Liberty tried to keep track of the direction of the car as it sped and turned. “Are you taking me to the Sullivan School?” she asked, even though she knew there was no chance of that.
“Gag her.” Lola’s sweet voice had soured.
Albert took a handkerchief out of his pocket. “Don’t worry,” he whispered. “I’ve never blown my nose on this. I just have it to be gentlemanly.”
Liberty didn’t think it was too gentlemanly to stuff it in her mouth, but since she was gagged, she couldn’t say so.
“Call the number,” Lola commanded.
“What number?” Albert asked.
“The number from the sign, the one I told you to write down.”
“Oops.”
“Scoundrel! Didn’t you write down the number?”
A scoundrel, like No Name had said. A villain.
“Now I have to go back and find another sign.” Lola zipped the car around.
“Could you stop making those turns so fast?” Albert begged. “I’m going to vomit.”
Even worse, Liberty thought, a vomiting villain.
Splat. A white blob hit the windshield. Splat.
“What is with that pigeon?” Lola said. “It keeps pooping on the windshield.”
Birdbrain! Somehow, he would help her.
“There’s a sign. Give me the phone.” Lola swerved to a stop. She started to get out of the car, but then ducked back in. “That pigeon is attacking me!”
Birdbrain! Liberty called out in her mind.
But Birdbrain must’ve been too far away to hear her.
She tried to sit up, but Albert held her in place. “Don’t make Lola mad,” he said. “She’s got a wicked temper.”
You’re no picnic, either, she wanted to tell him.
“I can see the sign from here if I just pull forward,” Lola said. Splat. She turned on the windshield wipers. Water sprayed out, destroying Birdbrain’s art.
The car sped away again. “I’ve entered the number into the phone,” Lola said. “Call and tell them we’ve got her and to bring the ten thousand dollars to our hideaway.”
Albert took the phone. “There’s no answer.”
“Leave a message.”
“Hello, we have apprehended Libby Aimes and will be trading her for the exact reward. Call us at 224-1960. Faster.” Albert hung up. “I’m afraid of birds. Did you ever see that movie where they peck out everyone’s eyes?”
“I can’t speed. Do you want the police after us?” Lola said. “With a kidnapped child! You know what will happen if we have to face Judge Hardnose again?”
“Don’t say that name,” Albert whined.
“Judge Hardnose. Judge Hardnose. Honest, upright, goody-two-shoes Judge Hardnose at the district court. If we meet up with him again, it will be curtains for us.”
“Just curtains?” Albert said. “That’s not too bad. Especially on a bright day when I’ve had too much beer the night before. If the sun comes through, it hurts my head.”
“I mean jail!”
“Oh.” He gulped. “There’s the turn to the bridge.”
The car swerved again. The streetlamps and telephone poles disappeared and there was just sky. Liberty’s heart sank. They were going over water. Birdbrain would not follow.
“At least that bird has stopped poop-bombing us,” Lola said. “Why haven’t they called back?”
“What will we do if they don’t?”
“Bump her off, I suppose.”
“Bump her—” Albert covered Liberty’s ears, but she could hear anyway. “We certainly can’t do that….”
Bump her off? Liberty wondered what that meant. It did not sound pleasant.