Текст книги "Something Witchy This Way Comes "
Автор книги: Veronica Blade
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Chapter Three
Hayden
During my first class with Tessa, my thoughts were filled with the deal I’d made with Mr. Linton. His words haunted me: It was up to me to make my future.
My stepfather’s words haunted me too. Since the day Sam married my mom, he’d taken the opportunity to knock me around or remind me that I’d never amount to anything – over and over, any time we were alone. So I set out to prove him right – I was being accused of it anyway. Besides, I wanted him to feel the humiliation every time the school called and his bad parenting was blamed for my inappropriate behavior.
But I didn’t need to do that anymore. Sam, though still a scumbag, no longer held any power over me. And I was old enough now that the teachers blamed me for my behavior. Mr. Linton’s offer made me wonder what I’d do once graduation was over – if I graduated.
I had no idea if our new principal could be trusted to hold up his end of the bargain. If not, there would be nothing lost since people generally didn’t rise above my low expectations anyway. Still, what if he came through? Everything could change for me. I only had to keep my nose clean and bring up my grades. How hard could that be?
There it was… the beginning of hope. The dwindling spiral of moral degradation had been my playground for so long that I’d forgotten what it was like to have hope for something good. But misery lurked in the recesses of my mind, ready to jump in should the hope be squashed.
Outside our class, Tessa laughed with another girl. Her smile made her already beautiful face absolutely mesmerizing. I could’ve stared forever and didn’t mind her thinking of me as an ass for ogling. But I preferred not looking like a stalker.
I pulled out my cell and pretended to text.
Tessa chatted away, not even glancing around to see if I waited for her. As if I had nothing better to do than cater to her. She’d make us both late and my first step toward a fresh start could be screwed up because Barbie wanted to giggle with her friend. A moment later, her eyes met mine.
“See you at lunch,” she told the girl.
“It’s about time,” I said.
“So you’re still doing this, huh? I wasn’t sure you’d be waiting.”
“Yeah, well, a deal’s a deal. But listen…” I started down the hallway. “My job is to keep you safe, which I can do from ten feet behind you. We don’t need to hang out any more than necessary.”
She stopped abruptly and held out her hand, palm up. “Your cell phone.”
“Why do you want it?” I reached into my pocket.
“Just give it to me.” Her fingers skittered across the keys of my cell phone, then she handed it back. “Keep your distance, Hayden. I welcome it. Really. When you need me, you can call. But a guy like you shouldn’t have to bother remembering my name, so I programmed myself in your contacts as Beneath Me. Now every time you see that, you’ll remember I’m beneath you. Even though you obviously don’t need the reminder.”
Wow. The girl had an attitude. Funny, but her inferiority wasn’t what came to mind with those words. I got a vivid visual of her on her back with nothing covering her but me. It was an unwelcome thought considering our differences in personality and reputation.
She took a seat in our next class while I waited to find out where the teacher would place me. I ended up right beside Tessa.
And I couldn’t get that image of her underneath me out of my head.
* * * *
I whipped out my cell on the way to the cafeteria, powering it up. I’m behind you, I texted Beneath Me. Damn, I’d have to change that to her real name. But until then, I’d play along. If u were beneath me, I’d know.
Must u b so creepy? she texted back.
I chuckled and picked a seat with the guys where I could see her without craning my neck.
“Saw you with Blondie earlier? Hit and ditch?” Brad grinned. He may have lacked compassion toward his inferiors, but he always had my back. Pure mean with a side of dimples. The girls dug him – probably because he treated them like garbage. “And what’s with the class changes, dude? Lab was totally lame without you.”
The principal didn’t request confidentiality but I didn’t feel right telling my friends the whole truth since that involved telling them why Tessa needed protecting. If she wanted it known that she and her family were being stalked, it was her story to share, not mine.
“Mr. Linton suggested I ask Tessa for help. You know, get some tutoring. He thought it might be easier if we had the same classes.” I shrugged. “I don’t get it but whatever.”
Linton hadn’t actually suggested that Tessa help me but it was the only excuse I could think of. Certainly, my eyes would appreciate having her in front of me instead of one of the school nerds. But would she be willing to do that – or at least pretend, so my friends would buy it?
From the corner of his eye, Brad checked out Tessa who sat several tables away. “If you happen to get her naked, all the better.”
