Part Five

November 7, 2001

8:00 AM

"I'm fine." Jenna stifled a yawn with her hand. "Why?"

"I don't want to be mean, girl, but you look half-dead," Lisa said.
"Do you have the flu or something?"

"I'm just tired," Jenna said. "I don't have the flu or something, I
just stayed up late." Trying not to dream, she added silently. Her dad
had been right-it had not been a good idea. Jenna yawned again-she was
so tired that she couldn't even open her own locker.

"Is this a sign of early senility?"

Jenna stared at Lisa. "What? Why?"

"Because, Miss Spaz, you're trying to open someone else's locker."

Jenna stuck her tongue out at her friend and moved one locker over, spinning the dial around quickly-the bell was going to ring soon
and she didn't want to be late.

"Think there'll be more messages from Mr. Secret Admirer?" Lisa asked.

"I hope not." But as Jenna opened her locker she saw an
unfamiliar envelope.
Lisa was standing behind her, trying to look over Jenna's shoulder as
she unsealed the flap .

"Could I have some privacy, please?" Jenna said, speaking a little
more sharply than she'd intended.

"Sure, grouchy," Lisa muttered. "See you in class."

Jenna's hands shook slightly as she pulled something out of the
envelope. Another card-a homemade one this time. The front of the card
bore the words, "You'll never get away from me", in red letters.
Jenna opened the card, looking at the photograph which was glued
there, and she swallowed very hard. It was slightly blurry, but the
face of the blood-soaked figure was quite clear. Suzanne Johnston. The
caption for the photo was in the same red letters and read "She never
did". Jenna really felt like she was going to be sick this time. Lisa
touched her shoulder and Jenna quickly closed the card, forcing a
smile for her friend.

"Sorry I was grouchy," she said.

"Are you kidding?" Lisa said. "Grouchy friends are normal. It's when
they start being nice that you have to worry." Jenna laughed.

The five minute bell rang, reminding Jenna that what she would be was
late for class if she didn't hustle. She put the envelope into her
backpack and bolted down the corridor towards homeroom.

1:55 PM

"It was probably too painful to hang on to those," Lee said. "Okay,
forensics and the police have already been here, Amanda. We're just
looking for anything they may have overlooked."

"You think this is related to what's happening to Jenna?" Amanda said,
her eyes scanning the ground. But it was something on a nearby
bookcase which caught her eye-a small photograph in a room which was
practically devoid of memorabilia. Amanda picked it up.

"Of course," Lee said. "It would be too much of a coincidence
otherwise."

"Lee, look at this." Amanda handed him the small black and white
photo. Lee stared at the three faces on the photo.

"That's definitely Gary," he said, pointing at the face in the middle.
"The other ones must be Dennis and Katie." Lee turned it over, staring
at the word written on red ink in the back. The German word for
revenge. Rache.

3:55 PM

He'd even circled it. For one moment Jenna felt like asking her
teacher how well he'd do on an essay if some crazy person was stalking
him and his family, but she wisely decided to hold her tongue.

"I know, Mr. Frere," Jenna said as she took the paper. She was
thankful that he'd waited until the other students left to confront
her with it. "I guess I've been kind of distracted lately. I'm sorry."

"Something bothering you?" Mr. Frere said.

"A little bit, yeah," Jenna admitted. Mr. Frere leaned across the
desk, his blue eyes peering sympathetically into hers from behind a
pair of reading glasses.

"If there's something you want to talk about, Jenna," he said. "I'm
always here for my students. Maybe we could speak after school?"

"Thanks," Jenna said, "but I have dance team practice."

"I can wait after if you like," Mr. Frere said.

Jenna almost said yes, but there was something-a feeling she couldn't
quite place and every instinct was screaming at her to say no. "That's
okay," she said. "But I have a ride home after then and I hate to keep
them waiting-maybe I'll see you tomorrow."

Something about the expression on Mr. Frere's face made Jenna feel
very nervous all of the sudden. Then just as quickly he was all smiles again, leaving
her thinking that maybe she'd been imagining things. .

"Well my door is open anytime you want to talk," he said. "About
anything."

4:55 PM

"One and two and three and four and five and six and seven and eight!"
For each count Mrs. Roberts clapped her hands. Jenna kicked and then
fell on the double-pirouette- grimacing as the side of her knee made
contact with the gym floor. Jenna heard someone snickering and felt
the heat rising in her cheeks. Usually dance was her one release when
she was stressed out, but today her limbs felt as heavy and clumsy as
an elephant.

