"They won't." Max didn't seem too sure. "They're always nice around other people."
"I need to go home first. I'll make sure it's okay with Mom and Dad."
"I'll come with you."
As it turned out, my parents wouldn't let me stay at Max's place. They didn't feel comfortable, and to be honest, neither did I. But Mom called Serena at the beauty shop and asked her if Max could stay at our house.
"Serena said it was okay," Mom said when she hung up.
"Thanks, Mom." I gave her a hug, knowing she wanted both of us to be safe.
"I'll get my stuff and be right back. " Max flashed Mom and me a big smile. "Thanks, Mrs. M."
"You're welcome."
After Max left, I thought about staying in the kitchen with Mom, but decided not to. She'd want to talk about Max, and I wasn't ready. We hadn't really talked about Mom's call to Child Services—the one that got Max a shaved head.
Mom would get this sad look in her eyes whenever she looked at Max. Like she wanted to take Max home for good. I wished I could do something, but like Max said, "Jessie, you've caused too many problems already. Please don't try to help me anymore."
I didn't think it was funny. Still don't. She says I don't understand, and I guess that's true.
While I waited for Max to come back, I curled up on the porch swing and fell asleep listening to the sound of water lapping on the shore and birds chirping in the trees.
I woke up when I heard the phone ringing and my mother answering. "Oh, hi, Dr. Caldwell. What's up?" Her voice carried through the screen on the door, and pretty soon she was standing beside me.
I yawned, but didn't get up. I felt tired and wished I could have slept longer.
"That's good news. I'll be sure to tell her. " Mom nodded as though the caller could see her. I smiled at that.
"What did Dr. Caldwell want?" I asked when she pressed the button to end the conversation.
Mom squeezed in beside me and ran her hand over my head like she was brushing the hair out of my eyes again. "You'll be up for a bone marrow transplant soon. She thinks she may have found a donor."
"Really?" In a way it was good news, but it would mean going back to the hospital again. That didn't excite me. Mom and Dad felt bad that their blood and mine weren't compatible. Both of them would have volunteered in a flash. The only one in the family who could have been a donor was Sam, and he was way too young. You should have seen him when he found out. He cried and cried. Guess he thought that if I couldn't get the marrow from him I'd die. Anyway, I got put on the list. Now I'd get marrow from a stranger. "Did she say when?"
"No. Hopefully within a month. When school's out."
I groaned. "That's not the way I thought I'd be spending my summer vacation."
"I know, honey. I'm sorry."
"What about Max? Who's gonna . . ." I caught myself, but it was too late.
"Who's going to what? Keep her out of trouble? Keep her safe?" Mom sighed. "Honey, you're not responsible for Max."
"I know, it's just . . ." I almost told her about Max's obsession to stop the drug dealing. I guess that's why I was so afraid for her. What if she confronted the wrong people? What if she went too far?
Mom gently squeezed my hand. "Maybe things will change for her between now and then."
I doubted they would. Max would never give up. Then I wondered if she might. If I was really honest with myself I'd admit that what scared me more than anything was that Max might follow in Bob and Serena's footsteps and start doing drugs herself. What if they forced her to take drugs with them? I made myself stop thinking about it and focused hard on my mother's words.
"The important thing is to take care of yourself," Mom went on. "We want you around for a long time to come." She leaned over and kissed my forehead, tears glistening in her blue eyes.
The front doorbell rang and Mom went to answer it.
I twisted around to sit up. Max must be back.
"She's out on the deck," I heard Mom say.
The person who pushed open the screen door wasn't Max at all.
"Hi, Jessie." Ivy glanced at me briefly and then looked out at the water.
"Hi," I said. "What are you doing here?" I wished I could have pulled back the question, but it was too late. I laughed. "That didn't come out right."
"It's okay. I know I haven't been over here in a while."
I shoved my blanket aside. "Want to sit down?"
"Sure." Ivy settled onto the swing and set it into motion. "I . . . uh ...I was wondering if you wanted to come to my birthday party. It's Saturday, May 27th, at my house."
