by Jo Gibson
Cat frowned as he rummaged in his locker for a missing library book. He’d cleaned out his locker at Christmas break, but it was a mess again. There were piles of papers on the floor, and his books were no longer arranged in alphabetical order by author as they’d been at the start of the year. Now that Karen was dead, a little thing like an organized locker just didn’t seem to matter anymore.
He managed to locate the library book, mashed in the corner, under an old pair of sneakers. He pulled it out, dusted it off on the sleeve of his jacket, and frowned. There was only one section of his locker that was still neat and clean, and he’d hidden it from prying eyes. He glanced around, checking to make sure the halls were deserted, and then he removed the large three-ring binder that blocked the top shelf.
“Karen.” Cat sighed as he stared at her photograph. It was an eight-by-ten print that the school photographer had taken last year. He’d framed it, and now it was propped up on the top shelf of his locker, surrounded by a circle of the pretty white, vanilla-scented candles she’d loved so much.
Something glittered in the center of the ring, and Cat smiled as he fingered the thin gold chain holding the half-heart pendant. Perhaps his locker wasn’t the best place to keep it.
Cat picked it up, and wondered if he should wear it around his neck. No, that would be much too dangerous. If anyone spotted it, they might guess that he’d killed Tanya.
“You understand about the heart, don’t you, Karen?”
Cat smiled as he said the words. Karen had always loved puzzles, and the half heart was a puzzle that no one else would be able to solve. It was a symbol for the way that Tanya had broken Karen’s heart by gossiping about her. When Cat had finished taking Karen’s revenge, he intended to bury the half-heart pendants with her. But Karen’s revenge was far from over, and he had to find a safe place to store the charm.
His backpack was sitting on top of his locker, and Cat grinned as he remembered the pocket inside. It was intended for pens and pencils, but it was a perfect hiding place for the pendant. He opened the backpack, unzipped the pocket, and slipped the other half of Tanya’s pendant inside. He’d carry it with him to remind himself that his work was far from finished.
“They posted the results of the contest, Karen. Now that Tanya’s dead, Gail’s in the lead with eighty-five points, and everyone’s sure she’s going to win. Is Gail the right girl for queen?”
Cat listened, but of course the photograph didn’t speak. Karen’s smile was frozen in time, forever young and forever beautiful. As he studied her lovely image, a cold draft seemed to emanate from the depths of the locker, and he shivered with anticipation.
“Is that you, Karen? Are you with me?”
Cat shut his eyes, and tried to be perfectly receptive. He felt that Karen was with him, but she still hadn’t spoken to him. Perhaps she never would. They hadn’t seemed to feel the need to speak when Karen was alive. They’d sat close together, perfectly silent, their minds on the same wavelength. On most occasions, he’d known exactly what Karen had been thinking.
“Karen . . . you’ve got to let me know. Was Gail one of the girls who hurt you?”
Cat frowned as he tried to remember everything Karen had told him on the night she’d cried in his arms. He was almost sure she hadn’t mentioned Gail by name, but perhaps Karen hadn’t known exactly who her enemies had been.
“This is very important, Karen. Do you want me to test Gail to see if she’s worthy to be the Valentine’s Day Queen?”
Cat listened intently, but there was nothing to hear. There was silence, broken only by distant and indistinct murmuring from the classroom down at the end of the hall.
“Please, Karen. I’ve got to know what you want.” Cat’s voice was shaking with intensity. “If you can’t speak to me, try to give me a sign.”
As Cat stood there, trembling, another icy draft swirled around his feet. And then a door slammed across the hall with a bang that made him jump. Cat hurried to the closed door, and peered through the glass pane at the empty classroom inside. No one had been near the door to slam it.
It must have been a sign from Karen.
“Yes, my darling Karen . . . I understand.”
Cat walked back across the hall, and took down Karen’s photograph. He smiled at her lovely image, gently touched his lips to hers, and replaced it on the shelf. Then he put the three-ring binder back in place and closed and locked his locker. He was smiling as he headed back to the library with the missing book. Karen had broken through the barrier between the dead and the living to give him a sign. That meant she was pleased with what he was doing to keep her memory alive in his heart.
