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8
Abra kept putting off the thing she had to do until she realized her mother would soon be pestering
her to go to bed. She wasn’t going to school in the morning, but it was still going to be a big day.
And, perhaps, a very long night.
Putting things off only makes them worse, cara mia.
That was the gospel according to Momo. Abra looked toward her window, wishing she could see
her great-grandma there instead of Rose. That would be good.
“Momes, I’m so scared,” she said. But after two long and steadying breaths, she picked up her
iPhone and dialed the Overlook Lodge at Bluebell Campground. A man answered, and when Abra said
she wanted to talk to Rose, he asked who she was.
“You know who I am,” she said. And—with what she hoped was irritating inquisitiveness: “Are
you sick yet, mister?”
The man on the other end (it was Toady Slim) didn’t answer that, but she heard him murmur to
someone. A moment later, Rose was on, her composure once more firmly in place.
“Hello, dear. Where are you?”
“On my way,” Abra said.
“Are you really? That’s nice, dear. So I don’t suppose that I’d find this call came from a New
Hampshire area code if I star-sixty-nined it?”
“Of course you would,” Abra said. “I’m using my cell. You need to get with the twenty-first
century, bitch.”
“What do you want?” The voice on the other end was now curt.
“To make sure you know the rules,” Abra said. “I’ll be there at five tomorrow. I’ll be in an old red
truck.”
“Driven by whom?”
“My uncle Billy,” Abra said.
“Was he one of the ones from the ambush?”
“He’s the one who was with me and the Crow. Stop asking questions. Just shut up and listen.”
“So rude,” Rose said sadly.
“He’ll park way at the end of the lot, by the sign that says KIDS EAT FREE WHEN COLORADO
PRO TEAMS WIN.”
“I see you’ve been on our website. That’s sweet. Or was it your uncle, perhaps? He’s very brave to
act as your chauffeur. Is he your father’s brother or your mother’s? Rube families are a hobby of mine.
I make family trees.”
She’ll try to snoop, Dan had told her, and how right he was.
“What part of ‘shut up and listen’ don’t you understand? Do you want this to happen or not?”
No reply, just waiting silence. Creepy waiting silence.
“From the parking lot, we’ll be able to see everything: the campground, the Lodge, and Roof O’ the
World on top of the hill. My uncle and me better see you up there, and we better not see the people
from your True Knot anywhere. They’re going to stay in that meeting-hall thingy while we do our
business. In the big room, got it? Uncle Billy won’t know if they’re not where they’re supposed to be,
but I will. If I pick up a single one somewhere else, we’ll be gone.”
“Your uncle will stay in his truck?”
“No. I’ll stay in the truck, until we’re sure. Then he’ll get back in and I’ll come to you. I don’t want
him anywhere near you.”
“All right, dear. It will be as you say.”
No, it won’t. You’re lying.