saying that there’s nothing to do down here.”
“Where are you again?” Sasha turned this way and that, then spun around to make the hem flare out.
“Down the shore, in Long Beach Island. Come down. It’ll be fun. One of your parents could take you. Are they around?”
“No,” Sasha answered, distracted. Her strapless bra was making tiny bumps in the dress, and she would have to get a new one. Also strappy sandals. She had seen a pair of Manolos in Neiman Marcus.
“Where are they?”
“I don’t know.” Sasha’s parents traveled for work, but she didn’t mind. She had Bonnie and her husband, Clark, whom Sasha called Clyde, and they lived in the au pair suite and took care of her and the house. Sasha liked the freedom she had over her friends, who had to get permission to breathe. Bonnie and Clyde knew to let her do what she wanted, if they wanted to keep their jobs.
“What about Clyde? Can he take you?”
“No,” Sasha answered, eyeing her reflection.
“I bet I can get somebody to pick you up. My brother might do me a favor.”
“I can’t, I’m busy. Hold on.” Sasha wiggled out of the dress. She had three more to try on, then she wanted to message Julian about the gun.
“But this morning you said you were bored. You weren’t busy at all.”
“Yeah, well, I got busy.” Sasha was thinking about the gun, which she couldn’t get out of her mind. She crossed to the shopping bags at the foot of her bed.
“Sash? You there?”
“Hold on a minute!” Sasha rummaged in the bag, took out a box, and opened the lid.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying on dresses for my cousin’s wedding.” Sasha took out another dress. There were small pink flowers along the hem, which were a little young.
“Sasha, are you there?”
“Give me one more minute.” Sasha put the dress over her head and smoothed it into place. Her belly was super flat, and she bet she could bounce a penny off it.
“A dress? What’s it look like?”
“White with pink flowers.”
“You’re not supposed to wear white to a wedding if you’re not the bride.”
“Why? I look good in white, and I’m going to be tan by then. Hold on.” Sasha unzipped the side of the dress, and got it over her head. She heard a ripping sound, but Bonnie would return it for her tomorrow anyway.
“Sash? You sure you don’t want to come down?”
“Totally. Ask Courtney. She’s free.”
“I can’t stand her.”
“Nobody can. That’s why she’s free. Bye.” Sasha hung up and tossed the phone onto the bed. She crossed to her desk, sat down in front of her computer, and dialed up the Internet. She didn’t have to wait for anybody to get off the phone so she could get on, like her friends. The modem sounded, and she logged into AOL. She could see from her Buddy List that Julian was online. As soon as she appeared, he IMed her:
Heir2Throne987: do u like the new toy?
SashaliciousOne: toy? r u trying not to put it in writing?
Heir2Throne987: put WHAT in writing???? LOL
SashaliciousOne: i think we should move it
Heir2Throne987: why
SashaliciousOne: fat people yap
Heir2Throne987: she won’t
SashaliciousOne: david is on her side
Heir2Throne987: he wouldn’t
SashaliciousOne: i could move it
Heir2Throne987: please dont
SashaliciousOne: i know where it is & I could dig it up & then it would be MINE ALL MINE bahahahahahahahaa
Heir2Throne987: i dont want u 2
Sasha was only kidding, but the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to move the gun. She could find the bent tree on her own. She ran through the woods all the time and knew the trails better than Julian or David.
Heir2Throne987: i dont want the owner to know we found it
SashaliciousOne: how could he
Heir2Throne987: what if he watches the spot night
SashaliciousOne: that would be weird
Heir2Throne987: he could have binoculars & if he knows then he would move it
Sasha thought that over. Julian was right. He liked her, but she could do better and she was keeping her options open. Plus there was something about him that was a little, well, off.
Heir2Throne987: never underestimate the downside risk
SashaliciousOne: u sound like ur father
Heir2Throne987: did I convince u
SashaliciousOne: yes
Heir2Throne987:
SashaliciousOne: i have another idea
Heir2Throne987: what
SashaliciousOne: bullets!
CHAPTER 9
David Hybrinski
Twilight washed the sky in pink and purple, and the sun sank behind the tree line bordering the softball field at Brandywine Hunt. The baseball diamond was set in a green field that had been mowed in swaths like a vacuumed rug, the red clay on the baselines had been newly raked, and