"This is bad." I start to rock on my heels. "This is really, really bad. I just broke you out of jail."
"Calm down."
"Calm down? We're hiding from the police right now? As soon as they find out you're gone all hell is going to break loose."
"Don't you think I know that?" Dale runs a shaky hand through his curls.
"What now?"
"We go find Adam and get your body before Sheriff Hutton does."
"School's like five miles away. How are we supposed to get there?"
Dale frowns then licks his lip. He's obviously reluctant to say whatever it is he needs to say, because he opens and closes his mouth a couple of times then winces.
"What?!?"
He sighs. "Fancy a joy ride?"
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
"Are you out of your mind? No! I'm not going to let you get into more trouble for me."
"What else are we supposed to do? We don't have time for a five mile run."
"What if you get caught?"
"What if I don't get to you before the sheriff does?"
A shudder runs down my spine. I want to break into my spiel about how he shouldn't be doing this for me, but he's already started moving. I let out an agitated huff and follow him.
It only takes a couple of minutes to make it to the road parallel to the police station. I reluctantly scan the cars, looking for lowered windows or unlocked doors. Thankfully the residential road is hardly busy. Most people are at work this time of day.
I spot a car parked across the road. "What about that red one?" I point to it.
"No, let's take the grey one on this side."
"What is it with you and crappy cars? That is a piece of junk." I look at its beat up exterior.
"Yeah, a piece of junk that probably won't be alarmed."
We run towards it. Dale tests the driver's side, but it's locked. Bending down, he peers in the window and a small smile flitters over his lips.
"They forgot to lock the back door."
Running around the car, he opens it up and climbs through to the driver's seat.
"Keep an eye out for me."
He reaches below the steering wheel and pulls out some wires.
"Of course you know how to hot wire a car," I mutter. "Who doesn't?!"
I turn away to scan the street and make sure no one can see him. My pulse is racing so fast I think I might pass out. If my physical condition doesn't kill me, I might actually die from a brain explosion.
The car revs to life.
"You in?"
"Yeah."
Dale reaches over me and slams the back door closed.
I can tell he wants to drive like a maniac, but is fighting the urge in order not to draw any unnecessary attention. For all we know the Sheriff is still pacing in his office and the deputy is still stacking up hundreds of sheets of paper. All I can do is cross my fingers and hope that is the case.
Taking the back road, Dale parks on the opposite side of the school. We sneak in through the back and jog across the fields. The students who spot Dale just assume he's running late and trying to get in undetected. That fence is where all the late kids arrive.
We duck behind the bleachers and edge our way towards the school buildings. Dale checks for a clear path then sprints to the make-out alcove where many a free period has been spent by numerous couples. No one is there today and we lean against the wall as Dale catches his breath.
"Where will Adam be?"
Dale glances at his watch.
"Let me think. We're not in many of the same classes, but it's... what day is it?"
I scour my brain.
"Friday?"
"That's right. Friday, okay... we have Advanced English first then..." he mumbles a few more classes then stops with a nod. "Free period. I think he has free period and he usually goes to the library."
Dale goes to make a move and I grab at his arm. He shivers and looks at me. "You'll be spotted. Wait here and I'll come back and get you."
"It'll take too much time."
"I don't want you to get caught. The library is right next to the quad, it's like major thoroughfare through there."
Dale finally gives me a reluctant nod.
"Okay, but I'm not waiting here, it's too far away. I'll hide in the resource room."
"Yeah, I know where that is."
We carefully make our way to the hub of the school. I pass through the library doors and quickly scan the tables. I spot Trent whispering into some redhead's ear with a seductive smile on his face. I resist the urge to punch him as I walk past. I'd much rather do that when I'm flesh and bone. If I'm going to hit him, I want it to hurt.
There's no sign of Adam in the normal group study areas so I start systematically searching each of the aisles.
Ten minutes later, I'm rushing out the doors with an irritated frown.
I arrive in the resource room and gently clear my throat, so I don't surprise Dale. It doesn't really work. He still jumps and places his hand on his heart.
"Sorry."
"Anything?"
"He's not in the library."
"Shit!" Dale flicks a curl out of his face.
"Where else does he go?"
"I'm not sure." Dale curses again and thumps his head on the bookshelf in front of him.
"It's okay." I touch his arm. "We'll find him." I look around me as I try and force my brain into action. "If you were Adam right now, where would you go?"
"I just said I'm not sure."
"But let's think about this. He's hit me with his car. He's possibly feeling guilty and his Dad is pressuring him into finishing me off."
Dale stands up and nods as he listens to me.
"He knows his Dad is coming to collect from school soon, so... where's a good place to hide?"
Dale stares at the ceiling as he thinks. His head soon drops to face me and he nods.
"I know this one room that's never really used. Mr. Attley shoves all his old computers and broken tech stuff in there. The students he likes are allowed to go and potter in there during their free periods. I'm pretty sure Adam's on his list."
"It's worth a shot."
We start running, heading down a flight of stairs and through a rabbit warren of corridors.
"How do you even know about this room?"
Dale slows to a stop outside the door.
"Mr. Attley told me about it."
"Kiss ass."
He gives me a dry look and opens the door.
We creep inside. The room is crowded and dusty. Computer monitors and keyboards are piled in disarray along the counters. Various cables hang from nails along the wall and scattered along the centre table are a plethora of technical gadgets. Obviously students have been taking parts from different devices and trying to turn them into something new. I squint at a digital camera attached to the bottom half of a remote control car.
Hmmm. Images of it sneaking into the girls' locker room make me frown.
Nerdy boys.
Dale flicks the lights on as I move further into the room. There doesn't seem to be any sign of human activity. Dale throws me an annoyed look and I'm sure he's about to swear when we hear a soft tink from the back of the room.