Twisted

by Jo Gibson

  “Me, neither.” Tim shook his head. “This is all Brian’s idea.”

  Brian looked very serious as he shook his head. “It’s not my idea, either. It’s Kelly’s. She’s the one who wants us to find her killer. That means we’ve got to hold another séance. It’s the only way that Kelly can tell us who killed her.”

  “Brian’s right. We can’t stop now. Let’s go on with the séances.” Tommy looked serious, too. “If somebody murdered Kelly, I want to know who it is.”

  Lexie nodded. “Me, too! But there’s only eight of us left. Will it work?”

  “It’ll work.” Brian sounded very certain. “How about it, Pete? Can we hold another séance?”

  Pete shrugged. “Let’s put it to the vote. How many want another séance?”

  Tommy and Lexie raised their hands and a moment later, so did Cheryl. Jennifer hid a grin. It was clear that Cheryl wasn’t going to be left out of anything that Tommy wanted to do.

  “I’m in,” Brian said. “How about you, Tim?”

  “Sure. If everyone wants another séance, I’m willing to take part. But we can’t do it without you, Jen.”

  Jennifer hesitated and then she nodded. “All right. Since I started the whole thing, I guess it’s only right that I follow through. How about you, Dale?”

  “Okay.” Dale looked amused. “I’ll cast my vote with the majority. But I think you should be in on it, Pete. I know this isn’t really the time to bring it up, but the table’s getting kind of empty.”

  There was a moment of silence and then Pete stood up. “All right. I’ll take part. Get into your séance clothes and we’ll meet around the table in fifteen minutes.”

  Jennifer was dressed and ready when Tim knocked on her door. But he didn’t wait for her to answer. He just opened the door, crossed the room to where she was standing, and took her into his arms for a long, comforting kiss.

  When the kiss ended, Tim looked down into her eyes. There was a gentle, caring expression on his face. “Are you okay, Jen?”

  “I am now.” Jennifer snuggled a little closer. “But I can’t understand why Brian practically forced us into holding another séance. I talked to him yesterday morning and he told me he didn’t believe in Kelly’s spirit.”

  “Maybe he changed his mind.”

  “Maybe.” Jennifer took Tim’s hand and they walked toward the door. But she didn’t really believe that Brian had changed his mind. There was another reason, and Jennifer just hoped that it wouldn’t lead to even more trouble.

  Everyone felt much better when they left the séance table. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary had happened. There had been no knocks, no voices, no candles that mysteriously extinguished themselves. There was no evidence that Kelly’s spirit had even heard them and that was just fine with Cheryl. She wanted Kelly’s spirit to disappear so Tommy could concentrate on the living, particularly on her.

  Cheryl grinned as she climbed the stairs. At least one thing had worked in her favor. Since she’d been sitting next to Tommy at the séance, Pete had paired them together. He’d told them there’d been too many accidents and he was starting a new policy. Everyone was now on the buddy system, and no one was allowed to go anywhere alone. Their buddies had to know where they were at all times, and anyone who got a note from Kelly had to promise to report to the group immediately. Tommy was Cheryl’s buddy, Lexie was paired with Dale, Tim was Jennifer’s guardian, and Brian and Pete had agreed to keep an eye on each other.

  “I’ll wait out here until you’re ready.” Tommy stood to the side as Cheryl opened her door. “Just call if you need me.”

  Cheryl turned to smile at him. “Don’t be silly, Tommy. Why don’t you just come in?”

  “No.” Tommy looked uncomfortable as he shook his head. “Guys aren’t allowed in the girls’ rooms. Go ahead, Cheryl. I’ll wait right here.”

  “All right. Whatever you want.” Cheryl managed to keep the pleasant expression on her face until she’d shut the door behind her. Then she started to scowl and she just barely resisted the urge to fling her shoe at the back of the door. What was wrong with Tommy? She’d expected him to jump at the chance to come into her room, and he had turned her down!

  Could it be Lexie? Cheryl thought about it for a second and then she shook her head. Impossible! Lexie was short and skinny, without a sexy bone in her body. There was no way that Tommy could be seriously interested in her. Cheryl had been very jealous when she’d seen them holding hands, but now she realized that Tommy was probably just being kind to an unfortunate girl who obviously adored him.

