Free Through the Flames by Tim Lahaye, Jerry B. Jenkins

dirt.”
    Vicki laughed.
    Talia leaned in past Judd, who backed up to make room. “What’s your problem, little wench?”
    “I’m not the one with the problem,” Vicki said, and Judd was stunned at her casual tone. She must have had a lot of experience talking tough to older people. “You’re the one referring to Lionel’s house as your property. What a joke.”
    “You don’t see me laughin’,” Talia said.
    “How long do you guys think you can get away with just moving into a person’s house without his permission?”
    “Long as you mind your own business,” Talia said. “I wouldn’t be messin’ with stuff that’s none of your concern.”
    “As long as Lionel’s our friend, his trouble is our business.”
    Talia had waved them off and hurried back to her car. That’s when Judd began to worry. He kept an eye on the clock, and time seemed to drag.
    “Is she gone?” Ryan asked from the floor of the backseat.
    “Yes,” Vicki said, turning to talk to him. “You don’t have to be afraid of her.”
    “You didn’t see this LeRoy guy. He looks like he could whip anybody. I’m afraid of all of ’em.”
    “Not me,” Vicki said.
    “That was obvious,” Judd said. “Why not?”
    “It wasn’t that long ago I was a brat and didn’t care what I said to adults. They hardly ever follow through on their threats, and what are they going to do anyway? I mean, these people may be the real thing, but they aren’t going to waste their time hassling kids like us.”
    “Except they have to worry that Lionel is eventually going to go to the police.”
    “That’s why they keep trying to intimidate him. That stuff doesn’t work on me. I don’t want to be mean, but she didn’t scare me at all.”
    “You’d be scared if LeRoy was chasin’ you,” Ryan said.
    “That is probably true,” Vicki said.
    Judd grew tenser as the night wore on. “We said we were going to come looking for Lionel if we didn’t hear from him by eleven,” he said.
    “But we heard from him through the woman,” Vicki said.
    “She could have been lying. Why should we trust her?”
    “That message had to come from Lionel. Otherwise, how would she know we were his friends?”
    “You have to admit, Vick, we look a little out of place here.”
    Vicki shot Judd a double take. “Why did you call me ‘Vick’?”
    Judd shrugged. “Just a nickname. Sorry.”
    “I don’t mind,” she said. “It’s just that my big brother always called me that. I miss him so much.” She turned away and covered her eyes with her hand.
    “Sorry,” Judd said again.
    “It’s all right,” she managed. “I like remembering him.”
    “I’m really tired,” Ryan said. “If this wasn’t such a scary place, I’d be sleeping right now.”
    “I wouldn’t be able to sleep here either, partner,” Judd said.
    “Oh, man!” Ryan said, falling to the floor again. “That van that just turned into the alley! That’s got to be LeRoy!”
    “Are you sure?”
    “How could I forget that ugly thing chasing me all through the neighborhood?”
    “Oh, great,” Judd said, glancing at Vicki, who quickly wiped her eyes and turned to look around the area.
    “We’ve got to get Lionel out of there,” she said, reaching for the door handle. “Let’s go.”
    “Just a minute,” Judd said. “We don’t know what we’re walking into. What if LeRoy’s armed, or not alone? And where exactly is Lionel? And is there more than one way out of that alley?”
    “Let’s just go home,” Ryan whined.
    A figure appeared in the rearview mirror. Judd whispered, “Uh-oh,” and put the car in gear. When the figure reached for the back door, Judd floored the accelerator, and the car screeched away from the curb.
    The figure slapped the car and shouted, “Hey!”
    “Oh, no!” Ryan shouted. “Go! Go!”
    Judd was going all right, until Vicki whirled around and stared behind them. “That’s Lionel!” she said. “Go back! Go back!”
    Judd slid to a stop and