Several students nodded to him as he walked back into the library. He was well-liked at school. He saw Amy, sitting at a table in the back of the room, and he was almost tempted to join her. Amy was a nice person, not like the others, but he walked past with a smile. He had work to do, and he had to be alone.
Cat sat down at a small table in the front, which was so close to the librarian that most students avoided it. Then he opened his notebook and began to plan out the rest of his day. He had to devise a test for Gail, a fair test that would tell him what sort of person she really was.
If she passed, he would let her be queen.
But if she failed, he would arrange another accident that would take her out of the contest.
For good.
Amy and Colleen pushed open the glass door to the Hungry Burger, and a blast of noise assaulted their ears. It was the after-school hangout for the whole Senior class, and every booth was taken.
“Oh-oh.” Amy began to frown. “I guess we should have gotten here earlier.”
Colleen nodded. And then she smiled as someone in the back of the crowded room began to wave frantically. “It’s okay. Jessica and Michele have that big booth in the back, and they saved a place for us.”
Amy was smiling as she followed Colleen through the crowd, but her smile changed to a frown the moment she saw who else was sharing the booth. Kevin was there, and that was fine, but Gail and Brett were huddled together in the farthest corner.
“Amy . . . come on.” Colleen grabbed her hand and pulled her forward as Amy hesitated. “Don’t let them know that they bother you. That way you win, and they lose.”
“Huh?” Amy was clearly puzzled. “You’re not making any sense, Colleen. Where did you hear a dumb thing like that!?”
Colleen shrugged. “My mother. She’s just as bad as yours, in a way. Mine has crazy sayings, and yours has crazy diets.”
“That’s true.” Amy sighed. “I don’t know how much longer my dad’s going to put up with this one. She started him on tofu and bottled water this morning. It’s supposed to clean all the poisons out of his system, or something like that.”
Danny came up just in time to hear Amy’s comment. “I really feel for your father. Have you ever tried tofu? It tastes like milk Jell-O.”
“That’s exactly what Dad said. He dumped it in the ivy plant while Mom wasn’t looking.”
“It’ll probably die of lack of nutrition.” Colleen started to frown. “Why doesn’t your dad put his foot down and tell her he wants a real breakfast?”
“He loves her, and he understands that she’s just concerned about his health. And he knows it’s only a matter of time before she switches him to a new diet.”
Danny nodded. “I guess you have to compromise if you want a marriage to work. But in the meantime, what does your dad do for food?”
“We stop at Dunkin’ Donuts every morning. Mrs. Beeseman always has a hot cinnamon bun ready for Dad. He never eats lunch, so that’s okay, but then he has to come home to whatever Mom decides is a healthy dinner.”
Danny looked thoughtful. “Why don’t you print up a fake fad diet?”
“A what?”
“A fad diet, just like the ones your mother follows. Make a list of all your father’s favorite foods and write down some great-sounding reasons why he should eat them. Your mom’ll
never know the difference.”
Amy began to smile. “That’s really a good idea . . . and it might just work. But how do I get Mom to fall for it?”
“Send it to her through the mail. Make up some catchy title like the Fit and Trim Nutritional Guide.”
“I could do that. But what do I use for a return address? I can’t give my own.”
Danny thought for a moment, and then he grinned. “Call yourself the Y.M.A. Nutritional Council. That stands for your name spelled backward, and it sounds legitimate. And make up a fake post office box in New York City.”
“But isn’t that cheating?”
“I guess it is, in a way.” Colleen shrugged. “But we learned about well-balanced diets in Home Economics class, and we probably know more about nutrition than the people who make up those other diet sheets.”
“You’re right, and I’ll do it.” Amy grinned at them. “You guys are terrific . . . you know that?”
“Of course we do.” Danny nodded, and then he put his arm around her shoulders. “Come on, Amy. Let’s go sit down.”
