It Started with a Whisper

by A W Hartoin

  Oh God, I thought. It’d be just like last year all over again.

  Luke tightened his grip on my arm. “Don’t be a pussy. She’s not your teacher. She can’t do anything to you, and she deserves it. You know she does.”

  I couldn’t deny it. Miss Pritchett deserved whatever my cousins could dish out and more. It would be sweet, the best summer ever, as long as we didn’t get caught. But when did The Pack ever get caught? She was on my turf now, and she wouldn’t know what hit her. If I hadn’t been so swelled with righteous glee, I might’ve felt sorry for Bitch Pritchett. For once, she wasn’t going to be the one who started it.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  “PUPPY!” MOM SCREAMED. “The ribs!”

  I jumped out of my lawn chair and tossed a glass of water on the yellow flames shooting up a foot over the ribs. The flames settled down and tickled the undersides of the racks Mom had carefully arranged on the cast-iron grates.

  Mom glared at me. “Well?”

  “I can’t help it,” I said. “It’s not my fault. It’s too big.”

  The grill was a professional-grade monstrosity and so big it was hard for one person to keep a good eye on it at all times. Besides, it didn’t matter. The meat would get eaten, burnt or practically raw. The Pack wasn’t picky.

  “I’d like to know who’s fault it is?” asked Mom.

  “Fine. I’m sorry.”

  Mom looped her arm over my shoulders. “Just pay attention to what you’re doing and not things that you’re never going to do.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.

  Mom shot a glance at Sophie down at the football game I’d been sidelined from because of my mad grilling skills. Dad ran for the end zone only to be tackled by Uncle Manny who’d unexpectedly shown up late in the afternoon with Sophie and Jewel in tow. Dad and Uncle Manny grappled for the ball and Uncle Manny ended up dragging Dad down the field towards his goal amidst The Pack’s cheers. Sophie jumped up and down in a super-tight tank and a pair of Mom’s cutoffs that barely fit over her generous hips. Sophie didn’t own anything appropriate for football playing. Mom called her a fashionista, but she wore cutoffs when required.

  Mom snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Pay attention.”

  Flames leapt up and seared an entire rack. I tossed a glass of water on it and soaked the meat as well as the flames.

  “Good thing it’s a gas grill.” Sophie walked up the hill toward us.

  Mom gave me a warning look and ran to console Dad. I’m not sure if the warning was about the ribs or Sophie, maybe both.

  Sophie sank down into the sagging lawn chair next to me. “So I hear you saw Bitch Pritchett.”

  “Luke told you?”

  “Of course,” she said. “Don’t be too worried about it. He won’t do anything really bad to her and neither will I.”

  I raised my eyes from her chest to her eyes. “You?”

  “My dad’s an electrician. You think I don’t know my way around a lamp?” Sophie tossed her red hair back, a wicked little grin on her plump, pink lips.

  “You did the lamps? No way!” I’d never considered her. Sophie, for all her hotheadedness, was the perfect student. She never skipped class or got a detention. She volunteered at homeless shelters and tutored for free. Of course, she was a full-fledged member of The Pack and capable of anything by association.

  “I can’t believe you didn’t know it was me.” Sophie tipped her chin down towards her chest. Her green eyes seemed to grow larger as they looked up at me.

  “I guess I should’ve known, but it was kind of easier not knowing,” I said.

  “I bet,” she said, cocking her head to the side. “I think someone’s here.”

  I heard a car coming down the driveway too, but didn’t much care. Luke’s girlfriend had just become interesting, not just pretty. Dad started waving at me to join the game. Before I could respond Shasta walked around the corner of the house.

  “Hey,” said Shasta. “I thought I heard you back here.” She carried a large egg basket filled with cherries and a cookbook. A cherry juice stain on her right thigh wasn’t at all concealed by the tiny miniskirt she wore. Its ragged hem caressed her thighs and hinted at how high the stain went. All girls should wear skirts like that.

  “Shasta!” Sophie jumped up and hugged Shasta. They forgot me and talked about each other’s hair, the skirt, and all topics foreign, but I wasn’t able to move away despite Dad calling me. I was planted there, watching the girls chat, their breasts within inches of each other.

