We didn’t have time to ponder our magical gifts. I led us into the shed, the flame lighting up just enough of the floor to see where we were going. From what I could pick out, a wooden workbench lined the back wall. An old rusty lawnmower sat in the middle. Rotten bags of seed were piled up in one corner.
“I can’t see anything,” Blythe whined. She clung to the back of my shirt, nearly pulling me back. “It’s not here, you guys. We should get out of here.”
“How do you know it’s not here, if you can’t see anything?” Raven snapped. She left us, stumbling back toward the door.
Blythe chased after her. “Hey, where are you…?”
With a click, Raven hit the light switch and illuminated the bulb hanging above our heads. We all froze, surprised by the sudden brightness. The first thing I noticed was the mess overtaking the workbench. Wires and metal pieces were strewn about in piles. Several pairs of pliers and a soldering iron sat next to them. My eyes followed the bench until they came upon a white burlap sack that looked awfully familiar.
“That’s it,” I cried, jumping forward. “That’s the bag he didn’t want us to see.” The bag was still tied shut, so I picked it up and turned to the others. “This proves it, he killed Allen White.”
This was the evidence we needed. Drop it off at Ian’s, and Grammy Jo would be out by lunch. In all, a very efficient day if I do say so myself.
“Um, Hazel?” Raven pointed behind me. She and Blythe were both staring at the opposite corner of the shed, which I had yet to explore. “I’m not so sure about that.”
I turned slowly and jumped. On the far edge of the workbench was a stack of what looked like home-made dynamite sticks. Black plumber’s tape wrapped around them, with wires poking out. I might’ve never seen one in person before, but it didn’t take me long to realize what it was.
“A bomb!” I tripped over my feet as I scrambled backwards, landing hard on my back with the burlap bag tight in my arms.
Before the stars could clear from my eyes, I looked up at my cousins and felt a cold wave of panic rush through me. Standing behind them was Andy Jenkings with a scowl on his face.
He’d found us.
“Get in there.” He wasted no time shoving my cousins to the ground next to me.
I clung to the bag and backpedaled until I hit the workbench. Blythe clung to my elbow while Raven squatted on my other side.
“You won’t get away with this,” I yelled. Poisoning his neighbor and now creating bombs? He was a monster. “The police are going to find out sooner or later.”
He smiled, revealing a missing bottom tooth that I hadn’t seen before now. Any attractive qualities about him had taken a sudden nose dive. “The police don’t need to find out.”
I reached around for my back pocket. Before we left the house, I’d stashed my cellphone there. Using Blythe’s quivering form to hide my arm, I tugged it from my jeans and held it in my sweaty palm. Somehow, I needed to dial 911 without Andy seeing. I needed a diversion.
“If you let us go, we won’t tell anyone,” Raven said in a calm and steady voice. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides, her knuckles white. “We promise.”
Andy tilted his head to the side as if he was actually considering it. I prayed silently that he was just dumb enough to believe her. Of course, I’d run straight to the police as soon as we were out of here, but he didn’t need to know that.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Andy said with another smile. He reached around his back and pulled something from his pocket. It was long and slim, painted black. Flipping it in his hand, a wicked looking blade popped out. “You’re not going anywhere.”
All three of us inhaled sharply. By himself, Andy was a pretty formidable man due to his height. Add a knife and our situation was looking pretty hopeless.
“Raven,” Blythe’s voice was shaky and her nails dug into my skin. “I think it’s about time you used that special gift of yours.”
That was right – Raven could throw out waves of energy. She used to knock apples out of the orchard in the fall when we were little. Once, she even chased off a vicious sheepdog with her gift. It had chased us nearly halfway around the lake before Raven took it head on. I hoped that meant she could fend off a madman with a knife.
“No problem.” Raven stretched to her full height. With her arms held out at her sides, she closed her eyes and began to hum.
“What are you doing?” Andy demanded. His panicked expression fell on us. “What is she doing?”
“Kicking your butt,” Blythe answered with a lift of her chin.
A wall of energy burst from Raven’s hands and sailed across the shed. It hit Andy like a charging elephant, sending him catapulting backwards. She walked forward, releasing a second wave and rolling him a few more feet out the door of the shed. By this time, Blythe and I were on our feet. I had 911 already on my screen and dialing. Raven blasted Andy a third time and he hollered in rage, his face burning red.
“Let me go,” he screamed.
A fourth wave of energy and the switchblade went flying from his hand and across the yard. He landed on the pile of logs, smacking his head on a stump, his eyes rolling up into the back of his head.
By the time the cops showed up, Raven had pinned Andy to the ground under the sharp point of her heel. She dug it into his neck as he squirmed and cried. I cradled the white burlap bag and Blythe was holding the switchblade out, pinched between her thumb and forefinger.