Bad Moonlight by R.L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page B

“No. But Billy told me that Joey left the club right after I did that night. And Dee said she heard Joey say something about wanting to talk to me!”
    Dr. Moore tapped a pencil against his desktop. “That hardly puts you and Joey together,” he pointed out.
    â€œI know that, but—” Danielle swallowed hard. “The thing is, I don’t remember what happened after I left the others!” she burst out. “My mind’s a blank. A total blank!”
    She grabbed the arms of the chair, then quickly lowered her hands back to her lap.
    â€œWhy can’t I remember anything?” she asked.
    â€œProbably because there’s nothing to remember.” Dr. Moore jotted down a note. “You finished performing. You felt ‘wired,’ as you put it, and you walked and jogged a long way. Once you finally worked off your excitement, you were exhausted, Danielle. It’s not unusual for people in such a tired state to forget things.”
    Could that be the way it happened? Danielle wondered.
    â€œYou’re not likely to carry out any of these fantasies,” the doctor continued. “You haven’t gotten over the violent way your parents were suddenly taken from you. So your mind is filled with violent thoughts.”
    He leaned forward, his blue eyes intense behind his glasses. “But that does not mean you will commit violent acts.”
    Danielle glanced down at her hands. They seemed to have a life of their own. Twisting, writhing in her lap.
    She couldn’t keep them still.
    â€œYou’re very tense,” Dr. Moore observed. “Let’s clear your mind, shall we? That should help you calm down.”
    He came around and sat on the edge of his desk. “Start counting, Danielle,” he commanded softly. “With each number you’ll feel yourself start to relax.”
    Danielle leaned back in the chair and began counting backward from one hundred.
    â™¦ ♦ ♦
    The wind blew back Danielle’s hair as the van made its way toward another dreary hotel. More greasy food. And another roaring crowd.
    Danielle couldn’t wait. She felt loose and ready to perform. Her session with Dr. Moore had really helped. She glanced up and caught Kit’s eyes in the rearview mirror. He winked at her playfully.
    She grinned, warmed by his attention.
    â€œI can’t believe we’re just driving to the next club as if nothing happened,” Dee said bitterly. “Joey was killed. Slashed to pieces, in case you’ve forgotten. Doesn’t anybody care?”
    Silence.
    Danielle pictured Joey’s body. Bloody and torn. She shook her head to clear away the image.
    â€œSure we care, Dee,” Billy said finally. His voice cracked. “You know we do. We just—”
    â€œWe have to keep living, you know?” Caroline broke in. “I mean, we can’t crawl under a rock or something.”
    â€œWe should cancel this show,” Dee declared.
    â€œDee, we can’t,” Kit replied gently. “It would mean breaking our contract. And I think it’s the last thing Joey would have wanted us to do.”
    Dee muttered a reply. Danielle couldn’t hear her.
    She’s really unhappy, Danielle thought. She reached behind her seat and pulled her guitar out of the case.
    â€œI wrote a song yesterday,” she announced. She strummed a chord.
    â€œAnother one?” Caroline asked. “Danny, you’re really on a roll!”
    â€œIf it’s as good as ‘Bad Moonlight,’ you can do it tomorrow night,” Billy promised. He had booked them at a club called the Roadhouse in Hastings.
    â€œIt’s sort of a second ‘Bad Moonlight,’” Danielle told them. “More upbeat, though. And it’s for Dee to sing,” she added.
    Dee turned around in her seat, her eyebrows arched in surprise.
    Danielle smiled at her. Maybe this’ll make things better between us, she