It was cruel fate having to save these bimbos. What a bunch of complainers! Geez, with the questions—blah, blah, blah! And Fumio couldn't keep that blasted mouth of his shut! Going on about shriveled-up Mr. Boyd outside in his Corvette. Could the load of them possibly make a louder racket? What was this, group amnesia? Did everyone just forget that there was a bloodthirsty vampire in the house?
"Shut up!" I hissed.
The girls climbed off their tables, looking as confused and mean as wet cats. And looking at us as if the whole thing was our fault.
They didn't have a clue.
"What's going on?" Sandy practically shouted.
I grabbed her by the shoulders. "Shh!"
She pushed me away and stumbled backward, glancing at the bandage across her arm. She poked the red-stained gauze with a finger. Her angry expression melted into concern. "Where are we?" she asked, looking up.
"Oh, man," Fumio said, rolling his eyes. "You don't want to know."
"I'm starving," Marsha said.
"Yeah," Madison chimed in.
This from two girls who could have easily passed for a pair of chopsticks, for two talking soda straws. Of course they were starving! They'd been starving since birth!
Sandy Cross was taking notice of the metal tables now. "What is this place?"
"You're in Larch's basement," Foote told her.
Sandy frowned. "Ms. Larch—our teacher?"
"We just saw Ms. Larch—" Marsha began.
"At the mall," Madison finished.
"Well, you ain't in the mall no more," Fumio said. "Larch put the mojo on you."
I snapped my fingers and told him to get the girls out of here. "C'mon, let's get moving." Marsha and Madison opened their beaks to squawk, but I froze them with a stare. "There's no time for catch up now—just get up the stairs."
"Ketchup?" Madison said.
Oh, boy.
I told Fumio to get the girls on their bikes and get them down the road ASAP. "Just get everyone out of here. Call the cops when you reach somebody's house."
Foote sighed. "Now she wants to call the cops."
Fumio said, "What are you two going to do?"
I lifted the mallet from the table. "We're gonna look around."