Valley of Death by Gloria Skurzynski Page B

desert. Jack and Steven, on the other hand, looked as though they’d been dragged across the sand by coyotes.
    â€œI just came to say good-bye,” Jesse told them, gingerly setting the orange juice onto the dresser. “I have a two o’clock class, and before that, I want to drop off my videotape at the national network news office.” He patted the pocket of his jacket, where he was carrying the tape. “Thanks to Jack and Leesa, I’ve got a winner here. It’ll be on the six o’clock news for sure. National news! I thought you might want to watch.”
    â€œI’m not interested in your kind of journalism. You led these kids into danger for the sake of a story,” Steven said, cold anger in his voice.
    Jesse waved his hands in the air. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! I plead not guilty to that charge, Mr. Landon. Look, man, you can ask Jack. If I hadn’t given Leesa a ride, she was ready to hitch, and that would have been a whole lot more dangerous. You never know who might have picked her up in the dark.”
    Pulling a T-shirt over his chest as if it were armor, Steven answered, “That’s no excuse—I know why you did what you did. You had a thousand other options, and you chose to film the story for your own gain. You showed an appalling lack of judgment that put my son and Leesa and Ashley into danger. I think you’d better go.” Steven planted his feet into the carpet like tree roots, his arms crossed so tightly that his biceps bulged beneath the sleeves of his T-shirt. He kept his eyes on Jesse, like a cat tracking a mouse.
    â€œWell, I’m sorry you feel that way, Mr. Landon,” Jesse said finally. “I know I might have gone a little over the line—“
    â€œA little?”
    â€œBut I didn’t make Leesa do anything. It was her choice. She wanted to!”
    â€œWhat Leesa did or did not want to do is irrelevant. She is a child. You are an adult, or at least claim to be. You should have stopped her.”
    For a moment Jack stood there, his face closed off as his mind went reeling. The accusation against Jesse—those words of condemnation belonged to him, Jack Landon. Only Jack had been aware of Leesa’s plan right from the beginning. Only he had agreed to the bargain being struck—Leesa for Ashley. Had he been wrong? It had all worked out, with everyone safe, and yet…the words his father hurled at Jesse were true for Jack as well. It could have worked out a thousand different ways, many of them perilous. He’d been lucky.
    â€œDad,” Jack said softly, “It’s not Jesse. The whole thing was my fault.”
    â€œWhat?”
    Jack squared his shoulders. “I’m the one who knew about Leesa’s plan. I’m the one who didn’t stop her. I didn’t know what to do—I just wanted Ashley back.”
    â€œIt’s OK, Jack.” Leesa had come to the still-open door connecting the two rooms. She stood there half hidden, looking tousled in a long sleep shirt. Her hair stuck out in wisps, full of static. Olivia hovered just behind Leesa.
    â€œIt was my decision, Mr. Landon,” Leesa stated. “Don’t blame either one of these guys. For the first time since I can remember, I made a decision about what I thought was right. And I’m not sorry.”
    Steven didn’t seem to know what to say. Olivia looked just as puzzled, probably because they’d never before heard Leesa stand up and state her own convictions. The anger that had set Steven’s face into a hard mask seemed to soften as he nodded at Leesa. As the tension lessened, Jack felt himself let out the breath he’d been holding.
    â€œHow’d you get out of jail?” Leesa suddenly asked Jesse.
    Jesse’s cocky grin returned as he answered, “No jail time so far. They’re still trying to figure out what laws I might have broken—the only ones they’re sure of are that I was