Chris Rogers [Dixie Flanagan Bitch Factor (epub)

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.“Sorry.” He got up to retrieve it, the jerry-rigged handcuffs stretched to the limit.He’s torn with worry.The realization hit Dixie like a brick.He’s worried about whether or not he actually killed Betsy Keyes.What if he didn’t? It looked open and shut, and the caseload for Houston cops was notoriously heavy.Maybe they rushed it through, didn’t dig deep enough.Theories tumbled into Dixie’s mind.The man who stayed late that night might’ve followed Dann home and stolen his car for some illegal use—maybe a drug dealer who wanted an anonymous car for a deal going down.On his way to return the car, he hits the child.Such a scenario was more believable, in many ways, than pinning an ordinary citizen with vehicular manslaughter when he might very well have been at home sleeping off a bender.Dixie realized then that she had bought Dann’s story.She forced herself to back up a step.He stood at the window, where he’d picked up the errant domino.“Look, Flannigan, I know what you think of me.High-rolling peddler, drifting from town to town, job to job.Got a little property, a few bucks in the bank.No close family in town, no real friends, no ties.You’re right, I’m not much, but I’m harmless.I like kids—not in any sick, twisted way—simply because they’re kids.I used to tease those girls, gave Betsy big tips to serve me coffee, dropped nickels in the little one’s pocket when she wasn’t looking.I never would’ve hurt them.Come from a big family myself.I know how this family must have suffered, especially with what happened to the other child so soon after losing Betsy—”“The other child?”“You didn’t know? Some kind of accident at summer camp.”Chapter Twenty-oneAugust 1, Camp Cade, TexasCourtney stamped her feet on the grassy lake bank, waiting for dawn to brighten the sky a little and watching for the first sign of lightning.Angry clouds churned overhead, turning the early light eerie.She hoped Counselor Frey wouldn’t cancel I the race because of the storm, then reminded herself to THINK POSITIVE.She could scarcely believe her good luck yesterday, beating Queen Toad’s best time.Of course, no one knew yet.She’d been practicing, sure, swimming her arms off every single day, building her strength and lung capacity like Daddy Jon had taught her.In today’s meet, when it really mattered, when she’d be swimming against Queen Toad FOR REAL, knowing she absolutely, positively HAD to beat her, and knowing deep in her bones she could win hands down, no ties, no retakes, who could blame her for worrying that something freaky like this storm would wipe out her big chance?She hugged herself against a chill as a brisk breeze brought goose bumps to her bare skin.“No lightning, no lightning, no lightning,” she chanted softly.Counselor Frey was a safety nut.Even without lightning, she might stop the swim meet if it rained hard enough.Grown-ups were weird like that, worrying about a little rain when you were already soaking wet in the lake.Mama had promised to arrive early enough to see the swim contest.Daddy Travis had begged off to take care of some business, something to do with his new computer department, and Daddy Jon had to go out of town.Maybe Mama would stop at Camp Donovan to pick up Ellie.That’d be great, because Ellie would cheer louder than anybody.Ellie was Courtney’s biggest fan.A dark thought slithered through Courtney’s mind.All during summer camp she’d worried about Ellie, badgering Counselor Bryant every night until she telephoned Camp Donovan to make sure Ellie was all right.Now the two weeks were almost over.Suppose something happened on this very last day, something terrible?Think positive.Think positive.Think positive.The camp floodlights winked off on their timer.Just a few more minutes and the sun would creep up behind the clouds.Courtney imagined the final race—all the girls and their moms and dads crowding around.Having won three heats already, Courtney would be the center of attention when Queen Toad stepped up, tall and sleek in her blue racing suit.She’d sneer down her skinny nose, but with everyone listening, she’d pretend to be a good sport.“’You looked pretty good yesterday, Keyes.”“Thanks.So did you.” Admitting it would be worse than eating boiled squash, but Toad really was a good swimmer, a blue streak gliding through the water.Courtney’s speed and form had improved, yet she knew she looked more like a squiggle than a streak, with her stupid lopsided freestyle.She’d been working hard to smooth it out When she forgot about form and went full out for speed, she swam better.Faster.“Keep it up, Keyes, and you might come in second.Not a close second—I’ll be kicking water in your face all the way.”Courtney could almost HEAR the sneering voice, and she tried to think of a clever comeback, something to singe Toad’s tomato-soup hair.She’d work on it, have one ready by race time.A few raindrops sprinkled Courtney’s shoulders [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Linki