Weekend - By Christopher Pike Page 0,39

heir was the stuff of prime-time serials. Was she filtering her sister's blood, or merely sending it in useless circles through the plastic tubes? The peculiar absence of the other kids could be easily explained by Lena having manipulated the invitations. Had she brought all of them who had been at the party here to exterminate them, lest a sudden memory on the part of one of them come back to incriminate her?

Angie: At the party, she had had the most immediate ulterior motive. Her frustration at Robin's 'dropping by' had been obvious. Was it simply chance that Park was now her boyfriend? Angie spoke seldom, but she was no dummy. She was fully capable ofplanning for a future romance. Also, for what it was worth, she had been closest to the garage when it blew up. She was right up there on the list.

Kerry: Humiliation was powerful motivation for revenge. If Lena truly loved her sister, what better way to hurt her than to kill Robin? However, even though Kerry had a sharp tongue, Shani did not feel she was capable of murder. Nevertheless, she had to be placed near the top of the list. Kerry was fully capable of hate.

Sol: He had a violent past. During the investigation following the party, the police had hammered on him the most. If he hadn't acted alone, he had at least been used, for he had given Robin a (poison?) beer.

But he had absolutely no motive. He adored Robin. She put him at the bottom of the list.

Park: They had grown up together. It was impossible for her to be objective. Nevertheless, Angie's skinny-dipping offer wouldn't have been sufficient enticement for him to spike his girlfriend's beer. And, once he had realised her condition, he had taken the wisest possible course of action to save Robin. On the other hand, he had been plastered that night, and horny... She would not cross him off her list.

Bert: He would have been incapable of using Insect Death for its primary purpose; he couldn't have hurt a fly. In spite of what some said, he hadn't been dumb enough to accidentally pour poison in a beer mug.

But maybe he had seen something at the party no one else had. Maybe that was why he was dead. She wished that shecould put him on a list - for wonderful, living people.

The final two, Flynn and Robin, were difficult. He had a dozen strikes against him, yet he was the only one who couldn't have poisoned her. Still, she didn't trust him farther than she could throw a piano. She didn't know why she hadn't told Park about the gun. She would do that first thing when she got back.

Flynn followed Robin closely. He wanted something from her. He deserved a list all his own.

Obviously, Robin had not poisoned herself. But she could have arranged for their present isolation.

Sweetheart was her middle name, yet poison affected every organ, even the heart. Did she want revenge? She was deathly ill. Maybe she had fallen into a confused mental state where she wouldn't mind destroying the innocent if it allowed her to get to the guilty. And she had a sorcerer for a friend. A remark Angie had made about the destroyed garage and carport came to mind: "Like they had been struck by the wrath of God." The old man had been in the area. Two days ago, she hadn't been too hip on the supernatural, but now she was game for just about anything. Supposedly, sorcerers possessed powers.

Wasting the carport and garage may have been merely a minor demonstration. His story could be seen as a parallel to their situation. Eagle had granted Dove the decision of who was to live, and who was to die.

Had the old man granted Robin similar authority, and had she made a deal for her life?

Interesting how, by simply thinking about the old man, she could tell he was near. It was as though he was surrounded by an invisible shell that alerted both parties of impending contact. Shani stood. It was still warm but she shivered. The sun was gone, the light failing swiftly. Thickening clouds threatened a downpour. Only moments ago she had been contemplating his evilness. Now she felt impelled to climb the remainder of the hill and - sheknew he was there - meet him. A flickering orange glow from a hidden fire served as a beacon. She glanced back at the