostly. There’s a special prayer session before classes to pray for the Lord’s protection from evil. I mumble the words along with everyone else, though I doubt it’ll do much good. Praying isn’t going to keep those Russian goons from coming back for Tonya.

  At lunch Tonya passes my table. She stops long enough to say, “See you tonight, Rothe.” She giggles to herself as she sashays over to her table.

  “I don’t know why you’re going with her,” Melanie says. “She probably has some mean trick ready for you.”

  “If she dumps a bucket of pig’s blood I’ll just have to try to get out of the way.”

  “I know how bad you want to see Colin again, but you can get out on your own. We’ve done it before.”

  “I know, but I don’t want to wreck my dress or anything. Not if I don’t have to. I have to look pretty tonight, you know?”

  “I know. You will.”

  “You could come with us.”

  “I don’t have a dress or anything.”

  “We could find you a dress.”

  “And I wouldn’t want to be unfaithful to Taylor. I mean, if he found out he’d probably dump me.”

  I roll my eyes at her. “It was just a thought.”

  The second half of classes get progressively slower. By phys ed I’m sure everyone is moving in slow motion. It feels like it takes a year to run ten laps around the gym. Sister Matilda must notice my discomfort. “Something wrong, Miss Howard?”

  “Huh? Oh, um, just a little cramp. Nothing to worry about.”

  “Go take a break on the bleachers.”

  “Yes, Sister.” I trudge over to the bleachers to massage my left calf as if I really did have a cramp. I can’t help looking over at the clock. Can’t this day end already?

  When the bell finally rings I start for the showers, but Sister Matilda calls for me to stop. She looks down at me with concern. “Is there something bothering you, Rose?”

  “No. I’m fine. It was just a little cramp, like I said.”

  “You seem a little distracted.”

  “Oh. Um—”

  “Is this about what happened the other night?”

  “What? No! No, of course not. I mean, that was scary, but I’m OK.”

  “There’s nothing to worry about. Those bad men are gone. They won’t be coming back.”

  “I know.”

  She studies me a moment and then nods. “All right, hit the showers. I’ll pray for your cramp tonight.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “It’s no problem.”

  I nod to her and then hurry into the showers. I don’t usually spend a lot of time washing my hair and stuff, but today I keep showering even after the hot water has run out. The cold water sucks the air from my lungs, but it’s worth it to make sure I don’t stink for the prom.

  Melanie is already doing her homework when I get back to our room. “Were you working out with Sister Matilda?”

  “No. She just wanted to make sure I wasn’t hurt.”

  “Oh. That’s good.”

  I sit down at my desk and then start combing my hair, also something I don’t usually bother with on an ordinary day. I want to make sure everything is perfect for tonight. It is my first real date with Colin, not just sneaking out to see him for an hour or two before sneaking back.

  By dinnertime I’m too nervous to eat much. I get a salad without any dressing and a bottle of water. That will also help to make sure I can still fit into my dress. As I’m eating, Tonya invites herself to sit down across from me.

  “Hey, Cinderella. Ready for the ball?”

  “Just about.”

  “When you’re done chewing your cud, come by my room.”

  “Why?”

  “So I can help you get ready. I don’t want to get into the same car with you looking like that.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with how she looks,” Melanie says.

  “Well of course you’d think that. I mean, look at you. Ugh.”

  Before a fight can break out, I say, “Fine, I’ll stop by your room when I’m done. OK?”

  “Awesome. See you later.” She gives me a wink that I’m sure promises trouble.

  “I told you she had a mean prank planned,” Melanie says.

  “I’m sure it won’t be too bad,” I say, hoping I won’t regret those words.

  ***

  I do regret those words when Tonya unzips a garment bag to reveal a little pink baby doll dress, the kind of thing I wore to my fifth birthday party. “I am not wearing that,” I say.

  “You have to. You have to wear it and pretend to be my baby sister still in middle school.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I said so.”

  “You want me to embarrass myself in front of Colin and his whole school, right?”

  “Well if you don’t want to go, then fine.” She starts to zip the garment bag back up. I clench my fists; it’s really tempting to go call that Plushkov guy myself.

  “All right, all right. I’ll wear the stupid thing.”

  She applauds with obvious glee. “Goody. Now sit down so I can do your hair and makeup.”

  An hour later I emerge from her room with my hair in pigtails and about two pounds of makeup slathered on my face. I can hear kids snicker at me as I pass them in the hallway; my cheeks turn warm beneath the rouge Tonya caked on my cheeks. I can’t feel any more ridiculous than this.

  Melanie gasps when she sees me. Then she starts to laugh. “It’s not funny!” I whine. As if I really am five again, I stamp one foot. “Stop laughing!”

  “I’m sorry. You’re just so cute.”

  “Shut up.”

  “So this is what she dreamed up to humiliate you?”