  Cheryl slipped out of her clothes and examined her figure in the mirror. She was much prettier than Lexie with curves in all the right places and a face that a model would envy. She was perfect for Tommy, but why had he turned down her invitation?

  Kelly. Cheryl began to frown. Tommy was still thinking about Kelly. The séances had depressed him, bringing back painful memories of the girl he’d loved. Luckily, Cheryl had thought of a perfect way to take his mind off his former girlfriend.

  It didn’t take long to get into her bathing suit, a tiny white bikini that was sure to take Tommy’s mind off Kelly. She slipped on a robe, no sense showing Tommy more than he could handle at the moment, and picked up her portable CD player. She’d already chosen the CDs she wanted to play and they were all mellow, romantic albums.

  The next thing to pack was her sports bag. Cheryl hurried to the bathroom to get her scented bubble bath. She opened the medicine cabinet and then she saw it, a small gold class ring on the top shelf. There was a rolled piece of paper stuck through the band, and she gasped as she saw the initials on the ring. K.A.B. Kelly Anne Bridges. It was Kelly’s class ring! And even before she unrolled the note, Cheryl knew it was a message from Kelly.

  The handwriting was the same. She recognized it from the other notes. Cheryl frowned as she read the message. It said, Cheryl—The killer is one of you. I will tell you who murdered me tonight.

  “Oh, sure!” Cheryl laughed and slipped the class ring back on the shelf. Jennifer and Tim were up to their old tricks and this time she’d been chosen. She wasn’t nervous, not even a little bit, but Pete had made them promise to report any messages from Kelly and that meant a change in her plans for the evening.

  Cheryl thought about leaving the note and the ring right there on the shelf. She could always claim she hadn’t found them. But now that she considered it carefully, the note might actually help her. Tommy was waiting outside her room. He might decide to wait outside the spa, too. And if Tommy refused to climb into the Jacuzzi with her, all her plans for a romantic evening would be ruined.

  There was a smile on Cheryl’s face as she picked up the note and headed for the door. Jennifer and Tim might not realize it, but they’d done her a big favor. Because of the note, Tommy would be her captive audience tonight. He was honor-bound not to leave her. That would give Cheryl plenty of time to convince him that she was the perfect girl for him.

  Tommy looked very serious as he unlocked the door to the spa. “Are you sure you’ll be all right while I change?”

  “Of course I will.” Cheryl nodded quickly. “Just take the key and lock the door behind you. You can let yourself in when you come back.”

  As soon as Tommy had left the room, Cheryl started her preparations. Everyone had been very upset when she’d reported the note and Tommy had agreed when she’d suggested that he sleep in the adjoining room, so all she had to do was call out if there was any sign of trouble.

  The rest of the girls had objected. Boys weren’t supposed to be on the girls’ floor. Lexie and Jennifer had even offered to stay in Cheryl’s room, but Cheryl had turned them down. If Kelly’s spirit tried to kill her, Lexie and Jennifer wouldn’t be able to protect her. But Tommy might. He could reason with Kelly’s spirit and convince her not to do any more harm.

  Cheryl was grinning as she poured bath oil in the Jacuzzi and watched the bubbles form. After their interlude in the Jacuzzi, she was almost su
re Tommy would never even set foot in the adjoining room. They’d keep the doors locked and closed. No one would have to know except them. And after one night with her, Cheryl was sure that Tommy would be hers for life.

  Music was next, and she slipped Tommy’s favorite CD into her player. She turned it on, but no sound came out of the speakers. A glance at the battery case and she knew what was wrong. One of the batteries was missing. She should have thought to check it before she’d left her room.

  There were batteries in her room and she thought about going back to get them. But Tommy could be back any minute and she really didn’t want to leave. Thank goodness there was a power source! There was an outlet on the far wall and a thick, black extension cord was rolled up neatly on the bench.

  Cheryl hooked everything up and carried the CD player close to the Jacuzzi. She’d still have to climb out of the Jacuzzi to change CDs. It was too dangerous to touch the player while they were sitting in a pool of water. But she wouldn’t have to walk all the way across the room to do it.

