Free See Jane Run by Hannah Jayne

it.”
    Riley swallowed.
    â€œHey, if I’m skipping a Death to Sea Monkeys concert for this…”
    They were still standing on the train platform, and the Granite Cay Hospital was directly across the road from them.
    â€œLet me guess: we’re here to visit your crazy mother in the psych ward?”
    Riley smiled despite herself. “I really can’t believe that you and Shelby Webber don’t get along better.” She paused when his expression didn’t change. “OK. No psycho mother, but I do have to go into the hospital to look up some records. Totally boring stuff. You want to grab a coffee or something and meet up later?”
    JD shifted his weight. Something flitted across his face—hurt?—but was gone just as quickly. “Do you not want me to go with you?”
    â€œNo, it’s not that,” she lied, hiking up her already hiked-up backpack. “It’s just that, you know, hospitals. Gross. People die there.”
    â€œWhat do you need from the records room?”
    Riley had her hands in the pocket of her hoodie, her left hand repeatedly touching the birth certificate as if to assure herself it was still there—that this was all real. The paper was so soft it was almost clothlike, and when Riley looked into JD’s clear, earnest eyes, she almost wanted to spit out the whole thing. But she held back. Riley wasn’t sure what she’d find in the hospital records, and she wasn’t sure what it would mean for her or for Jane.
    I can’t betray her for a hot guy with nice eyes and a rap sheet, she thought.
    She shrugged. “Just some family stuff. You know, medical histories and all.”
    â€œCan’t your doctor just have them email it?”
    Riley opened her mouth, stumped. “Uh, no.” She rushed on. “The files are really old and they’re not digitized yet. So…I said I’d go in. So, I’ll meet you when I’m done?”
    JD pursed his lips. “One sec. I just want to get this straight. You tell your parents you’re going on a college tour and they, what? Said, ‘hey, just in case you happen to ditch the university thing and catch a train four hours away to Granite Cay, could you pick up some medical records for us?’ Something like that?”
    â€œUm, yes?”
    He swung his head. “Not buying it.”
    â€œLook, I’m just looking up some stuff for a friend.” Riley’s mind raced, images of the birth certificate, her web search, the black-and-white photo of the chubby baby from the HAVE YOU SEEN ME? picture bombarding her. “She was adopted.”
    â€œJane?”
    â€œYeah, Jane. She was adopted and she’s looking for her birth parents. I said I’d help her out.” She looked over her shoulder, trying to seem nonchalant, but certain the jerky action just solidified the fact that she was lying through her teeth. “Jane was born in Granite Cay, so this was all a—a happy accident.” She forced a placating smile.
    â€œYeah, sure. Whatever.” JD jerked his head toward a tiny coffee house on their side of the street. “Do you want me to grab you something? Something nonfat and girlie?”
    Riley put her hands on her hips. “Nonfat?”
    JD took a step back and blew out an exasperation-tinged sigh. “I didn’t mean anything by it, I swear. Just come get me when you’re done.”
    â€¢ • •
    The hospital lobby was freezing, and Riley zipped up her hoodie and shuddered.
    â€œI know,” said the lady at the front desk, meeting Riley’s eyes. She was wearing scrubs with cartoon kitties all over them and a nametag that said Carla. “The air conditioner is stuck. Perfectly healthy people are walking in off the street and getting a bed!” She laughed at her own joke, her boobs, which were the size of Riley’s head, jiggling with the effort. “Can I help you with something,