“I wouldn’t mind hitting that.” Skyler grinned, his white teeth practically the only thing visible underneath the mass of long blond, wavy hair.
I cringed at the thought of Brad or Skyler going near her. A girl like Tessa would be eaten alive by the guys I associated with. But that wasn’t my problem. My responsibility ended at preventing bodily harm.
Skyler was right though. She was hot.
“Neither would I,” I said.
Chapter Four
Tessa
Hayden and his friends sat across the cafeteria. I would have preferred eating off campus but all seniors were restricted to school grounds for the next month due to a mysterious incident involving “some of the seniors,” the principal had announced. My guess was those seniors were associated with Hayden or his friends.
Nadia jerked her head toward them, her black bangs falling over her brows. “What’s with the parade of jackass stares? They’ve ignored us all year. Now they can’t take their eyes off us. Well, mostly you.”
Hayden was doing what he was supposed to do. It wasn’t personal. The only reason I had his friends’ attention was because I already had Hayden’s.
“Creepy.” Corinne grimaced at the guys.
Bryce cast a quick glance at them. “Yep. Creepy.” Then he returned his gaze to his food and continued eating.
Just great. Hayden made himself look bad enough without my friends thinking he was stalking me. Not that I should care but I had to tell them something since we’d eventually be seen together. I focused on my sloppy joe while deciding what to say.
The sound of clattering trays and thrown dishes interrupted my thoughts. Brad held a skinny boy by the throat against the surface of a lunch table. “What did you say?” Brad’s voice carried over the stunned silence in the cafeteria.
Skyler sneered. “Dude, I think you’d better apologize to the man.”
“I-I said I don’t have any lunch money. My mom prepaid.” The dark-haired boy struggled under Brad’s hold. Judging by the size of him, I’d guess he was a couple years behind us.
I looked on in disgust. Lunch money? The guys were like one big cliché. Worse, they didn’t need the money since their parents were rich. For them, it was a game.
I scanned the lunchroom. Not a teacher in sight. I wished I could help the kid. One day, if I ever really did have magical powers, I’d do something about those bullies.
That would be never.
“I’m supposed to care?” Brad held out his other hand palm up as if waiting for the cash to materialize there. “You gotta have some cash on you. Hand it over.”
Even if I could do what Agent Phillips had done, how would picking up on their mental pictures help me defend the kid anyway? It’s not as though I could take on Brad by myself. So I sat there and felt useless, focusing on my lunch while Hayden and a couple other guys at his table scarfed theirs.
Come to think of it, that’s the way things usually went down. Brad and Skyler – Brad, mostly – pushed the little people around while Hayden and the rest stood by and watched. Bystanders. In the eyes of the law, being an accessory was a crime too. Just as it is in school. All three of them were scum.
Brad and Hayden’s table quieted. I assumed the kid coughed up the money, but I didn’t look.
“All three of them are staring now.” Nadia shuddered. “Any idea what’s up with them?”
I shrugged, trying to play it off like it wasn’t a big deal and wishing I’d prepared myself better for my friends’ probing. “Principal Linton suggested I help Hayden with calculus.”
“You’re going to do it?” Corinne asked, shaking her head.
“Smartening up a guy like that couldn’t be a good idea,” Bryce chimed in.
“Yeah…” I cringed, sneaking a quick peek at the boys. “But maybe if he’s smarter, he won’t act so dumb.”
* * * *
I left a few minutes before the end of lunch and stopped at the restroom. In my peripheral vision, I saw Hayden get up as I passed through the cafeteria doorway. Somewhere deep down, I was impressed he kept his end of the bargain. How long it would last, I couldn’t know. I glanced back at him.
He nodded. “Hey.”
I stopped so he could catch up then stared at him.
“I was wondering… you think you could help me with my school work for the next few days until Agent Phillips replaces me?” He shoved his hands in his pockets and eyed his shoes. “The guys asked why I was looking at you. I told them you were tutoring me. Sorry.”
Exactly what I’d been afraid would happen. But how could I blame Hayden when I’d used the same excuse? “I guess.” I spun around and escaped into the bathroom.
When I’d finished putting on my lip gloss, he was waiting outside the door, checking his cell. I walked on, sensing him following me. Knowing he was there, on the lookout, made me feel secure. It also lessened my disgust for him. But only a little.
My phone vibrated. When’s my 1st lesson? Maybe start with calc?
