Then she sat up straight. That wasn't exactly right. Now that she thought about it, she remembered that her vision only included Martin throwing the sofa. She'd hoped it would break down the door, but that wasn't part of the vision.
Okay, maybe Amanda's story was kind of interesting. Still, it didn't make her feel any better about what they were about to do. In just over an hour, they'd be robbing a bank. And she didn't see how any butterfly was going to be able to stop it from happening.
Chapter Twelve
KEN KNEW WHERE THE basketball team would be hanging out. Gino's Pizza at the mall across the street from Meadowbrook was the popular place for athletes. As they approached, he pointed, and Jenna saw half a dozen players squeezed into a booth by the window.
"The big question is, how are we going to get him away from his new buddies?" Jenna wondered.
Ken rolled his eyes. "Who aren't his buddies at all. Mike's superstitious-he's always been like that. He thinks Charles is some sort of good luck charm, and he's persuaded the other guys to go along with it. I mean, how else could he explain their sudden winning streak?"
"So they're totally using him," Jenna said.
"Yeah. And as soon as the season's over, they'll dump him."
"You're sure of that, huh?"
"I know these guys. I bet they make fun of Charles when he's not around."
Jenna thought about that. "Charles is proud. If he knew that they don't really like him, he'd leave."
Ken agreed. "I guess we could tell him. But he wouldn't believe us."
Jenna nodded. "But if he heard it from them. ."
"What do you mean?"
An idea was forming in her head. "Do you have a cell phone?" Sure. "Can I see it?"
He handed it over. Jenna had a quick look at it, grinned, and then told Ken her idea.
"It's worth a shot," he said. "Let's go." They went to the door of the restaurant.
"Wait a second," Jenna said. "How do I look?" She rearranged her features into what she hoped was a convincing expression.
"Seriously depressed," Ken said.
"On the verge of crying?"
He cocked his head to one side and scrutinized her. "Well … it would be better if you could actually work up a few tears."
Jenna tried, but it was impossible. Seriously depressed would have to do.
They entered and ambled over to the table where the basketball players and Charles were sitting. "Can we squeeze in?" Ken asked. Without waiting for a reply, he pushed his friend Mike to one side and sat down next to Charles.
Charles looked at him with something that resembled interest. "I thought you were going off to save those kids from class," he muttered, too quietly for the others around the table to hear him.
"Nah," Ken replied softly. "Too much trouble. Hey, can I have a slice?"
Jenna wasn't insulted when none of the boys made room for her. She wasn't the kind of girl the jocks went for. In fact, she had a feeling she scared half of them. That made it even harder to look pathetic and win their sympathy. But she did her best.
"I'm not staying," she said in a quavering voice. She sniffed loudly and rubbed her eyes.
"What's her problem?" Mike asked.
"Her ring came off her finger and fell into a storm drain outside," Ken said.
"I dropped my wallet in a storm drain once," another player said. "But I got it back. I chewed some gum, put it on the end of a stick, and fished around for it. The wallet stuck to it and I pulled it out."
"We tried that," Ken said quickly. "But we couldn't find the ring."
"Tough luck," one boy said.
"Yes," Jenna said and gave a few more sniffs. "It was a very special ring. My father gave it to me before he died."
She thought that adding a sentimental touch like that might mean something to them.
One of the boys spoke. "Did you see the look on the face of that St. Mark's guy when he tried to make that shot and his ball went into the bleachers? I still can't figure that one out. I thought it would be an easy basket for him."
"Yeah, how did that happen?" another boy wondered.
"Who knows, who cares?" Mike sang out. He tossed an arm around Charles. "We've got our good luck charm. He not only helps us win, he makes the other team lose, big time!"
Jenna had to get the conversation back to her nonexistent ring. Clearly sentiment wasn't going to work. She tried another tactic.
"It had diamonds and rubies on it," she said.
The team members looked at her blankly.
"My ring," she reminded them. "The one that fell in the sewer. Diamonds and rubies. And a great big sapphire."
That impressed them.
"Real jewels?" Mike asked. "Wow, that sucks."
Ken snapped his fingers, as if a brilliant idea had suddenly occurred to him. "I know how you can get it back! Charles, could you come outside with us?"
"Why?" Charles asked.
Ken looked at him meaningfully. "You know why, Charles. We could, uh, try the stick thing again and. . and you'd bring us luck." To the others, he added, "He's just that kind of guy, isn't he? Lucky, I mean?"
Charles glared at him. "Yeah, well, maybe I don't want to bring you any luck."
"Aw, c'mon Charles," Mike said. "Ken's a pal. Why don't you see if you can help his friend?"
"Yeah, maybe there's a reward in it for you," another boy said.
Jenna thought rapidly. Charles was in her math class. "I'll do your math homework for a month," she offered.
"Hey, that's a pretty good deal," one of the boys said.
Charles seemed to think so, too. "Yeah, okay." He backed his wheelchair into the aisle, and Jenna followed him out of the restaurant. Ken stayed behind at the table.
Thank goodness there really was a drain at the edge of the road just in front of the restaurant. Charles peered down into it.
"I don't see anything," he said.
"It's in there," Jenna assured him. She glanced back at the restaurant, where she could see Ken talking to the others. C'mon, Ken, do it fast! I don't know how long I can keep him out here.
"If it's got diamonds, I should see a sparkle," Charles said.
"The diamonds are dirty," Jenna said hurriedly. "I have to get the ring cleaned. Can't you just imagine it in your head and bring it up without seeing it?"
"I don't know. I never tried that."
"It's gold, and there's a big diamond, and a ruby on each side of the diamond, and lots of little diamonds on the band."
"I thought you said there was a sapphire."
"Oh, right. Absolutely. A humongous sapphire."
"I never saw you wear a ring like that," Charles said.
"Well, um, I'm not allowed to wear it to school. Look, just concentrate on that image, and I'll bet you can make it come out. You're so gifted, Charles-you've got the most amazing gift. You're so lucky. All I can do is read minds, but you can move things. That's so much cooler." She was jabbering now, but she'd do anything to keep Charles out here until Ken accomplished what he had to do.
"Shut up, I'm concentrating," Charles said. A minute passed. "Nah, this isn't working. I'm going back inside."
"Just try one more time, please!" Jenna pleaded. "Think about all that homework you won't have to do!"
"Wait a minute," Charles said. "What kind of grades do you get in math, anyway? I don't want you doing my homework if you're going to do a bad job."
Fortunately, she didn't have to answer that. Ken came out of the restaurant.