Maybe I just heard myself step on something? she thought hopefully. And it echoed.
But a nerve fluttered in her cheek, betraying her tension.
‘Hello?’ Her voice sounded uncertain and she cleared her throat. ‘Is anyone there?’
Nobody answered.
Allie stopped talking. Maybe it wasn’t great to be advertising her location.
After a long moment of heavy silence she heard it again – the sharp crack of a branch snapping.
And she hadn’t moved.
Allie’s training kicked in – her heart pounding, she dropped down into a low crouch, muffling a grunt as her battered knee protested. Staying very still, she listened.
Snap.
There it is again.
Someone was definitely there – no animal could make that noise. But, whoever it was, they seemed to be at the far end of the garden, although it was hard to tell where precisely – the sound echoed off the encircling walls.
She stayed low, hidden by darkness and dry brush, thinking through her options. She felt strangely calm. Maybe it was the lingering effect of her panic attack earlier – her adrenaline failed to kick in.
She knew she should run back to the school to get help. That is what Isabelle would want her to do.
But what if it was Nathaniel? Or Gabe? What if they were here now? This could be her chance to end this. To pay them back for what they’d done.
She wasn’t back to full strength. And she was alone. Fighting them now would be a bad idea. If she lost…
She didn’t know what would happen if she lost.
But all she could think was: If I won… it would all be over.
In the end, the decision wasn’t that difficult. Rising to her feet she looked for a makeshift weapon.
Whatever the odds – it didn’t matter. If they were here she wasn’t running away. She owed Jo that much. She owed her bravery.
Finding two sharp bamboo stakes, she yanked them free of the frozen earth and carried one in each hand as, with careful steps, she crossed to the edge of the garden. There she paused to listen then, moving with stealth and speed, she followed her instincts towards the fruit orchard at the back.
She couldn’t feel the cold any more. Purpose made her warm and whole. She was entirely focused on what she was about to do.
She was almost there when she heard the sound again – much closer now. It came from the other side of the row of trees in front of her. Whoever it was, they were in there.
Her nerves tingled with anticipation – her stomach muscles tightened as she readied herself to spring.
That was when she heard the laugh.
The deep, familiar rumble was followed immediately by words she couldn’t make out and then another chuckle.
She knew that laugh.
No longer trying to keep quiet, she shoved through the dense cluster of apple and pear trees, half hidden in the early morning dark.
‘… and his face turned red, and his eyes bulged out of his face, and I swear to God…’
Bursting through the trees she saw Carter with his back to her, breaking thin branches into smaller sizes and piling them up as he told his story. Nearby, Mr Ellison smiled as he sharpened a set of clippers. A battery-powered lantern sat between them on the ground.
Embarrassment made heat rise to Allie’s cheeks. How could she have thought it was Nathaniel? She was paranoid.
But for God’s sake, she thought, why weren’t they looking out for me instead of sitting back here nattering?
Shame turned to anger in one red-hot instant.
‘Hey!’ She shouted louder than she’d intended. Carter whirled to face her, still holding a long branch in one hand. He looked gratifyingly startled. ‘Why didn’t anyone answer me when I called?’
She could hear the irritation in her own voice but before Carter could say anything Mr Ellison pointed his clippers at her, a frown lowering his brow.
‘You’re late, young lady. And I don’t like how you say “hello”.’
‘What? But I… I couldn’t find you. Didn’t you hear me calling?’ Her mood shifted without effort from anger to defensiveness. ‘I looked for you for ages. Nobody told me to come to the orchard, and’ – they were both staring at her as she finished lamely – ‘it’s dark.’
At that, Mr Ellison began stacking his tools into a worn metal box. ‘No need to go hiring a lawyer, Miss Sheridan. Just try to be on time from now on. And bring a torch. It doesn’t get light until after six.’
Allie refused to look at Carter but she knew he was trying not to smile.
Embarrassed, and in a bid to change the subject, she pointed aggressively at Carter. ‘What’s he doing here?’
Carter opened his mouth to reply but Mr Ellison cut him off. ‘Carter is going to be helping us out today for reasons that are… not entirely voluntary.’
His eyes twinkled as he said it, and this time Carter failed to stop his guilty grin.
Instantly, Allie’s hackles rose. So it’s funny when Carter gets detention, but I get treated like an axe murderer?