Prom Night in Purgatory(42)

People gathered around them, but her eyes were locked on him, and she didn’t want to look away. The song ended and they were surrounded by applause, and someone hollered out, “I taught Johnny everything he knows.”

Johnny seemed to recognize the voice and shook his head, laughing as he pulled her into his arms, wrapping his arms around her waist. She lifted her arms and settled them on his shoulders, a sloppy imitation of an embrace. The Bell Tones crooned out in harmony, and the couples around them turned away to dance or leave the floor. Johnny looked down into Maggie’s face, and his arms tightened, pulling her closer.

His eyes were on her mouth, and Maggie lifted her chin, inviting him, and her eyes slid closed.

“Johnny,” she whispered, and he froze above her.

“You know my name?”

Maggie nodded slowly, realizing her error. “Yes...I do.”

“Should I know yours?” Johnny wasn’t flirting. His brow was furrowed as if something niggled at him, as if somehow he had missed something vitally important, and had just realized it.

“No.....would you like to know mine?” Maggie was flirting, and she smiled a little to make the cheesy pick-up line a little less cheesy.

“I would very much like to know yours.” Johnny’s brow furrowed again, as if he wasn’t used to playing the anxious admirer.

“My name is Maggie.”

“Maggie....That’s right,” Johnny said, and then looked surprised. “Are you sure we haven’t met?”

“Now that you mention it....I’m not so sure....I feel like I’ve known you for a long time.” Maggie meant to continue the playful exchange, but her words rang too true, and she felt a sudden rise of nostalgia engulf her and her eyes sting with emotion.

Johnny had stopped dancing, and Maggie’s arms dropped to her sides. His hands found hers, and the music whirled around them. “Earth Angel, Earth Angel...” The song echoed as if it came from somewhere far off, and Maggie gripped Johnny’s hands, willing time to let her be.

Suddenly, from around them shouts rose up, and the singer at the mic was rather rudely pushed aside. The band ceased playing and a dull roar rose up from the dance floor. Johnny tore his gaze from hers, and together they turned toward the bandstand.

A skinny man in an ill-fitting brown suit and thick black-rimmed spectacles stood testing the mic as if it hadn’t just been used to serenade the people now staring up at it. The band’s front man was looking at the interloper like he wouldn’t mind shoving him off the stage. The man in the brown suit reminded Maggie of her chemistry teacher, Mr. Marshall, and she instantly disliked him. He was clearly the principal and seemed to relish the opportunity to hear his voice echo around the room A policeman stood next to him, his arms akimbo, his stance wide, his face....familiar. Maggie wrinkled her nose in confusion. She knew him....

The answer came almost instantly, and Maggie almost jumped up and down in excitement. It was Clark Bailey -- Chief Bailey, she supposed she should call him. He was handsome in the way men are when they are solid and trustworthy. His shoulders were broad, and his big frame was well-proportioned and trim. Though his face was serious, his manner conveyed calm, and his tone was mild as he took over at the microphone.

“Students, we want to let you get back to the dance right away. We just need some information, and we would appreciate your cooperation.” The man looked out across the upturned faces and waited for the excited chatter to cease.

“We got a report earlier tonight of a stolen car. We found that car here at the school just a few minutes ago, parked out in the back parking lot.” Voices rose in question and wonder and Maggie felt her lungs seize and her breath hiss out in dismay. Johnny glanced down at her, his eyebrows raised in question. Maggie looked away, her mind racing to find a way out of the disaster that was hurtling toward her.

Chief Bailey continued. “The doors were unlocked, and we’ve recovered the key. No harm done. But we still need to know who is responsible.”

Maggie moaned in abject horror and then bit her lip to keep more from escaping. Johnny was staring at her in wonder, and a small smile was playing around his mouth. He leaned in until his lips touched her ear, and in spite of her fear, she shivered at the brief caress.

“Why, Maggie....are you a car thief?”

Maggie shook her head adamantly, her blue eyes wide and beseeching. “It’s not what you think,” she mouthed, her voice so low only he could possibly hear.

“Maybe there’s a reward for the apprehension of the little thief,” he mouthed back, one eyebrow quirked. Maggie’s eyes widened even further.

“Please help me get out of here, Johnny.” Maggie gripped his hand and turned into him, her lips barely moving, her eyes trained on the officers now stationing themselves at every exit. “I promise I’ll tell you everything. I’m really not a bad girl.”

Johnny’s eyes twinkled, and his lips twisted wryly. “Yeah, I was afraid of that.” He gripped her arm and led her to where a tall blond kid stood with a glass of punch, hanging on every word spoken by the girl who swayed in front of him, her skirts swishing to and fro as she looked at him coyly from beneath her lashes. Peggy Wilkey was a very attractive girl, and Maggie held back a little, suddenly remembering that Peggy was Johnny’s date for the evening.

Johnny leaned toward Carter, sliding an arm around his shoulder as he conveyed something neither Maggie nor Peggy could hear. Carter wasn’t as discreet.