Ever thought for a minute while Mina’s mind swirled with plans and questions.
She nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I got it. We’ll take care of it back at the house.”
“There’s something I have to do first,” Mina said. “Before I head back to the house.” She went around to the back of Brody’s SUV and opened the hatch. Ever helped her get her bike out and onto the pavement. “Can you make sure Charlie gets back safe? And you may have to stop at the store for supplies, since we never made it there.”
“What kind of supplies are you after?” Ever asked.
“I need to get Charlie far away from here.”
Ever didn’t say anything. She just nodded her head and took the money out of Mina’s hand.
“What? You’re not disagreeing with me?”
“No, I agree with you one hundred percent, which is why you didn’t get a sarcastic reply. I’m assuming you need supplies for two people.”
Mina looked hard at Ever, willing her to understand. “Yes. I’m going to ask someone to take him.”
“And I can trust you not to get killed while on this errand?”
“Yeah, I think I’m safe for now. Teague won’t come for me yet.”
“But you think he’s coming?”
“I know he is.”
Chapter 10
Mina slipped away on her bike while Ever distracted the group. Ever would make sure they all made it back to the house.
According to her watch, Mina only had eleven hours until Teague would come for her, so she needed to use the hours left to take care of business. And by business, she meant her friends—her only family.
From the school, Mina rode her bike to the nearest bus stop. She took a moment to latch the bike onto the bus’s front bike rack and rode a half mile to the Country Club—where the ball had been held the night Teague attacked. Mina got her bike and rode up the sidewalk.
The gate was closed.
She parked beside the brick wall and walked around until she found a spot in the hedge she could squeeze through. Jogging up the grassy hill, she thought again how beautiful the Country Club was. It looked as lovely this evening as it had a few nights earlier.
Mina looked for the balcony she and Brody had stood on to watch the fireworks. There were a couple, but Mina found the balcony that overlooked the river. She pulled out her laser pointer and searched the bushes below it.
She wanted to kick herself for not bringing a flashlight. Even though she still had a few hours of daylight, the shadows had lengthened, and the brush under this balcony was square in the dark. Brody’s class ring couldn’t have rolled too far away. She hoped beyond hope that the laser would reflect off the big stone in the top of the ring. But that would be too easy, wouldn’t it?
The bushes were scratching her arms up, and she was getting angry. She didn’t have time for this. She wanted to do something great for her friends, and the bushes were getting in her way! Her hands tingled, and she shoved at the bush again in frustration.
The bush started to part—she jumped back. It was moving.
“What the?” The bush’s branches pull themselves away from her and shifted out of her way. She shined her laser pointer into the newly cleared area.
And then she saw it. A glint reflected back at her.
The ring! Wedged under the bush. There was no way she would have found it if the bush hadn’t moved.
She didn’t want to spend time pondering the whys anymore. She grabbed the class ring and ran down the lawn.
The ring rested safely in her pocket as she pedaled to the bus stop. She only had to get home now. The bus would drop her off about two miles from her house, and she’d be home free.
***
The rain gods must hate her. She didn’t know what she’d done to deserve this, but as soon as the bus dropped her off, it started to pour.
Bitter, angry, and let down, Mina pulled her red bike off the rack and started the miserable and wet ride home. The last few weeks, she’d neglected her notebook titled, “Unaccomplishments and Epic Disasters,” but now she could see her next entry: Tried to save the world. Drowned doing it.
Her chest ached, and her legs burned as she pedaled furiously. Twice, a car drove right through a rain puddle near her. Each time, she squealed and veered toward the side of the road, dodging the car. But the second time, as she bumped into the grass and mud, she lost control of the bike for a moment. When she got back on the road, she wanted to scream. Nothing was fair! All she wanted was for her last few hours of life to at least be dry.