I slowed until he caught up to me. “Calc is fine. How do you want to work it? Stay after school?”
“Sure. Meet you in the library after last class?”
Nodding, I sped up to get away. I had an unfamiliar urge to hang out with him – possibly because of his amazing face and killer body. But, as with all things superficial, the attraction would probably die soon enough. Hayden would see to it, just by being himself.
* * * *
Hayden walked me to the auditorium then went on to PE. Three seats had been placed around a small table by the big double doors. I claimed the only empty one and turned to Ms. Phillips. “So, you’re not with some secret government branch of superhuman people used for special missions?”
“No.” She chuckled softly. “And call me Fawn.”
“Let me guess.” I turned to Mr. Linton. “You’re only acting as principal for my sake. It’s not your usual gig, right?”
“I have some experience in the area, but that’s correct. I manipulated myself into the position to look out for you.” Which meant some of the other things they’d said in front of Hayden might not be true either.
I blew out a breath. “Are there really guys after me or is that a lie too?”
“You’re in danger, like we said.” He knitted his fingers together. “There are others who look for people like us to join ranks with them. More power in their hands is dangerous. We’re merely hoping to keep you out of their reach long enough to arm you. With some training and the right information, you can make better choices.”
I mulled that over. Bad guys looking for others with magical powers to help them take over the world. Right. Did they expect me to believe that crap?
“You look doubtful, Tessa. Need another demo?” Fawn asked.
I nodded.
She reached into an inside jacket pocket for a business card. “Here. Hold your palm out.”
I did and she placed the card in my hand.
“No strings attached to it, right?” she asked.
I shook my head.
“You sure?” A smile tugged at Fawn’s mouth.
I closed my hand over the card then opened it again. “Positive.”
The card rose about an inch above my hand, twirled then slowly descended.
“Whoa.” I set the card on the table, my eyes fixed on it.
“See my hands?” Mr. Linton raised his arms. “Watch her, too, because the lights are about to go off.”
Her hands shot up as the lights dimmed.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood. It had to be a setup. “How do I know a third person isn’t here working the lights?”
Fawn sighed. “Stand up and check your chair for cables. It’s going for a ride.”
To make certain the chair wasn’t connected to anything, I ran my hands around it.
“Step aside.” She motioned me away.
As I backed up, the chair flew into the air and floated along the ceiling. Then it returned to hover over me.
I stared at the chair, slack-jawed, as it wafted down like a mere speck of dust. Then I checked for wire again.
“You’ll be able to do it too, you know.” Fawn held out her hand for the card.
I returned the card that had twirled over my palm moments ago. Maybe they were right. I’d always thought telekinesis and telepathy were impossible. I could see now that they weren’t. Maybe I was wrong about me too. Could I do what she did?
My veins hummed in anticipation.
“Okaaay. So, you can see my thoughts, in 3D and everything, huh?” They probably got a nice visual when I checked out Hayden’s butt earlier. My cheeks warmed.
“He’s attracted to you too, you know.” Fawn mashed her lips together as though Hayden’s visuals caused her mental pain.
I couldn’t blame her for being disgusted by whatever pictures she’d plucked from Hayden’s head. But they had to have picked my brain too. I swallowed as another swell of heat rushed into my cheeks.
Mr. Linton smiled. “By the visual that Hayden conjured of you, Fawn, Tessa probably shouldn’t read much into it.”
I could’ve figured that out for myself.
“Don’t remind me.” She whipped out a deck of cards and handed them to me. “Make sure it’s a real deck. I’ll show you some simple things you can do.”
Four different suits whooshed past my eyes as I fanned the cards. Just like the deck I’d played with at home. I handed them back.
Fawn shuffled a few rounds, then laid a card face down, keeping her fingertips over it so the card stayed put. “The way to bring out your power is not to think, which is the opposite of what we’re taught from birth. I’m going to ask you a question and you’re going to tell me the first thing that pops into your head. The very first thing. No thinking allowed. Got it?”
I nodded.
“This card, is it a red suit or black?”
“Black.”
She grinned and turned the card over, revealing a two of clubs.
My stomach did a little flip.
“This next one is a face card. Which one?”
A picture jumped in my head and certainty filled me. “King. It’s a king of diamonds.”
“Very good. Do you want to see?”
I reached over and turned the card. King of diamonds. If this were a scam, how could they know ahead of time what I’d think in order to put that card there?
