Cinda Williams Chima [Heir 01 The Warrior Heir (v5.0) (epub)

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.They were dressed casually in sweatshirts and jeans.Both looked to be in their thirties, rather rough looking.One was dark with a stubble of beard, and the other was blond and clean shaven with a prominent scar that ran down his jawline.Both looked like they worked out.They rose in unison with matching puzzled expressions when Jack came into the room.“You’re sure this is him?” one of them asked Penworthy, nodding at Jack.“This is Jackson Swift,” Penworthy said deferentially.He sat down behind his desk and motioned Jack to an empty chair across the table from the two men.Jack took the seat, watching the two men warily.The men studied him as if they were seeing something unexpected.Each of the strangers produced a leatherette folder that flipped open to reveal a badge.The dark man spoke.“Jack, I’m Brad Hansford, this is Mike Sowicky.We’re with Narcotics, Trinity Police Department.We’d like you to answer a few questions.”Jack was baffled.He knew several of the police officers on the Trinity force, including Will’s uncle Ross, but he’d never seen either of these two before.He looked from one to the other of the men, and then over at Penworthy.The principal’s hands were leaving damp spots on the desk blotter.“What’s this all about?”Sowicky spoke up this time.“Jack, we searched your locker this morning and we found this.” He tossed two plastic bags onto the table.One contained a green leafy material, the other a handful of pills and capsules.“Wait a minute!” Jack protested.“I never saw that stuff before in my life.”“That’s why we want to talk to you, Jack.We’d like to clear this up.” It was Hansford, the dark detective again.His voice was soothing.Jack’s mind was slow to process, empty of useful thought.“Why were you searching my locker?” he asked finally, buying time.“We received a tip that you might be involved in drug trafficking,” Sowicky said.“So we contacted Mr.Penworthy, here.He’s been a great help.” He smiled at the principal, who looked distressed and important at the same time.“Look, you have the wrong person.I don’t sell drugs!” Dreaming.I must be dreaming again, Jack told himself.Only, how to wake himself up?“Where’d you get the black eye, Jack?” Sowicky asked.“Are you in some kind of trouble?”Jack started to say something, but thought better of it.He knew he was in serious trouble, and he couldn’t understand why.Who would want to plant drugs in his locker? Sure, there were some people who wanted him dead and others who wanted to take him captive, but why would anyone want him to go to jail? He struggled to think clearly, but his brain seemed unusually sluggish.These would be undercover cops, given the way they were dressed.But weren’t they supposed to offer him a lawyer before they started asking questions? He tried to puzzle it out, but his mind wouldn’t respond.Hansford was speaking again.“Why don’t we go down to the station house, ask you a few questions.We’ve already called your parents.They said they’d meet us down there.”“But I have an exam in two hours!” Jack said, then felt stupid that he’d said it.Hansford smiled.He was definitely the friendlier of the two.“With any luck, we’ll clear this up, and you’ll be back here in time to take it.”Jack closed his eyes.Something fluttered in the back of his mind, like tiny wings.No, not wings.Words.A soothing litany.Go to the station house.Talk about it.Everything will be fine.He stiffened.They said they’d talked to his parents.But his dad was in Boston.Not a chance they’d spoken with him.And his mother would insist on driving him herself.And then it came to him.He opened his eyes.Hansford was looking steadily at Jack, concentrating, and Jack could feel the power that was being brought to bear.Go to the station house, everything will be all right, the insistent voice said.The men were wizards.Jack took a deep breath, fighting back panic.Above all, he knew he must not reveal what he knew about the deadly game being played.His only advantage was the fact that they thought he was just an untrained high school boy.It must be the Red Rose.His gaze slid to Penworthy.A whole school full of Penworthys wouldn’t be enough to stop them.He needed help.Jack stood up.“I think I’m going to be sick,” he announced, clutching at his midsection.And it wasn’t far from the truth.“I need to go.I’ll be back in a minute.”The wizards stirred unhappily.“Why don’t we just get going, Jack?” Hansford suggested.“You’ll feel better as soon as you’re out in the fresh air.”“I’m serious,” Jack replied, his voice rising.“I’m going to barf.”Penworthy leaped to his feet.His office was carpeted in pale peach.“The restroom is just two doors down.You two can go with him if you like.”Reluctantly, Hansford and Sowicky followed Jack into the outer office.Will was sitting in a chair by the door and looked up when Jack emerged from Penworthy’s office accompanied by the two “detectives.” Will was about to say something, but at that moment Jack caught his foot around the leg of a chair and fell practically into Will’s lap.With his mouth next to Will’s ear, Jack whispered, “Will, I’m in trouble.Find Hastings, quick.Tell him.” Hansford and Sowicky each grabbed an arm and lifted Jack to his feet and out the door.Will sat for a moment, dumfounded.Hastings? What did he have to do with anything? But he got to his feet quickly, recalling the desperation in Jack’s face.“Where’s Mr.Hastings?” he demanded of Miss Prentiss, the secretary, who was staring avidly after Jack and his escort.“Well, I’m sure I don’t know,” she replied.“I know he’s in the building, but it’s exam week, so everyone’s schedule is a little—”Will put up a hand to stop the flow of words.“Look, it’s important.I’ve got to find him right away.”Penworthy appeared in the doorway of his office, nervously straightening his tie.“Mr.Childers, I don’t like the tone you’re taking.When we see Mr.Hastings, we’ll let him know you’re looking for him.”Will turned and glared at the principal, reached out and put a hand on Penworthy’s shoulder.Given the difference in their sizes, the gesture was eminently threatening.“I’m not playing around, Mr.Penworthy.If you know where he is, you need to tell me, or.or everyone’s going to be sorry.” Both the secretary and the principal stared at Will, who never raised his voice to anyone.Penworthy took a step back, swallowed, and seemed to shrink even further.“I don’t know where he is.He might be helping with some of the exams.The intercom’s still broken, so you’ll have to look for him.”“Who were those men and where were they going with Jack?” Will demanded.“They’re police officers.They’re taking him to the restroom.He’s not feeling well.”“If you see Mr.Hastings, tell him Jack Swift needs his help.” Will spun on his heel and charged out of the office.It seemed like a hopeless task.The building was huge, and Hastings could be in any of a hundred classrooms.Because the classroom doors lacked windows, that meant opening a hundred doors.He went down the hallway at a trot, throwing open doors, startling proctors and test takers, asking everyone he saw if they knew Hastings’s whereabouts.Finally, he rounded a corner and practically ran into Fitch.“Whoa, watch it, Will.If you run over someone, there could be casualties.” Fitch stopped laughing when he saw Will’s face.Will explained the situation in a rush.Time was passing, and he was getting nowhere.“Look,” he said to Fitch.“You keep looking for Hastings.I’m going to call Linda.She gave me her cell phone number.”He sprinted to the bank of phones outside the cafeteria and dialed.She answered almost immediately.From the background noise, it sounded like she was in her car.“Ms.Downey, this is Will.Jack’s in some kind of trouble.He sent me to look for Mr [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Linki