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

voice shrieked. “Somebody—please help me!”
    Cherise’s voice.
    With Keith and Tania close behind her, Eva tore down the hall and burst into the living room.
    Eva saw Jeremy race across the rug, heading for the dining room.
    The toe of his sneaker caught on the rug. He stumbled sideways, and fell to the floor.
    As he tried to scramble up, Eva could hear him gasping in fear.
    A whimpering sound made Eva turn. She bit back a scream of her own as she stared.
    Cherise crouched on the floor near the couch, her red hair tangled, her eyes wild with terror.
    In one hand, she clutched a long-bladed butcher knife.
    Eva’s mouth opened in a horrified cry.
    â€œHe … he killed Sandy!” Cherise screamed. She rose to her knees, still clutching the knife.
    Eva’s heart stopped, then began racing, trying to pound its way out of her chest.
    â€œJeremy killed Sandy!” Cherise wailed. “And he tried to stab me! But I grabbed the knife away!”
    Jeremy leaped up, panic in his face. “Get away!” he shouted at them. He leaped over a footstool and raced toward the dining room again.
    â€œStop him!” Cherise shrieked. “He’s the killer! Stop him! He wants to kill all of us!”
    Eva couldn’t move.
    Keith stood frozen, his fingers nervously clutching the camcorder.
    â€œJeremy!” Tania sobbed, racing after him. “Jeremy—why? Why did you do it?”

chapter 26
 
    â€œS tay away!” Jeremy warned.
    With a cry, Tania jumped at him—and tried to grab hold of his windbreaker. Instead, she rammed into his back and knocked him off balance.
    Jeremy pitched forward, then fell straight down.
    A horrible cracking sound echoed through the room as his head slammed against the corner of a low table.
    He groaned once, then didn’t move.
    â€œJeremy?” Tania gasped. She shook his shoulder and peered into his face. “He’s knocked out.”
    â€œThank goodness!” Cherise cried.
    Eva helped Cherise onto the couch. Keith stood by, a stunned expression on his face. Tania stayed next to Jeremy, keeping one hand on his shoulder.
    â€œCherise, what happened?” Eva asked.
    Cherise took a deep, shaky breath. She still held the knife, and stared at it in horror as she spoke. “He tried to stab me,” she told them. “He said he was going to kill me!”
    â€œBut why?” Tania cried. “Why would Jeremy want to kill you?”
    Cherise turned and stared at her. “For you, Tania. He wanted to get revenge for you—by killing Sandy and me.”
    Tania’s eyes filled with tears.
    â€œHe said you were the first family he ever had,” Cherise went on. “He said he couldn’t stand to see you hurt.”
    Tania blinked. The tears spilled out and rolled down her cheeks.
    Eva stared down at Jeremy.
    He told me he got into some trouble at his old school, she remembered. But he didn’t say what. He didn’t want to talk about it. He said it was all in the past.
    What kind of trouble? Eva wondered. Murder?
    Was murder in Jeremy’s past?
    No, he’d be in prison, wouldn’t he?
    Unless he got away with it somehow.
    Eva jumped as Cherise touched her arm. “He told me he was going to kill you too, Eva.”
    â€œMe?” Eva felt dizzy. “Why would he want to kill me? I’m Tania’s best friend. He knows that!”
    â€œYeah, and he doesn’t like it one bit,” Cherisedeclared. “Tania spends too much time with you, he said. He’s jealous of you, Eva.”
    â€œBut …”
    â€œI told you what he said about family,” Cherise reminded her. “Jeremy wanted Tania and his mom and dad all to himself. He didn’t want anybody butting in, not even you, Eva. He’s really crazy.”
    Eva shook her head, shocked.
    â€œAnd that’s why he sawed the bleacher railing,” Cherise added. “To get rid of you. Thank goodness you