  “Yes. Everyone’s going to think I’m her baby sister from middle school.”

  “More like kindergarten.”

  “Shut up!” I have to try hard not to cry; the last thing I want is all this makeup on my face running. I snatch my purse off of my nightstand and then go over to the closet. I fold up the dress M
rs. Maxwell sold me as carefully as I can so it won’t wrinkle too much in the purse. Seeing the leather jacket and wig on the floor of the closet, I bend down to scoop them up. The wig I stuff in the purse along with my dress and then tuck the jacket under my arm. If nothing else they’ll give me a disguise for when I have to flee the prom out of embarrassment.

  Before I can leave, Melanie gives me a hug. “It’ll be all right,” she says. “Colin will like you no matter how you look.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Don’t let Tonya give you too much crap. It’s not worth it.”

  But Colin is worth it, at least to me. I’m sure that’s why Tonya planned this whole charade; she’s still mad he chose me over her. She’s probably hoping he’ll be so embarrassed by me that he’ll dump me on the spot and then go out with her. I doubt Colin would do that. At least, I hope he wouldn’t.

  I give Melanie a kiss on the cheek that leaves a big red smear and then giggle. “There’s one thing to like about this.”

  She playfully slaps me on the shoulder. “Go on, young lady. You better be back by ten so I can tuck you in.”

  “Yes, Mommy.” We laugh and then I go down to meet Tonya. She and her friends laugh in a much different way.

  “Oh my God, look at her! She looks like she’s five!” one of Tonya’s friends says and I feel the urge to run back to my dorm. No, I can’t give Tonya the satisfaction.

  “Say hi to everyone, Wothe,” Tonya says.

  “Hi.”

  “Come on, do it right. Like you did earlier.”

  I roll my eyes and then say, “Hi! My name ith Wothe! I’m Tonya’s widow thithter!”

  Tonya and her friends laugh. She puts an arm around one puffy sleeve of my dress. “That was perfect! Come on, sis.”

  I mumble a few curse words under my breath as Tonya leads me down to the front gate, where a long black limo is waiting. It comes with a driver and a burly guy in a suit whom I’m sure has a gun. The good thing about Tonya’s prank is that there’s no way this guy or anyone else on Madame Crimson’s payroll will recognize me, much less think I’m capable of hurting anyone.

  Tonya forces me to sit next to her on the backseat of the limo. “What’d you bring that ugly jacket for?”

  “In cathe it geth cowd.”

  “Yeah, well, leave it here when we get out.”

  “Fine.”

  “What was that?”

  “I mean, ‘No pwobwem, sis.’”

  She tousles my hair and then grins. “Good girl.”

  I’m glad when the limo starts to move. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can see Colin again. I lean back on the seat and force myself to think of Colin so I don’t strangle Tonya before one of Plushkov’s guys can get a chance to do it.

  ***

  Evettsville High isn’t much to look at. It’s about as big as an elementary school in Redoubt City, just a rectangle of bricks and windows probably built when my grandparents were little kids. The kids who haven’t gone in yet all turn to watch us pull up as if we’re movie stars or something.

  Tonya’s friends get out first, followed by her. She reaches in to give me her hand to pull me out of the limo. I look down at my feet, but I can hear the giggles and snickers. “Don’t be shy, Rose. No one’s going to hurt you.” She tousles my hair to make me feel even more like an idiot.

  “What’s she doing here?”

  “It’s probably past her bedtime.”

  My face turns warm, but I manage not to cry. Tonya escorts me up to the front door of the school, where her date is waiting. I don’t recognize him, but he has the muscles and dull expression of a football player.

  “Hey, Kevin. I hope you don’t mind I brought my little sister.”

  “Whatever,” he says. He gives her a long kiss while I have to stand there and awkwardly look away. “You look hot, babe.”

  “Thanks! Doesn’t Rose look adorable?” She pinches my cheek the way my grandma used to do. It would be so easy to grab her wrist and then yank it behind her hard enough to at least sprain it.

  “Yeah, she’s real cute. Come on, babe, let’s dance.”

  She lets Kevin drag her off while I hang back and then sigh with relief. I practically run down the hallway to the nearest bathroom. I dig the dress out of my purse; it doesn’t look too worse for wear. I take my hair out of the stupid pigtails and then gather it up to tuck it under the black pageboy wig I wore as part of my Outcast costume. I do what I can to wipe off the excess makeup, enough that I at least look like a teenager again.

  The baby doll dress I leave in a bathroom stall for someone else to find and give to their little sister. With a little more confident spring in my step I go to look for Colin. I pass by Tonya’s friends, who don’t seem to recognize me now. Just as well.

  Colin is standing by the ticket table. I sneak up behind him and then tap him on the shoulder. He spins around, his face contorting in surprise. Before he can say anything, I kiss him on the lips. “Hi there, handsome.”

