Free A Good Excuse To Be Bad by Miranda Parker Page B

horrible aunt. The noises became clearer now, and I followed it up the staircase until I reached the end of the hall. I felt for my cell phone stun gun in my back pocket. It wasn’t my real phone, but a decoy Taser and flashlight. It was girly pink, too. If I only remembered one thing from my ten years in Girl Scouts, it was to always be prepared. I definitely was tonight. This baby could put out 900,000 volts.
    Justus pointed toward the last door on the left.
    I stopped. “What are you doing up here?” I grunted through my teeth.
    â€œShhh . . .” He pointed at a gold-plated nameplate on the door. It read, T HE B ISHOP’S S TUDY . I looked at Justus. This was where the noise came from. I felt my lips tighten. I knew Devon was behind all this drama. I didn’t want to go in there. I didn’t want to be right for the first time in my life.
    Justus looked at me and mouthed, Ready?
    My heart raced. I could hear it pounding in my ears. I stepped back. I clutched Justus’s hand. I was too scared to answer. I stood there frozen. What was wrong with me? I wasn’t afraid of anything, so why was I scared now?
    Justus twirled me around until I was behind him. “Stay back here. I’ll knock.”
    I nodded, but totally forgot his request when I heard Ava scream, “Devon!”
    I pushed Justus out of the way, swung the door open, and saw nothing but Devon’s plaques hanging on the wall. It was dark, except for a dim light around the corner. I stepped around and peaked.
    â€œDevon,” Ava wailed some more. Her voice came from the other side of the wall. “Rachel?”
    â€œNo, Ava, it’s me,” I yelled.
    My heart fell into my tennis shoes. It beat on my toes. I stepped forward and then back. My toes tingled now. My head throbbed so loud I could feel my heart beating now.
    Justus grabbed me. “Stay behind me for real this time.”
    I nodded. I couldn’t speak; I felt helpless. Out of all the dangerous situations I had involved myself in, I couldn’t pull my wits together to do what I could usually do in my sleep. I wasn’t afraid of what would happen to me. I was afraid of what I might see had happened to Ava. I was more afraid of what I could do to Devon, if it was as bad as I thought.
    â€œAngel?” she asked between sobs. “Don’t come in here.”
    â€œIt’s too late.” I clutched Justus’s shirt, then walked around the corner where she was.
    I peeked, then gasped. I wasn’t ready for what I saw. Devon lay on the floor in front of his desk. Ava knelt beside him, praying and crying. Dark, thick blood oozed from his side, past her hands, knees, and through the once-white carpet. It was too much blood for me. I became nauseous and light-headed. I stumbled back. Justus caught me.
    â€œIs he dead?”
    â€œNot sure, but it doesn’t look good,” Justus said.
    â€œI’m going to have to get a closer look.”
    He caught my hand. “Angel, trust me. You don’t need to see this.”
    The last time I had seen Bella’s father alive flashed through my mind. I jolted and dropped Justus’s hand.
    â€œAngel, what’s wrong?”
    â€œNothing.” I stepped forward. “Justus, don’t get it twisted. I’ve seen worse and he needs medical attention now.”
    â€œThen I’ll do it.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause I’m trained to.”
    My brows puckered. “To do what?”
    â€œI was a Navy Hospital Corpsman for the Marine Corps.”
    â€œAre you kidding me?”
    â€œNope.”
    â€œWell, then check to see if he’s bleeding. If he is, then he’s still alive.”
    â€œI know.” Justus rolled his eyes. “Just stay back there.”
    He walked toward Ava.
    â€œI’m calling 911 back. They should be here by now.” Justus knelt over Devon’s body. “There’s a lot of blood, but he’s not bleeding. I