  The CD player worked perfectly and Cheryl smiled as she sat down on the ledge of the Jacuzzi and took out her contact lenses. Removing them later might interrupt a very romantic moment, and she wouldn’t need them tonight. Everything would be a blur, but that wouldn’t matter. She didn’t need to see to be sexy for Tommy. Then she climbed into the Jacuzzi and sighed in pleasure. The hot, scented water felt wonderful. She’d just leaned back and begun to relax when she heard the key in the door.

  Tommy was here! Cheryl put on her sexiest expression and turned toward the door. There was a moment of wonderful anticipation that made her heart beat fast, and then the door opened.

  “Hi, Tommy.” Cheryl’s voice was low and husky. But Tommy didn’t reply and she giggled. Seeing her like this had made him speechless.

  “Come on over here and join me.” Cheryl reached out and brushed away some of the bubbles. “This Jacuzzi is just perfect for two.”

  But Tommy still didn’t reply and her smile began to fade. What was wrong with him? Why didn’t he say something?

  “Tommy? Is everything all right?”

  Cheryl sat up and squinted. And then she saw a shape moving toward the Jacuzzi and she smiled again. “Come on, Tommy . . . I’m getting lonesome in here.”

  Tommy still didn’t say anything. He just walked closer and picked up the CD player.

  “What’s the matter? I put on your favorite album.” Cheryl tried to sound pleasant, but she was really getting a little angry. Tommy knew you weren’t supposed to pick up a CD player when it was running. It might scratch the disk, or jam, or something equally expensive to fix.

  “What are you doing?” Cheryl gasped as he held the CD player in one hand and raised it like a football. “Tommy! Stop it!”

  And then, before she had time to scream, the CD player was hurtling forward in an arc toward the water.

  “Tommy! Nooo!“

  Cheryl barely had time to scream before the CD player hit the surface of the water. There was a spark, a loud pop, and a sizzle like a steak thrown on a red-hot grill. And almost instantaneously Cheryl was just as dead as that steak, seared to death in a pool of bubbling, scented water.

  Sixteen

  Jennifer sat next to Lexie on one of the leather couches in the lobby. Even though she tried not to think of it, she knew she’d never forget the sight of Cheryl’s dead body in the Jacuzzi. The boys had taken charge, telling Lexie and Jennifer to wait for them until they’d unplugged the CD player and taken Cheryl’s body away. And Jennifer and Lexie were waiting, lost in their private thoughts and fears, staring at the fire in the huge stone fireplace.

  Even though it was warm by the fire, Jennifer shivered. So many dead: Zada, Melanie, Ronnie, Susie, and now Cheryl. They’d started their Halloween weekend with twelve and only seven were left. Their number was decreasing, one by one. How many more would die before it was over?

  Lexie tapped her on the shoulder and Jennifer turned. And then Lexie said something that made Jennifer shudder.

  “If we don’t do something, the dead will outnumber the living!”

  “That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Jennifer said. “But what can we do? We can’t even prove their deaths weren’t accidents ?”

  Just then the guys trooped into the room. Pete was frowning and so were Dale and Brian. Tim was doing his best to look cheerful, but Jennifer could tell that he felt like frowning, too. And Tommy’s face was so white, it was clear he was still in shock.

  “Everybody grab a seat.” Pete sat down on one of the couches. “We need to talk about this.”

  Tim sat down by Jennifer and put his arm around her shoulders. He gave her a little hug and Jennifer was amazed at how she immediately began to feel better. The situation was still awful. Cheryl had died. But just knowing that Tim cared about her made everything seem less frightening.

  Lexie patted the seat next to her and motioned to Tommy. “Come on, Tommy. Sit by me. And quit kicking yourself for what happened. It’s not your fault. You weren’t even there.”

  “But I should have been.” Tommy was frowning when sat down. “I knew Cheryl got that note.”

  Lexie nodded. “We all knew. And you did your best to protect her, didn’t you?”

  “I thought so, but now I’m not so sure.” Tommy sighed deeply. “I never should have left her alone. I thought locking the door would keep her safe . . . but it didn’t!”

  Pete leaned forward. “You locked the door to the spa?”

  “Yes. And I took the key with me when I went to my room to change.”

  “Think hard, Tommy. Was the door still locked when you got back?”

  “Yes. I unlocked it and went in . . . and that’s when I found her.”

