Double Date by R.L. Stine Page A

head in his locker.
    She’s dangerous, he decided. Dangerous and crazy.
    He lurched forward as she braked the car to a sudden stop. “Here we are.” She flashed him a warm smile. “Our own secret place.”
    They climbed out of the car. The air smelled fresh and piney. Bobby stared up ahead at a small, shingled cabin nearly hidden by the trees.
    A wooden barrel stood against one cabin wall. A rusted barbecue grill lay on its side in the tall grass beside the barrel.
    â€œWhere are we?” Bobby asked, hesitantly following Samantha toward the front door.
    â€œThis is my family’s cabin,” she told him. “It’s a wonderful little hideaway.” She took his hand and pulled him toward the door. “We’ll bring Bree here. No one will find her for weeks.”
    Bobby felt the knot in his stomach tighten. She has this all planned, he realized. That is so cold, so
cold!
    She stopped in front of the door and smiled at him. “It doesn’t look like much from the outside. But it’s real cozy inside. I’ll show you.”
    A hornet buzzed around Bobby’s head. He ducked and tried to swat it away.
    Samantha laughed. “You’re not afraid of bugs—are you?”
    â€œWho, me? Of course not,” Bobby replied.
    â€œYou’ll have to force the door open,” Samantha told him. “I forgot my key.”
    Bobby hesitated. “Force it?”
    â€œJust lean on it real hard with your shoulder,” she instructed. “The lock is real flimsy. It should pop right open.” She gave him a playful push up to the door.
    What am I doing here? Bobby asked himself. What am I doing here with this sicko?
    â€œGo ahead,” she urged sharply.
    He took a deep breath and obediently slammed hisshoulder into the door. It bent but didn’t give. It popped open on the second try.
    Bobby led the way into the tiny cabin. Sunlight filtered in through the windows, making the bare wood floorboards shimmer. Bobby saw an old vinyl couch, two canvas lawn chairs, a couple of plastic TV tables leaning in a corner. A framed yellowed map filled with Indian names hung above the small stone fireplace.
    â€œIt’s real rustic,” Samantha said, moving close to him. “But it’s perfect. There’s no one around for miles. That’s why my dad had it built here. We don’t start coming out here until July.”
    Bobby sniffed the air. “It’s kind of musty,” he muttered.
    â€œIt’s been closed up all winter. But it’s cozy, isn’t it?” Without waiting for a reply, she threw her arms around him and kissed him with real emotion.
    â€œSo we’ll do it? You and me?” she whispered, nibbling his earlobe. “We’ll bring Bree here? We’ll kill her? And then we’ll be together forever and ever?”
    â€œOkay,” Bobby replied again.
    I’ve got to get back and warn Bree, he thought. He started to tell Samantha he needed to get home. But she pressed herself against him again and smothered him with kisses.
    â€œBree—I have to see you,” Bobby said urgently. He whispered even though he was closed up in his bedroom. “Now.”
    â€œBut, Bobby,” she protested. “You’re going to see me in a couple of hours, remember? You said we’re going dancing?”
    â€œBree, listen to me,” Bobby pleaded. “We have to talk. Right away.”
    Her voice registered surprise. “What’s so important it can’t wait a couple of hours? My family is eating dinner now, Bobby, and we have cousins visiting.”
    â€œBree—please!”
    â€œI’m sorry. Just hold your breath till tonight, okay? I’ve got to go. See you at eight.”
    The line went dead. Bobby turned off the cordless phone and tossed it onto the bed in frustration. “I’m trying to save your life, you idiot!” he cried out loud.
    He began pacing frantically back