Free 3 Kill Me Over the Garden Gate by Gale Borger Page B

Pole is gonna be pissed."
    Bean came back through the door. He stopped and stared. Spaz looked around. "What?"
    Bean backed up a step. "Uh, you're smiling."
    "So what?"
    "It's kind-of scary. You never smile."
    "Scary is my middle name, Bean-o."
    "You also look kind of beautiful when you smile."
    Spaz scowled at him. "That's cuz you're a moron, and don't know no better. Come on, Moron, we need to get out of here."
    Bean emailed the pictures to Pone to get them to his dad. "Okay, I'm ready."
    "You'd better be."
    Spaz and Bean snuck out the door. They headed for the hedge row which led to the big house. They kept low and moved quickly. Spaz led Bean to a side entrance and shoved him through the door. Bean stood against the wall. Warm smells of cooking food filled his nostrils. He sucked in his gut when a small person dressed in black whizzed past him. "What the–?"
    " Shush ." Spaz grabbed his hand and dragged him down the hall. She stopped when the wall ended and Bean crashed into her.
    "Oops."
    " Shh ." Spaz waited a second more and dashed across the opening. Stairs led up to the second floor. Bean felt her tug his arm and followed her. Spaz barely paused and ran up another flight. Out of breath and very confused, Bean leaned on the wall behind him. Spaz tugged on his arm again. "Come on, and don't say anything!"
    Bean shuffled along behind her as Spaz hurried down a hall, turned right, and went down another. Turning right one more time, Spaz stopped. She looked both ways, pulled a key out of her skirt pocket, and shoved it into the lock. The door clicked open and Spaz slipped into the room. She grabbed Bean by the shirt and tugged him inside. She looked out the door one more time. Then closed and locked it.

 
    Chapter 3
     
     
    Bean was looking around and stopped by the window.
    Spaz tackled him. "Get down!"
    Bean looked up from underneath her body. His chin rested in her cleavage. Spaz stretched to peek out the window. She looked to see if anyone saw Bean. She heard his muffled voice. "Uh, Spaz? Not that I'm complaining, but could you uh, move a little to the left, please?"
    She looked down her front and saw only his eyes. His eyebrows waggled up and down. Spaz couldn't help but laugh and rolled to her side. "Sorry, Bean. Didn't mean to smother you."
    Bean smiled back. "Oh, it's okay. Smother me some other time though. What are we doing here? And where are we?"
    Spaz pushed to her feet and closed the blinds. "We're in my room. I don't exist. He keeps me and a couple other girls up here until play time."
    "Play time?"
    Spaz looked away. "You don't want to know."
    Bean stood. "Yes I–"
    Her head snapped around. "No. You really don't!"
    Bean could feel the anger boiling up in him. He took her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Yes. I. Do. I'm a big boy, Spaz. I can take it."
    She bit her lip and looked away. "But–"
    "But nothing, girl. Look at me." She glanced up. Bean shook her. "Evie, Look at me!"
    She looked up. Bean relaxed the hold he had on her. "I am your friend. That means I care about you. Friends can tell friends the good and the bad." She began to pull away, and Bean held on. "Spaz, stop. Talk to me. Let me help. Everyone needs someone to unload on. Let me be your friend, dammit." He watched her eyes squeeze shut. "I'll even wear the purple beanie again." She smiled a small smile. Bean walked over to the bed. Spaz stood frozen where she was. Bean looked confused and realized it was because he'd sat on the bed. Bean's eyes grew wide. "Oh. Sorry. I get it. Don't worry about me, Spaz; I'm one guy who's perfectly safe."
    Spaz stared at him. "Are you kidding me, man?" She stepped forward. "Ya coulda fooled me. I'd have never taken you for–"
    Bean patted the bed. "Really? And here I thought I was an open book."
    Spaz sat next to him and patted his knee. "This is great. Now I know my idea will work."
    Bean smiled. "What plan? You got a plan? Great. Tell me, tell me! Can I help?"
    Spaz grabbed his hands and