Page 15 of Script Swap
I kept my mouth shut—mostly because I had no idea what to say except a string of four-letter words—and Pippi scurried off.
Fox was looking at me.
“This is your fault,” I told them.
They gave me a surprisingly weary smile.
Tinny chose that moment to let out a sound of shock.
“What is it?”Terrence asked.His cape was quivering.“Did you see something?”
“A shadow.”Tinny peered more closely into the stone.“A shadow moves upon the glass.”
“I thought it was a rock,” I said.
Tinny raised her head long enough to try to incinerate me with her eyes.Then she returned her attention to the crystal.“A dark force is at work.Evil has been done.”
“Maybe it’s the shadow of whoever’s up on the catwalk,” I said.
“You mock because you think you know how the world works,” Tinny said, cradling the stone to her breast.“And you invite your own destruction.I feel sorry for you.”
I was about to offer a witty riposte—I was!!—when something came hurtling down from the catwalk.It struck the floor, and splinters sprayed up.They were close enough that some of them smacked against my jeans.
I took a step back reflexively—not that it mattered at this point.
A wrench lay next to the hole it had gouged in the floor.
Fox’s eyes were huge.Terrence grabbed Tinny’s hand and moved her back several steps.
Too late, my heart started to pound.
Because if that wrench had been six inches to the left, it would have hit my head.
Chapter 4
“I’m fine,” I said for the fourth time.I was seated on a crate near one of the storage rooms, and I was still trembling as my body dealt with the realization that I’d almost died.“I don’t need anything.”
“But you could have been killed!”Fox’s voice was higher than usual.
“Sorry about that.”The voice came from the catwalk.When I looked up, a shadow moved against the backdrop of lights.I had to blink frantically to try to bring the shape into focus—and to try to keep my contacts from popping out.With a vague laugh, the man added, “Slipped.”
“Slipped?”I repeated.
“For God’s sake, Milton,” Terrence shouted.He was still holding on to Tinny.“Be careful!”
“Yes, sir, Mr.Foxworthy.”
“Think of the liability!”
“Yes, sir.”
Terrence eyeballed me and said to Fox, “He’s not going to sue, is he?”
I opened my mouth because Idefinitelyhad a witty riposte to that, but Fox said hurriedly, “No, he’s not going to sue.”
Terrence shook his head like he’d already forgotten me, but Tinny was still watching me.I wasn’t sure, but I thought she was trying not to smile.Then Terrence turned her toward the front of the house, and as he steered her away, he muttered—more to himself than to anyone else—“A shadow on the glass.”
I watched them go.Next to me, Fox had the tightly coiled rage of someone who might like to throw a wrench or two themselves.
