Vanished by Kristi Holl

Author:Kristi Holl [Holl, Kristi]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-310-39963-6
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Published: 2008-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

7

a snowy excursion

Friday, 3:09 p.m. to 7:18 p.m.

Miss Barbara removed Jeri’s bent bike from her trunk, and Jeri limped into Hampton House. The assistant grabbed a granola bar before returning to the Stretch. When Jeri walked into her room, she noticed that her answering machine was blinking. She pressed the button. Her mom’s voice filled the room, and Jeri nearly sobbed. If only she’d been here to get the call!

“Hi, Honey. Sorry I missed you. I expect you’re still out searching. I’m praying constantly for you all.” Jeri frowned. Her mom’s voice sounded odd. “I was told today that my company reduced my territory. That’s a pay cut, but I know the Lord will provide. Let’s pray for a full scholarship for you for next year. I’m not sure I’ll be able to pay even half the tuition. We’ll talk later, Sweetie. Love you!”

Jeri sank to her bed. She couldn’t believe it. The very day she alienates Mr. Langley–the man behind her scholarship–is the day her mom says Jeri needs even more financial help.

Rubbing her neck, she listened to the wind whistle through the pines outside. She couldn’t sit there and do nothing! Time was running out fast to find Mr. Reeves and the girls alive. She could at least deliver Ms. Carter’s message to Houston. She pulled on heavier wool socks, then her hiking boots. Her boot pressed hard against her swollen ankle. Grabbing her coat, striped scarf, and dry mittens, she limped down the stairs. Outside, she made her way north across the snowy campus toward the Equestrian Center.

As she came around a storage shed for lawn mowers and snowblowers, she spotted a familiar dark coat and blue-and-red striped stocking cap ahead. “Jake!”

Jake stopped and turned.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“The infirmary.”

Jeri caught up with him. “Why? Are you hurt?”

“No, but some rescue workers are. Frostbite. Exposure.”

“Miss Barbara said the windchill’s supposed to be minus twelve tonight.”

Jake whistled. “Frostbite’s deadly. If your skin freezes, your flesh turns black and falls off,” he said with relish. “Sometimes fingers and toes have to be amputated.”

Jeri shuddered. “No one’s hurt that bad, are they?”

“Maybe not,” Jake admitted. “But if they get that bad, I’ll be the first to report it.”

Or make it up? Jeri wondered, recalling the Head’s anger at Jake sensationalizing the news. However, she clapped her mittens together and stomped her feet in case he was right. She preferred to keep all her fingers and toes. “Where’s Lindy?”

“Down at the lake, filming background stuff mostly. I drove the TV van up here.”

“Hey, Lindy said you were in Rock River and didn’t drive all night from Connors to get here.”

Jake raised one eyebrow. “I never said we did. We were just a couple hours away when you called.”

Jeri’s mouth fell open. She could swear … Jake stared down at her, as if daring her to argue. Instead, she pulled the voice-activated recorder from her pocket. She rewound it a few seconds, then hit “play.”

“No one’s hurt that bad, are they?”

“Maybe not.

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