Something Wilder(29)

“Slime the banana,” Bradley said, and Leo winced as Walter gasped.

“That one is gross.”

“I thought you were ignoring me.”

“Shut up, I think I have it.” Focusing, Leo used the side of his thumb to shift one of the pins into place with a click, and the wooden plank slid to the side to reveal a small opening.

“Oh my God!” Bradley said, jumping to his feet. “Leo, you fucking did it!”

Leo peered into the slot and could barely make out the glint of a small key attached to one of the sides. He tried to reach it but couldn’t. The opening was too small.

“Can you get that?” he said, showing Walter.

Walt tried, but failed. “We need Terry’s tiny hands.”

“Where is Terry?” Lily said, approaching with perfect timing.

Walter shrugged. “Wandering.”

“What?” Lily was immediately annoyed. “You guys are supposed to stay together.”

Bradley was unconcerned. “He probably just walked a mile to pee this time to make a point.”

“Relax,” a voice called. Footsteps crunched through the dirt and everyone turned to see Terry emerging from behind a jagged rock. “Was out doing a little exploring.”

“You’re not supposed to leave camp alone,” Nicole said. “If a cougar gets hold of you, I’m not hauling what’s left of your body back to town.”

“If a cougar gets me?” He laughed, sucking his teeth. “Come on, Nicky, you’re not that old yet.”

Nicole paused, then took a step forward. Lily blocked her with an outstretched arm. “Terry, do we need to review the rules?”

He laughed this off, too, taking a seat on a wide rock and nodding to Bradley. “Dude, did you buy the nagging-wife package of the expedition or what?”

Lily froze, letting out a quietly controlled “Pardon?”

But Nicole’s attention had snagged on the bag at Terry’s feet. “Terry,” she said carefully, “what’s that in your bag?”

Walt, happy to distract from the tension, clapped. “Yeah, Terry, what’s in your—” When he registered that Nicole wasn’t playing around, his expression straightened. “Wait. What is that in your bag? Isn’t that Miss Lily’s journal?”

All eyes swung to the backpack at Terry’s feet. Tangled in the zipper was very clearly the yellow leather string that wrapped around the notebook Leo had seen Lily occasionally holding over the last few days.

Terry bent, trying to shove it out of view, but it was obvious to everyone what had happened: He’d taken Lily’s journal.

“Are you crazy?” Walter asked, letting out a confused laugh.

Lily took a step forward, but Terry stood abruptly, grabbing the backpack and shuffling a few steps away. “Hold up.”

The earth went completely silent as everyone grappled with what was going down. Dust kicked up around Terry’s legs, and he slowly slid the backpack strap over his shoulder. He glanced away, like he might make a run for it.

“Uh,” Bradley murmured, looking around at the rest of them, “what the fuck is going on?”

“Terry,” Lily said, frowning, “that’s my journal.”

“It’s your dad’s journal,” he corrected.

At the sinister timbre of Terry’s voice, Leo put the puzzle down, ignoring the metallic click of the pins sliding back into place. Uneasiness spread in a queasy rush through him.

“Well, it’s mine now,” she said pointedly but calmly, “and I’d like you to give it back.”

Terry’s expression was an eerie paradox: eyes flat, jaw tense, wooden smile, nostrils flared. “I was just reading it.”

“Right.” She nodded slowly. “Without my permission.”

“Still don’t see what the big deal is.” He shrugged. “I was just looking at some of Duke’s maps. I don’t think you even use them, do you?”

“Who’s Duke?” Walt whispered.

“Her father,” Bradley whispered back.

“Guys,” Leo hissed.

Walt ignored this, asking Bradley, “How’d you know that?”

“Terry told me.”

“Guys.”

“When did—”

Halfway through Walt’s question, Terry let out a scoffing “Idiots,” and moved to brush past them.

Struggling to understand whether Terry was serious with this nonsense, Leo bolted forward, catching him with a hand around his shoulder. “Hey. We’re not done here. Give Lily her journal back.”

But instead of complying, Terry wheeled on Leo, hooking a fist into his jaw. Pain cracked across the side of Leo’s face, and he stumbled back, weathering the shock and impact of the punch.

Surprised voices burst out from all sides, and Leo moved into action, stepping forward and shoving Terry’s chest. “What the hell was that?”

“Jesus Christ,” Terry said. “None of you have any idea how much money is out here, do you? Just keep going along with this fake—”

Walt shocked everyone by dashing in, swiping the bag off Terry’s shoulder, and, like it was on fire, throwing it to Bradley, who threw it to Leo.

Terry charged forward, but Bradley and Nicole held him back as Leo moved several steps away. He ripped open the zipper, and his stomach dissolved the second he saw what else was in there, just beneath the journal.