The Arrangement 22 Read online

  Henry walks up behind me. “Thanks for your help back there, you lumberjack.”

  I tug at my hair and pace like a caged animal. I can’t text Marty, and risk his life. At the same time, I can’t get to Avery if they don’t fucking move. I want to scream, but I can’t. My heart races faster as I think about what they’re going to do to her. Shoving her body in one of those oil barrels is going to make her nuts. She’ll have to fold her body into a tiny ball and once they seal her inside—fuck. That will screw with her so that she won’t have her wits about her when they dump her out in front of her asshole brother.

  “We have to get out of here,” I growl.

  “Yes, I heard.” Henry glances at the remaining barrels. “They took more than one. You realize that means they’re planning on capturing several of us tonight. It’s ironic we’re all over here, and Vic is headed toward the mansion. He must have seen the article in the paper and recognized Avery.”

  I turn, drained of patience, and grab his shirt collar, squeezing hard. “Avery and Mel just took off in that direction, and, unless we stop them, they’re fucked. Do you get that?”

  Henry swats at me. “Yes. Kindly release me.” I set him down, and the man smooths his shirt. He looks at the floor, then back at me. “There’s something I can do.”

  “From here?”

  “Yes, well, perhaps. It depends on if my drone is charged.” Henry grabs his phone, and the little screen glows as he flips to an app and opens it.

  I want to strangle him. “You denied owning a drone.”

  “Pish, posh.” He waves a limp wrist at me. “I denied saying the drone shooting pictures of Avery was mine. I also stated my belief that drones are a pain in the ass, and that I don’t appreciate being forced to register mine with the FAA. I never said I didn’t have one.”

  I want to kill him. Glaring at the side of his head, I snarl, “You said exactly that.”

  He shrugs, “I exaggerated, and you should be glad. My little white lie may just save the girls.” He taps in a series of commands and then stares at a live camera feed from the drone. It’s inside a building, hovering by a window. “I liked that pane. It’s handmade glass from an estate in Suffolk, you know.”

  “Henry—” I warn.

  He smashes the drone through the window, and it’s off into the night. The thing shoots up high and buzzes over the house before darting toward us. If Avery is still on foot, it might be possible to get to her first.

  “Can you talk to her through the drone? I mean if you find her, how will she know it’s you?”

  He tucks his chin and represses a grin. “She won’t be able to hear me, but she’ll know it’s from me.”

  “How?” Henry squirms, avoiding my gaze. I don’t press him and change my line of questioning. “And then?”

  “Then we get them to follow the drone away from the mansion.”

  “Mel is more likely to hit it with a bat than follow it.”

  “Perhaps, but once they glance at it—well, you’ll see.” Henry flies the thing around five hundred feet—low enough not to interfere with aircraft, but high enough that it can’t be seen from the ground. A few minutes later, it’s over Black’s house, dropping like a stone from the sky. It stops, hovers above the ground, and pivots slowly near the trees where Avery was supposed to meet Mel, but they’re already gone.

  CHAPTER 8

  ~AVERY~

  Mel shoves me forward. We’ve been crawling through bushes for way too long. I’m tired, and my body feels like it’s made of bricks. I wish I could sleep for a few days, eat a ton of ice cream, and that this whole situation would be over. But it’s not.

  “I think we made a wrong turn somewhere.” I stand upright and get bitchslapped by a spruce.

  Mel chortles. “That was so funny! You should see the look on your face!”

  “We’re in the fucking Pine Barrens. We’re going to fall into a pit and get mauled by bears.” I frown and glance around, upset.

  Mel waves me off. “That shit don’t live here. Worst you’ll find is the Jersey Devil.”

  I can’t help it. I laugh. “I think he lives in Jersey, Mel.”

  She snorts, “And what? This can’t be his summer home?”

  “It’s not summer!”

  “Psh. Like that’s a good reason. You need to broaden your mind. Since when can’t a demon-spawned baby fly to his vacation residence in a season other than summer?” Mel rolls her eyes and shoves back a branch, marching on.

  When she says baby, my heart pangs, as if the offspring of the demon were my child. I imagine it being misunderstood and crying as it tries to find me, but can’t. I blink rapidly, chasing the story away. What the hell was that? Compassion for a demon baby? I’m going crazy. I must be.