They couldn’t.
Chills skated up my spine.
“Quick.” She snapped her fingers. “What color is the pen in my pocket?”
“Silver.” I couldn’t imagine where the images came from. She asked the questions and a picture magically appeared. Weird.
Fawn fished in her jacket pocket, bringing out a silver pen. She held it out in ta-da form, then searched her pocket again for a thin stack of photos. “Very good. What color car do I drive?”
I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans and inhaled slowly. “Red. A Porsche.”
She held out a picture of her standing in front of a red Porsche.
A thrill ran through me. But... “Maybe I didn’t really see any of that for myself. Maybe I only saw the images from you.”
Fawn chuckled. “In which case, you’re still mind reading. Either way proves you have abilities. You’re a witch, Tessa.”
A witch. My breath hitched.
“Is that enough?” Mr. Linton asked me. “Or do you need more?”
“I guess we should move on.” I released a nervous giggle. “And if a TV crew springs up and I find out it’s a joke, I’ll deal. What’s next?”
“Let’s get any questions out of the way.” He leaned back in his chair. “Then we’ll see if we can draw out your special talent. What would you like to know?”
My mind flooded with a million questions at once. “Why are some people witches and some aren’t? Is it hereditary?”
“No one knows for sure.” She casually lifted her shoulder. “Science hasn’t been very helpful. Some believe that the mind and spirit are separate from the body. That the body comes into existence at conception but the spirit is already around. We bring our native abilities as spiritual beings to our earthly existence.”
I grinned. “I like that.”
Fawn returned my smile. “Me, too.”
“You said the only error a Detector can make is to miss something that’s actually there. How is that possible? If it’s there, why wouldn’t you sense it?”
Mr. Linton folded his arms over his chest. “We lead different lives. We all feel joy and we all suffer. Scientists know extreme stress affects memory, physical health, etc. It muddies the waters. We see these gifts more often in children that don’t come from broken homes, who haven’t been abused. Our searches usually come up empty at orphanages.”
“I don’t get it. You mean the more screwed up they are, the harder it is to detect anything in them?”
“Exactly,” he said. “Usually orphans have been through some kind of ordeal – abuse, death of their parents. The energy is different. They’re too mucked up by their demons or whatever you want to call them. Now and then we find someone later in their life who has escaped their past, re-invented themselves, risen above the things that haunted them. It happens.”
“Not often though.” Fawn studied me. “As decades pass, the percentage of sorcerers in the population decreases. We’ve theorized that the more dependent people become on technology, the less they rely on themselves.”
I inhaled and exhaled deeply. “So I’m a sorceress. A witch.”
Fawn nodded. “Of course.”
“Those surveillance photos…” I’d been about to ask if they knew who took them, because I figured they had to know. Since Hayden wasn’t present, they’d probably be more open about it. But a vision invaded my head of my home in the dark, our driveway and the curb. A little farther down the street, a red Porsche. Fawn. I tried to pick more images from her and Mr. Linton, but it was as if I’d been blocked. Alarm bells dinged in my head. “Why did you take the pictures and pass them off as someone else’s work? Is there really someone watching me?”
“Yes.” Mr. Linton said. “But we couldn’t convince you of that without proof. We didn’t have any, so we manufactured it. Sorry but it was the only way. We couldn’t take a chance on anything happening to you.”
Another lie. If they meant harm though, wouldn’t they just get on with it instead of recruiting Hayden to watch over me? And their explanations seemed plausible. Plus, Mr. Linton looked so sincere. The ice in my veins thawed. “One more question. You’re shielding your thoughts from me now. Can I do that?”
Fawn blinked. “You… uhm…”
“She’s startled because you’re learning everything quicker than we expected.” He tapped his fingers on the table and glanced away as though not sure what to do next.
“Okay.” I scanned their faces, wondering if they planned to cough it up. “If I’m in danger, like you say, don’t you want me to be able to defend myself against them? If they’re like us, they’ll see into my thoughts and know about you two as well.”
“You’re absolutely right. Don’t mind me. I’m not used to losing control of my pupils so soon.” She stared at me. “You shield your thoughts simply by willing it.”
I squinted, trying to decipher her words, see the hidden meaning. “I don’t get it.”
“Like with everything else, you just do it,” Mr. Linton said. “Don’t give yourself a chance to remember that it’s not possible. Don’t think about it.”