  “Cheryl was by herself in a locked room,” Pete said abruptly. “That proves her death was an accident.”

  Lexie shook her head. “Not necessarily. Spirits can go right through locked doors. And even if there’s no such thing as a spirit, there was more than one key to the spa, wasn’t there?”

  “Yes.” Dale answered the question. “My uncle keeps a full set of keys in his safe. But they were locked up and I gave Cheryl the only key that was in his desk.”

  “How about the master key?” Brian began to frown. “Wouldn’t that open the spa door?”

  “Sure. And I showed everyone where it was, the first time we came up here. It was hanging on a nail in the manager’s office and it said master key right on the label.”

  Jennifer shivered slightly. After she’d locked her door at night, she’d assumed she was safe. But she’d forgotten all about the master key. Anyone who’d grabbed it from the hook could have unlocked her door and walked right in. “Is the master key still there?”

  “I don’t know.” Dale began to frown. “I’ll go check.”

  They were all silent as they waited for Dale to come back. Jennifer knew they were thinking about how easy it would have been to unlock the spa door with the master key. A moment later, Dale was back and this time he was smiling. “It’s still there. I guess Cheryl’s death was an accident, after all.”

  Jennifer nodded, right along with everyone else, but she wasn’t really convinced. If the killer had taken the master key, he could have returned it.

  “Okay, guys. Listen up.” Pete got to his feet and turned to face them. “I’m making a new rule. No one goes anywhere alone, not even to your rooms. We’re going to bring down sleeping bags and spend the rest of the night right here by the fire. Any objections?”

  One by one, they shook their heads. No one wanted to be alone after what had happened to Cheryl.

  “Okay. Let’s go get the sleeping bags.” Pete motioned to Brian and Dale. “You two come with me. I want the rest of you to stay right here and wait for us.”

  But there was another shock when the group got back together again. When Pete had gone to his room to get his sleeping bag, he’d found a note taped to his mirror. It was in an envelope that had been fastened with a gold
seal in the shape of a teddy bear.

  “Kelly’s seal!” Tommy stared at the envelope and his face turned white. “She ordered them from a catalogue. Kelly loved teddy bears.”

  Pete shrugged. “So do a lot of other people. I’m sure Kelly wasn’t the only one to use gold seals shaped like teddy bears. If she got them from a catalogue, they’re probably a popular item.”

  “But this seal has her initials on it.” Tommy held up the envelope so they could all see Kelly’s initials on the tummy of the teddy bear. “How many other people have Kelly’s initials?”

  “You’ve got a point,” Brian agreed. “Go ahead, Pete. Open the envelope and see what’s inside.”

  “It’s a note from Kelly.” Pete unfolded the piece of paper. “And it says, Brian is right. My spirit is angry, but I would never hurt any of you. My killer pushed Zada down the stairs and made the woodpile fall on Melanie. He caused Ronnie’s fall from the balcony and replaced Susie’s prop with a real handgun. Now he has killed Cheryl and you must catch him before he strikes again. Be very careful, Pete. He will try to kill you, too, before I can tell you his name.”

  Jennifer shivered. “She’s right, Pete! You have to be very careful. It’s a good thing we’re all down here together.”

  “I guess that means we’ll have to hold another séance to find out who he is.” Pete winked at Jennifer.

  Jennifer’s mouth dropped open. It was clear Pete thought they were responsible for the note. And he also thought they wanted to hold another séance. “No, Pete . . . we don’t want to hold another séance!”

  But Pete just grinned. He thought she was playing the part of a reluctant psychic. “Okay, Jennifer. We’ll talk about it in the morning. It’s late now and we all have to get some sleep.”

  It took a while, but at last the group had settled down, all in one room. Lexie and Jennifer had the couches and the boys had arranged air mats and sleeping bags close to the big, river rock fireplace. As Jennifer dropped off to sleep, she made a promise to herself. If Pete asked her to conduct another séance in the morning, she was going to refuse. She’d never do their skit again, not even when Miss Voelker and the kids got here. Zada and four of their friends were dead and Jennifer couldn’t help feeling that the séances were to blame. Perhaps Brian was right and it was dangerous to stop, but she didn’t see how it could get much worse than this.