The Grim Reaper's Dance

going to get them killed.

“You know, guys,” she said. “I’m exhausted. It’s been a long couple of days.”

Bailey’s lip stuck out. “Are you kicking us out?”

“She can’t kick us out,” Sheryl said. “It’s your shed.”

“And we’re not done with the cake.” Terry waved his fork over the half-eaten dessert.

Martin shut off the music. “Come on, guys. We said we’d help her out.”

“And we are.” Bailey grabbed Casey’s sleeve, and Casey steeled herself not to react. “Come on, Casey. What else can we do?”

Casey closed her eyes and tried to relax her shoulders. “You’re already giving me a place to stay, feeding me, clothing me, and getting me police reports. You’ve done a lot.”

“And I can see what else we should do,” Martin said. “Leave her alone.”

“But—”

“Let’s go, Bail,” Sheryl said. “We can see when we’re not wanted.”

“Oh, guys,” Casey said. “It’s not that. Not at all. I like…you guys are great.”

“Then what do you need?” Bailey pleaded.

What did she need? She needed these sweet, exasperating kids to be safe. Oh, yeah, there was something else. “Pat Parnell. Did you ask your dad if he has a second job?”

“Didn’t have to. Asked Mom. And I didn’t know it, but he doesn’t farm anymore. Hasn’t for awhile. He took up another job. Driving trucks.”

Bingo.

“But he doesn’t anymore.”

“How come?”

“Don’t know. Mom wouldn’t say. In fact, when I asked about him, she got all weird.”

“Weird? In what way?”

“Just got all…like she was creeped out. Or disgusted. Who knows with her. She gets freaked out if you even mention the word bellybutton.”

Casey considered this new information. “I need to talk to him.”

“Pat?”

“Can you get me his number?”

“Sure. Easy.”

“Without your dad knowing.”

“You forget,” Bailey said with a smirk, “I do all sorts of things without my dad knowing. And anyway, this is simple.” She pulled out her phone and dialed 411. She listened, said Pat’s name and city, and waited. And frowned.

She slid her phone shut. “Unlisted.” Her face cleared. “So I’ll go home and get it. Dad would have his cell number.”

“And I’ll get it from you how?”

Bailey looked at Terry. “Ter, give Casey your phone.”

“What?”

“No,” Casey said. “I don’t want—”

“Come on,” Bailey said. “You hardly use it, anyway. You haven’t sent me a text for at least three days.”

“Bailey,” Casey said. “Terry doesn’t need to—”

“She’s right.” Terry handed Casey his phone. “Go ahead.”

“Terry!” Sheryl was on her feet now. “Don’t give her your phone.”

“The sooner she finds out what she wants to know, the sooner she’s gone!” Terry said, his voice loud and harsh in the enclosed space.

That shut them all up.

“I’m sorry,” Casey said. “I’m making things difficult for—”

“No,” Bailey said. “You’re making things exciting around here. For once. Don’t listen to him.” She glared at Terry. “Come on, guys. A few songs before we hit the road. I need the pick-me-up.”

Martin programmed a few lively songs to play, and he and Bailey danced around the room, Sheryl and Terry watching from the sidelines. Several times Bailey tried to get them to join, but Sheryl simply sulked, and Terry was watching her for cues.

Finally Bailey dropped onto a bucket, wiping her forehead. “Okay, come on guys. Casey needs her sleep. And I need to go get this number.”

“Thank you for the phone, Terry,” Casey said.

He busied himself covering the cake and shoving trash into his bag. Sheryl sulked in the corner. Martin packed away his iPod and accessories. Everybody strapped their things onto their bikes and wheeled them outside.

“So I’ll be in touch,” Bailey said.

“Thanks so much. For everything.”

Bailey led the group down the lane, Terry’s bike wobbling with his heavy load.

Martin hung behind. “Don’t worry about Terry. You’re not the reason he’s so crabby.”

“Sheryl?”

Martin laughed. “So you see it, too?” He straddled his bike. “All I can say is, good luck with that. If she never sees him, it’ll destroy him. But if she ever takes him up on it? She’ll eat him alive.” He hopped on the bike and pedaled down the lane, waving over his head.

Speaking of eating…

Casey went into the shed and devoured everything the kids had brought.

Chapter Seventeen

The Bugs Bunny theme blared, and Casey sat straight up. It was still dark. Terry’s phone wasn’t hard to find—it lit up her entire side of the shed. Casey grabbed it and pushed buttons until it quieted. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting herself wake up.

“Annoying tune,” Death said, from the darkness of a far corner. “Kids these days.”

“Yeah, well, it’s a tune I remember very well from my childhood. I’m surprised Terry even knows who Bugs Bunny is.”

“Some things remain constant,” Death said.

Casey read the phone’s screen, which held Pat Parnell’s cell phone number and address, and a demand that Casey let Bailey know she got it. Bailey Rossford. Her full name appeared on the screen. Casey pecked out a short reply and turned off the phone before lying back down.

“Want a lullaby?” Death asked.

Casey rolled over without answering, and went to sleep with Death singing Away in a Manger, accompanied by an autoharp.

Casey woke up alone and surprisingly rested. Her stomach growled, having been reminded the night before what it felt like full. Casey wished she hadn’t been quite so greedy, eating everything all at once. She turned on Terry’s phone to check the time. After nine. The kids should all be in school. At least, she hoped none of them had skipped.

Bugs Bunny began playing again, and Casey found the button to mute it. Bailey and Martin had each texted her. Martin once, saying good morning and that she should contact him if she needed to, and Bailey nine times, wondering where Casey was and why she hadn’t texted back.

Casey let her head fall onto her arms. She just didn’t have the energy for modern technology. Or kids.

After a round of hapkido forms, stripped to her underwear, Casey checked the field for farmers and rinsed off at the pump, pulling on the set of clothes Bailey had brought the night before. What would she do without those kids? And why wasn’t she running from them as fast as she could?

“Because you need them,” Death said.