“It’s not as difficult as it may seem. The moment you decide we can’t see, we can’t.” She looked away, appearing thoughtful. “Without words, show me the inside of your bedroom.”
I sent her everything, from the velvety purple blanket on my bed to the jelly hearts I’d stuck to the full-length mirror and the white faux-fur rug at the foot of my bed.
“Good. Fuzzy blanket and pink hearts. I got that. Now, hold on. I have to think of something I don’t already know about you.” She held up a finger for a moment then dropped it. “Okay, go ahead and shield yourself. Build an imaginary wall around your mind and know that no one else can see inside. Then think of the contents of your locker.”
I imagined a barrier around me where my thoughts were private. Taking an extra moment, I made sure the mental wall around me stayed solid. I telepathically looked into my locker, saw my backpack, books, paper scraps and a picture of Ian Somerhalder taped to the door. Maybe Linton and Fawn were good actors, but I doubted it. I was pretty confident they had no clue what secrets my locker held.
“Very nice,” Fawn said. “It’ll become second nature before you know it and no one will ever pick up your thoughts without your consent.”
Mr. Linton’s lip curled up. “You’ll be an asset.”
“An asset?” What did that mean? And now I couldn’t help but wonder what they expected from me. “As in… I work with you, not them?” I chewed the inside of my mouth.
Fawn rose from her chair and tugged the bottom of her suit jacket. “Not necessarily. You’re free to do whatever you wish. But we hope you’ll be an ally. Any friend is of great value to us regardless of the extent of their contribution.”
“When will I learn my specialty?”
“Hard to know when.” Mr. Linton stood and grabbed the deck of cards, then placed them in his pocket. “We’ll have to figure it out together.”
I had a feeling they were holding back. That was fine. I could grill them another time. Or maybe they’d let their guard down and I could see into their minds. One way or the other, I’d get the rest.
“We’ll walk you to class and Hayden will take over until you leave here. You’re tutoring him today in the library after school, right?”
He must have seen into Hayden’s head earlier. “Yes, but who takes over when we’re done? I assume you have people staking out my house?”
“Absolutely.” Mr. Linton put a gentle hand on my arm and guided me out of the auditorium.
* * * *
We’d gone over the math problem again and again, but Hayden wasn’t getting it. Every time I tried to explain it, his eyes glazed over.
“Your hair smells good. Fruity.” He reached out to rub a lock of my hair between his fingers. “Soft.”
I moved my shoulder to shrug him off. “I think we need to start over. Were you ever doing well in calc?”
“Yeah, the first few weeks went okay.” His gaze strayed to my mouth.
A very real image of his lips exploring mine intruded on my thoughts. I could almost feel the warm softness of his mouth against mine. Heat rushed to my belly and I squirmed and blinked. After what I’d done in the auditorium and the things I’d learned, my head swam with possibilities. Could I do more than read his mental pictures? Could I bend his thoughts and make him feel what I wanted? And, if so, could I make him faithful, like a real boyfriend?
Oh, no. Not only would it be wrong to mess with someone’s mind, but Hayden wasn’t worth the effort. I renewed my vow to stay focused. Purging those images and thoughts, I concentrated on Hayden’s homework. If I could keep my mind on his studies, so could he. Snapping my fingers under his nose, I poked my index finger at a page of the open book. “I need you to concentrate. Okay?”
“Or we could make out.” He grinned. “There’s no one around.”
Crazy enough, making out with him sounded… exciting. Especially since a preview had just played in my head. My heart sped up, but reason stepped in and I steeled myself when I remembered his latest conquest. “It’s over with Taylor already? Boy, you sure go through them, don’t you?”
“That’s one way of looking at it.” He shrugged. “Or you could say they’re using me.”
“You are the user. And the thought of becoming a joke to your friends is enough to keep me miles away.”
He held up his hands. “Whoa. Relax. I withdraw the offer. Man, you’re uptight.”
“I’m going home. When you’re ready to take this seriously, let me know.” I rose and reached for my purse, knocking over my chair.
Hayden captured my wrist. “Okay. I get it. We’ll stick to business from now on. I’m sorry.” He looked a little startled, like he’d never had a girl reject him before, especially one he was depending on for help. “Can we start over? I’ll be good.” He released me.
I had so many things I’d rather be doing than catering to a cocky rich-boy. Maybe we needed to lay down some rules so Hayden knew the lines not to cross. “No more hitting on me.”