That was two weeks away. "Really?" I wasn't sure what to say. I wanted to go, and it had been a long time since I'd been invited anywhere. "Are you sure?"
She looked at me funny. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't mean it. Actually, I'm inviting all the girls in our class. It'll be like a graduation party—getting out of sixth grade." She pulled her fingers through her silky hair.
My hair used to be like that, soft and silky. I looked away, trying to talk past the sudden lump in my throat. "Sounds like fun, but I'll have to ask my parents. What time?"
"We're having a sleep-over, so we'll have a pizza picnic in the backyard and sleep outside." Her wide mouth spread into a smile, revealing a set of braces.
"Are those new?" I shouldn't have asked. I knew they were and that she was still not used to them.
"Uh-huh. They're to correct my overbite. They hurt all the time, but the dentist says I'll get used to them. I hope so."
Max banged out the door and stopped short when she saw Ivy sitting beside me. Her smile faded, and I thought I saw a glimpse of anger. Then the smile came back when she saw the horror in Ivy's eyes. I saw it too. She was looking at Max's bald head. I knew Ivy wanted to say something, but she didn't. I liked her for that.
"Hey, Ivy, what are you doing in the slums?"
I didn't like Max's comment, but didn't say so. I guess next to Ivy's mansion, our house must have looked plain.
"I was just inviting Jessie to my birthday party." Ivy looked at me, then back at Max. "You can come, too, if you want."
I wondered if Ivy would have asked Max if she hadn't come by just then. She'd said she planned to invite all of the girls in the sixth grade, but had she meant to include Max? I guessed she had, otherwise why invite me?
Max didn't answer right away, and I wished I could have read her mind. Max sort of prided herself on not being part of the group.
"I'll have to think about it." Max dropped down on the deck facing Ivy and me, her legs folded in a yoga position.
Ivy gripped her lower lip between her teeth. "I hope you can." She told Max about the sleep-over.
Max shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"
I felt relief and foreboding all at once. The look in Max's eyes spelled trouble with a capital T.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I tried to talk to Max about that look after Ivy left and while we were rowing on the lake.
"What are you talking about?" she asked innocently. "I'm not planning anything weird."
"You're going to put worms in their sleeping bags, aren't you? Or use the water hose to put out the candles on the cake. Or . . ."
Max laughed so hard she nearly rocked the boat over. "I love it. And here I thought I was the bad girl."
I giggled, happy to hear her laughter. "You forget, I have a little brother. Sam is adorable, but he's always playing tricks. Besides, maybe I've been around you too long."
She got serious then and scooped up the oar she'd dropped into the water. "Why do you think she asked us?"
I told Max that Ivy and I used to be friends before my first bout of chemo. "I think she was afraid of being around me."
"And now she wants to make up?"
"She's inviting all the girls in our class. But she's been nice to me lately."
"You know what I heard?"
I frowned, not sure where she was heading.
"I heard that Ivy and the other g
irls have decided to rescue you from me. They think I'm a bad influence."
"That's crazy. They don't care about me and . . ."
"I am a bad influence." Max tightened her grip on the oars and stroked hard, moving us closer to shore. "I get you into trouble and I tire you out. It's my fault you ended up in the hospital last time."
"No, it's not. I like hanging out with you."
"I don't want to be your friend anymore, kid. It just isn't working out."
I didn't know what to say. I sat there with my mouth open for the longest time. "Why are you doing this?"
Max shrugged. "I don't need you, Jess. I don't need anybody. I especially don't need friends who get me into trouble with Serena and Bob and whose parents call CPS."
Had Mom called CPS again? Had someone else? "They're moving, aren't they?"
Max rowed harder and I knew I'd hit a nerve.
"You don't have to go with them this time," I insisted.
"I told you before—there's no way I'm going to a foster home."