"Keep up, Jenna!" Mrs. Roberts yelled, her voice breaking into
Jenna's reverie and she suddenly realized that she was at least three
steps behind everybody else.

"Okay team, that's it!" Mrs. Roberts said. "I will see all of you on
Thursday-be here promptly after class so we have time for the
warm-ups. Jenna Stetson, if you can stay after. I'd like to talk to
you."

"Ooooh!" Terri Morgan tossed her platinum hair as she grinned
maliciously at Jenna. "Sounds like someone's in trouble- guess being
kidnapped won't get you out of this one."
Jenna said nothing--just glared at Terri until the other girl finally looked
away.

"What an idiot," Lisa muttered, giving Terri a glare of her own before
turning to Jenna. "I've got to go- my mom wants us to do a shopping and
dinner thing. Will you be all right?"

"I'll be fine," Jenna said. "Have a good time-I'll see you tomorrow,
okay?" Lisa and the other girls headed to the locker room. Taking a
deep breath, Jenna walked over to Mrs. Roberts, who was putting her
CD's in their cases.

"You said you wanted to see me?" Jenna asked.

"I did, yes," Mrs. Roberts said. "You seemed a little distracted
today, Jenna-actually you seemed like you weren't even with us. Is
everything all right?"

"Everything' s fine, Mrs. Roberts," Jenna said. "It's just been a long
day-I didn't sleep too well last night."

The teacher stared at her for a long moment. Finally she spoke. "I'll
let it go today, Jenna. Because I know that you have the ability. But
this better not become a habit."

"No ma'am," Jenna said quietly.

"Good dancing requires concentration, " Mrs. Roberts said. "And good
dancers are what I need on my team."

"Yes ma'am," Jenna said.

"Good girl," Mrs. Roberts looked at her watch. "What do you say to ten
extra minutes? Just to see if you've got the routine down-pat. Okay?"

"Well," Jenna hesitated. On one hand she knew her dad would be waiting
outside. On the other hand she really wanted to impress Mrs. Roberts.
"Okay." She said.

"Fantastic," Mrs. Roberts said, smiling, and Jenna found herself
smiling back-the first real smile that she'd had all day.

SMK SMK SMK SMK

5:10 PM

The locker room was empty by the time a thoroughly exhausted Jenna
entered it. She put her bag beside her on the bench, peeling off her
damp sweats and changing back into her school clothes. She left on the
pink sweatband her mom had given her for luck, even though it hadn't
brought her much luck today. Jenna was sitting on the bench, pulling
on her sneakers when all of the sudden the lights went out.

"Great," she whispered to herself. Someone had forgotten she was in
here. It would be just her luck on a day like today to be locked in by
an overeager custodian. Jenna finished with her shoes and stood. She
felt for her sweats, stuffing them into her backpack and throwing the
bag over one shoulder. Jenna's eyes were adjusting to the darkness,
and she could make out the outlines of the door up ahead. A hiss of
irritation escaped her lips when she realized the door was locked.

"Hey! Somebody! I'm stuck in here!" Jenna yelled, pounding the metal
door with her fists. "Hello? Mrs. Roberts? Somebody? Anybody?" But no
one came. She fished her cell phone out of her pocket-but it wasn't
picking up a signal. Great, Jenna thought to herself-Dad was probably
waiting outside now, probably worried sick and she didn't blame him.
Would she have to stay here all night?

A sound from behind startled Jenna-it was a sharp squeak- kind of like
the sound that some tennis shoes made when they walked or ran across
the gym floor.

"Is someone there?" Jenna asked as she turned around, sliding the
backpack from her shoulder and holding it by the straps in front of
her. If nothing else it could certainly be used as a weapon. Slowly
she walked towards the area where the noise had come from. "If you're
there," Jenna said, "please answer."

That's when the whisper came.

"Jenna," a voice hissed softly. The sound made Jenna shiver.

"Who is that?" She called out, realizing that her voice was
trembling. In the shadows Jenna thought she saw something move.

"Jenna," the voice said again. Jenna couldn't tell whether the speaker
was male or female.

"Look, if this is a prank or someone trying to scare me it isn't
funny." Jenna said.

That was when someone grabbed her arm from behind. With a panicked cry Jenna tried to pull away, but the person holding her was too
strong--no matter how Jenna struggled she couldn't break free.

"For God's -Jenna, it's just me," Jenna recognized her Dad's voice and relaxed-she
turned around to see him holding a penlight flashlight and something
else in his other hand-something that looked like a- Jenna tried to
make it out, but by then it was gone.

