Blackburn

yelled.

Jimmy clambered through the window and dropped to the flower bed. He reached up and pulled the torn screen more or less back into place. Then he picked up the pack and ran to the gate.

Seconds later he was walking down the street, whistling as loud as he could. But that wasn't loud enough to drown out Baby Tina, so he shifted his weight from side to side to make the pack sway on his back. Baby Tina's cries subsided.

No one was on the street, and Jimmy saw no one watching from windows or doorways. Even the lawnmower man had gone inside. Jimmy turned a corner and headed for the kite-flying field.

He found Jasmine where he had left her. She was sitting on a bare patch of ground beside the water-tower fence, spitting into the dirt and using her finger to draw muddy squiggles.

Jimmy glanced at the wrapped bundle beside her. 'Did you do a good job guarding my stuff?'

'Uh-huh.' She looked up at him. 'You help me find Doll-Baby now?'

Jimmy shook his head. 'You have to do one more thing first.' Baby Tina squirmed and began to cry again.

Jasmine tried to peer around Jimmy at his backpack. 'Whatcha got?'

'A bloodhound puppy,' Jimmy said. 'It's howling because it wants to track Doll- Baby, but I won't let it out until you do what I say.'

Jasmine scowled. 'No fair.'

Jimmy looked at the sky. 'I guess you're too little anyway.'

'Am not!'

Jimmy shifted his weight to quiet Baby Tina. It didn't work this time. 'Okay,' he said to Jasmine. 'I'll let you try. You know how to get to Chrissie's house?'

'I went there for birthday cake.'

'Then you can go there again. But you have to promise to be careful crossing the streets.' He paused. 'Mom might not want you to go by yourself.'

'Would too!'

'All right. Go to Chrissie's house and put this on the doorstep.' He took a folded piece of paper from a pocket and handed it to her. He knew its words by heart:

Todd Boyle look in Baby Tina's room and be at field south of Clay Hill by Potwin Road at 1:45 P.M. to take her home or else we will kill her and your dad will kill you. Bring this to prove identity, signed, Some Friends. P.S. We are from Emporia so if you don't show up or if you call fuzz we will take her to beef plant. Wantoda fuzz Johnston is drunk on Saturdays and won't answer anyway and if you call sheriff they will take three hours and she will be hamburger.

Jasmine unfolded the paper and stared at it. Jimmy had written the note in cursive, and Jasmine couldn't read cursive yet.

'After you put it on the step,' Jimmy said, 'ring the doorbell and run away. This is a secret message, so you have to run before anyone sees you. If anyone does, say that you saw some men drop the paper. Can you do all that?'

'Uh-huh.'

'Tell me what you're going to do.'

'Go to Chrissie's. Put the paper on the porch and push the doorbell. Then run back here and you help me find Doll-Baby with the puppy.'

'Right. Get going, Agent X-9.'

Jasmine refolded the paper and left. Jimmy didn't like sending her off alone, but it was the only way.

When Jasmine was out of sight, Jimmy took off his backpack and brought Baby Tina out for some fresh air. She squalled worse than ever. She was moist and red.

'It's okay,' Jimmy said, jiggling her. 'Hush, little baby, don't you cry. James is gonna sing you a lullaby…'

After a few minutes Baby Tina calmed down. Jimmy replaced her in the pack.

The kite was flying at the full length of its line when Jasmine returned. Kyle Thornton was with her, and he was immediately interested in the rod and reel. Jimmy had stuck the handle into the ground and braced it with clods. The shaft was propped on a forked stick, and it quivered with the wind. The monofilament, barely visible, curved upward in a blue arc. It was as tight as a banjo string.

'Neat!' Kyle exclaimed, reaching for the reel.

Jimmy pushed Kyle away, knocking him down. Kyle blinked, about to cry. Jimmy had never been mean to him before.

'Sorry,' Jimmy said. He held out his hand. 'You can't touch anything.'

'I won't,' Kyle said, pouting as Jimmy helped him up.

Jasmine shielded her eyes with her hands and gazed up at the kite. 'Hey, what's that?' she asked. Her mouth opened wide.

A hoarse cry came from the road. Jimmy turned and saw Todd Boyle charge into the field. Todd's face was flushed, and his eyes were wild.

'You kids stand back a ways,' Jimmy said. Staring at Todd, Jasmine and Kyle did as they were told.

Jimmy stood still until Todd was almost on him. Then he dropped and rolled forward. Todd fell over him, just missing the rod and reel. The rod shimmied, and the kite dipped. Its tail swung heavily.

'I'd be more careful,' Jimmy said, standing. 'You might make it crash.'

Todd leaped up. 'What did you do to her?'

'I didn't do nothing.'

Todd held out the note. 'Then what's this, you fucker?'

Jimmy snatched it away and tore it up. He let the wind take the pieces. 'Nothing,' he said.

Todd grabbed Jimmy's shirt. 'Where's my baby sister?'

Jimmy pointed at the giant kite.

A pink form was suspended from it. The kite was so high, and the day so bright, that no features could be seen. But the drawing on the kite was clear. The baby was in the grip of an eagle.

Todd gaped.

'There were two men,' Jimmy said. 'I was across the road, and I saw them. I didn't know it was a baby they had until it was in the air, and it wiggled and bawled. When they got it up where it is now, they left. I came over, but I've been scared to do anything.'

Todd turned back to Jimmy and let go of his shirt. Then he punched him in the face.

Jimmy didn't flinch. The sudden pain in his nose shot into his eyes, but he forced them not to cry. He was used to sudden pain. He was getting better at not crying.

He pointed again. 'Is that your baby sister?'

'I'm not stupid! A kite can't hold a baby!'

Jimmy looked up at the kite. 'I dunno. It's awful big.' He made his eyes widen. 'Jeez, look! She just squirmed!'

Kyle began crying. 'She did! I saw her!'

Jasmine stared up with an expression of horror.

Todd looked at Kyle and Jasmine, then at the kite. The change in his face made