I stuck my hand in the water and stared at the trail my fingers left, how it spread out farther and farther. My father once told me that a tiny ripple can alter the ecosystem of the entire pond. I wondered how I would feel, the choices I would make, if my parents started using drugs. I didn't think I could ever turn them in, no matter how terrible things got. But then I wasn't as brave as Max, and I told her so.
"I'm not brave," she said.
"So you're just giving up?"
"They told me they were going to stop."
"And you believe them?" I knew Max wasn't that naive.
She ducked her head and stopped rowing. We drifted for a while. Max placed the oars across her lap. "No," she said after a while. "I don't believe them, but it's getting harder and harder for them to get the drugs. The police are cleaning up this whole area. There's a no-tolerance-on-drugs campaign. The sheriff says he's going to run the drug dealers out of town."
"Did you get into trouble with your aunt and uncle for turning in the guy at the store this afternoon?" I asked.
"I don't think they know." Max looked toward town. "Maybe he didn't tell them."
"What do you think they'll do when they find out?" I still couldn't look her in the eye. I felt betrayed and angry. How could she just decide that she didn't want to be my friend?
"Maybe they won't know it was me."
"The guy saw us, and like you said, how many other kids in town are bald?"
She shrugged.
"When are you moving?"
She shrugged again. "Maybe tonight. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe next week. It doesn't matter since I won't be hanging out with you anymore."
A plan began to formulate in my head. I couldn't tell Max about it. I couldn't tell anyone. Max wanted to stop her aunt and uncle from using drugs by cutting off their supplier. I knew that wasn't going to work. My plan, if it worked, would be much more drastic. Max might never speak to me again, but I had to do something. I was willing to sacrifice our friendship as long as I got Max away from them.
Max went home after dinner. She told my parents that she'd changed her mind about staying. I figured Serena had changed her mind. I didn't care really. In fact, not having Max there made my job easier.
I went to bed early and read until midnight. When I felt certain everyone was asleep, I grabbed a sweatshirt out of my closet and stuffed my feet into my tennis shoes. I quietly opened my closet door. I got out my nylon net beach bag to hold all the stuff I'd need: binoculars, a camera, a flashlight, some snacks for energy, my tape recorder, and a notepad. Before pulling the drawstring tight, I wrote a quick note to Mom and Dad in case something happened. Gone to see Max. Love, Jessie.
Careful not to make a lot of noise, I sneaked down the stairs, slid open the patio door, and stepped onto the deck. My heart stopped when the board under my foot creaked. After waiting several seconds to make sure no one had heard, I tiptoed down the stairs, then ran down to the lake where I eased the boat into the water and climbed in.
The wind had picked up a little. I shivered, glad I'd worn my hooded sweatshirt.
After putting the oars in the oarlocks, I slipped them into the water and maneuvered around until the front of the boat was facing toward town. Before beginning my journey, I tipped my head back and watched the stars twinkle against the night sky. The moon was full and bright—giving me plenty of light. "Please, God," I whispered, "help me do this. Make me strong enough to get there and back. And please let this work."
I had decided earlier that going by water would cut my travel time to Max's place in half. Plus, no one would see me. By the time I got to the beach access road, which was only about three blocks from Max's house, my arms felt like they were going to fall off. The current and the wind at my back had made the trip easier. I didn't want to think about the ride home, as I'd be going against the wind. Maybe it would shift by then.
My legs felt shaky as I pulled the aluminum boat up onto the sand and grabbed my bag. I'd only gotten halfway up the bank when my knees buckled and I fell. I lay there for a while, catching my breath and gathering up the courage to go on.
"Come on, Jessie," I said under my breath. "You can't give up now."
I rolled over and sat up. "This is a stupid idea," I muttered. "Even dumber than Max's plan to turn in the store owner for dealing drugs. What if they aren't home? What if nothing happens tonight?"
Then you go back tomorrow, I told myself. Besides, this was Saturday night, and the drug trade was big on weekends. At least that's what I'd heard. Some of the older kids went to raves where they used ecstasy and cocaine.
