Janie wants to run. Knows she needs to keep her cool, but instead she escapes at the first reasonable opportunity. It was one thing talking about what might happen, and it was an entirely different thing to actually experience it. Janie shudders and forces herself to walk calmly.
Get her thoughts together.
She heads outside for the parking lot. And then she remembers she left her goddamned backpack on the goddamned lab table.
Her keys are in that bag.
The office is closed by now.
And she doesn’t have a fucking cell phone. Hi, this is 2006, calling to tell you you’re a loser.
She goes back anyway, feeling like a dork, and meets Mr. Durbin halfway. He’s carrying it. “Thought I might find you on your way back for this,” he says.
Janie thinks fast. Knows what she needs to do. She struggles to get over the creep factor. “Thanks, Mr. Durbin,” she says. “You’re the best.” She gives his arm a quick squeeze, and flashes a coy smile. And then she turns and heads down the hallway, taking long, loose strides.
She knows what he’s looking at.
When she rounds the corner, she glances over her shoulder at him.
He’s standing there, watching her, arms folded across his chest. She waves and disappears.
And now she doesn’t want to tell Cabel.
He’s going to be upset.
She drives home and looks up Captain’s number. Calls her cell phone.
Tells her about her hunch.
“Good job, Janie. You’re a natural,” she says. “You okay?”
“I think so.”
“Can you keep it going for a while?”
“I—I’m pretty sure I can, yes.”
“I know you can. Now I want you to research. Isn’t there a chemistry fair or something? A high-school statewide competition that Fieldridge sends a team to? Something like that?”
“I don’t know. Yeah, I think so. There must be. There’s one for math, anyway.”
“Check into it. If there is one, and this Durbin goes to it, I want you to sign up. We’ll pay for it, don’t worry about that. I’ve been racking my brain, and I can’t think of any other way you’re going to land in his or some of the other students’ dreams. Can you?”
“No, sir. I mean, okay, I’ll sign up.” Janie sighs, remembering the bus trip to Stratford.
“Have you taken a look at Martha’s reports yet?”
“Some,” Janie says.
“Any questions?”
Janie hesitates, thinking about what Miss Stubin said in the dream.
“Nope. Not yet.”
“Good. Oh, and Janie?”
“Yes, sir?”
“You’re calling from home. Haven’t I given you a goddamned cell phone yet?”
“No, sir.”
“Well, I don’t want you to go anywhere without one from now on.
You hear me? I’ll have one for you tomorrow. Stop by after school.
And you need to tell Cabel about this guy if you haven’t already. I don’t want you in this project alone. It already makes me ill, knowing that creep is hitting on other high-school girls, much less you.”
“Yes, sir.”
“One more thing,” Captain says.
“Yes?”
There’s a pause.
“Happy birthday. There’s a gift on my desk for you. The cell phone will be next to it by tomorrow after school, if you come while I’m not here.”
Janie can’t speak.
She swallows.
“Is that clear?” Captain says.
Janie blinks her tears away. “Sir, yes, sir.”
“Good.” There’s a smile in her voice.
It’s well after six before Janie makes it to Cabel’s house. She jiggles her keys, trying to find the right one, and he opens the door. She looks up at him. Smiles. “Hi.”
“Where’ve you been?”
“Sorry. Stuff happened.” She enters the house. Takes off her coat and boots.
“What stuff?”