by Lisa Orchard
Finally, the hostess seated them in a booth. Sarah was relieved. The booth seemed to provide protection from prying eyes and Sarah took a deep breath. Hiding behind the menu, she focused on getting her emotions under control.
The smell of bacon wafted past Sarah’s nose and her stomach rumbled. It dawned on her she was hungry.
She studied the menu. “Everything looks good. I guess I’m hungrier than I thought.”
“What are you going to get?” Lacey asked.
“I don’t know. The farmer’s omelet looks good.”
“I’m getting pancakes and sausage. How about you, Aunt June?”
“I don’t know, maybe just coffee.” Aunt June frowned and fiddled with her hair. Some strands had escaped the large barrette clasped at the nape of her neck.
“You’ve got to eat something,” Sarah said.
Aunt June gave Sarah a weary smile. “You’re right. It won’t do your uncle any good if I don’t keep up my strength.” She sighed and picked up the menu again. “I guess I’ll get an omelet, too.”
“So it’s decided we’re all getting breakfast.” Sarah closed her menu and placed it on the table.
The family sat in glum silence as they waited for the waitress to return. Sarah realized no one knew what to talk about. Her seat moved as someone sat in the booth behind her. The gruff voice that spoke caught her attention and her stomach fluttered.
“Any news?” the gruff voice asked.
“Yes, and it’s not good.”
The soft pad of footsteps and the sound of rustling paper told Sarah that the waitress was at the table behind her.
“What’ll you have?”
“Just coffee,” the gruff voice said.
“I’ll be right back with that.”
The waitress stopped at Sarah’s table. “Are you folks ready to order?”
Aunt June looked up. “Yes, we’ll have two farmer’s omelets and pancakes with sausage.”
“What’ll you have to drink?”
Aunt June looked around the table. “Girls?”
“I’ll have apple juice,” Sarah said.
“I’ll have orange juice.”
The waitress left to place the order and Sarah leaned back in the booth, hoping to hear the rest of the conversation between the two men.
“I don’t know,” the gruff voice said.
“What do you mean, you don’t know?”
“I don’t know. I have no idea why the third one didn’t work.”
Sarah shuddered when she recognized the voices from last night. Her breath caught in her throat as waves of dread raced through her body.
“Shhh…keep your voice down.”
The sound of the waitress returning made Sarah want to turn around and sneak a peek at the men. Instead she sat straighter and leaned her head back so she wouldn’t miss any of the conversation. The sound of the cups sliding across the tabletop seemed amplified to her, and it grated on her nerves.
“Did we get him?”
Sarah heard a growl of frustration. “No.”
“What? Dude, are you serious?”
A fist pounded the table—Sarah jumped along with the bomber’s coffee cups.
“Take it easy, dude. You have to keep that temper of yours under control. Have you been taking your meds?”
The booth creaked as the gruff-voiced man shifted in his seat. “Never mind about my meds. And quit calling me dude.” The bomber sighed. “He’s up at the hospital right now.”
Sarah’s heart leapt to her throat. Who are they talking about? Is it Uncle Walt? It took all of her willpower to keep from turning around. She wanted to put faces to the familiar voices.
“What’s the plan now?”
“I don’t know. I just know we’ve got to finish it,” the gruff voice said.
“Yep.”
The voices grew silent. Sarah’s heart hammered in her chest as the men slurped their coffee. Sparks of anger swirled through her system. What should I do? The bombers are right behind me, but I don’t have any evidence to prove it! She frowned and clenched her hands.
“Let’s go,” the gruff voice said.
The men left the booth. Sarah could barely breathe as she looked back. All she could see was a tall bald man limping away. Fear squeezed her heart as she watched him retreat. Turning back around, she pushed against Lacey.
“Move!”
“Wh-what’s the matter?” Lacey asked.
“I need to get out of the booth. I’m going to be sick.”
Lacey gasped and scrambled out of her sister’s way.
