Wicked Hungry

“You’ve convinced me,” I say.

“You’ve got that right,” Jonathan says. “I am so definitely in. At least on the tamales part.”

“First step of the plan: kitchen raid,” I say.

Enrique puts away the Ouija board and takes the jaguar in his hand. “It’s cold now,” he says.

“Are you taking it with you?” I ask him.

“What?” Enrique asks. “The jaguar?”

“Yeah,” I say.

“No sé,” Enrique says. “I guess it will be safe in my jeans.”

He puts it in his pocket.

We walk downstairs and a phone starts ringing.

“Dude,” Jonathan says. “When did you become so popular?”

I look at him like I don’t know what he’s talking about.

“Your phone, you idiot. It’s ringing.”

“Oh,” I say, and pull it out of my pocket.

“Hello?”

“Stanley? Is that you?”

It’s a girl’s voice, raw, but cold. Very cold.

“Karen?” I ask. “What’s the matter? Where are you?”

“I found the pills, Stanley. Here in the forest. Boxes and boxes of them. In a shed. But... I’m afraid it was warded.”

“Get out of there,” I tell her.

“It’s too late for that, Stanley. I was so angry. I found some gasoline...”

“Leave them, Karen. Tell me where you are and we’ll meet you. It’s too dangerous.”

“No, I’m going to destroy them. I have one of my sisters here.”

“What are you talking about, ‘sisters?’ You’re an only child.”

“You don’t need to understand. We’ll be fine.”

“Can’t you wait for us?”

“I’ve got to go, Stanley. Someone’s coming.”

“Karen?”

But the line beeps twice. She’s hung up.

Chapter 28: A HIDDEN ARSENAL