April Fools by Richie Tankersley Cusick Page A

her throat. "Well ... all right then. What would you hke to know?"
    There was a long, thoughtful silence. Then, "Secrets," Adam said at last. "Everyone has them. Deep, dark ones way down inside."
    "Secrets?" She forced out the words in a shaky rush. "But it wouldn't be fair, would it? For me to tell you my secrets if you didn't tell me yours?"
    There was a sudden clinking of glass, as if something had overturned. Belinda started forward, then stopped herself as Adam cursed.
    "Are you all right?" she asked carefully.
    He sounded irritated. "Yes. Don't come any closer."
    Belinda sighed, grateful for the distraction. "Is that medicine that Cobbs brings you? Are you in a lot of pain?"
    The pause was wary. "Sometimes."
    "Your legs?"
    There was a soft sound; she imagined him shrugging at her, feeUng trapped and hostile there in the dark because she wouldn't go away.
    "Yes," he said finally.
    She nodded, her voice unnaturally light. "I fell off a ladder once. I didn't think I'd hurt myself, but
    the next day I was so bruised and sore I could hardly move. I can't imagine how you'd feel after ..." she forced out the words, "an accident."
    He didn't answer so she eased herself down onto the floor, her back against the wall.
    "I looked over your lesson plans with my principal at school. He said you could still graduate -- that you can take exams late and it probably wouldn't be that hard for you to catch up on what you've missed. He's talked to your school -- he said people there had been asking about you -- did your stepmother tell you?"
    "Of course," Adam said sarcastically. "Surely you couldn't have missed that affectionate display a minute ago."
    Sympathetic anger bubbled up and Belinda nearly choked on it. "She probably doesn't even realize what she said -- she's probably just so upset about your father -- "
    "One thing you have to remember about dear old Gloria," Adam said. "When my father dies, she'll be a very rich widow."
    'Well... I... I thought maybe we could decide on some kind of schedule today . . . how often you'd like me to come. I don't want to tire you out or get in the way so --"
    "Get in the way?" he suppressed a harsh laugh. "Of what? My busy social life?"
    "Well... I only meant -- "
    "I know what you meant; I don't need your pity. I've been shoved off on you because they don't know what else to do with me, that's all."
    "Oh, Adam, Fm sure that's not true, I --"
    "I didn't ask to be here. I was sent. Because Mom didn't know *how to deal with me.' I think that's the way she put it."
    "But I heard she was really worried about you . . . that she thought a change of scene would be good for you."
    "Good for me?" Adam echoed derisively. "God, it's so funny, isn't it?"
    **What is?"
    "How all the people who don't even know me are suddenly such experts on what's good for me." He seemed to be considering this, and Belinda spoke up timidly.
    "I'm sure they're only trying to help."
    "Help?" The deep voice mocked her. "Now, that's an interesting thought. And what about you, Be-hnda Swanson? Who are you trying to help?"
    A cold, slow chill crawled over her as he gave a deep laugh in his throat. She sat there in the darkness, pinned against the wall by eyes she couldn't see . . . rising to her feet. . . feeling behind her for the door.
    "Where are you going? You just got here."
    "I have to get home. I -- forgot I have something to do --"
    The voice sounded coldly amused. "Uh-oh . . . was it something I said?"
    Belinda stumbled out into the hallway, her heart pounding, her feet going quickly, blindly down the stairs. It can^t be him -- it can't be -- yet he'd been playing with her up there, toying with her, and all
    the fears caved in on her and she nearly fell because she didn't see the last step.
    She grabbed for the bannister and kept going, sure now that she'd never come back to this house again. But that mil look STispicious . . . if you just run out of here, you'll look more suspicious than ever and everyone will wonder why