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He repeated the perfor it to David Yates, and then creating a toy horned god--and presenting it to Joshua Abbott

Before Abbott could respond, Will hurried on, creating his finale--a large snow globe with a beautiful dancing fairy and presenting it to one of the young woreeted with thunderous applause, and those who had been sitting rose to er for the next show

Sam watched as the two boys in their football uniforry Joshua followed behind him "Hey, hey you--what the hell was that all about?" David demanded of Will Both boysthat Will kne to take care of himself, but he and Jackson seemed to decide si on here?" Sa around Joshua Abbott backed away about half a foot--a telling gesture On his own, Abbott would crack

David stared at Sa, but Saer by a few inches He could see in the boy’s eyes the recognition that he wouldn’t inti with ourapart the community You knoho did it all!" David Yates told him "You knoho did it all, and you want to prove that you’re such a hotshot attorney, you can uilty He--this freak!" David paused to point at Will, who just grinned "I’ll bet he’s one of you! He tried to pick on Josh last night just because he earing the horned god costume Tons of people wear that costuod toys, and if you don’t lay off of us,to come at you!"

"Is he?" Sa citizen I think he’ll be " He looked at Joshua Abbott "So why did you wear that costuht? You had to know that we picked up Marty Keller trying to scare od costume from the school--and that it had Peter Andres’s blood on it"

Joshua Abbott looked at David and didn’t speak

"It’s just a costume that everybody wears around here!" David said

"You knohat I think?" Sam said pleasantly "Joshua, I think you wore that costuoaded you into it"

Joshua Abbott turned red "No, uh, no! It was my choice I wore it because I wanted to Hey, the freak is in custody"

"Yes, and, of course, you know Milton Sedge is dead," Jackson said quietly

Saht that the confusion that briefly touched David Yates’s face was real

"It was an accident!" he said "He died in an accident!"

"Maybe," Sam said

"Maybe not," Jackson added

"Ah, couys? You’re wicked idiots!" David said But he sed quickly "You just want to --’cause that kid is crazy And he’s cruel"

"That’s right," Saave you the ‘evil eye’ You need him to be crazy--and a hoinative young idiot yourself, for beating your own head with a lunch tray"

David Yates turned red "He gave me the evil eye--I swear it! Hey, you don’t put yourself in the hospital and having to see a shrink on purpose!"

"I never suggested that you did it on purpose--I do believe you did it to yourself So does your dad," Sam told him

"My dad is a pansy-ass!" David said, apparently before thinking He winced "Stop it, please, stop all this!" It was an honest plea

"I’ll stop--when you two stop lying," Saht perjuring yourselves, you will face the law yourselves Think about that And--" he grinned, looking up at Will, who had been watching the exchange with his arives you so, just say thanks!"

He turned to leave the boys to think over the encounter

Jackson followed him

"Well?" Sam asked him "How did I do?"

"They’re scared," Jackson said

"They should be I get the feeling that…all right, well, they are lying Now, is it just because they want Malachi locked away? Or is it because they’re afraid for someone else?"