  “How’s your dog?” asked Sophie.

  “She’s fine, but I don’t know when she’ll be able to come home.”

  “Who would do that?” asked Sophie.

  “I’m not sure.” Shasta looked around Sophie’s head. “Hey Puppy.”

  “Hey.”

  The last time I’d seen Shasta she’d been running down the road away from me. I didn’t know what to make of it, but I couldn’t ask with Sophie there.

  The girls walked towards the house saying something about washing the cherries. Just as they went in I heard Sophie mention something about the Blounts. The answer was lost in the creak of the screen door.

  “Oh for Christ’s sake, Puppy!” yelled Mom.

  I tossed more water on the ribs and ignored Mom’s glaring. I’d have abandoned my post, screw the ribs, if I could’ve thought of a reason to follow the girls into the house. Instead, I sat and waited. The game ended before they came out, so I was stuck with the ribs and got yelled at because a whole rack was scorched.

  The Pack crowded around me after the game, shouting instructions and throwing extra spices in the bean pot that simmered on a side burner. I helped set up the long picnic tables and then sat down to eat in the perfect spot. Uncle Manny blocked Shasta’s view of my table, but I could see her well enough. Her long hair was braided and wrapped around her head, showing off her long, brown neck. She wore a white tank top with a rainbow and stars stretched taut across her chest. Her skin glowed like a bronze statue in one of the galleries where Mom showed her work.

  Everyone talked over each other, their words weaving tapestries in the air around me. The cicadas sang as the sun went down and Mom lit the torches and citronella pots to keep the mosquitoes at bay. We left the tables littered with our debris and lay on blankets, listening to the parents talk and watching the fireflies blink in the lengthening shadows.

  After the parents went back up to the house, Luke asked Shasta about the Blounts.

  “They sold out.” She sat up and wrapped her arms around her legs, causing her skirt to inch up her thigh exposing a bit of white panty. I couldn’t stop looking at it.

  “Who bought it?” asked Caleb.

  “That woman we saw and her boyfriend.”

  “I can’t believe Miss Pritchett has a boyfriend,” said Jewel.

  “I wouldn’t call it a lucky break,” said Shasta.

  “How come?” asked Sophie. “Maybe he’ll cheer her up. She’s always so pissed off.”

  “He’s not the kind that cheers anyone up. Let’s get in the water.”

  “So you know him?” asked Luke as he rubbed Sophie’s back.

  “I’m ready to swim. Puppy, you with me?” Shasta asked me, her eyes intense.

  “What does he look like?” I caught an approving look from Luke.

  “He’s just a guy,” Shasta said.

  “What does he do?” asked Luke.

  “I’ve seen him driving a phone company truck, so I guess he works for them. Why? What are you going to do?” Shasta rolled onto her side to face me and Luke. On her side, she looked curvier. My eyes roamed up and down her form, memorizing the line of her body.

  “Nothing,” said Luke.

  “Yeah, right,” said Shasta, tugging at the hem of her skirt. “You’ve already seen her and the house. What more do you need to know?”

  “Nothing. Let’s go swimming.” Luke pulled Sophie to her feet and she ran to get her swimsuit.


  I lay back on my quilt, staring up at the unbelievable number of stars above us. I hoped Sophie would come back, saying she forgot her suit and, darn it all, we’d have to go skinny-dipping. But I wasn’t in luck. Sophie came out wearing a tiny thong bikini similar to Jewel’s, who had hers on under her clothes. I went and put on my trunks, kicking the dirt and cursing my luck.

  The whole pack, including parents, walked down to the creek. We wove in between trees, and on and off the path, slapping mosquitoes and laughing. The symphony of June bugs, cicadas, and frogs was so loud I could feel their song flowing in my chest. The air had a walking-through-pea-soup quality, and everything around me was damp from the moss on the tree roots to the rocks around the fire pit, making my skin moist and supple. If I stayed still long enough, moss was sure to grow on me.

