Snared by Stefan Petrucha Page A

could have heard her. No way.They had to see her looking in, witnessing their abuse. Once she was seen, Ev freaked.
    It must have been so awful.
    They’re capable of things you can’t even imagine.

9
    The next morning.
    â€œAre you okay?” Lindsay asked through the open window. She hadn’t even waited for Mark’s invitation to open it. She had to speak to him.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” Mark whispered, his voice breaking with anxiety. “Doug and Jack are in the next room.”
    â€œYou have to let me call someone for you. This isn’t right.”
    â€œLindsay, you can’t get involved in this. I told you. Go home. We’ll talk if they leave again.”
    â€œIf?”
    â€œSomething happened last night. I’m not even sure what, but they’re on red alert out there.”
    â€œI know,” Lindsay said. “I saw it. Look, take this.” She handed Mark her cell phone. “Hide it under the bed or something. I programmed my number into the first speed dial. I’ll have my Treo. I can use that. You can call me anytime or call for help if you need to.”
    â€œI can’t take this,” Mark said, lifting the device toward the window.
    But Lindsay wouldn’t take it. “You have to,” she told him. “I want to know you’re okay.”
    Â 
    Lindsay sat in the kitchen, staring at her coffee. Her PDA rested on the table in front of her. When her dad came in and said “You’re up early,” Lindsay muttered “Couldn’t sleep.” Her dad bent over and kissed her forehead, stroked her hair, then went to the coffeepot.
    â€œYour mom will be down in a minute.”
    â€œOkay.”
    She watched her dad pouring milk into his coffee mug. Last night at dinner his face had been red from a day in the sun, but now it was brown, and he looked more like a bear than ever.
    â€œWhat are your plans for today?” he asked. “Your new friends dragging you off again?”
    â€œI don’t think so.” She hoped she never saw those creeps again.
    â€œYou’re welcome to join us on the beach if you want. That is, if you won’t be too embarrassed being seen with your parents?”
    â€œOf course I’ll be embarrassed,” Lindsay said, trying to make a joke. Her heart wasn’t in it, and it came off dry and nasty. So she added “How could I NOT be?” This time she put in enough flare to her voice to get the playfulness across.
    Her dad chuckled, but it was a courtesy laugh at best. “You okay, honey?”
    No , she thought. “Fine,” she said. “Just a little tired.”
    â€œWell, some sun will do you good.”
    Such simple answers to everything, Lindsay thought. According to her dad, a little sun, some sea air, and a piece of pie were all anyone needed to cope with anything. The world could be crumbling down, and he’d be there handing out beach towels and slices of Dutch apple to everyone, telling them not to panic.
    What was she going to do? What could she do?
    Nothing , a small voice said to her. You can’t do a damn thing .
    She rarely listened to this annoying voice. It was a downer, a shot of pessimism she just didn’t need. For most of her life, she’d been able to fix things. Fixed them for herself. Fixed them for her friends. Even helped her parents every now and then. Why couldn’t she fix this? Why wasn’t there a simple answer? A plan to follow? Something?
    Â 
    After an hour on the beach, Lindsay decided to get something to drink and get out of the sun for a while. So she sat in the shade of her uncle’s porch, sipping an iced tea. She could still see her parents, who were closer to the water. Her dad’s belly rose and fell steadily as he napped with a baseball cap over his face. Her mom lay on her stomach, reading a paperback. The light trill of her Treo brought Lindsay out of her revery. She fumbled with the PDA