The gun went off again and a spark glistened on the tile floor near his feet.
Next, Kurt came running into the kitchen. He caught sight of the cages and stopped dead in his tracks. “Oh, my God.”
Hans came barging in, his hand to his shoulder.
Betty raised the gun and aimed it at Kurt.
Hans charged her and knocked her back. She tripped on the open oven door. The gun, now aimed at the ceiling, went off.
Philip grabbed the gun and wrestled it from her hand.
Hans, still holding his shoulder—from which blood was trickling through his fingers and down his arm—kicked Betty’s legs off the ground sending her rolling from the open oven door and headfirst into the oven. Then he kicked the oven door closed, leaned against it and crumpled to the floor.
“Hans,” I said, my voice barely a whisper, “are you OK?”
He held onto his shoulder and tried to turn his wince into a smile.
“Let me out of here!” Betty’s muffled voice came from inside the oven. She pounded against the oven door, but Hans put his good shoulder against it and kept it shut.
The whole gang—Kurt, Alex, Philip, Michael, Andy, and Delvin—rummaged through the cabin and tore it apart, looking for the keys to the cages. Andy eventually found them in a cookie jar, and we were finally freed.
The police took our statements and took Betty away in handcuffs. Hans was taken to the hospital. I went with him in the ambulance. “How did you know where to find me?” I asked.
He smiled then winced from the bullet wound in his shoulder. “Greta, do you really want to know?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “I really want to know.”
“You were never good at hide and seek,” he said. “You always leave a trail of flower petals.”
24
Jake
On the bus ride back to Perth, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I counted my blessings. I was being given a second chance, and I was determined to make the most of it.
Matty, I’m done running. We’re going to go skiing and canoeing and whatever else you invite me to do.
Austin and Cameron, even though I never understood the point of going fishing, we’re definitely going. And we’re going to have a great time.
Dalton, I’m still going to make fun of you for being a pretty boy - even though I know you could kick my ass.
Erik, I’ll join that book club you keep inviting me to join. And I might even read one of the books - at least the first chapter.
Gabriel, I’ll learn something about geology so we can nerd out together. You’ll be able to talk to me about sediments and I’ll say “that’s interesting” - and I’ll mean it!
And Greta… Damn, Greta. No more secrets. I have more than a few faults, but I’m not going to hide them from you. I’m going to share the good and the bad. Hell, I’ll even let you hold the whip once in a while. We’re only getting started.
I arrived in Perth, not to judgmental faces or a barrage of questions, but to friends who welcomed me with open arms. Greta and my friends were all staying at the lodge. The only person who wasn’t there for my arrival was Betty. But I arrived quite late in the evening and figured I could catch up with her tomorrow.
“We’ve got a lot to talk about,” I said.
“Yes, we do,” they said emphatically.
“How about we talk over dinner,” I said. “I’m starving.”
I looked from the reception over to the doors to the dining room.
Matty took my arm and turned me toward the front doors. “Dinner sounds great. But not here. Let’s try a place in town.”
Over dinner, I told them about my case, what I had done and the charges I was likely to face. “My lawyer is confident she can get the charges lowered to criminal possession. That’s the difference between a two-year minimum and simple probation.”
“And much better than murder,” said Dalton.
“Agreed,” I said. “My lawyer is really good. I’m confident she’ll get it worked out. By the way, I owe you guys a lot of money.”
“Don’t worry about that,” said Greta. A mischievous smile formed on her face. “I have a feeling it won’t be too difficult for us to work something out.”
When they told me about Betty, I was crushed. “Betty turned me in? But why?”
Even after their story, I couldn’t quite believe it. “But Betty took me in after I left the orphanage. She was always there for me. I don’t get it.”
“We’re sorry, Jake,” said Gabriel, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Betty’s sick, though. You must have noticed.”
“Yeah, I know she’s sick,” I said under my breath, “and it’s my fault.” I hung my head and turned around so they couldn’t see the guilt on my face.
“Jake, how is it your fault?” said Greta. She put her arm around me. “You shouldn’t blame yourself.”