Asp of Ascension (A Nefertari Hughes Mystery #1)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Terry took a few steps back and punched in his number. She watched him as he considered her caller ID. Finally, on the fourth ring, he answered. "Hey," he said brightly. It scared her how upbeat he sounded. "Where were you this afternoon? Ms. Bernard wondered why you and Maude weren't in class."

Terry was caught off guard by his question. She wasn't expecting to be the one on the hot seat. "Maude threw up at lunch and had to go home."

"Gross. Nothing worse than being sick at school." He made a face. "So where were you?"

Terry huffed from the far corner of the cold fire escape. "She threw up on me. I had to go with her to change."

"Oh."

He checked his watch, then grabbed his varsity jacket from the end of the bed. "I have to go out and throw a few hoops."

Terry looked down at the abandoned basketball court five floors below. "Isn't it too cold?" she asked.

"Every bit of practice I can get helps."

"Awesome," she said. "Do you still want me to come over?" A jealous curiosity began to take root. If he was going to lie to her, she wanted to catch him in the act with whoever he was going to meet.

He checked his watch and turned off the Xbox. "I was expecting you'd call earlier," he said, completely sidestepping her question.

"I was with Maude."

"Right. Still, it's kind of late for you to be out alone. Why don't you come over after school tomorrow instead?" As Zach left his room, she could hear his footsteps quicken. "Listen, I have to go, but I'll call you when I'm done, okay? Make sure you leave your phone on this time," he said. Then Zach ended the call.

With blood roaring through her ears, Terry scaled down the side of the building, not even bothered by how slick the icy rain made the railings. She crept around the corner of the building and waited in the shadows. Zach came out and stood under the streetlamp, his varsity jacket buttoned up against the weather. He shuffled his feet nervously on the sidewalk.

A red car sped into view and pulled over. Terry read the license plate: 2GOOD4U. Allison stepped out from the driver's side, the streetlight illuminating her blonde hair. She tightened her red coat against the rain. She and Zach nodded to each other, then started to walk up the sidewalk. The bare branches of the trees on either side of the street drooped under the weight of the freezing rain.

Terry followed the pair, careful to stay hidden. Zach's hands were deep in his jacket pockets while Allison's moved in the air as she talked. Terry pulled back her hood, straining to hear her exact words, but they were swallowed by the wind.

They paused by a deserted ball field. Icicles dripped from the dugout roofs.

Terry watched from the shadows, wishing she had super hearing as well. Frozen pellets stung her checks.

A black SUV with tinted windows roared by, making Terry shrink back farther from the street. When it drove out of sight, she moved closer to the curb, trying to get a better view.

"...crazy," Zach said, stepping away from Allison. His loud voice echoed through the quiet night. Allison reached for him, but he took another step backward. "No. I don't care," he said. "Go home." He pointed in the direction of her car. Then Zach turned on his heel and started up the street in the opposite direction, leaving Allison crying on the sidewalk. He passed under a streetlight with his head bowed into the wind, then he was swallowed up by the darkness. 

Terry guessed that after a huge fight, you don't want to walk your ex-girlfriend back to her car. She watched Allison head back down the street, her boots taking short, quick steps. When she made it back to her car, she took out her cell phone. Terry was close enough to hear her. "Now," was all she said before she hung up.

Tires squealed on the slippery surface before getting a grip. Allison's car fishtailed slightly, then straightened and slowly disappeared down the street. Terry stayed hidden until the red sports car turned the corner and finally disappeared.

She looked up the street, waiting for Zach to backtrack and appear under the next streetlamp. She'd come up with an excuse to explain her sudden appearance—she just needed to see him. But after waiting for two minutes Terry decided to go after him. Her sneakers made crunching noises over the icy sidewalk, and she squinted at the ground, following the trail of Zach's footsteps. The wind whistled through her hoodie and around her neck. She paused. Tires squealed again. Car doors slammed. The asp began to pulse more quickly.

Someone screamed up ahead. Terry froze. She raised her face, taking the full assault of the freezing rain. The cozy houses on the other side of the street were a blurry mix of lighted windows. She squinted into the distance, willing him to reappear. She remembered how he looked standing outside her suite with his tousled light brown hair and boyish grin, after he'd shown her his drawings—and right before he had returned to kiss her. He'd joked that it was perfectly safe to walk home after dark.

Why would anyone want to hurt the school basketball hero?

Terry sprinted into the wind. Zach's lone pair of footprints turned sharply around a corner. She followed the trail and soon a mash of many footprints appeared. She felt the thick crack of her brace snapping in two; only the Velcro kept it from sliding off her leg. The scream came again, and this time it was much closer. Terry followed the scuffle and found Zach up against the side of the black SUV. One guy was punching him while another stood by with a tire iron at his side.

Terry went for the first guy, pulling him off Zach and tossing him to the ground. The man let out a garbled swear as his face collided with the ground. His partner ran forward, swinging the tire iron over his head. She grabbed it from him and flung it into the darkness. His fist came from the right, but her reflexes were faster. She dodged the hit, making him stagger off balance. Terry kneed him in the stomach, then kicked him to the sidewalk, where he stayed motionless.

Zach pushed himself up against the car. She put a hand around his waist, helping him stand. "Terry?" He winced.

"It's going to be okay," she babbled, her tears mixing with the freezing rain. The asp pulsated frantically, adrenaline surging through her muscles.

He stared back, confused, then his eyes shifted behind her. "Run!" he screamed, pushing her away. The first thug with the scraped-up face rushed toward Zach and mashed his cheek into concrete wall.

Zach cried out. "Run, Terry!"

In one quick motion Zach's arm was twisted upward behind his back. There was a sickening crunch as he screamed and dropped to his knees.

Terry clawed her fingers into the thug's hair and pulled back. He flew past her like a rag doll and landed on top of the hood of the SUV. She knelt beside Zach, resting his head in her lap. His arm lay at an awkward angle by his side. He mouthed something, then his eyes flickered and closed.