Sarah rushed after the men as they made their way out of the restaurant. She pushed open the door and dashed outside just in time to see the bald man climb into a green, mud-splattered pickup truck. The truck started with a roar and clattered around the corner. Sarah strained to see the license plate.
“GLF-8896,” Sarah said. She continued repeating the license number to herself as she walked back into the restaurant.
Chapter Six
“Aunt June, I need a pen,” Sarah stated as she slid into the booth.
Aunt June searched her purse and pulled one out. “Here. What do you need this for?”
“I have to write something down, so I don’t forget.” Sarah grabbed a paper napkin and quickly wrote the license number down.
“What is that?” Lacey glanced over Sarah’s shoulder.
“Just something I want to remember.” Sarah shielded the paper so Lacey couldn’t see it.
Relief washed over her when the waitress appeared with their food, diverting everyone’s attention for the moment. As the server put the plates on the table, Sarah snatched the napkin out of view and stuffed it into her pocket.
The steam rose off the omelet that was stuffed with vegetables and hash brown potatoes. Sarah’s mouth watered. She grabbed her fork and dove into her food.
Aunt June studied her for a moment. “I thought you were sick?”
“False alarm.” Sarah gave her aunt a lopsided grin, before turning her attention to her food.
As she ate her breakfast, Sarah’s mind churned with questions. Why would these men bomb the high school? Who are the bombers after? Is it Uncle Walt? The last question sent a chill down her spine. She put her fork down and cleared her throat.
“Are you full already?” Aunt June asked.
“No, just taking a breather.”
“That omelet looks good. I’ll have to get that next time,” Lacey said, as she put a forkful of pancake into her mouth.
“It is really good.” Sarah wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I guess I am full.” She pushed her plate away and drank the rest of her juice. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
As Lacey moved out of her way a second time, Aunt June bent over her plate again and Sarah realized she hadn’t put much of a dent in her omelet. She hurried to the bathroom and pulled out her cell phone. Stepping into a cramped stall, she closed the door. Her hands trembled as she dialed Jackie’s number. She sighed as she waited for her friend to answer. Sarah leaned against the stall for support. After a number of rings, Jackie’s sleepy voice answered.
“Hello?”
“Did I wake you up?”
“Yeah, you did. What time is it?”
“I don’t know, around ten, I guess.”
“Hmm. You must have thought that six hours of sleep is enough?”
“They found Uncle Walt,” Sarah said. Her voice echoed in the bathroom stall emphasizing her aloneness. She took a ragged breath and blinked back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. Clenching her teeth, she willed her tears away.
“Really? Is he all right?”
“They had to do surgery. They won’t know how successful it was until he wakes up.” Sarah used what was left of her nail to pick at some paint chipping away on the wall of the stall.
“I’m sorry, Sarah.”
Sarah nodded. “Yeah. Thanks. You need to come down to the hospital right away.”
“Why?”
>
“I just ran into those two guys we saw last night.”
“No kidding! Where?”
The alarm in Jackie’s voice sent a chill down Sarah’s spine. She took a deep breath and said, “At Hinkle’s. They’re gone now. But we need to figure this out. They’re talking about setting off another bomb.”
“Oh no! Okay, I’ll meet you at the hospital…in about twenty minutes.”
“Okay. See you then.” Sarah hung up the phone. She opened the door and walked to the chipped sink. Leaning forward, she stared at the ceramic tile while thoughts of the bombers invaded her mind. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and her body shuddered as dread coursed through it. She took a deep breath and focused on her surroundings to calm her nerves. The bathroom was old. Sarah could tell because the white ceramic tile was a tiny octagon shape. She figured its design had originated before she was born because the only place she’d seen it was in houses built in the sixties. She turned on the faucet and splashed her face with cold water. It revived her and she took more deep breaths. Avoiding the mirror, she wiped her face with a paper towel and left the restroom.
When she reached the table, Sarah was relieved to see Aunt June counting out the tip.
“We better get back,” Sarah said. Her tone was sharp and her aunt glanced up, with a perplexed look.