I rested for a few more minutes, then began the trek up the steep hill and on to the house where Max lived. The road leading from the beach was narrow and lined on both sides with concrete and stone walls to protect the property owners' privacy. Long strands of ivy had rooted themselves into the walls, creating a garden effect. At the top of the hill I crossed Cedar Street and kept going. At the end of the next block I turned right onto Ash. Serena and Bob's house was at the end of the block.
Every step brought with it a warning from somewhere in my head, telling me to go back. I pushed the warnings aside. I was not about to let Max leave with those people. Somehow, Bob and Serena had to be stopped. When I got to the driveway I ducked into some bushes. I guess I was half expecting to see a moving truck, but the only vehicle parked in the driveway was Bob's black van. The lights were on in the house and the drapes closed.
I walked up the drive and was just starting to go behind the house when a car pulled into the driveway. The headlights caught me. I ducked.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
It had to be close to one in the morning, and here I was hunkered down behind a pair of garbage cans pleading with God to save me. I closed my eyes tight and held my breath when the driver cut the lights and opened the car door. He didn't seem in too much of a hurry, so I figured he hadn't seen me before I ducked out of sight. Maybe he thought I was an animal or something. I wasn't about to ask.
The man was tall and wiry, wearing jeans and a leather jacket. He had dark hair that curled around his collar and looked like he might be about Bob's age, which would have made him 30 to 35.
I'd seen him before, and when I realized where, I could hardly breathe. He was one of the guys who'd been arrested at the warehouse. He'd been in handcuffs then, but I know he'd have killed me if he'd had the chance. Now here I was, standing only twenty feet away at the most.
I fumbled around in my bag for my notepad and pen and jotted down a description of the guy and his car along with the license number. It was a red sports car, a newer model. I peered at the design on the grill and recognized the Mustang ornament. By now the guy had reached the front door. He knocked once, then reached for the doorknob and let himself in.
Reaching into my bag again, I snapped a picture of the car. The flash went off and sent a streak of panic straight through me. Had he seen it? Had someone else?
"Jessie," I said, hard
ly breathing. "You have to be more careful. One thing for sure—you make a terrible spy." I put the camera back, not sure what I should do next. My plan hadn't extended much beyond go to Max's place and look for any illegal activity, record it, and hand it over to the police. While Max was intent on keeping drugs away from her aunt and uncle, my plan was to find sufficient evidence to have them arrested. That way they wouldn't be able to move and Max would have to be taken away from them.
So far nothing illegal had taken place, except maybe for me snooping around Bob and Serena's house. I straightened and made my way to the back of the house, hoping I might be able to get a look inside. I'd never been inside the house, but I knew that from the front door I could see past the living room into the kitchen and that the kitchen door had a window. That's where I headed. From that window I should be able to get a good look at the living room and dining room, which was most likely where I'd find Bob and Serena and their guest.
Sure enough. I passed under a window that I imagined was a bedroom, probably Max's. Through the back door window I had a perfect view of the threesome. Fortunately, with the lights inside and the darkness outside, they couldn't see me.
The guy with the Mustang sat down at the dining room table with Bob. Serena came into the kitchen and I ducked. "Want something to drink, Cody?" she asked.
"Sure. Anything so long as it's cold." I raised up again as Serena pulled out three brown bottles, then pushed the refrigerator door shut with her foot. She set the bottles down in front of the two men and twisted the cap off her own. I scribbled the name Cody in my notebook.
Cody set a briefcase in the center of the table. "Made a big haul tonight," he said. "That party up at the old grange hall brought in a couple hundred kids. Sold all I had and could probably do more if you have it."
I gasped when I saw what was inside. The briefcase was full of money. I realized then that Serena and Bob weren't just users. They were also suppliers. I wanted to take a picture of them, but couldn't chance it. They'd see the flash for sure. The police would just have to accept my word for it. I scribbled information about the briefcase and the money into the notebook.
Max & Me Mysteries Set Page 6
