April Fools by Richie Tankersley Cusick Read Free Book Online Page A

something bad . . . and now that it wasn't, she felt almost giddy.
    "Go on, what's it say?" Hildy nudged her.
    Belinda unfolded the paper, smiling at her own foolishness.
    And then the smile froze on her lips.
    **What is it?" Hildy was watching her, and suddenly none of it was funny anymore.
    "It's . . . it's a calender," Belinda whispered.
    "A what?"
    "A ... a page from a calendar. April." Belinda let the paper flutter from her . fingers. "Oh, God--"
    **What is it?" Hildy's voice was shrill, and Frank snatched up the page as Belinda sagged back in her chair.
    *What is that, Frank?" she asked tonelessly. And he stared at her, not answering, his face suddenly unsure. "That mark, Frank -- that mark on the first of April -- Frank, what is that?"
    And his mouth moved, but nothing came out, and Belinda shut her eyes and said it again.
    "That circle around April Fools' Day, Frank -- April Fools' Day --"
    "It couldn't be," Frank said quietly. "It looks like . . . like dried blood."

Chapter 6
    Someone knows . .. someone knows ... someone --
    "Hey, Belinda, wait up!"
    Belinda spun around, startled, as Hildy came running across the schoolyard, braids streaming behind her in the playful wind.
    "Didn't you hear me? Fve been yelling and yelling!" Hildy stopped to catch her breath, trying to balance her books while she struggled into her sweater. Belinda looked on and said nothing. "I thought I'd never get out of there -- dumb old Miss Cooper was lecturing us all on how dumb we are --"
    "What about your math test?" Belinda broke into the nervous chatter, receiving only a shrug in response. "Oh, Hildy, you didn't --"
    "Hey, it wasn't just me -- the whole class flunked! And anyway, it wasn't your fault," Hildy said quickly. She finished zipping her front and flashed a carefree smile. "Belinda, come on, it's only a grade!"
    "You haven't graduated yet, you know."
    "I know, I know," Hildy mumbled. She shifted her books to her other arm, and the two gu*ls started slowly toward the street. "Anyway, after what happened last night, who could study, huh?" Her glance slid sideways, her voice shaking a httle. "Frank swears he didn't do it, but I think maybe he's joking."
    Belinda felt a painful weight tightening in her chest. She hadn't slept a wink all night, and school had gone by in a blur. "Of course you do. It'd be too scary not to."
    "But it has to be Frank. I mean . . . who else could it possibly be?" Hildy looked so intently into Belinda's eyes that Belinda looked away.
    "The police were at my house yesterday," she said softly.
    Hildy stopped and stared at her.
    "Someone called in and said I'd had an accident."
    Hildy looked skeptical. "Are you sure they had the right name? Maybe somebody got the message wrong."
    "They said my name. And they were really suspicious, too -- I could tell they thought something was going on. God, I was scared --"
    "Oh, Belinda --" Hildy shook her head chidingly. "It was probably just someone --"
    "Someone who? Someone Frank? Or someone who left their footprints up on the hill that night . . . and finally went to the cops?" Belinda walked away, leaving Hildy to stare after her, openmouthed.
    "Belinda! Hey, wait a minute --"
    "I have to go." Belinda saw her bus coming and raced to the opposite corner.
    "But I need to talk to you! About the senior picnic!" Hildy's voice followed her, but Belinda pretended not to hear.
    Finding a seat, she closed her eyes, reliving the terror of last night -- Hildy's pale face and accusations -- Frank's denials. "Hey, you two, come on! April Fools' Day is over, remember?" He'd laughed at them and teased them all evening, but for the first time Belinda could tell it had shaken Hildy up.
    Now she felt the bus slow down and she got off to transfer. Cobbs had told her he'd pick her up this afternoon, but she didn't want to have to depend on anyone. Also, this gave her the option of leaving whenever she chose. When she reached her final stop she realized that the swank neighborhood where