Jack_ Secret Vengeance - F. Paul Wilson [65]
Weezy stood silent a moment, then, “Who do you think’s doing it?”
The last thing Jack wanted to do was lie to Weezy.
He really, really, really wanted to brag that he was the guy and that he’d done it for her because no one dumps on a friend of his without paying a price. He knew it sounded like something out of a lame western, but that was the way he felt.
But no way could he tell her or anyone else. At least not now. Maybe next summer, after Toliver had graduated and moved on, he could let her know, but not before. She might let something slip.
“The ‘who’ is another constant topic of conversation. Nobody’s got a clue as to who or why someone would want to make a fool out of the wonderful and glorious Carson Toliver. Or how. Nobody knows how he’s getting into the locker, or when.”
Weezy folded her arms. “What makes you so sure it’s a ‘he’? You don’t think a girl could be capable?”
“I didn’t say that. I just—”
“But anyway,” she said, waving her hands, “it doesn’t mean I won’t be hearing ‘Easy Weezy’ if I show up.”
“Trust me, Weez: That’s over.”
Her expression softened. “Are you sure that’s not just wishful thinking on your part?”
“Even Eddie will tell you.”
Weezy closed her eyes. “He’s never mentioned ‘Easy Weezy.’ I don’t know how, but I gather he’s never heard it.”
“That’s because of his headphones and the fact that no one’s going to say that about his sister to his face. Especially since it died down once you weren’t around. But let me get him up here. He’s got no wishful thinking going on, so we’ll see if he has the same impression I do.”
Jack stepped out into the hall and called down the stairs to the living room where Eddie was watching the game. He arrived a few minutes later.
“Wow,” he said as he entered Weezy’s room. “I’m allowed to enter the Bat Cave?”
Jack jumped in before Weezy could respond. “I was just telling her about what’s been going on at school. Besides Toliver screwing up the NBR game, what’ll everybody be talking about tomorrow morning?”
Eddie’s eyes widened. “You kidding? The crap going on with his locker.”
He then launched into a tirade about how somebody from NBR had been pranking Toliver to psych him out of the game.
Jack watched Weezy’s face as Eddie rattled on and saw a look of growing awe.
“It’s true then? It’s all anyone’s talking about?”
“True,” Jack said, then turned to Eddie. “Where are you going to be first thing tomorrow morning?”
“You kidding? Right by Carson’s locker with everybody else. I bet the whole school’ll be there, waiting for him to open it.”
Jack said, “What do you think he’ll find inside?”
Eddie’s grin was fierce. “Nothing! Nobody’s getting into that locker. He’s got the bastard beat!” He sobered. “Just wished he’d beat him one day sooner. Maybe we would have won the game.”
Weezy’s voice dripped scorn. “That’s all it took to make your boy hero blow the game? A couple of jokes and he falls apart?”
“He didn’t fall apart! It just messed up his concentration!”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. He never seemed that … fragile. Got to be more than that. And who says it has to be NBR? Maybe it’s personal.”
“Against Carson? He’s the coolest guy in school. Everybody likes him. You’d know that if you weren’t hiding here in the Bat Cave.”
Color flushed into Weezy’s pale cheeks. She looked ready to explode.
“I think you’re wrong, Eddie,” Jack said. “I think Toliver’s going to have another little present waiting in his locker.”
“Wanna bet? Five bucks says no way.”
Jack nodded. “You’re on.” He turned to Weezy. “How about you, Weez? Gonna miss seeing Carson Toliver get smacked down again?”
Eddie looked at her. “What’ve you got against Carson?”
“Nothing,” Weezy said quickly, then stared at Jack. “But that’s tempting. That’s very tempting.”
Eddie waved his hands in the air and danced in a circle. “Hallelujah!” he cried with a Foghorn Leghorn drawl. “She’s steppin’ out—Ah said, she’s steppin’ outa th’darkness and inta th’light! Hallelujah!”
“I didn’t say I would,” Weezy told him. “I might. And then again, I might not.”
Eddie hurried from the room,