Demon (25 page)

“I need your attention for a moment, please.” The director waited for the room to grow quiet, then continued in a detached, monotone voice. “I am afraid Miss Rice will no longer be participating in the production. The part of Johanna will now be played by her understudy Alice Bennett. I hope you will all work to accommodate this change.”

The excited squeal of the promoted chorus girl made Professor Carter look like he might just change his mind about the casting decision, but he stepped down from the stage with little more than a disgruntled shake of his head. Quinn, on the other hand, looked as if he were about to burst into tears. At least now, Rebecca knew why.

“What happened to Megan?” Frankie asked, as confused as the rest of them. “Why would she quit the play?”

Rebecca shrugged. “I have no idea. It doesn’t sound like her at all.”

“I’ll try to talk to Quinn before the first act starts,” Justyn promised and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’m sure she’s okay. Try not to worry. Even though I know that’s what you do best. After singing, of course.”

Rebecca nodded and tried to return his playful smile. Yet a deeper instinct told her something serious had happened. The gloomy look on Quinn’s face as he moved through his lines only made her even more certain something was dreadfully wrong. He walked along the stage, his hands tucked in his pockets, singing about saving Johanna from the asylum where Judge Turpin had locked her away. Rebecca could feel that his words were really going out to Megan, though she wasn’t there to hear them.

“Oh, Johanna, wherever you may be,

I will find you; they can’t hide you from me.

In the darkness of the night,

feel my arms holding you tight.

No matter where you are, I am beside you there.

Gently stroking your soft, tawny hair.

Jooohaaaannna”

He sounded so completely heartbroken that Rebecca wanted to cry in despair right along with him. What could have happened? Did Megan break up with him? That might have explained Quinn’s melancholy, but Rebecca found it hard to believe Megan would quit the play because of a lovers’ quarrel. She had worked too hard to ensure her spot in the cast and in her future.

Rebecca wasn’t left to wonder for long. When practice ended, she watched Quinn bolt for the door, despite Justyn’s efforts to call him back. When he realized it was no use going after Quinn, he headed toward Rebecca, looking serious. He arrived by her side at the same time as Frankie. Both of them looked equally grim. Judging by the way they exchanged nervous glances, she knew they had learned something they were leery about sharing. Rebecca immediately felt her stomach lurch. She knew Justyn was about to tell her what had happened to Megan, but she wasn’t so certain anymore that she was ready to hear it.

“Becca,” Justyn said softly and took her hand, “something’s happened. Something really terrible.”

He stopped there, seeming unsure how to continue. Frankie was nodding his head, but still, no one was talking. After a few minutes, Rebecca started to get frustrated.

“Just tell me already, Justyn!” she demanded. “You have to tell me what happened to Megan! I promise I’m not going to fall apart.”

He didn’t appear entirely convinced, but he continued anyway. “At the party on Friday night, sometime after we left, Megan was … she was….”

“She was attacked,” Frankie finished.

Rebecca felt her world start to tilt. “Oh, God. You mean … she was….” She paused, unable to say the words. “By the same guy?”

Justyn nodded, and Rebecca was glad he was standing beside her and had a firm grip on her hands, because she was sure her legs were about to give out on her.

“There’s more, Becca,” Frankie continued, looking wary. “Justyn, I doubt that Quinn told you this part of the story, but I was talking to one of the chorus girls—she was there when everything went down and….” Again, there was a dramatic pause. Frankie looked at Justyn as though he needed his permission to continue.

“And
what
…?” Justyn demanded. Apparently, this part
was
new to him too.

Frankie looked just as stricken as Rebecca felt when he finally spoke again. “The police…they think that
Quinn
might be the rapist.”

