Suspicion (3 page)

―She‘s not even around. I‘m sick of talking about fucking Raine Marsden.‖

Natalia shakes her head. ―Brody told you that Raine might be sending people to hurt me, didn‘t he?‖

She‘s still talking to Brody. That‘s what this is about.

My teeth clamp together and I feel my jaw muscles tensing, clicking. If that asshole was here right now I‘d lay him out with one shot. ―So now you and Brody are talking again? That‘s nice.‖ I flash an angry smile.

―We‘re not talking again. I mentioned what happened last night—‖

“Why?”

―Because he‘s the only one I can tell about this stuff!‖

Her gloves are off now, and she waves them in the air in exasperation, like she can‘t

believe how stupid I am.

―The only one? Oh, okay. I thought you could tell me.‖

I start to walk away and she tries to grab my wrist.

―Let go of me,‖ I say, and continue walking without looking back. I hope she‘ll try again.

If she tried to stop me, called my name, I‘d stop. I real y would.

But she doesn‘t.

I walk toward my car, deciding to just go home.

Some of the guys were going to head out for pizza but I‘m not up for it. I start my car, glancing in the rearview mirror, hoping to see Nat crossing the parking lot, coming after me. But she‘s not. So I start to drive home, replaying that last conversation with her in my head. I‘m so distracted that it takes me a little while to realize that I‘m being followed.

―Derek.‖ I‘m surprised, but it‘s also a bit humorous. I mean, I know what the guy‘s car looks like. And he knows it. He‘s driving right on my ass. Idiot.

I slow way down and he doesn‘t even switch lanes or anything. Talk about obvious.

Eventual y I pull into the parking lot of a Burger King. Derek pull s in after me, pulling his car up beside mine. He gets out with a big stupid grin on his face. He‘s holding a miniature digital camera.

―Big win, huh, Cam?‖ he asks.

―You know, I‘m not having such a great day,‖ I say.

―And punching you in the face might real y brighten my mood.‖

He laughs. ―You‘re real y scary when you‘re not tied up by a couple of sixteen-year-old girls.‖

―If you think it‘s so easy, come over here and try me, asshole.‖ I get out of my car and lean against it, halfway hoping he‘s going to start with me.

―Maybe another time.‖ He starts pressing buttons on the camera. ―This is the new Nikon D3100,‖ he says, holding it up and snapping a shot of me.

―Fuck off.‖

―Testy, testy.‖ He checks the picture. ―Since
someone
stole my last camera, I figured it was time for an upgrade.‖

I consider grabbing this one from him and smashing it on the street but there are too

many people around.

―So why are you following me, Derek? Just the usual routine for a psycho loser?‖

―Watch that attitude, Cam. The way I remember it, Natalia doesn‘t much like guys with

bad attitudes.‖

He sees in my expression that he hit a nerve and grins even wider.

―I know you‘re following me for a reason,‖ I say. ―So just fucking tell me. Did you send those dudes to mug us last night?‖

―Me? Send thugs?‖ He chuckles and continues playing with his new toy. I catch a

glimpse of that weird tattoo on his neck. ―No, not my style. And if I‘d wanted to hurt you guys there are much easier ways to do it.‖

―Like what?‖

―Like telling you that Nat‘s into Brody.‖

―On second thought, maybe I will punch you.‖

―Relax.‖ Derek roll s his eyes. ―She‘s not into him.

And besides, it‘s not in my best interest to hurt you, Cam.‖

―So what‘s in your best interest?‖

He smiles. ―There‘s going to be a big dust up, Cam.

And it‘s my job to make sure it happens.‖

―What are you talking about?‖

―There‘s a war coming, Cam.‖ He reaches out and pats me on the shoulder, like we‘re

talking about the weather or something. ―It‘ll make the war in Iraq look like a game of kickball .

That‘s how big we‘re talking.‖

His smile grows wider, and I feel sick as I realize he‘s real y looking forward to this.

That‘s how fucked up this dude is.

―And somehow a bunch of kids in Santa Anna are the reason this giant war is happening?

I don‘t think so.‖

―That‘s fine. But if you‘re going to discount the answer, then next time, don‘t ask the question.‖

―Whatever, dude. I‘d appreciate it if you stop following me around snapping pictures.‖

He puts the camera back in its little case and slings the bag over his shoulder.