  I waded in the shallow area, picking up skipping rocks and casting sly glances at Shasta. She climbed to the top of the short bluff on the other side of the creek, swung out on the rope swing, and dropped into the middle of the dark swimming hole. The sound of her splashing carried across the water and echoed off the bluffs farther upstream. I watched, frozen, as she emerged from the dark pool into the moonlight, dripping and shiny. She wiped the water from her eyes and shook the drops off her fingertips. She waded through the water towards me.

  My lungs turned to rock. I could barely squeeze a breath out of them. I couldn’t wait for her to reach me, but at the same time I wanted to run away and observe her undetected from the shelter of a tree.

  “Puppy, come here,” she said with a wave in the direction of a large rock on the shore.

  I walked next to her in silence, stealing glances at her slick body covered only with a bikini made to look like suede. Shredded fringe hung down over her ribcage and another line at the top of the bottoms slapped against her thighs with every step she took. She sat on the rock, put her chin on her knees, and patted the spot next to her.

  I sat down, not too close. “So…”

  “Why does Luke want to know about your new neighbors?” she asked.

  I looked at her, but she wasn’t looking at me. Her gaze went across the water into the darkness under the trees.

  “Um, I don’t know,” I said.

  “Come on. You know.” Shasta turned her head to rest her cheek on her knee. “This isn’t just about that deer.

  I had no words. She was so pretty and wet, smelling like cocoa butter. I wanted to reach out and touch the beads of water running down her arm, but nothing short of a written invitation could’ve gotten me to do it.

  “Puppy.” She leaned in closer. I could smell the barbecue sauce on her breath. “I can tell Luke’s up to something. I know him.”

  “I know,” I managed to squeak out.

  “I don’t like that guy, the boyfriend. You need to keep Luke from doing anything to him.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.” Shasta looked back to the trees, and I felt she’d gone into that dark place with her mind as well as her eyes.

  “Did he say something to you? Is that why you wanted to leave when we saw Miss Pritchett?” My voice came back with the thought that somebody scared Shasta.

  “I know what he’s like, let’s leave it at that. Keep Luke away, okay?”

  “I’ll try, Shasta, but Luke just does stuff.”

  “Well, you just stop him and, please, don’t tell anybody what I said about him, Puppy.” Shasta stood up in front of me, shining and beautiful. I’d have promised to cut off my own foot, if she asked me.

  “I won’t tell,” I said.

  “Good,” said Shasta. “I’ve got to go. See you later.”

  I sat on the rock with my heart aching. She climbed the bank, spoke to Mom and Aunt Calla, and disappeared into the trees. Luke took her place on the rock.

  He stretched out his long legs, crossed them at the ankles, and yawned. “So what’d Shasta want?”

  I kept staring at where Shasta disappeared. “She thinks you’re going to do something to Miss Pritchett.”

  “Well, she’s right,” said Luke.

  “She doesn’t want you to.”

  “No kidding. Nobody ever wants me to do anything.”

  “Maybe we shouldn’t this time,” I said. “I mean, maybe we should leave Miss Pritchett alone.”

  “Are you kidding me? Leave Bitch Pritchett alone? Forget it. Besides, Shasta will laugh her ass off when we tell her all the stuff we did,” said Luke.

  “I don’t think so,” I said.

  “Why? What does she care?”

  “I don’t know. It’s getting cold. Let’s get back to the house.” I left Luke sitting on the rock. I’d promised and I’d meant it. I wouldn’t tell anybody about what Shasta said about Miss Pritchett’s boyfriend. But I was sure that guy deserved whatever The Pack could dish out as much as Miss Pritchett, maybe even more.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  LUKE SAT DOWN cross-legged on the dock and motioned for me to sit on the warm wood next to a goose with her head tucked under her wing. I nudged her with my foot. She ruffled her feathers and stuck her head further out of sight.

  “For Christ’s sake, she’s not going to do anything,” said Luke. “It’s not Mildred.”

  I stood still, trying to appear cool about a goose bill being ten inches from my exposed ankle. “Where’s Mildred then?” I asked.

  Luke stretched out, long and muscular. “Just sit down,” he said. “It’s all ready.”