  I follow Mel even though I have no idea where we are or where she’s going. I think she’s lost, but I’m not entirely certain. It’s so dark. The moonlight makes a lacy pattern on the forest floor, but it’s difficult to see much else.

  Mel stops short, her arms waving like mad. I grab her as she’s about to fall forward. I didn’t see it in the shadows, but perched on the edge it’s clear there’s a massive pit in front of us and if she doesn’t regain her balance, we’re going to fall right into it.

  Heart pounding, I tug hard, and she falls back with me to the ground. Relieved, I gasp and lie on the forest floor for a moment before getting up. When we rise, we stand, step closer, and peer over the edge.

  Mel’s eyes go wide. “It’s a fucking mass grave. I told you it was that freaky demon.”

  She sounds worried, but as I stare at the hole, I recognize what it is. “It’s not a grave, Mel. It’s a sand mine. Some asshole came out here to steal sand.”

  Her face crumples and she stares at me like there’s a goat on my face. “Say what now? Who the fuck would steal sand? It’s sand!”

  “I know, but construction sites need sand. It’s expensive, so they come out here, steal the sand from the Pine Barrens where no one lives or looks, and then backfill the hole with garbage when they’re done.” She blinks those golden eyes at me like I’m lying. “I’m not making this up. It’s a thing.”

  “Looks like a mass grave to me.”

  “It’s not.”

  “Mine’s a better story.”

  “Yeah, it probably is.”

  Her eyes cut to the side as she glances at me, and then back at the pit. “So when we get a book deal, and they adapt the story into a movie, we’re gonna say this was a mass grave.”

  “A movie?” I nearly laugh.

  “Yeah, why not? Think about it.” She starts talking with her hands, painting the air with the swipe of her palms. “We got intrigue, mystery, and a lunatic that puts that chainsaw guy to shame.”

  I frown. She’s right. This entire thing is more messed up than any movie I’ve seen. “Fine, it’s a demon grave.”

  “Psh, now that’s ridiculous. Demons can’t dig. They’re not supernatural dogs. Geeze, Avery.”

  Something buzzes overhead and darts by, shaking the treetops. Little lights shine down and blaze their beams through the branches. It startles the crap out of me, and I scream and jump at Mel. She wasn’t ready for it. She loses her balance, and we both tumble forward and slide to the bottom of the sand pit.

  Mel swears a slew of words that make my ears ring and then shoves me off her prone body so she can stand. “You did not just shove us down into a demon grave.”

  I close my eyes for a second and explain, “There was a light—”

  Mel hadn’t noticed. She didn’t look up—no one ever looks up. “You shoved us into a hole because of a lightening bug? Come on, Avery. Grow a pair.” She walks toward the side and tries to climb out, but can’t. It’s too steep, and the walls aren’t stable. Every time she gets a step up, the sand loosens, and she falls.

  I stand up and brush off the sand. “It wasn’t an insect. It was one of those weird helicopter things—a drone.”

  Mel growls and tries to climb out again, bu
t only falls back into the pit. She stomps her foot and swears again. When she’s finished with her tantrum, she glares in my direction, adding, “Thanks to you, we’re trapped at the bottom of a goddamn hole! I’m not interested in playing the live version of Frogger right now.”

  “I think you mean Pitfall. And at least there’s no demon spawn down here with us.” I imagine how silly we must have looked falling in slow motion into the pit, arms flailing, bodies tumbling over each other before skidding to a stop at the bottom. My lips twitch, and I snort softly trying to swallow the giggles building inside of me, but a few pop out.

  Mel glares at me while swatting sand off her arms. “It’s not funny.”

  I can’t stop. My chest shakes as I try to wipe the grin off my face and be serious. “Ok, I’m fine.” I’m not. Laughter is still fizzing inside my chest, but it’s no longer on my face.

  “Good,” she snaps. “What’s the best way to get out of here?”

  I glance around, “Well we could bounce across a few logs and hope we don’t land on a gator by mistake.” I make a Tarzan sound that sounds more like a bleating goat.

