Who Killed the Homecoming Queen? by R.L. Stine, Bill Schmidt Read Free Book Online Page B

she thought. I have to go back. I have to be there when they take Tania away.
    Wiping her eyes again, Eva turned and started back across the football field. As she did, she spotted Keith and Sandy hurrying toward the bleachers from the parking lot at the back of the school.
    She glanced over her shoulder. Jeremy trudged slowly toward her from behind the far bleachers. He must have heard the sirens, too, Eva realized.
    Jeremy kept his head down and his hands jammed in his jeans pockets. Rain dripped from his hair and soaked his sweatshirt. But he didn’t seem to notice.
    Eva stopped and waited for him. Together, they crossed the field and began climbing the steps. As they reached the aisle where Tania had fallen, Eva stared in shock.
    Empty.
    â€œHer body—” Eva stammered. “It’s
gone!”

chapter 13
 
    â€œH uh? That’s impossible!” Jeremy choked out. “Where—where is she?”
    Keith shook his head, but didn’t speak. Sandy didn’t speak either. He gaped at the spot where Tania had been lying, a shocked expression on his face.
    Feeling dizzy, Eva closed her eyes. This
is
impossible, she thought. Somebody must have moved Tania. But who?
    â€œWhere is Tania’s body?” Jeremy repeated.
    â€œI … I don’t know,” Keith stuttered. “I … she was lying there when I left. I just got back! How should I know what happened?”
    Hearing footsteps behind her, Eva opened her eyes and turned around.
    Two police officers strode toward them, tense expressions on their faces. “We got a call about an accidental death,” the policewoman said grimly. “The ambulance is on its way.”
    She peered around. “You want to show us the body?”
    Eva swallowed. “We can’t,” she murmured, her voice shaking. “It’s … I mean,
she’s
not here.”
    The second officer frowned. “Maybe you better explain that,” he told her.
    â€œWe can’t,” Eva repeated.
    The policeman’s frown deepened. “Is this some kind of prank?”
    â€œNo!” Eva exclaimed. “How can you say that? Tania is dead!” She pointed. “We set her down. Right there. Then Keith went to call you, and Sandy went with him. Jeremy ran off, and I …”
    â€œWhoa, slow down,” the woman officer said. Turning to her partner, she told him to call off the ambulance, then go have a look around.
    The officer began climbing down from the bleachers, using a cellular phone to make the call.
    Sandy and Jeremy followed him. Down on the field, the three of them went in different directions, searching for Tania’s body.
    The first officer turned back to Eva and Keith. “Tell me what happened,” she ordered. “But start at the beginning.”
    Keith cleared his throat and began to talk about the video. Eva barely listened. Tears kept flooding her eyes as she remembered how pale Tania looked.How her blond hair flew back and forth when Jeremy shook her.
    She’s dead, Eva told herself. And now her body’s gone. We left her lying here alone and now she’s disappeared!
    Eva took a deep breath and wiped her face. As she did, she glanced up.
    Leslie stood at the top of the bleachers, gazing down. The wind swept her long hair back from her face, and Eva could clearly see her expression.
    Leslie was smiling.
    A chill ran up Eva’s spine. The chill she always felt when she sensed that something was wrong.
    Does Leslie know something? she wondered.
    â€œLook!” Eva cried, interrupting Keith’s story. She pointed up at Leslie. “If you want to know what happened to Tania, try asking her!”
    As the policewoman glanced up, Leslie began to edge down the row of seats.
    â€œHey!” the officer called.
    Leslie spun and ran toward the end of the bleachers, her shoes slapping loudly on the concrete.
    â€œStop her!” the officer shouted.

chapter 14
 
    T he