Free Demon Accords 05.5: Executable by John Conroe Page A

Jonah and Candace knew this story, but both of them were listening intently.
    “ The cops didn’t like the way the guy died, and the District Attorney questioned both Trey and me for hours.  Mr. Johnson convinced him it was self-defense, but they never trusted me.”
    “How did the guy die? What did you do?”
    “I electrocuted him.  His heart gave out on the way to the hospital.”
    “You were in his van and you electrocuted him?  With what?”
    “He had two spare car batteries in back and jumper cables like he might use to shock us once he had us tied up.”
    “So what’s the big deal?” she asked.
    “The cops didn’t like that I was able to electrocute him with my hands duct taped behind me.”
    “But you did?”
    “Yeah, I did,” I said.  “I don’t remember everything that happened, but from that day on, things were different between Trey and I.  They got worse as the years went by.”
    “So that’s why you said you were used to being questioned by his dad on a witness stand,” she said.
    “Yeah, although I never really was on a stand.”
    I could see about a million more questions brewing in her eyes, but before she could answer them , a small person careened into the back of Jonah’s chair.
    “ Sarah!  A federal agent is here asking about you!” Rory said in a super-excited voice.
    “What?  What are you talking about?” I asked, glancing at Sarah, who had frozen in place at his words.
    “I was in the office waiting to talk to Principal Jesten about this week’s student council meeting.  I’m class Treasurer you know.” He said the last directly to Sarah with a note of pride. “Anyway, I saw this guy in a suit come in, flashing his badge like they do on NCIS and saying he was Homeland Security.  Then he asked Miss Rosen about you,” he finished, looking at Sarah.
    “What did she say, Rory?” I said, bringing him back on task.
    “Well, he was really snotty to her, so she’s having trouble finding anything,” Rory said with a gleam in his eye.
    “Oh , bad move on his part,” Jonah said.
    Sarah, who had the same calm expression she’d had just after beating the piss out of the two football players, glanced at me with raised eyebrows.
    “Miss Rosen is like a hundred and forty years old, doesn’t give a rat’s ass about anyone or any authority except the Principal.  If you piss her off, she loses everything you wanted her to find,” I said.
    Rory nodded.  “That’s right , and I think it’ll buy you some time.”
    “Time for what ?” Sarah asked, her voice calm for someone being investigated by the Feds.
    “To get away.  I can take you in my car.  Run you to Burlington where your mom is , if you like,” I said, feeling a bit weird about offering but knowing it was the kind of thing my mom or aunt would do.
    “ You would leave school and drive me away, knowing I might be a fugitive?” she asked, apparently more intrigued by that than the Fed.
    “ Yeah, we can head out one of the side doors near the lot.  I’ll just jack the alarm and we’ll be gone.”
    She stared at me for a good fifteen seconds , then looked at each of the others.
    “My mother asked me if I had made any friends here last night.  I told her I thought so.  Apparently , I was right if you’re willing to rush here and alert me,” she said looking at Rory, “—and you’re willing to leave school, disable a safety alarm, and drive a potential fugitive thirty minutes away.  And to think my mother was worried I’d be bored here.”
    She started the sentence grim -faced but was smiling at the end.  It was the first real smile I had ever seen on her face, and it was really kind of amazing.
    “How many federal agents did you say there were?” she asked Rory.
    “One… how many do you need?”
    A look flashed across her face that might have been annoyance but to me looked like she was offended.
    At least four or five! I thought to myself. The girl could jump like a cat and didn’t break