All Fall Down by Carlene Thompson Page A

course not,” Blaine said hollowly.
    Joan’s forehead puckered. “Blaine?”
    “Never mind, Joan. I’m just being silly. And I think you’re wrong about Rosalind. She was going off to Radcliffe and devoting herself to her education just the way you did. After all, you were her real role model.”
    “I wish that were true,” Joan said sadly. “I wish it were true, because I’m a survivor. I guess my little Rosalind wasn’t.”

5
    1
    “Who gets the last slice of pizza?” Robin asked.
    “You do,” Blaine and Rick answered in unison, then laughed. “You’re a growing girl,” Blaine added.
    “What you mean is that I’m the only one who didn’t fill up on beer,” Robin said.
    Blaine looked at her glass. “I don’t think half a glass of Heineken counts as a fill-up.”
    Robin looked at her censoriously. “That’s your second beer, but who’s counting?”
    “Apparently you are,” Blaine said, abashed that she’d downed a whole beer without even realizing it. “I guess I’m just so tired my memory’s going.”
    Rick picked a piece of pepperoni off his plate and fed it to Ashley, ignoring Blaine’s frown. Ashley took the pepperoni in her mouth, careful not to bite Rick’s fingers and just as careful not to look at Blaine, who usually didn’t allow doggy junk food. “Couldn’t sleep last night?” Rick asked.
    “Actually, I was really drowsy when I went to bed. Then I got a strange phone call around midnight.”
    “I didn’t hear the phone,” Robin said.
    “You were asleep.”
    “Not at midnight.”
    “Robin, I checked on you at eleven and you were asleep.”
    “But I woke up later. I looked at the clock. Ten till twelve.”
    “Well, I looked at the clock, too. The call came exactly at twelve. Besides, the phone in your room has a different number. It didn’t ring.”
    Rick held up his hand. “Ladies, could you finish this fascinating debate later? I want to hear about the phone call.”
    “Yeah, who was it?” Robin asked.
    “No one. At least no one spoke. They just played a record. A strange record.” Blaine hesitated. “A child’s song, ‘Ring Around a Rosy.’ ”
    Rick and Robin stared, Robin’s pizza-laden hand freezing halfway between her plate and her mouth. “Are you kidding? Rosy? ” Rick finally managed. Then he rolled his eyes. “Of course you’re not kidding. God, that’s sick.”
    “I know,” Blaine said softly. “It really shook me up.” She looked at Robin. “Do you know anyone who might have an old recording of that song?”
    Robin slowly put down her pizza. “It’s not exactly on the Billboard charts. But there is one possibility.” Rick and Blaine looked at her expectantly. “Caitlin’s day-care center.”
    “Robin!”
    “I didn’t say Caitlin played it,” Robin returned hotly. “I just said she might have a copy of it, and people are in and out of that place all day.”
    “Of course. You’re right,” Blaine said more calmly. “I’m sorry I bit your head off. I’ll check with her tomorrow.”
    “Did the person speak?” Rick asked.
    “No. There was only the music. Then there was silence.”
    “You mean the person hung up?”
    “No. Everything just got very quiet, but someone was still on the line. I’m the one who finally hung up.”
    “Did you tell Sheriff Quint about the call?” Robin asked.
    “Yes, when he was here this morning. He seemed interested, but not overly concerned.”
    Robin shrugged. “I guess he wouldn’t be, considering your number was Crank-Call-Central all summer.”
    “You have such a charming way with words,” Rick snapped. “Will you lay off Blaine for just one evening?”
    Robin’s lips tightened in irritation, and Blaine glanced at him. His burst of temper was unusual; he’d always been very kind, very gentle with Robin. Then she noticed he didn’t look much better than he had last night—tired and worried. He’d been working especially hard lately, and he’d no doubt had to deal with Mrs.