  “Okay.” I sat, wrapping my arms around my legs. I was tired of thinking about what was coming and ready to get it over with. If Luke was determined to harass Miss Pritchett, there was no stopping him. It’d been five days since our discovery of her and I considered it a miracle he’d done nothing so far.

  Cole plunked down next to me, vibrating with excitement. “What are we going to do?”

  “Recon, dude, recon,” said Caleb.

  “What’s recon?” Frank sat at the far end of the dock next to April and behind Ella, who looked bored and hot. April handed Frank a rubber band and a ribbon. He looked at it like she’d handed him a dead gerbil.

  “We have to go get the lay of the land and find out their schedules. Stuff like that.” Caleb lay face down on the dock soaking up the heat from the wood like a lizard.

  “We already know his schedule, but we have to figure out hers,” said Luke.

  “How do we know his? We don’t even know his name,” I said. My desire to teach the man a lesson had cooled and I wanted to forget the whole thing.

  “Yes, we do. It’s Jason Greenbow. He’s a lineman for the phone company and he works Sunday through Thursday nine to five. He’s also on-call every other Saturday,” said Luke as he brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. He looked positively gleeful.

  “How in the hell do you know that?” I asked.

  “I asked around, dufus, and called the phone company,” said Luke.

  “The phone company just told you all that stuff?” asked Frank. He held his hand out to April, the ribbon and rubber band perched on his palm while she braided her hair.

  “You have to know how to ask. Besides, it’s not like I was asking for state secrets or something. What do they care?”

  “There’s still Miss Pritchett,” I reminded Luke.

  “Yeah, but we already know she’s dumb. We’ll just watch her for a couple of days and get the hang of her routine. Then we’ll start,” said Caleb.

  “What are we going to do?” Frank’s voice went up an octave.

  “Chill, Frank. You’re just a lookout. Here.” Luke took a walkie-talkie out of his backpack and handed it to Frank. Frank looked at it and relaxed.

  “I’ve only got three, so we’ll have to take turns watching.” Luke gave a walkie-talkie to me and kept one himself. “This morning Puppy, me and Frank will go. This afternoon it’s Caleb, Cole and Ella. Then tonight it’s me again with April and Carrie. Tomorrow we’ll switch the shifts around.”

  “But what are we going to do once we
know her schedule?” asked Frank.

  “Me and Caleb are working on that. For now, we have to find out when we’re free to go in,” said Luke.

  I shrugged my shoulders at Frank, who seemed satisfied with his part in the plan so far.

  “Okay, so here’s the deal. I have a notebook in the backpack so we can write down everything we see. And this, my friends, is the final piece.” Luke took a roll of black wiring out of the backpack.

  “What’s that for?” Ella crossed her arms and pursed her lips. “I haven’t seen it before.”

  “This is how we get a look into the house, my dear cousin,” Luke said.

  “That doesn’t tell me what it is,” said Ella.

  “It’s the spy cam you used in Miss Pritchett’s office, isn’t it?” April finished French braiding her hair. She fastened the long plait with the rubber band and decorated it with the ribbon. Frank’s empty hand wavered for a second before he dropped it.

  “You had a spy cam in Miss Pritchett’s office?” I looked from April to Luke and back again.

  “Yeah. How do you think we knew what she was up to?” Luke stood up and indicated it was time to head out.

  “I bugged her phone, too,” said April.

  “You? You bugged her phone?” Frank stared at April, who smiled at him.

  “Sure,” she said. “Somebody had to do it.”

  “But what if somebody finds it?” asked Frank.

  “They won’t. I already took it out. It was totally useless anyway. She never called anyone. Come on, Ella. Let’s go tell Carrie the plan.” April pulled Ella to her feet. The girls walked off the dock and down the path towards the house.

  “How’d she get in her office?” I couldn’t believe my little sister knew how to bug a phone, something I hadn’t bothered to learn.

  “I taught her how to pick the lock,” said Caleb. “It’s pretty easy. I taught you, didn’t I?”

  I couldn’t think of anything else to say. April didn’t seem much like a little sister anymore.

  “Do we have to stay on those shifts you said?” asked Frank.