Little Pretty Things (39 page)

“Fitz,” I said.

“I—I knew it would be you,” he said. He seemed almost proud. “I thought maybe, if you covered my classes, helped out with the team—maybe . . .”

He’d meant to keep me busy, then, not safe. But he hadn’t counted on one thing.

He couldn’t have known I would care for the girls more than either of them ever had, not for what they could be, but for what they were, right now.

“I didn’t mean to—I never . . . I’m sorry.” He gazed over the top of my head.

I didn’t check behind me. I had my eyes on the girls. They were all I cared about. They were all I could see. They were starting to look concerned. Jessica took Mickie’s arm. I took the clipboard from Fitz and stepped between him and the team, clearing the path for him to leave the field, the track, their lives, and mine. I watched him as far as the fence, then turned to the team.

They waited to see what I would say.

“Young-women Panthers,” I started, not sure where it would lead. There were so many things to say. So many things to warn them about. All I could do now was keep them running. They would need to be quick. They would need to run as fast as they could.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My sincerest gratitude goes to the people who made this book possible. Thank you to Sharon Bowers of Miller Bowers Griffin Literary Management and to Dan Mayer and all the good people at Seventh Street Books/Prometheus Books, including Jon Kurtz, Jill Maxick, Cheryl Quimba, Nicole Sommer-Lecht, Jade Zora Scibilia, Bruce Carle, and Melissa Raé Shofner. Thank you to everyone at JKS Communications for their expertise.

I have found support, encouragement, and much more from the Mystery Writers of America Midwest Chapter, especially Clare O’Donohue, Heather E. Ash, Sara Paretsky, Julie Hyzy, Matthew Clemens, Terence Faherty, Susanna Calkins. Thanks also to the Seventh Street Books Bunnies, especially Lynne Raimondo; Catriona McPherson and the Sisters in Crime; Mary Anne Mohanraj; and Christopher Coake.

Thank you once again to all the writing teachers who encouraged me over my lifetime, and a heartfelt thank you to the librarians and booksellers who have taken such an interest in my work. Special thanks to the sweethearts who run Story Studio Chicago and Midwest Writers Workshop for keeping me in school, and all the volunteers who make the mystery-conference world go ’round.

Special thanks to my partners in crime, especially Kim Rader, Kristi Brenock-Leduc, Meghan Eagan, Tricia David, Amanda Lumpkin, and all the readers in my life who couldn’t wait to get their hands on my book and tell people about it, especially Beth, Melissa, Scoots, Denise, Doreen, Krista, Sam, and Adam.

Tremendous thanks to my first readers, Yvonne Strumecki and Lauren Stacks Yamaoka, who gave time, feedback, advice, and exclamation points. Thanks doubly to “Stacks” for her running expertise. Any bad advice Juliet gives is my error, not Lauren’s.

The biggest appreciation goes to my family, of course: Paula and Danny Dodson; Mel and Janie Rader; the Bryans; all of the Days; and all of the Raders, including the next generation, who would like very much to be remembered here this time around.

And to Greg, last but most.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lori Rader-Day’s debut mystery,
The Black Hour
, received starred reviews from
Publishers Weekly
,
Booklist
, and
Library Journal
and was a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Her short fiction has appeared in
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
,
Time Out Chicago
, and
Good Housekeeping
. Lori is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Chicago with her husband and her dog.