"What are you doing here?" Jenna asked. "Did you just have a gun?"

"What do you think I'm doing here?" Dad said. "I was waiting for you
in the car and I got worried." He had avoided her question about the
gun completely, but Jenna decided to let it go.

"You scared me, Dad. How did you get in?" Jenna said. "The door was
locked-I tried it."

"It was locked from the outside," Dad said, after a pause. "I came in
through the gym and I heard you shouting and asking if someone was
there."

"Was that you calling my name just now?" Jenna said.

Dad was still holding her arm, and his grip tightened momentarily.
"Someone was calling your name?"

"Yes," Jenna said. "When you grabbed me I thought it had been you."

"Well it wasn't me," Dad said. "Could you tell what direction it was
coming from?"

"Well I was standing right here," Jenna pointed towards the dim
outline of the bench nearest the door. "And I think it came from
somewhere in the back-there was a funny sound before the voice-sort
of like shoes squeaking."

"Shoes squeaking?" Dad said. Jenna nodded. "I'm going to check it out.
You stay right here and if anything happens you yell for me. Okay?"

"Be careful," Jenna said. The wait seemed to take forever-she could
hear her father's footsteps moving around in the back-the little
penlight playing off the locker doors. Jenna clenched her hands
tightly until she could feel the nails digging into her palms. Finally
he came back.

"If there was somebody they aren't there now," Dad said.

"I didn't imagine it," Jenna said. "I really did hear a voice."

Lee ruffled her hair with one hand. "I know you did, sweetheart." His
voice sounded calm, nonchalant even, but Jenna had the strangest
feeling that something had upset him. "Let's go home, huh? Your mom
will be starting to worry."

SMK SMK SMK SMK

5:30 PM

Lee fought to stay outwardly composed during the drive home, but
inside his mind was racing. What he had seen in the gym and the locker
room-those images would stay with him forever. Lee was just glad he'd
gotten Jenna out before she'd seen-or before anything else had happened.

My God, he thought, fear coursing through his veins. If I hadn't been
there on time...

"Suzanne Johnston-she was murdered, wasn't she?" Jenna said.

They were stopped at a red light now. "How do you know that?" Lee said.

"There was something else in my locker today," Jenna said, digging the
envelope out of her backpack. "It was another card. There was a
picture of Suzanne-she was-I mean, you could sort of tell that she was
dead." Her voice trembled slightly.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Jenna," Lee said. "You shouldn't have
had to hear about it that way."

"How did you hear about it?"

"I heard about it on the news," Lee said. The guy behind him honked
and he realized that the light had turned green. Putting on his
signal, Lee turned left onto Maplewood.

"So the person who's doing this to me killed her," Jenna said. "She-I
mean Suzanne-she wasn't a bad lady. She just didn't know what was
going on."

"I know."

"You'll never get away from me," Jenna said. "That's what the card
said. She testified against him and died. I guess that means I'm next."

Lee could hear the tears in her voice and his anger at his daughter's
tormenter grew. "Jenna," he said, "We-I mean the police-are going to
do everything possible to make sure you aren't next. So don't talk
like that."

"I won't," Jenna said softly.

"Good," Lee said. "Now I'm going to call the-police when we get home
and see what else we can do. I'm sorry, but you aren't going back to
school tomorrow and probably not for the next few days."

"Mrs. Roberts might be upset when I'm not there for Dance Team
practice."

"Well she'll just have to understand," Lee said. "And I don't want you
calling or texting anyone and telling them about this, Jenna. Not your
friends, your teachers-no one can know."

"I understand."

"The police might want to take us to a safe place," Lee said. "So when
we get home I want you to pack a bag. Pack for at least three days,
essentials only."

"I can do that," Jenna repeated. Lee squeezed his daughter's hand.

"It really will be all right, munchkin" he said firmly. At this point
Lee wasn't really sure how it would be, but he knew that Jenna needed
to hear those words.

SMK SMK SMK SMK

"So you're saying that you didn't get her?" Katie said. "I
practically gave that kid to you on a silver platter."

"I'm telling you, it was a bust," Dennis said. "Before I could even
touch her Daddy came along and get this- he even had a gun."

"Well from what Gary said, the guy's some sort of fed. What did you
expect?" Katie said, "Did he hurt you, Denny?"

"Relax, sis, I'm fine." Dennis' voice sounded slightly amused. "But
your plan didn't work. Now we try one of my plans, Katie, and you're
just the one to carry it out."

"What did you have in mind?" Katie said.

TBC