Help Wanted by Richie Tankersley Cusick Page B

her!”
    â€œBut …” Robin looked at her friend in dismay. “What if something’s happened to her! What if she’s—you know—in trouble or something!”
    Faye waved her hand dismissively. “She’s not in any trouble! She’ll be back! She has to get that condo for us at Thanksgiving. Come on, you know her—she’s just being Vicki!”
    Robin moved her chair away and bit into her sandwich with a vengeance. She didn’t know why she felt so shaken all of a sudden. She was tired of hearing about unsettling things, about Vicki and the condo, about Parker and how wonderful he was. She didn’t want to think anymore about that scary painting at Manorwood, and Claudia lying at the foot of the school stairs, and Parker’s mysterious comments.
    â€œI heard someone pushed her,” Faye said again, and Robin jumped as though she’d been hit.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œClaudia.” Faye sighed. “Parker’s sister! Hello, Robin, anybody home?”
    â€œNo one pushed her.” Robin shook her head and frowned. “The stairs were empty.”
    â€œWell, how do you know? Whoever it was probably ran away by the time you showed up.”
    â€œNobody pushed her. Nobody around here would do something like that.”
    â€œWell … that’s what I heard, anyway.”
    â€œWhy would anyone push her?” Robin said irritably. “No one even knows her.”
    Faye made a face. “You don’t have to be so touchy.”
    Robin excused herself and went outside. What little sun there’d been that morning had vanished, and the sky was thickening with clouds. Just like my mood, Robin thought glumly. She wished she’d never gone to Manorwood last night—wished she’d never heard of Claudia and the suicide and Lillith. Suddenly she wanted to race right back and tell Mr. Swanson she didn’t want anything to do with any kind of job.
    She decided to walk awhile. The weather had kept most of the kids inside, and so she trudged across the yard, glad for the privacy. The grounds behind the school stretched for nearly half a block before finally ending at the gym, with the stadium beyond. As Robin walked slowly around the track that skirted the football field, she was surprised to see a lone figure huddled on the bottom row of bleachers. She was almost past it when something made her study it more closely. She hesitated, then cautiously approached.
    â€œClaudia?” she said softly.
    The girl jumped from her seat, whirling with a choked cry.
    â€œIt’s me,” Robin said quickly. “Robin Bailey. I was with you inside—by the stairs. Remember?”
    For several seconds she wasn’t sure if Claudia recognized her or not. The girl’s eyes were huge with suspicion, and her whole body tightened, as if bracing for a dangerous confrontation.
    â€œI just wondered if you were okay,” Robin went on. She had a bad feeling that Claudia might turn and run away at any second, and so she stuck out her hand and added, “I guess I really didn’t introduce myself.”
    Claudia watched in silence but made no move to accept the handshake. She simply sat there, and taking this as a positive sign, Robin moved a few steps closer.
    â€œI’m Robin Bailey,” she said again, forcing a smile. “You’re Parker’s sister, right?”
    Claudia sighed. “If that’s the only reason you want to know me, you’re wasting your time.”
    The surprise on Robin’s face was genuine. Claudia must have sensed this, because after a moment she lowered her eyes and shrugged.
    â€œWith someone like Parker, you can never be sure who your real friends are.”
    Robin nodded. “Point taken. Girls haven’t been talking about much else since he got here.”
    Claudia turned her attention to the deserted field.
    â€œI don’t live very far from you,” Robin said. When