When he hung up the phone, he grabbed his jacket and slipped it on as he came back over to the group.

“I’ll be right back, I’m going to get us a Pizza.” Max said hurriedly and turned toward the door before any of them could meet his eyes for too long.

“Want me to go with you?” Michael called out, from where he was tickling Maria in the chair they shared.

“No. No, I’ve got it, I’ll be right back.” Max said and slipped out the door.

Liz got up and walked to the window and watched as Max backed out of the Evan’s driveway with the jeep. She shivered and crossed her arms over herself. She just had to be imagining fear coming from Max. She was just taking this connection thing too seriously.

*********************

A half-hour later Liz looked at the clock and frowned. She got up and walked back to the window. Max still wasn’t back.

She felt Isabel come up behind her and then she too sighed. “Where could he be?” Isabel asked a loud, but not really expecting an answer.

Liz just bit her lip and turned to Isabel. “I don’t like it Is. He left here kinda in a rush, you know?”

Isabel nodded. She too had wondered what Max was trying to hide when he had practically bolted out of here. But she hadn’t wanted to worry anyone, in case it was just her imagination. Now she knew it wasn’t. For Liz had felt it too.

Alex called over to the girls and they exchanged looks and walked back over to the three sprawled out on the couches.

“Where the heck is Max?” Alex asked casually.

Michael sat up as if finally getting the vibes coming from Isabel and even Liz. He had been so absorbed in Maria, that he had missed it earlier.

He got up and grabbed his own coat.

“Michael wait, where are you going?” Isabel stepped in front of him.

“I’m gonna go look for him.” Michael said with determination.

“You don’t know where to look do you? He might be back any minute, or call needing us. Then how would we know where to find YOU?” Isabel explained.

Michael turned and looked around him at all of them. “Look, I’m not just going to wait around here doing nothing! I gotta do something! I didn’t even notice earlier! Damn!” Michael said in frustration.

“Michael, don’t blame yourself. You know how good Max is at hiding his emotions so we don’t pick up on them right away. Beside, we had no reason to suspect he was in trouble when he left here.” Isabel said.

Liz frowned, wishing she had said something earlier. “And don’t you start!” Isabel turned to Liz.

Liz raised her eyebrows in surprise, but accepted this strange connection between them all.

“So what are we going to do?” Maria asked with her own frown of worry.

Michael paced the room and swore softly. Alex watched Isabel as she tried to stay calm herself. He held out a hand and taking it, Isabel stood near him, taking a deep breath. Alex had a calming affect on her.

The shrill of the phone ringing made them all jump, and Isabel grabbed it up in one leap.

When she got off the phone a minute later, they all knew it was bad, but Isabel hadn’t said much on her end of the phone. She had mostly just listened. All they knew was that it was the sheriff’s deputy, calling for her parents. Isabel hung up and grabbed her coat. She met all their waiting eyes and swallowed.

“Vicky Delaney was attacked, and is in a coma. Someone heard her scream and they think it must have scared the guy away before he could do anything more.”

“Max…?” Liz asked. She knew someone Max was involved.

Isabel nodded numbly. “The sheriff’s deputy called for our parents. Seems Max has been arrested for the attack on Vicky.”

“NO! That’s crazy!” Liz burst out. OH GOD, the sheriff had Max!

Michael looked to Maria and she handed him the keys without a word. The five of them jumped into Maria’s car and Michael headed for the station.

The Evan’s were out for the night, but Isabel was sure they would hear about it and meet them there.

*******************

There was chaos when they got to the station house. The reporter from the local paper was there with his photographer, and the local TV station was there as well.

Isabel and Liz led the way through the gathering crowd, and the deputy let them all in.

“The Sheriff wants to talk to you kids.” The deputy told them as they all passed.

Sheriff Valenti watched the five kids come up to the desk, fear written all over them. Liz and Isabel came right up to Valenti.

“Where’s my brother Sheriff. You have nothing to hold him hear with.” She stated without knowing if he did or didn’t. She just knew he hadn’t done it.

Sheriff Valenti smiled enjoying the fear of the usually cool Evans’ girl. Then he turned to Liz who lifted her head high and waited for the sheriff to tell them what this was about.

“We have enough to hold him with Ms. Evans.” He smiled, and looked at all five of the kids waiting.

“I don’t believe it! Max wouldn’t hurt a fly! We want to see him.” Liz demanded.

Sheriff Valenti looked down at the pint-sized girl who had hurt his son, and gave her a hard look.

“You don’t have the right to demand anything Ms. Parker. I am the one who is calling the shots here, and the reason why you were allowed past that crowd out there, is because I have questions to ask all of you. One at a time.” The sheriff smiled at their mutinous looks.

“Finally I’ve got something on Max Evans.” The sheriff nodded. He had always known that Max Evans would screw up somehow, and the sheriff knew he would be there to catch him. He had never liked or trusted the Evans’ kid.

But how much did these friends of his know. Were they in on it? The sheriff was determined to find out.

It was after midnight when the Evan’s were allowed to post bail and get Max out of the jail. They had come rushing over from their favorite restaurant in the next town over, when they had heard the news, and had demanded their son’s release to them.

Since the sheriff only had one eye witnesses’ word that Max had been the one running out of Vicky’s house, he had to let Max go in his parents care for now.

Liz had run up to Max when he had been released, and hugged him tight. He looked terrible, and scared, and she just needed to hold him.

Max held Liz and tried to convey he was all right. He looked to the others and nodded. “I’m okay guys.” He said.

His parents hugged him and so did Isabel. Then his parents rushed him out of there.

“Come by tomorrow and we’ll figure out what’s happening.” Isabel whispered to the others as she followed her parents and Max to their car.

***********************

Liz tossed and turned in her bed and then gave up. She could not wait till morning to see Max. She crawled out of her window and found Alex outside on her chair.

She gasped and then looked relieved. “What are you doing here?” She asked.

“What do you think?” Alex asked.