Page 103 of Raging Inferno

“No, I didn’t,” Charmaine cried.

“You so did. Everyone saw you.”

Tamera turned back to their fallen friend and kneeled beside her. She started to touch her but jerked her hand back. “Gwen, can you hear me?”

“Check for a pulse,” Nancy urged.

“Oh God, I can’t find one,” Tamera fretted as she checked several spots on Gwen’s neck and wrist.

“You killed her!” Margy accused. Tears raced down her cheeks. “What are we going to do? You’ll go to prison, Charmaine! You, too, Tamera. We all will! We’re accomplices.”

“I didn’t mean to kill her!” Charmaine burst into noisy sobs.

Jessie took charge. “No one will go to jail. Let me think for a minute.” She rubbed her temples and forced herself to calm down. She was their unofficial leader. It was up to her to devise a plan to save them all. She glanced around the cabin, looking for what? She had no idea. Then it came to her. She ran to the entry and grabbed a throw rug. Returning to Gwen, she tangled it around her feet.

“I’m sorry, Gwenie,” Jessie murmured. The devil on her shoulder taunted she could console Jerrod and make him forget about Gwen. What a horrible thought. Nausea rolled in her belly, and she stood. “We make a blood oath right now. We are never to speak of this to anyone. I mean it. If one of you tattles, we will all go to prison. We’ll spend the rest of our lives behind bars. No one is innocent here.” She glanced at each of the four other girls. “You don’t want that, do you?”

When they all shook their heads, she held out her hand. “Deal?”

Tamera stared at it before clasping it. “Deal.”

“Deal,” Margy responded in a watery voice, adding her hand to the pile.

“Nancy?”

“Deal,” she responded and placed her hand on top of the others.

They all turned to Charmaine, who looked to be in shock.

“Charmaine,” Jessie prompted. “Are you in, or do you want to grow old behind bars, wearing an orange jumpsuit and peeing in front of everyone with no privacy?”

Charmaine swiped at her wet face and added her hand with the others. “Deal.”

“Good. Now, you four, go outside. I’m going to light the cabin on fire.”

“What?” Tamera screeched. “You can’t do that!”

“It’s the only way to make it look like an accident. The fire will take care of any evidence of what really happened.” She hoped. “Go outside. Now.”

The four girls scurried away. Jessie removed the protective screen from in front of the fireplace and then placed newspapers used for kindling on the hearth. She rolled one up and stuck it inside the flames, waiting for it to ignite before dropping it on the stack. Then she stood and, with one last apology to Gwen, dashed outside.

“Wipe the tears,” Jessie instructed. “It’s dark enough that they shouldn’t be able to tell we’ve been crying. Compose yourselves. Act natural. Do not mess this up.”

The girls jogged down the trail to where the boys were drinking beer before a campfire. Music blared from a portable boombox.

“Hey, look who’s here,” Sam King called out.

The guys turned around, whooped, and cheered. Jessie tried to smile, hoping the others were doing their part. The boys made room around the campfire, and they took seats. Plastic cups of beer were passed around.

Jessie downed hers in one gulp and held it out for more. Sam dutifully refilled it, winking at her as he handed it back.

“Where’s Gwen?” Jerrod wanted to know.

“She, uh, had to use the bathroom?” Tamera squeaked, making her answer sound like a question.

Jessie shot her a quelling look. Tamera looked away and took a drink.

“So, she’s here?” Jerrod rubbed his hands together. “Good.”

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