Amy was smiling as she approached the booth. Danny’s arm felt good around her shoulders, and the sight of Brett and Gail, cuddling in the corner, didn’t bother her nearly as much as it had before.
Nine
Jessica looked up as Colleen, Amy, and Danny slid into the booth. “Hi, guys. We’ve got a problem, and we were waiting for you.”
Amy nodded. Michele looked very upset, and so did Kevin, and Neal. Even Brett had lost his usual smile, and Gail seemed ready to burst into tears. “What is it, Jessica?”
“Remember those crazy Valentine cards that Tanya got the night of her accident? Well, Gail got two of them today.”
Gail shivered visibly. “The first one was there when I got to school this morning. And I found the second one right after school. Somebody dropped them through the vent in my locker.”
Gail’s voice was shaking, and Amy felt a stab of sympathy. Even though Gail hadn’t been very friendly lately, Amy felt sorry for her now. It was clear that she was truly frightened.
“I’d like to see those Valentine cards.” Amy took charge.
“Here.” Gail pushed two red envelopes across the table. “They’re from the same person . . . I just know it. And he’s really weird!”
Amy opened the first envelope. The message was printed, just as it had been on Tanya’s cards. She took a deep breath, and read it aloud: “ ‘Roses are red, lilies are white. A queen should always do everything right.’ And it’s signed, ‘Cat.’ ”
“Nice sentiment.” Danny turned to Gail in surprise. “Why are you so upset about that?”
Gail motioned to Amy. “Read the other one. Then you’ll understand.”
“ ‘Roses are red, violets are blue. Pass my test and the queen could be you.’ ” Amy’s voice shook slightly. “That’s exactly the same message that Tanya got!”
Colleen shrugged. “But that’s not so bad. Tanya’s third card was the scary one. And you didn’t get one like that.”
“I didn’t get it . . . yet.” Gail still looked very worried. “But what if I do?”
Amy reached out to pat Gail’s shoulder. “Don’t borrow trouble. It’s like Colleen’s mother always says . . . if you don’t let it bother you, then you win and he loses.”
“That’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard!” Gail began to frown. “Besides, it does bother me. Tanya got the cards, and look what happened to her! She’s dead!”
Now Brett began to frown. “But, Gail . . . Tanya’s death was an accident. How could the cards have anything to do with it?”
“What if it wasn’t an accident? You remember what was in the third card, don’t you?”
Amy nodded. “I’ll never forget it. It said, ‘Violets are blue, roses are red. An unworthy queen is better off dead.’ ”
“Exactly!” Gail shivered. “The third card was a threat. And I think the person who sent the cards pushed Tanya down those stairs!”
There was silence for a moment, and then Danny spoke up. “Come on, Gail. You’re just jumpy, that’s all. Tanya was wearing high-heeled boots, and she tripped.”
“But Tanya was a dancer, and she was used to wearing high heels. I know they said she lost her balance, but I don’t believe it! I think the weirdo who sent these cards was with Tanya that night. He gave her the half-heart pendant, and then he shoved her down the stairs.”
“But . . . why would he do something like that?” Danny was puzzled.
“Because Tanya didn’t pass his test . . . whatever that was. And he decided that she shouldn’t be queen. That’s why.”
There was another long silence, and Amy shivered slightly. Gail had voiced the questions that had been in her mind ever since she’d heard about Tanya’s accident.
Brett put his arm around Gail and hugged her. “I’m afraid you’ve got a point. The cards, the pendant, Tanya’s accident . . . if you add it all up, it does seem suspicious.”
“Exactly!” Gail smiled briefly at Brett, but then she looked worried again. “We’ve got to find out who’s sending these cards! He could be Tanya’s killer!”
Now it was Danny’s turn to look worried. “I agree with you, Gail. I think we should try to find out, but let’s not jump to conclusions. The person who sent the cards could be nothing more than a practical joker. He might not be the same person who gave Tanya the pendant. And even if you do suspect foul play, the sheriff already wrote Tanya’s death off as an accident.”