“Is there something wrong?”
Sarah shook her head. “No, I just want to get back.” Her muscles grew tense and she paced as she tried to hide her anxiety.
Aunt June finished quickly. “All right…all right…let’s go.”
Sarah led the way, hurrying outside.
“What is going on with you?” Lacey asked.
“I’ll tell you when we get to the hospital.”
“Tell me now,” Lacey demanded, anger flashed in her eyes.
“I can’t. I don’t want Aunt June to hear.” Sarah cast a furtive glance over Lacey’s shoulder.
“All right, but you better tell me as soon as you can.” Lacey frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.
Aunt June searched her purse for her car keys as she walked from the restaurant. “Okay, girls. Let’s get back to the hospital.”
As she walked toward the car, Sarah’s stomach clenched into a tight knot. She thought about the conversation that she had overheard. Fear wrapped its cold fingers around her heart and she felt a familiar pain in her chest. She stopped suddenly and took several deep breaths. The pain subsided and she rushed to catch up with Lacey and her aunt before they realized she had stopped.
When they reached the hospital, Sarah leapt from the car. She searched for Jackie in the parking lot. Disappointed when she didn’t find her, Sarah turned her focus to the bombers as she trudged behind her aunt and sister.
She was so engrossed in her thoughts that when she traipsed into the hospital she didn’t notice Jackie waiting for them in the lobby.
“Hey, girlfriend,” Jackie greeted Sarah with a smack on the arm.
“Hey.” Sarah grabbed her arm. “Aunt June, I’ll be up in a few minutes.”
Aunt June turned and nodded.
Lacey spoke with her aunt for a brief moment and then hurried toward her sister and Jackie.
Sarah glanced up and pursed her lips as her aunt hurried toward the elevators.
“Okay, what’s going on?” Lacey asked when she reached the other two girls.
Sarah sighed and studied the toe of her sandal for a moment. “Those guys are in town.” She looked at Jackie.
“You mean the guys from last night?”
“Yeah.”
“Hold on, what guys?” Lacey asked.
Sarah took a deep breath and told Lacey the story of her adventure the night before. Lacey’s eyes widened and she looked at Jackie for confirmation. Jackie nodded with a solemn expression.
“What does all this mean?” Lacey asked, wringing her hands.
“It means that the explosion was meant for someone in particular,” Sarah said.
“Could it have been meant for Uncle Walt?”
Sarah shook her head. “We don’t know. It’s a possibility. The problem is that they’re going to set another bomb.”
“How do you know?” Lacey asked in a shrill voice.
“I overheard them talking at Hinkle’s.”
Jackie shook her head in disbelief. “We’ve got to do something.”
Sarah chewed on her thumbnail. “You got that right. We’ve got to find out who they were trying to get with that bomb.”
“How are we going to find that out?” Lacey placed her hands on her hips.
“We need to talk to Scott,” Sarah said.
“I’ll give him a call.” Lacey pulled her phone out of her pocket and punched numbers. She walked out of the hospital to get better reception.
Jackie watched her go then faced Sarah. “How’s your uncle?”
“He’s out of surgery, but we won’t know anything until he wakes up.”
Jackie put her arm around Sarah and gave her a squeeze. “He’s alive, Sarah.”
Tears welled in Sarah’s eyes. She wiped them away and nodded. “That’s right.” She drew a shuddering breath and gave Jackie a grateful smile. “We have to find these guys before they set off another bomb.”
“No doubt.”
“I wonder who the target is.” Sarah’s lips pressed into an angry line.
“I have no clue.”
“It had to be one of the teachers. The bomb exploded during a faculty meeting.”
“That’s right,” Jackie said, with an emphatic nod. “There weren’t very many students in the school when the bomb went off.”
Lacey strode back into the hospital. She closed her phone and weaved between people until she reached the other two girls. “Scott will be here in fifteen minutes.”
“Great,” Sarah said. “Let’s go up and see if there’s any change in Uncle Walt’s condition.”