Rebecca couldn’t breathe. Her heart was pounding so hard, it was actually physically painful. Her mind was trapped somewhere between a lifelike flashback of the day in the woods and a picture of Quinn’s sweet, innocent face. It was a face she had seen shining with affection, maybe even the beginnings of love, every time he looked at Megan. It seemed impossible, inconceivable, that Quinn and the man who’d attacked her could be one and the same. When the possibility was presented before her, red dots started to flash in front of her eyes, making her dizzy. The panic was just about to consume her when Justyn wrapped his arms around her. Before her legs could give out completely, she allowed him to ease her into one of the theater chairs.

“Becca,” Justyn soothed and sat down beside her, “it’s okay. You’re safe.”

She nodded. “I know. I’m-I’m all r-right,” she stuttered.

Just his presence brought her back to reality, though her throat still felt constricted. Justyn laced his arm around her waist, and it was like a security blanket—one that she clung to with an almost desperate need. She was so glad she was able to accept his comfort. Without him, she might not have been able to bear the conflicting emotions that were tearing her apart. Quinn was her friend. She didn’t want to believe he could hurt her … or Megan.

“What makes them think it was Quinn?” Justyn asked.

Frankie didn’t answer at first. He seemed unaccustomedly nervous. Rebecca understood why when she saw the look on Justyn’s face. The calm detachment in his voice didn’t mask the absolute fury radiating from his dark eyes. Rebecca could only imagine the thoughts of revenge that were formulating in his mind. She was certain if Quinn walked back into the theater at that moment, Justyn would have torn him to pieces with his bare hands. Frankie noticed it too. He knew that one wrong word and he would be signing Quinn’s death warrant.

“Well, there are a few things,” he began tentatively, “the most obvious being that the last time anyone saw Megan at the party, she was with Quinn. He claimed that he lost track of her in the crowd, but—”

“Wait,” Rebecca interrupted. “Megan was attacked at the
party
?”

Frankie nodded. “I don’t know all the details, but apparently the guy dragged her into the basement. It had to have happened not long after your little scuffle with Livy. I know that was the last time
I
saw her.”

“My God,” Rebecca berated herself. “Quinn said she was missing. I should never have left until I knew she was okay. What was I thinking?”

“Don’t start blaming yourself, Becca,” Justyn told her firmly. “The last time we saw her, Megan was fine. There was no reason for you to think she wouldn’t stay that way when she was surrounded by all those people.”

“When we thought we saw her, I should have made sure. But Quinn seemed so certain and I just wanted to get out of there … and
aghhh,
” Rebecca cried out in frustration. “It just doesn’t make any sense. Sure, Quinn was a little buzzed, but he seemed happy. And Megan was really into him. Why would he need to force himself on her?”

Frankie shrugged. “I’m just relaying what the chorus girls told me. But there is more.”

Of
course
there was more. Rebecca hadn’t had a complete nervous breakdown yet, and Justyn hadn’t gone off on a murderous rampage. How could there not be more?

“What is it?” Justyn’s voice was still eerily calm.

“One of the girls from last year … you know, one of the other victims.” Frankie cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable with the whole conversation. “One of them had been Quinn’s girlfriend too. Well, at least they had gone out a few times.”

There was silence for about half a minute and then Justyn’s whispered voice, so low, Rebecca almost didn’t hear him.

“I’ll kill him.”

He said it so matter-of-factly most people would have thought it was just a typical, meaningless threat. Rebecca knew better. She saw his creased brows and tight lips. She was even sure she heard his teeth grinding. She knew he was fighting for control. She had seen him angry before, but had never witnessed this type of silent rage. Even when Debbie was waving a gun in his face, his anger had been more vocal. His silence terrified her. He never looked more like Sweeney Todd than he did at that moment.

“Justyn.” Rebecca placed a hand on his arm. It was odd that their roles so quickly reversed and
she
was trying to comfort
him
. “Just try to calm down for a minute, okay? We don’t know for sure that Quinn did anything.”