“Danny’s right.” Amy nodded. “Whoever this person is, he’s innocent until proven guilty. We have to remember that.”
“And there’s no way we can find out who sent the cards, anyway.” Neal shook his head. “He just signs himself Cat, and we can’t tell by his handwriting because he printed.”
“Printed?” Danny turned to Amy in surprise. “Didn’t you say those votes you got for queen were printed?”
Amy blushed. “That’s true. My votes were printed. And I . . . I kept the one I got today. Hold on while I find it. It’s in my purse.”
Brett groaned. “I know what that means. Whenever a girl says she’s got something in her purse, it takes hours to find it.”
“Wrong.” Amy reached into her purse and pulled out a red construction paper heart. “I have a very efficient filing system.”
Neal nodded. “Sure. You filed it under P for purse. It was just blind luck that you found it.”
“No . . . honestly.” Amy began to blush. “I really do have a filing system. I put the special things in this little zippered pocket, and I stuff the things I want to save for a long time in the deep pocket in the center. The pocket with snaps on the outside of my purse is for the things I need every day, like my comb, and my lunch card, and my money, and my keys, and . . .”
“And we thought we had it hard with our car keys and our wallets!” Danny started to laugh. “How many pounds does your purse weigh?”
“It’s not that heavy!” Amy grinned, in spite of herself.
“Oh, no? Then why does your left shoulder dip down two inches lower than your right?”
“Hold it, you two!” Brett held up his hands. “Let’s take a look at Amy’s vote.”
Amy nodded, and unfolded it. And then she pushed it across the table to Brett, along with Gail’s Valentine cards. “Can you tell if they’re from the same person?”
Brett stared at the samples of printing for a moment, and then he nodded. “It’s the same person. I’m willing to bet on it. Look at the way he crosses his letters, especially the capital A.”
“Brett’s right.” Danny compared the two samples. “They’re crossed diagonally. Most people cross them with a straight line.”
“Here’s something else.” Brett pointed to the note. “This card is printed in block letters, and so is Amy’s name on the vote. If we could get a sample of everyone’s printing, I think we could identify the writer.”
“But how?” Kevin was curious. “Lots of people print in block le
tters, don’t they?”
“See how the letters are slanted slightly to the left? That’s something distinctive to look for. And he gives some of his letters a loop, just like he’s writing instead of printing.”
“You’re really good at this!” Amy smiled at Brett.
“Thanks.” Brett smiled back. “It’s because I work in my dad’s print shop, and part of my job is comparing different styles and typefaces. If we could get a sample of everyone’s printing, I think I could identify this guy.”
“Are you sure?” Danny frowned slightly.
“Yeah. I really think I could do it.”
“Okay. You’re on.” Danny reached across the table to shake Brett’s hand. “I’ll provide the samples for you.”
Amy turned to Danny in surprise. “That’s a great idea, but how are you going to do that?”
“Just leave it to me.” Danny squeezed her hand under the table. “I’ll have them for you by lunchtime tomorrow.”
Cat was frowning as he went up to the counter and got in line to order another Coke. It would be tragic if they solved the puzzle before he’d finished Karen’s revenge. He’d just have to think of some way to throw them off the track.
He thought about Karen as he waited for the girl in front of him to place her order. What would they do if Karen were here, right now, at the Hungry Burger? Would they invite her to join them at the back booth, and accept her as a friend? Or would they be very polite to her face, but gossip about her behind her back, as they’d done in the last few weeks of her life?
The week before Karen had died, she’d asked him to take her to the Hungry Burger. But when they’d joined the crowd at the big booth in the back, all the conversation had stopped, and there had been an uncomfortable silence before it had started again. Karen had known that they’d been talking about her, and it had hurt her deeply.
He put a smile on his face as he realized that several of his classmates were staring at him. He had to pretend to be just part of the gang. It was the only way they’d take him into their confidence. He was a wolf among sheep, and he had to keep up his disguise. They might panic if they knew what his real intentions were.