“Okay,” Lacey said.
The girls traveled toward the stairs. Moving between people in the hallway, Sarah welcomed the isolation of the stairwell. Most people took the elevators so the foyer was quiet. As she climbed, Sarah’s mind wandered back to the two men she had overheard earlier. She chewed her thumbnail. A spark of anger started in her belly. Why would these men bomb the high school? Frustrated and angry, Sarah reached the second floor and pulled open the door. She strode into the lobby, the other two girls trailed behind her.
When she reached the waiting room, Sarah rushed inside and found her aunt sitting in a chair, paging through a magazine. Sarah could tell she wasn’t reading the words. The crease between her brows seemed more pronounced and she wore a worried frown.
“Hey, any news?” Sarah asked with a hesitant smile. She sat down in the chair next to her aunt and leaned on her knees with her hands.
“No, he hasn’t woken up yet.” She gave Sarah a tired smile.
Lacey and Jackie stood by her side. The group huddled together in an awkward silence. Sarah grew restless and sighed as she and tried to think of a plan.
She cleared her throat. “Aunt June?”
“Yeah?” She continued flipping through her magazine.
“What should we do?”
Aunt June glanced up. “What?”
“Well…ah…what should we do?”
“There really isn’t anything you can do.” She smiled at Sarah and stroked her hair, then turned back to her magazine.
Sarah, Lacey, and Jackie all exchanged a look. Sarah chewed on her thumbnail as she gazed around the room. She took in the uncomfortable furniture and the outdated magazines.
Thinking about the two men and their plan, Sarah fidgeted. She pulled her thumb out of her mouth and stood abruptly. As she paced the room, she tried to figure out what the Super Spies next step should be.
“You’re getting antsy, aren’t you?” Aunt June glanced up from her magazine and frowned.
“Yeah, I am.” Sarah nodded.
“Why don’t you girls go to the library? Meet me back here in a
bout an hour. Sitting here worrying isn’t going to do your uncle any good.”
Sarah almost clapped. “Okay, we’ll be back in an hour.”
Lacey and Jackie followed Sarah out into the corridor. They hurried down the hall and back out into the stairwell. The girls rushed down the stairs and made it back to the main lobby just in time to meet Scott.
Scott walked in the door wearing a nervous smile. He spied the girls and hustled over to them. He greeted them with a quick nod.
“Hey,” Sarah said, brushing her hair away from her face. “We have to talk.”
“Let’s go outside.” Scott gestured toward the door.
They walked out and the sun hit Sarah full force with its brilliance. Hesitating, she blinked and waited for her eyes to adjust. This is what deer must feel like when they’re blinded by headlights.
“Let’s go back to Hinkle’s,” Lacey said.
“Okay.” Sarah moved forward and the rest of the Super Spies fell into step with her. “We have so much to tell you.” Sarah peered at Scott.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ve got a lot to tell you guys, too.”
After a fifteen minute walk, the Super Spies ambled inside the restaurant. The breakfast rush was over. A few stragglers loitered over their coffee cups or read the local paper; otherwise the restaurant was empty. The waitress appeared carrying menus and motioned for them to follow her. After being seated, Sarah ordered a soda and the rest of the teens followed suit. The server hurried away to fill the order.
Sarah watched her walk away and then turned to Scott and filled him in on the midnight adventure. She finished with the morning events while the waitress came back with their sodas.
“So…” Sarah dug into her pocket for the napkin with the license plate number scrawled on it. “Can you find out who this plate belongs to?” She slid it across the table toward Scott, avoiding the rings of moisture left by their glasses.
Scott picked it up and studied the license number. “Yeah, I’ll stop by the station and see if I can get Wilson to run it for me.” He stuffed the napkin into his pocket. “By the way, the Fibbies are up at the high school now.”
“Fibbies?” Sarah asked.
“The FBI.”
“What does that mean?” Jackie blew a wayward curl out of her eyes.