It was the truth. Really, none of it made any sense. From everything Rebecca had learned from the police, the guy from last year always attacked at random and always in some deserted spot. Yet, her case wasn’t random at all. She had been completely set up; from her bike being sabotaged to the trip wire. Now the guy grabbed Megan in the middle of a frat house with a thousand possible witnesses? Something just didn’t add up. The police had already been wondering about a copycat. It seemed even more probable after this case. Maybe it was even three different guys. The whole thing made her head spin.

“Wow, Becca,” Frankie said, surprised. “I never expected to hear
you
defend Quinn.”

“Me either,” Justyn agreed, still furious. “If he’s the one who hurt you, Becca, I
will
make him pay.”

“Justyn, of all people, you know what’s it’s like to be falsely accused,” Rebecca reminded him. “After the mistakes I made last year, the last thing I want to do is jump to conclusions again.”

She saw Justyn let out a deep breath and could almost hear him counting to ten in his head. “I know you’re right. I just can’t bear the thought of anyone hurting you.”

“I know that.” Rebecca gave his hand a squeeze. “I appreciate the sentiment. But the only person we should be concerned about right now is Megan. Let the police handle the rest. Frankie, did you hear anything about how Megan is doing?”

“Just that she’s still in the hospital and not dealing very well.” Frankie scratched his head, still looking comfortable. “Which is understandable, of course.”

“I should go see her,” Rebecca said thoughtfully. “I’m sure she can use a friend.”

Justyn nodded. “And maybe I should go pay Quinn a little visit.”

Rebecca shook her head. The last thing she needed was to have to bail him out of jail for assault. “No way, Justyn. You’re not going within a hundred yards of Quinn. Not until you calm down.”

Justyn looked like he was ready to argue, but he didn’t get the chance. Livy came around the corner with Chad and Scott not far behind her. Rebecca assumed whatever argument Scott and Livy had been having had been resolved since they appeared to be the
three amigos
again. She gave them a suspicious look when she saw them huddled together. Rebecca realized she must have looked as frazzled at she felt when Livy rolled her dark eyes.

“What’s all the drama about
now
, Becca?” Livy asked with a sneer on her black lips. “Are you whining because your little friend couldn’t handle the big time?”

“Wish I had gotten a chance to handle
her
.” Scott laughed then sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve. “She had one nice set of…”

“Shut the hell up, you ignorant pig!”

Justyn threw his bag on the ground and rose from the theater chair with unmasked disgust in his eyes. At first, Scott was surprised by the brazen interruption, but it didn’t take long for the hateful look to be reciprocated. The tension between them became an almost physical thing as the two guys stared each other down.

“Whoa! What crawled up your ass, bat boy?” Scott leered. “I’m getting a little sick of your righteous attitude.”

Chad nodded. “That makes two of us.”

“O. M. G!” Livy exclaimed. Her black skirts rustled as she moved between them for the umpteenth time. “I’m seriously getting tired of you whiny mamas’ boys and your hissy fits. Crater Face is still hanging around, and he’s stressed enough as it is. If he sees you guys at it again, he might just pull the plug on the whole show. I’m not about to let that happen. So stay in your corners and stop looking for reasons to pick a fight!”

Rebecca almost rolled her eyes. Livy was the last person who should be trying to play peacemaker. It was only a few hours ago that Livy had practically declared war over Justyn. Nevertheless, she let it go. Like she said, Megan was the priority. She couldn’t be worried about Livy’s dual personality.

“Let’s just go,” Rebecca told Justyn. “I want to get to the hospital before visiting hours are over.”

Justyn nodded, but he wasn’t happy about it. No matter how wonderful he was in most respects, he was still a teenage guy who liked to hit things when he felt like he was losing control. Chad and Scott weren’t the real objects of his aggression, but they were certainly a worthy substitute. Rebecca managed to lead him from the theater without further incident—unless of course she counted the dirty looks the guys exchanged on their way out the door. Luckily, the only thing stronger than his need for revenge was his desire to keep her from getting upset. Still, Rebecca had to wonder if even
she
would be able to control Justyn’s rage once the real culprit was unmasked.