―You don‘t need to concern yourself with me, Cam. If you want to worry your pretty

little head about something, maybe you should start with your newest admirer.‖

―My newest admirer?‖

―Hadley.‖

―Oh?‖ I try to keep my tone light, because if he knows I want info about Hadley, he‘ll shut down. Just to fuck with me.

―Kind of coincidental, don‘t you think, her showing up all of a sudden? And are you real y buying that English accent?‖

I shrug. ―I dunno. But if you‘re so worried about Hadley, maybe you should tell me

something useful instead of just being a dick.‖

Derek takes a step forward and suddenly he‘s right in front of me. His eyes are locked on mine. ―You better watch yourself, Cam. You don‘t know me. You don‘t know shit about me or what I‘m capable of.‖

―So tell me something, then,‖ I say, not backing down.

For a second, I think maybe he real y is going to punch me. But then he shrugs, and I see his shoulders relax. ―I‘m on your side, Cam. And that Hadley chick, she‘s suspect. She‘s not just some random girl.‖

―Stay away from me, Derek.‖

―Watch your ass, Cam.‖

I get back in my car and drive away and he stands there, watching me go.

For a moment, I pull out my phone and consider calling Nat and telling her what just

happened with Derek.

But then I remember how she said Brody was the only one she could talk to.

And so I decide that I can‘t cal her. If she wants to confide in Brody then I have nothing to say to her right now.

Before I know it, I find myself driving to the area of town where Hadley lives.

Come on, you know Derek is just messing with you.

Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it doesn‘t hurt anything to check it out.

What if it’s some sort of trap?

I don‘t think it‘s a trap, though. Whatever Derek is, he was telling the truth about Hadley.

I just have a feeling.

When I get to Hadley‘s house, I park my car and sit out front for a moment,

contemplating my next move.

Do I just walk up to the front door and knock? Do I sneak around back? What?

And then, just as I‘m about to get out of my car and head up the front walk, something happens.

I hear the sound of glass breaking and then something that sounds like a thunderclap.

There‘s a flash of light coming from inside the house.

And suddenly, the picture window overlooking the front yard explodes. Glass shards fly everywhere, covering the grass, and a body comes flying out and lands on the lawn. Smoke is coming from the person‘s chest. Whoever it is, is wearing a mask --

one of those clear plastic masks that shows the face underneath but somehow distorts it so you can‘t recognize the person.

And

then,

the

figure

simply

evaporates,

disappearing into thin air.

My heart is pounding, and I try to catch my breath. If I hadn‘t already seen impossible things happen these last couple of weeks, I would think I was going crazy.

And then I see Hadley walk to the window and look out, her eyes calmly taking in the

scene. She‘s wearing a silver butterfly necklace.

Chapter Three

Natalia

I lied to Cam. I‘m not going to Chili‘s with Adrianna.

I‘m meeting Brody.

I‘m not proud of it. The fact that I lied to Cam, I mean.

It‘s fucked up. I hate the fact that we‘re fighting, and I know this has the potential to just make things worse between us. But if I ‗d told Cam where I was real y going, he would have tried to talk me out of it. And I might have listened to him.

I‘m sick of not knowing what‘s going on, I‘m sick of just waiting around, being scared that Raine is going to come back, wondering all the time, being on edge.

So even though I don‘t completely trust Brody, when he texted me at halftime and asked if I wanted to come over after the game, I told him yes.

We made plans to meet up at his car an hour after the game. We figured by that time,

everyone would be gone. I tell Adrianna that I‘m going home with Cam. And then I spend an hour sitting on the bleachers, messing around on my phone, wasting time until everyone is gone.

When it‘s final y time to meet Brody, I head to the parking lot. I look around, wondering if anyone‘s going to see me. But everyone‘s gone. Even the annoying cheerleaders and their moms (―Oh, Cam, we love you, Cam!‖) have finished packing up and have taken off.

The only one in the parking lot is Brody. He‘s leaning against the driver‘s side door of his truck, his hair is damp from the shower. He‘s changed out of his football uniform and into jeans and a soft looking gray sweater.

―Hey,‖ he says. ―You ready?‖

I nod.

