Six Little Secrets(45)

Jackie lowered her voice. ‘What happened to you this weekend? I tried calling you.’

Cece sighed. ‘They grounded me, big time. No phone or computer unless I’m doing school work. And my parents made me return everything I stole. I’m about a quarter of the way through my closet.’

‘What about the photo?’ Jackie asked.

Cece sighed. ‘Megan changed my password after posting. And she linked another email. I’m frozen out. I didn’t bother cyberstalking myself. I don’t want to see any comments. Maybe she took it down? I have no idea.’

‘I searched for her online,’ Teddy said. ‘There’s no trace of her at all.’

‘There wouldn’t be,’ Zoe said.

The bell rang, and Teddy said, ‘We should head to class.’

Zoe started off in the direction of her homeroom and Teddy stood by her. Cece, Q, and Jackie fell into line next to them. The five of them walked down the hallway, side by side.

A few of Jackie’s cheerleading friends whipped their heads around when they saw their leader locked arm in arm with the class rebel. Jackie acknowledged them with a nod but their expressions returned only surprise and confusion.

Zoe glanced over at Teddy, and as if he read her mind, he did the same. He offered a reassuring smile and lightly squeezed her hand. The fluttering sensation that always accompanied seeing Mr. Curtis filled her stomach. Maybe she would be able to fix more than just the relationship between her and her mom.

She hated to admit that Megan had done this for them. She altered so much within one day. Zoe supposed that’s how Megan felt after losing Jacob.

‘Anyone want to head to the library for a study session?’ Q asked.

‘Too soon,’ Teddy said at the same time Jackie said, ‘Not cool.’

Zoe smiled and let out a small laugh. The release made her chest ache in the best possible way.

Their new relationships grabbed the attention of more than just Jackie’s friends. They received a lot of double takes and questioning looks as they walked to class. Zoe could almost hear the questions in their minds, wondering how the five of them were connected. She knew that feeling. It was the one she’d thought of on Saturday morning when they walked into the library.

Even though the others would never know, the five of them were bound forever by one boy. May he finally rest in peace.

The End





If you loved Six Little Secrets, then turn the page for an exclusive extract from Katlyn Duncan’s novel,

As You Lay Sleeping





E



‘For the last time, tell me what family she was assigned to and I will untie you.’

The portly, balding man in the chair had nearly sweated through his shirt. My request had been simple enough. Yes, the adoption had been closed. The caseworker wanted to protect the girl from knowing about her past and the lowlifes who’d created her. Calling them parents would have been too kind. But that was fourteen years ago and it was about time I found her.

‘I’m being reasonable here,’ I said, lifting the knife from inside my jacket. It had the sheath on, but the threat achieved the desired effect.

He mumbled something.

‘What was that?’

‘All of the files from that year were scanned into our server.’ He indicated the computer on the desk next to him.

‘I assume it is password-protected?’

‘Yes.’

I placed the knife on the desk, but his eyes never left my face. ‘Benjamin, was it? Make this easier on yourself and give me the information I need and I will leave you unharmed.’ My patience was waning, and I didn’t want to be in the presence of his rank body odor for an extended period.

He rattled off his username and password, and I entered them into the prompts. I searched the database for her birth name. There were two girls with that name, but only one of them had been born in Tennessee. There was little information about the girl. The fire that killed the mother would have destroyed any important documents, but I knew they didn’t hold anything of importance anyway.

‘There’s a reason these cases are closed,’ Benjamin said. ‘They are to protect the child.’

I glanced at him over my shoulder. ‘That is your job, isn’t it? To protect children. What about those who needed protection and were denied?’

He blinked rapidly, tracks of sweat dripping from his brow and into his eyes. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. Please let me go.’

‘Once I get what I need I will.’ I looked away. His relief would accompany him in death. I printed the information I needed and closed out of the file and signed out. If the system was monitored, I didn’t want anyone finding him before I was long gone. I crossed the room to the water bubbler and took the powder-filled packet from my pocket and dumped the contents into the paper cup. I filled the cup with water; the powder dissolving quickly.

I went to Benjamin, placed the cup on the desk and untied him. ‘You’re sweating like a pig. Here.’

‘Thank you,’ he said, staring at me.

I was used to the stares; they didn’t bother me as much as they used to. I handed him the cup. He chugged the liquid greedily. It wasn’t his fault he was going to die. It was an unfortunate circumstance that he had been working late when I arrived. I couldn’t risk his identifying me to anyone. His death would be swift, merciful.