  Mel glares at me, pissed at first, and then starts cracking up. She doubles over and puts her hands on her knees as she giggles so hard she can’t breathe. “Holy shit! That sounded like the game! It was like you were half goat and half Tarzan.” She straightens and points at me, “Do it again.”

  I make the noise once more, louder this time. My last bleat comes out choked as I nearly gag myself with laughter.

  Mel is belly laughing, bent over and wagging a finger in my direction. “That’s hilarious! Who knew you were a goat girl deep down inside!” Mel tries to make a bleating sound, but it comes out more like the ACK, ACK, ACK of a machine gun.

  “Bwuhahahaha! Your goat lives in the ghetto and is packin’ some serious heat, Mel. What the hell kind of farm animal sounds like that?” There are tears in the corners of my eyes from laughing so hard. I wipe them away as we finally get control of ourselves.

  Mel lets out a long sigh through her mouth and looks over at me. “If it ain't some asshole trying to kill us, it’s all fun and giggles—”

  “Yeah, until we fell down a hole.”

  “Do you know how embarrassing this is? I’m like a knife ninja. In a street fight, I win. I always win. I can’t believe I’m stuck in a fucking hole.” She shakes her head and glances around.

  “With me! It could be so much worse.” Grinning, she flicks her gaze up to meet mine. “Seriously, Mel. I don’t mind being trapped in a pit with you, but Sean is going to freak out.”

  She finally stops laughing and walks toward me in long, slipping strides as the sand moves under her feet. “Why couldn’t we fall into a pit with a hot man? That Pitfall guy was hot, but he was a little too boxy and rectangular if you ask me.” She says it so deadpan that I start giggling again. “Seriously, though. We couldn’t fall into one of them holes that already has smashed up concrete in it and a ladder?”

  “We’re not lucky like that, Mel.” I lean against the sidewall and slide down. I pull my feet in toward my chest and tip my head back. The night sky looks like spilled ink with a dusting of silver glitter to make up the stars.

  Mel paces for a few turns and then sits next to me. “If I die in a hole, I’m gonna be pissed.” She folds her arms across her chest and tips her head back, closing her eyes.

  “Are you going to sleep?”

  “Yeah, so?”

  “What about demon babies and vacation homes?”

  She swats a lazy hand at me. “It’s not summer. Dude ain't here.”

  CHAPTER 9

  Mel naps next to me while I stare at the sky thinking, wishing I could contain my thoughts, but they bubble up and overflow from my mind like a pot of boiling water. I can’t stop it. Images flash rapidly through my head like a confused movie. The scenes don’t blend and the timeline spirals in an illogical loop. Silent screams, slick skin, a diamond engagement ring, the cold feel of the gun grip in my hand, the hard ground at my parents’ graves, and blood—pouring, pooling, covering my pale skin, tainting me. Fear intensifies and chokes me until I can’t breathe. I jump up and chase the thoughts from my mind when the noise comes closer. It sounds like a giant bee.

  I kneel next to Mel and shake her shoulder. “It’s back.”

  Just as she stands next to me and we look up in unison, a bright light shines down directly overhead, blinding us. The drone loudly buzzes as it drops close to us way too fast. It stops at eye level and hovers in the air in front of us.

  “I wish I had a bat," Mel growls at the machine, "I’d smack it!” She bends over and pulls up two fists of sand, ready to toss it into the four spinning propellers.

  “Wait!” I grab her arms, stopping her and get closer to the drone. It’s not white like the one I saw a few nights ago. This one is flesh-toned with brown streaks and—is that an eye? I get closer, blinking twice at the device before chills race up my spine and my stomach turns sour. “Tell me that’s not what I think it is.”

  Mel leans in, careful not to get close to the spinning blades allowing the drone to hover. She snorts, “That crazy fucktard really has the hots for you. He made an Avery drone.”

  The drone is shrink-wrapped with a picture of me. I blink hard, hoping my face and body will disappear from the side of the machine. It’s the picture I gave Henry of me way back before I knew he was insane. It was meant to stay in his wallet. I shouldn't be plastered to the sides of a drone.

  Straight-faced, I stare at it with contempt. “That bastard. He made me a flying whore!”