In the car, he puts the key in the ignition and then pauses. ―Does Cam know you‘re

coming over?‖

―No.‖

He nods. ―Probably better that way. But you‘re going to have to tell him at some point.‖

―Why?‖

―Because he‘s your boyfriend. Do you real y want to be keeping secrets from him?‖

―He keeps secrets from me.‖

Brody doesn‘t say anything. We‘re silent on the ride to his house, and when we pull in his driveway, he cuts the engine and pull s the key out of the ignition, sliding the ring of his keychain around and around on his index finger. ―Listen,‖ he says. ―Before we do this, I have to tell you something.‖

―Okay.‖ I brace myself, waiting for him to drop some other bombshell on me and hoping

I can take it.

―That day at Raine‘s,‖ he says, ―Your first week of school?‖

―Yeah?‖

―When I kissed you,‖ he says, ―that wasn‘t to keep you away from Cam.‖ He looks at me.

―I wanted to kiss you. It wasn‘t an act.‖

I nod, not real y knowing what to say. I feel awkward, remembering how we kissed, how

I freaked out and had some kind of weird panic attack. How Cam was in the other room that day, making out with Raine.

―We don‘t have to talk about it,‖ Brody says, probably sensing that I‘m uncomfortable. ―I just real y needed you to know that.‖

―I appreciate it.‖ I reach for the door handle, ready to get out of there. But Brody stops me.

―One more thing.‖

―Yeah?‖

―You can‘t tell anyone about this.‖

―I won‘t,‖ I say.

―No.‖ He shakes his head. ―You can‘t tell anyone what we‘ve been talking about. I

understand you might have to tell Cam we hung out, but you can‘t tell him exactly what I tell you. If anyone finds out…‖

He trails off, but I get the message. If anyone finds out what he‘s doing, that he‘s helping me, he could be in big trouble. The kind of trouble that could get you killed.

―I won‘t,‖ I say again.

And then we‘re out of the car and walking toward the house.

***

Brody‘s room is nothing like I imagined it. I figured there‘d be pictures of half-naked girls all over, with their boobs spilling out of tiny bikinis. Maybe one of those posters with a big marijuana leaf on it, or a few blinking beer lights.

But instead it‘s pretty sparse. There‘s a Santa Anna Trojans pennant on the wall , and a picture of Brody and his friends riding a roller coaster. His bed has a blue and red plaid comforter tossed across it, and there‘s a computer in the corner with a New England Patriots screensaver flashing across the monitor.

―What were you expecting?‖ he asks, seeing the surprised look on my face. He‘s over at his desk, rummaging around in one of the drawers. ―Some kind of sex dungeon?‖

―No,‖ I say, smiling. ―It‘s just… I thought there‘d be something scandalous.‖ I get down and look under the bed. ―Wow,‖ I say. ―Even under your bed is clean.‖

―We have a housekeeper.‖ He grins. ―Otherwise it wouldn‘t be.‖

He pull s a small key out of the drawer, then opens his closet, pushing back the rows of hanging school shirts and sweaters.

I move over, closer to the closet, and watch as he moves more shirts aside to reveal a black safe. He uses the key in his hand to open the safe, then pull s out what looks like an iPad.

He locks it all back up before I can see what else, if anything, is in there.

He sits down on the bed, and pats the spot next to him. I hesitate. I realize that I‘m here.

With Brody. By myself. And I don‘t real y know what his endgame is or what he‘s capable of.

But I sit down next to him anyway.

―Okay,‖ he says. He shifts on the bed, and our legs touch. He‘s so close I can smell his hair gel and see the small scar he has on his neck. ―I‘m going to give you this.‖

―An iPad? Gee, thanks, Brody, I‘ve always wanted one of these.‖ I take it from him and look at it. ―Do you think I‘ll be able to play Plants vs. Vampires?‖

He roll s his eyes. ―Plants vs. Zombies. And it‘s not an iPad. But it is designed to look like one, so it‘s good to know that it tricked you.‖

―It didn‘t trick me,‖ I lie. ―Obviously I knew it wasn‘t an iPad.‖

―Oh, yeah,‖ he says. ―How?‖

―Because why would you have an iPad locked up in a secret safe?‖

He grins, looking at me, and I swallow. Hard. His eyes are on mine, and it‘s making me uncomfortable. But not in a bad way. I shift my leg away from his, so that we‘re not touching.

―One of my jobs as a peacekeeper,‖ Brody says, ―is to keep track of certain people. This device allows me to do that.‖

He powers it on, and an image appears on the screen. I lean over so I can get a better look. It‘s showing an empty room, with just a folding table and a matching chair, a twin bed, and mirrored wall s.