“Now, now. Enough of that. You were a gift to us in our old age, Tess. We couldn’t have loved you more if you’d been our daughter. I hope you know that.”
I sniffled. “I know that. This thing with Susan’s aunt just has me feeling melancholy. I don’t tell you often enough how much I appreciate you. I’ll be sure to take Aunt Ruby out to lunch next week and tell her, too.”
“She’ll be afraid you’re coming down with something.”
We both started laughing. That’s exactly what she’d say. She hadn’t come to the garage raising because she was neck-deep in the town budget, she’d said, and she’d be no help in building something, anyway. Shelley hadn’t come either; she’d decided to work on her film with Zane instead. They were doing a documentary about the history of Dead End.
Fair enough. I wouldn’t have wanted to go watch adults build something when I was ten years old, either.
After my beautiful new garage was finished and christened with a bottle of sparkling apple juice, everybody started packing up tools to go home. The freezer delivery guys were the last to go, because of where they’d parked, and their truck was really, really loud.
That’s the only reason I can think of for why Jack, with his tiger ears, didn’t hear Aloysius Phleabottom sneaking through the woods behind my house, didn’t hear him walk around the new garage, and didn’t hear him approach at all until Ish dashed out from the side of the garage and grabbed me.
He was careful to grab my arm, which was covered by my jacket sleeve, and not touch my bare skin, but I didn’t try to pull away from him.
Because he was pointing a gun at my head.
29
Jack
I heard Tess gasp and spun around just in time to see a wild-eyed, ragged, blond man point a gun at her head.
It had to be Susan’s cousin Ish.
“Don’t come any closer! I have a gun!” he shouted.
Tess’s face drained of color, but she stood very still.
Ish bared his very white teeth and screamed at me when I took an involuntary step toward them.
“I said stay back! Unless you want me to kill her.”
I snapped my calm, in-control, rebel-leader expression on my face and held up my hands. “Hey. I hear you. I’m staying back. I’m guessing you want something, and I want to give you whatever that is. Let’s handle this peacefully. Am I right?”
“Only if somebodylistensto me!”
I held a hand up to my ear like I was having trouble hearing him. I was clear across the yard, since I’d been picking up tools, and he almost certainly didn’t know about tiger hearing.
“Is it okay if I walk over to that picnic table so I can hear you better? It’s still fifteen or more feet from you.”
The man wavered, but then nodded. “Okay. But slowly.”
When I started walking toward them, he tightened his grip on Tess’s arm and shook her. “Slower!”
I slowed and then stopped just in front of the table. I could make a standing leap of fifteen feet easily, and I was fast. I could shift instantaneously into my tiger form. But I wasn’t faster than he would be with his finger already on the trigger. I tried hostage negotiator tactics and used my calmest voice.
“Aloysius,” Tess said, her voice warm and quiet. “I know you’re distraught over your mother’s death. I’m so sorry that happened to you. Can we just talk? Maybe you could tell me how I can help?”
He sneered at her. “Oh, Saint Tess. Everybody told us all about you and what a busybody you are. Can’t stay out of anybody’s business. All we wanted was the treasure. That’s all. Now mom is dead, the murderer is running around loose, and I still don’t have my hands on the treasure!”
His voice had gotten steadily louder as he spoke until he was screaming in her face by the end.
Tess flinched and shot me a desperate look. I knew that expression. It meant she was probably planning something way, way out of the box. This crazy man with a gun scared me, but Tess planning to do something out of the box while he held a gun on her scared me more.
“Stop,” I called out. He thought I was talking to him, but Tess knew better. She nodded slightly, so I knew she’d hold on while I figured this out. Since I wasn’t the one with the gun pointed at my head, it was a good call.
“Okay, Mr. Phleabottom, you want the treasure? I know Susan doesnotwant it, so I’m sure we can work something out. Do you have a truck or van to transport it?”
