Chapter 6
In the darkness, I watched the last trace of color drain from Reilly’s face.
Jessica practically tumbled from her top bunk and threw herself against me, shaking so badly I could barely hold on to her.
I forced myself to stay calm with the last bit of reason I had left.
“Don’t panic,” I whispered. “The police already found out the first murder had nothing to do with Madison. She’s probably just sleepwalking.”
I did not know whether I was trying to comfort Jessica or myself.
“And we locked the door,” I added.
The moment I said that, Jessica suddenly stiffened in my arms.
I looked down at her. “What’s wrong?”
Her face had gone completely bloodless. Her voice was choked with tears.
“I… I was the last one to come in tonight. I forgot to lock it.”
My hands and feet turned ice cold.
At the same time, Madison’s cheerful voice floated in from the hallway.
“Oh, you didn’t lock it? Then I’m coming in.”
Click.
The door slowly opened.
Jessica completely lost it and clung to me even harder. Reilly shot to her feet, ready to tackle Madison the second she stepped inside.
But the moment the door swung open, all three of us froze.
Madison walked in holding half a watermelon in both arms. It had been split open badly, juice running down her sleeves. Her eyes were clear.
She was fully awake.
She looked at us for one second, then burst out laughing.
My knees nearly buckled with relief.
Reilly recovered first. She marched over and smacked Madison on the arm. “What is wrong with you?”
Madison winced, rubbing her shoulder, but she was still grinning. “Serves you right. You guys spent all day acting like I was some kind of killer, so I figured I should scare you back a little. And I wasn’t lying. I really did bring you watermelon.”
The tension in the room broke all at once.
Jessica wiped her eyes and reached for Madison’s hand. “Maddie, I’m sorry. About today. We really didn’t mean—”
Madison gave a tired little smile. “I know. You were scared. Honestly, I’m scared too.”