  “Rose?”

  “Uh-huh.” I pat the wig. “I’m in disguise.”

  “You look cute.”

  “Not adorable?”

  “Um—”

  “Good. Adorable is for babies. You want to go dance?”

  “Definitely.” He hands two tickets to the teacher at the table and then offers his elbow for me to take. He leads me into the school gym, where the lights are turned down while a mirrorball spreads little dots of light all over.

  The theme of the dance is “Summer Breezes,” so there are a few fake palm trees and a backdrop of a sandy beach on one wall. It’s nothing too fancy, but then they probably don’t have a huge budget here either. All that really matters to me is I get to press myself against Colin and sway in his arms to a ballad.

  “I was worried you might not make it,” he says.

  “I had to change first. Do you like the dress?”

  “It’s gorgeous. Especially since you’re wearing it.”

  I know that’s a line, but I can’t help grinning. “I was going to wear this on Valentine’s Day.”

  “It would have looked just as gorgeous.”

  “You’re such a sweet talker.” I run a hand over the tuxedo he probably rented. “You look gorgeous too.”

  “Thanks, babe.” The song comes to an end as he kisses me. It’s not a very deep kiss, not with so many people around us. I’d love to go under the bleachers with him, but now isn’t the time.

  A faster song comes on to split us up. As I try to follow Colin’s moves—such as they are—I look for Tonya. She’s still with that Kevin guy. I don’t see anyone suspicious in here, except the goon who came with us in the limo. He sits on the bleachers with his arms folded over his chest to stand out like a sore thumb.

  “Something wrong?” Colin asks, almost shouting to be heard over the music.

  “Huh? No. Everything’s fine!”

  We dance for about a half-hour before Colin goes to fetch us some punch. I’m glad for a little bit of a rest after all that dancing. We sit on the bottom row of the bleachers to sip from our cups. I press myself close to Colin; he puts an arm around my shoulders. “I really missed you,” I say.

  “I missed you too.”

  “When I first came to St. Martha’s all I wanted to do was leave, but now it’s really going to suck when the semester is over.”

  “We have plenty of room at my dad’s place if you want to stay for the summer. I mean, if it’s OK with your sister.”

  “I’ll have to ask her.” I can’t imagine Jessica being cool with me spending the whole summer in a strange house with a boy. “You could always come to the big city. If you aren’t too scared.”

  “I have to stay here to help my dad. Summer is a busy time with all the mowing and weeding and stuff like that.”

  “Oh, right. I guess he would need you for that.” I set my empty glass aside to snuggle closer to Colin. Dancing is fun, but I like just being close to Colin. “I wish I didn’t have to leave, you know
?”

  “I wish you didn’t have to leave either,” he says. He gives my body a little shake. “How about we go dance some more?”

  “OK.”

  He leads me back onto the dance floor. I’m glad it’s another slow song so we can stay close together. During the song he runs a hand through my wig and then kisses me on the mouth. I kiss him back, not caring who might see us. I whisper, “I love you.”

  “What?”

  “Huh? Oh, nothing.”

  “I thought you said, ‘I love you.’”

  “Did I? How silly is that. I hardly know you.”

  “Hey, it’s all right. I love you too.”

  “You do?”

  “Of course I do.” He kisses me again to prove it. We’re still kissing as the song ends and the principal of the school announces Kevin and Tonya as the king and queen of the prom. I barely notice Tonya being crowned.

  “My friend brought us here in a limo. Want to go check it out?”

  “That’d be awesome.” We giggle like a couple of idiots as we sneak out of the gym. The limo is parked in the teacher’s lot. I take off the wig to be a little more recognizable to the driver.

  I give him a little wave. “Hi! It’s Tonya’s little sister. Rose.”

  He stares at me for a moment and then opens the back door so Colin and I can climb inside. I move aside my leather jacket as we situate ourselves on the backseat. “This is really nice,” he says.

  “I know, isn’t it? I bet it cost her mom a lot.” There’s a bar in the limo that at least for tonight is stocked with nonalcoholic drinks. I toss Colin a Coke and then take one for myself. I snuggle against him again. “Can you imagine riding around like this all the time?”

  “That would be pretty sweet.”

  “Totally.”

  We set aside our Cokes to kiss again. Now that we’re alone, we don’t have to be modest. Colin’s tongue finds its way into my throat while his hand is stroking my thigh. As I kiss him back, I run a hand through his hair and then down to his chest.

  The window between the front and back of the car is up, but I can still hear an abbreviated cry from the driver. I shove Colin away from me to reach for the button to lower the window. “Oh God,” I whisper to find the driver sprawled on the front seat.

  The back door of the limo is torn open to reveal a guy almost identical to the two Russians who killed themselves on campus. He reaches in to grab me by the front of my dress. I squirm in his grasp, but he’s too strong for me to break his grip.