  Mel tries not to grin. She eyes the contraption carefully then spits out, “Damn, he’s freaky. I bet he has a thing for Wonder Woman.”

  “I bet he has his own invisible jet. Screw Wonder Woman.”

  “That’s what he said!” She chuckles and slaps her knee. “Damn, I'm funny!”

  The drone tries to take off, and then circles back when we don’t follow. It does the same thing four more times, trying to get us to take off after it. I shake my head and point, but they don’t seem to get it.

  Mel plucks the drone from the air, flips it over, and says slowly directly into the tiny camera on the bottom, “We can’t follow. We’re stuck in a pit.” Then she tosses the thing up in the air, and it falls like a stone, almost hitting the ground before shooting into the treetops again.

  She laughs. “I bet that made his British britches bunch. By the way, you don’t want to see what’s on the underside of that drone. He’s a sick mofo.” Her lips twitch like she wants to smile fondly. It’s almost admiration. No, that’s not quite right. There’s a starry look in her eye combined with the almost goofy grin.

  Wide-eyed, I point at her. “Holy shit! You like him!”

  “I do not!” She scoffs, grimacing like it’s an insane accusation.

  “Yes, you do! You’ve got that bashful smile on your face, the one that’s totally smitten and goofy! How could you like him? He’s insane.”

  She doesn’t argue this time. “I don’t know. He’s hot, funny, and a little sick. Besides, who are you to criticize? You’re dating the world's most twisted guy.”

  Laughing darkly, I challenge, “Yeah, but Henry is worse.”

  She grins wolfishly and presses her palms together. “Yes, he is.”

  CHAPTER 10

  I have no idea how much time passes, but it feels like hours by the time Sean and Henry show up. They stand at the rim with their hands in their pockets—their stances mirrored. Sean’s head tips to the side and Henry’s eyes are wide like he just realized he needs to dig a pit in his shed immediately.

  I wave at Sean with the tips of my fingers. “Hey. How you doin’?”

  He snorts and offers a lopsided grin. “How the hell did you end up in a hole?”

  Mel glares at me, muttering, “Pasty, here, pushed us in when that sick bastard's drone buzzed us.”

  Sean and Henry are about to say something, but Mel cuts them off. Waving a pointer finge
r in the air she narrows one eye to a slit and growls, “And don’t you give her shit about it. It’s dark and freaky out here at night. There are worse responses to getting hit in the face with a robotic flying machine.”

  Jaw slackened, I gape at her. “You chewed me out!”

  “Right,” Mel looks at me and holds up a palm toward the guys, “which is why it’d be redundant at this point to do anymore scolding. I already took care of it. Plus, I don’t like it when they yell at you.”

  “But it's okay for you to do it?”

  She folds her arms over her chest and cocks her head to the side. “Damn straight.”

  I roll my eyes and look up at Sean, “Save me. Please.” I lift my arms to him like a little kid, and he smiles, shaking his head.

  “Hold on.” He takes an armful of rope and ties it around a tree.

  Henry stands at the rim and asks, “Is sand your Kryptonite, Melanie? Did you finally meet a foe you can’t best?” He chortles to himself.

  “Fuck you, Sweater Vest.”

  He glares coolly at her. “Sorry excuse for an assassin.”

  “Who the fuck says I’m a hit man?”

  “Obviously, you’re not. I’m rather disappointed.” He smirks at Mel. I step back waiting for flames to erupt from her mouth. “If you were, you wouldn’t be stuck in a hole.”

  “Asshole.”

  “I’d rather enjoy visiting your hole.”

  Mel’s lips twist in disgust. “Yeah? Well, whip it out and let’s see what happens.”

  Henry snort-laughs as Sean throws the rope over the edge and reminds him, “She’s going to get out of that pit, and you’ll wish you hadn’t said a word.”

  Henry slips his hands into his pockets and laughs, throwing his head back like Sean is funny. It sounds forced and sarcastic. “As if.”

  I laugh and slap my hands over my mouth. Mel glares at me, so I rush to the edge where Sean tossed the rope over the edge. Looping my hands around the thick-corded rope, I tell her, “He sounds like you.”