“I can’t promise you that.”
My eyes narrowed. “Really?”
“Flirting comes so naturally; I do it without thinking. I’ll try though.”
He looked sincere – at least I got that much. “Fine.” I was reluctant, but righted my chair, sat and opened the book. “It seems to me that somewhere along the way you missed something or you wouldn’t be having trouble now. We’ll start at the beginning and see if we can figure out whatever you didn’t get.
* * * *
“Hey, Mom.” I stood in the doorway to the immaculate kitchen. Our house wasn’t a castle, but it was nice – wide windows and high ceilings throughout with all the most modern conveniences.
“How was school?” She continued cutting vegetables without looking up or smiling.
My parents never abused me, verbally or physically. They just ignored me. I learned long ago that they didn’t want to know about my day. They expected a socially acceptable answer.
“Fine.”
“Dinner’s almost ready. Your father will be home late and I’m going out shortly.”
Typical. I left the kitchen without replying, knowing she wouldn’t notice or care.
When I was little, my mom sang me to sleep and lovingly nursed me when I got sick. We explored every inch of Arizona from the Grand Canyon to the rivers and my dad would carry me on his shoulders or push me in the stroller. When we returned to our comfortable home in the suburbs of Phoenix, we’d plan our next trip.
Things changed around my seventh birthday, but I was too young to understand why. Mom started crying a lot and Dad stopped planning trips. Maybe I could make sense of it now if I knew what actually happened. But the details had faded like an old pair of jeans.
Now, we hid behind a façade of superficial words and fake smiles. To the casual observer we had the perfect life, complete with the pretty but modest house and late model cars. At home, Mom’s stellar performance as the loyal wife almost made me believe she didn’t sleep with any man who came near her outside the house. Dad seemed to work all the time but the only things he worked at that late were his girlfriends. My parents were so busy living in the moment that they weren’t even doing financial planning for their future – or mine.
Or course, I wasn’t supposed to know about any of that. But I did. Worse, I’d fused into their world, succumbing to their apathy and pretending everything was perfect. I did my homework and chores, got good grades. But I wanted more for myself than this sterile existence.
I wanted something real in my life, something I could depend on. I wanted love.
Soft blond curls cascaded against the back of the sofa. Bree, my five-year-old sister, was full of giggles and mischief. I’d had the advantage of several years of a normal family life. But she barely knew our parents. In the wee hours, it was me she crawled into bed with after a nightmare. Me who she came crying to when she got hurt.
If I moved out, Bree would be practically alone. If she grew up without me, my parents would suck the spark right out of her. I’d decided to stay there, at least until she was old enough to leave with me.
Bree grinned, pink lips exposing two missing teeth. “Tetha.”
“Hi, cutie.” I bent over, letting her outstretched arms wrap around my neck, and snuggled with her on the couch while she watched Finding Nemo for the hundredth time. Homework could wait.
* * * *
For the second day in a row, Hayden waited for me on the other side of the gate near the school entrance. He wore a faded blue t-shirt and snippets of tanned skin showed through holes in his tattered jeans. The word yummy came to mind.
So far, he’d excelled at observing me without appearing to. But now, he openly watched as I slung my backpack over my shoulder and headed in his direction.
“Any news?” he asked.
“No.” I slowed my pace, unsure if he intended to continue the conversation.
He fell in step beside me. “How are your parents handling things?”
My fingers twitched at my thigh and I hoped he’d drop the subject soon. “Oh, uh, they don’t know about any of this.”
“Wait.” He stopped, compelling me to stop too. “Why would Agent Phillips tell you, but not your parents? Don’t they have a right to know someone’s targeting their family?”
“Agent Phillips thinks they only want me.” I wished I’d thought of a better answer. “No point in worrying them over nothing.”
“You’re a minor and they’re responsible for you. Agent Phillips would be required to inform them. Besides, their daughter being stalked is not nothing.” He stared, mouth gaping.
“Of course.” I slowed my breathing so I didn’t appear nervous. “But there’s no point in telling them, since Agent Phillips doesn’t have any real information yet.”
He studied me a moment then motioned for me to go ahead. “That logic’s not right. But whatever.”
My gut prickled in agreement. But with the data I had, everything they’d said made sense. It was Hayden who lacked vital information – of course he’d be worried. And a little voice in my head forewarned that I should be worried too.
