I'll have to kill your mother," the voice promised. "You must know enough about us by now to realize how quickly I would know if you tried to bring anyone along with you. I'd probably know you were doing it before you knew you were doing it. And how little time I would need to deal with your mother if that was the case. Do you understand? Answer yes or no."
"I guess," I sighed. This was going to be really, really difficult.
"Very good, Belna. Now this is what you have to do. I want you to go to your mother's house. Next to the phone there will be a number. It will be written on a piece of paper. I need you to pick up the phone, and use it to call the number. You will. hear my boice through the receiver, telling you where to go." I already knew where I would go, and where this would end... how I, Bella Duck, would end. But I would follow his instructions exactly. "Can you do that? Answer yes or no."
"Yes."
"Before noon, please, Belna. I haben't got all day. I've only got half of the day."
"Where's Phil?" I asked tersely.
"Who?"
"Exactly," I said, feeling a sudden camaraderie with the voice. So we both hated Phil; maybe this wouldn't turn out as poorly as I thought.
I waited.
"It's important, now, that you don't make your friends suspicious when you go back to them. Tell them that your mother called, and that you talked her out of coming home for the time being. Now repeat after me, 'Thank you, Mommy.' Say it now."
"Thank you, Mom." The tears were coming. I tried to fight them back into their eyeholes.
"Say, 'I love you, Mom. I'll see you soon.' Say it now."
"I love you, Mom." My voice was thick with emotion. "I'll see you soon," I promised.

430

Chapter 21

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