Who Killed the Homecoming Queen? by R.L. Stine, Bill Schmidt

her. “You said this was Jeremy’s plan?” she asked.
    Tania nodded as she pulled a tissue out of her jacket pocket.
    â€œThe whole thing?”
    Nodding again, Tania wiped her eyes.
    â€œWell, where is he?” Eva demanded. “Why isn’t he …” She stopped as the feeling became stronger.
    Something is wrong. Horribly wrong.
    â€œEva?” Tania asked. “What’s the matter with you?”
    â€œSomething’s going on,” Eva murmured.
    Someone is in trouble.
    As soon as the words popped into Eva’s mind, she realized they were true. It’s not just some weird feeling this time, she thought. I can tell that somebody’s in trouble.
    But who?
    Shivering, Eva glanced around, then up into the bleachers. As her gaze rested on the broken railing, she froze.
    Cherise, she thought.
    Cherise was supposed to be here an hour ago. She promised Keith.
    And Cherise wouldn’t pass up a chance to be on camera.
    Where is she?
    â€œEva?” Tania repeated. “Please. What is it? Why are you looking up there?”
    Eva dragged her eyes away from the railing. “Cherise is in trouble,” she declared.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Keith asked. “What kind of trouble?”
    â€œI don’t know!” Eva exclaimed. “I can feel it,though. Really strong. I can’t explain it, but I know it’s true. I just know it!” She turned and began running down the steps.
    Get to a phone, she told herself. Call Cherise.
    Hurry!
    Eva jumped over the last two steps and onto the football field. With Tania and Keith running behind her, she raced across the field toward the school.
    Inside, at the pay phone near the gym, she fumbled in her bag for a quarter and slid it into the slot. Her fingers shook. The quarter fell and spun across the floor.
    Keith picked it up and stuck it into the slot.
    Eva jabbed at the numbers, gasping for breath. Her heartbeat hammered so loudly in her ears, she could hardly hear the phone ring.
    And ring.
    And ring.
    After fifteen rings, Eva slammed the phone back. “No answer.”
    â€œLet’s go to her house,” Keith said. “Come on. We’ll take my van.”
    The three of them raced out to the parking lot and piled into Keith’s black minivan. All the seats had been folded down except the driver’s. Eva sat with Tania on the scratchy carpeting in the back, hunched next to a pile of cardboard boxes holding cables and microphones and other video equipment.
    Keith peeled out of the lot, ignoring the speedbumps. The tires screeched as he swerved onto the street. A horn blared loudly.
    â€œStop driving like a maniac!” Tania told him. “We’ll never get there if you’re pulled over for a ticket.”
    â€œSorry.” Keith slowed a little and clutched the steering wheel nervously. “Eva got me spooked.”
    Eva huddled near the bouncing boxes, digging her fingernails into her palms. Hurry! she wanted to shout. Don’t worry about a ticket. Just get us there, fast!
    A few minutes later, Keith pulled the van onto Cherise’s street and barreled toward her house. The van lurched to a stop at the curb, and Eva slid the side door open.
    As she jumped down to the sidewalk, she heard a scream.
    A wild, terrified scream.
    A girl’s scream, from inside Cherise’s house.

chapter 25
 
    â€œO h, no!” Tania gasped, jumping down beside Eva. “Eva, you were right!”
    Keith leaped out of the van, clutching his precious camcorder in one hand.
    Another scream pierced the air.
    â€œWhoa,” Keith murmured, his face turning pale.
    â€œHurry!” Eva cried. She took off across the lawn, the dry fall leaves crunching under her feet.
    As the three of them raced up the porch steps, the girl screamed again.
    Louder this time. More terrified.
    Keith yanked open the rattling screen door, and Eva shoved the front door open.
    â€œHelp me!” the girl’s