Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

was sorry she left me," Echo told me. "She said she

would never leave me again. Never."

Her happiness not only disappointed me, it

frightened me. She was being set up for a great fall. I was positive, but I dared not contradict her or Rhona

directly.

"People say things sometimes and forget," I

told her.

"No," she said, and shook her head vehemently.

"She won't forget. She promised."

All I could do was smile and nod. I kissed her

on the forehead and told her to sleep tight. She nodded

and hugged Mr. Panda to her.

When I stepped out into the hallway. I could

hear Rhona's and Skeeter's laughter below. They had

put on some music, not caring how loud it was and if

it would disturb me or Mrs. Westington. I thought I

heard the sound of something being knocked over,

too. Their laughter stopped and then I heard R

hona

moan. Skeeter laughed and Rhona cried out

passionately. They're probably making love right on

the living room floor. I thought, For a moment I was

tempted to go look. I went into my room instead and

closed the door.

I stood there in the darkness. trembling. How

horrid all this had become. How sorry I felt for Mrs.

Westington. I was sure she would be having a

troubled sleep tonight.

"Uncle Palaver," I whispered, "you taught me how to make coins and cards disappear. You even showed me how you could make me disappear after I crawled into your magic box on the stage. But you forgot to show me how to make a horrid person

disappear."