“I do.” Living in Jackson Hole, Jack didn’t see much of the harsher side of life that some of their foster kids had dealt with every day. Jack’s own life was safe and well ordered. His mother and father cocooned him in love in a way that seemed quite ordinary to Jack, until he peered into others’ lives and saw the turmoil and pain. He should never forget just how fortunate he was.
“You know what bothers me the most?” Lucky asked him.
“What?”
“It bothers me when I think that it should have been me that’s in the hospital. Not Maria. I got away because I’m quick.”
“Lucky, you can’t feel bad about that. Things just…happen. I’m glad you made it.”
“But it’s not fair,” she wailed softly. “That’s why I have to call her, so I know she’s OK. I feel so guilty!” Hugging her sides tightly, Lucky crumpled into herself. “You know what just happened? Maria told me that the gang left a message. She said they’re still looking for me, and if I come back, I’m dead. That’s when I told her not to worry, that I could handle them. But the truth is, I’m scared.”
Perplexed, Jack asked, “What about the police? Tell them what’s going on. They’d protect you.”
Lucky shook her head and gave Jack a look full of pity. “You don’t know much about gangs, Jack. They have spies everywhere. You might not believe this, but some cops are gang members. I don’t trust anyone anymore.” She drew in a breath, then placed her hand lightly on his. “Except, maybe, you. I think I can trust you. You won’t tell anyone about Maria, will you Jack?”
“But my parents—”
“If you tell them, they’ve got to go to Social Services. It’s their responsibility. If you don’t say anything, then they won’t have to make that decision. It’d be like you’re protecting your parents, too.”
Jack figured that if his mother and father found out Lucky had made a call, they’d be bound by law to tell Ms. Lopez. It was better, Jack decided, to protect all of them. “I won’t tell,” he promised.
“Not Ashley, either? She seems sweet, but I don’t want her to worry—”
“Especially Ashley,” Jack added hastily. “You don’t know her yet, but she’s a blabbermouth. No, I won’t tell a soul.”
“Good. Thanks, Jack,” she breathed. “You just saved my life.”
What was he supposed to say to that? “Uh…I didn’t really…I mean…. Hey, is all your stuff packed? We’re leaving for Mesa Verde pretty early, like in five hours. We ought to get some sleep.”
“All right. Good night, Jack,” she answered. “And…thanks! So much.”
Jack hurried down the hall to his room. Now it was 2:35 a.m. The red digital numbers on his bedroom clock pulsed second after second; he squeezed his eyelids tight, wondering how he’d ever get back to sleep.
He couldn’t erase the image of Lucky gazing up at him with those big green eyes, looking so defenseless—on the outside. But what was she like on the inside? He remembered Ms. Lopez telling his parents they should watch her. He pictured prim, kindly, gray-haired Ms. Lopez—not the kind of woman to make things up, but, then again, not a woman who’d known the whole story. Lucky could have confided in Ms. Lopez, but she hadn’t. She’d trusted Jack. Only him.
Flipping onto his stomach, he burrowed his face deep in the pillow. Whatever happened, he knew he was on Lucky’s side.
CHAPTER THREE
They flew in a deHavilland jet from their hometown of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Denver, Colorado. That particular plane had eight rows of two seats each on both sides of the aisle. “Would you rather have an aisle or a window seat?” Lucky asked Jack. Did that mean she wanted to sit next to him? he wondered.
“Go ahead, sit right there, Jack,” his mother told him. “Dad and I will be across the aisle from you two, and Ashley can have the seat in front of you. There are plenty of empty seats.”
Feeling awkward, noticing how bony his knees looked—why had he worn shorts?—Jack slid into the seat next to Lucky. “Good. We can talk,” she said, feeling for the seat belt. Jack moved away from her, mashing himself against the armrest.
She stayed silent while the plane took off from Jackson airport, while the flight attendant went over all the instructions about what to do in case of an emergency, and even after the Fasten Seatbelt sign went off. Jack searched his brain for something to say, something that wouldn’t sound stupid. He thought of giving Lucky more details about the cougar attack at Mesa Verde, but he remembered Lucky’s bruise and decided he didn’t want to talk about any kind of assault. Maybe he could ask her about Maria. No, Jack doubted he could talk without being overheard, which meant he’d better save that topic for another time. He was just about to ask Lucky if she’d been following the NBA basketball play-offs when Ashley’s face popped up over the back of the seat in front of them.
Ashley crossed her arms on the top of the seat, planted her chin on her arms, looked brightly at Lucky, and asked straight out, “How’d you ever get a nickname like that? Is it your real name? I never heard of anyone named Lucky.”
Jack gave Ashley his fiercest, big brother “keep quiet” stare, but Lucky only laughed and answered, “I never heard of anyone else either. I’ll tell you how it happened: I was about five years old. We were living in Las Vegas, and I wanted to play one of the slot machines because they looked really fun. You know—all those cherries and plums and lemons whirling around. You know, Jack?”
He really didn’t. He’d never seen an actual slot machine—only a video game his friend had.
Lucky went on, “My dad said, ‘Lacey, the slots are a sucker’s game. Don’t waste that shiny quarter I gave you on the slots. Buy a pack of gum. At least you’ll have something for your money.’”
Jack and Ashley exchanged glances. So her real name was Lacey! Their parents didn’t know that, and even the social worker, Ms. Lopez, hadn’t been able to find out Lucky’s name. And now she’d slipped up and said it right out loud.
“But I kept begging my dad—please, please, please!—and finally he let me play a quarter. ‘Just one quarter,’ he said. ‘That’s all.’”
“So what happened?” Ashley asked, wide-eyed.
“I hit a hundred-dollar jackpot. All these quarters came tumbling out of the machine and fell all over the floor.”
“Wow!” Ashley exclaimed, impressed, but Jack asked, “Isn’t it illegal for kids under eighteen to gamble in Las Vegas?”
“Sure,” Lucky answered, grinning at him. “But the guards didn’t catch me—my dad made sure of that. So then, while we were picking up the quarters, my dad told me, ‘From now on I’m going to call you Lucky. You’re my good-luck charm.’ Right after that he bought me this.” She touched the four-leaf clover pendant that hung around her neck.
From across the aisle Olivia said, “Ashley, sit down the right way. You need to face forward.”
“I will in a minute, Mom. Just give me one more minute.” Grimacing, Ashley said, “Moms! They’re always bugging you. Hey, Lucky, what did your mom think? I mean, did she get mad ’cause your dad let you do something illegal?”
For a long moment Lucky looked out the window. When she turned back toward them, her large green eyes brimmed with tears. “My mother was already dead by then.”
“Oh!” Ashley murmured, dropping lower in her seat. “How…how did she die?”
Lucky answered in a husky voice, “She worked as a magician’s