Free She Speaks to Angels by Ami Blackwelder Page B
Authors: Ami Blackwelder
serious danger. I’m not taking my eyes off of you.”
Whatever Krysta heard peeved her. She strutted away from Kian and me with a chip on her shoulder and an extra kick in her rhythm. I couldn’t be sure why. Did I represent competition, or did she just not want me in on their secrets? Curiosity engulfed me. Kian had secrets. He knew about Tommy, his death. He knew I was in danger. From what? Why? How did Kian know all this? And was Clark really to blame?
I didn’t have long to ask him, because when we arrived at the ground floor the cops showed up in the administration parking lot, and we all scrambled in different directions. Molly grabbed my wrist and threw me into the backseat with her, and as soon as Jennifer plopped into the driver’s seat, the sedan revved. I looked back to find Kian and his friends, but like Dameon at the memorial, they had vanished.
Revelations
Molly and Jennifer decided to stay in the comforts of their homes on the last day before school. Their parents had begun missing them, as much time they had been spending over at my house. Besides, going back to school meant they needed to be in bed early.
I stepped near the kitchen and saw Samuel eating one of Mom’s amazing chicken sandwiches for lunch. The thought occurred to me that now would be the perfect time to talk to him about Tommy and Clark. I had seen and heard enough to draw suspicion in Clark’s direction. But then I remembered how Krysta reacted to Jennifer when she said, “You’ve connected the well plotted lines.” There was just something about the way Kian glared at Krysta when she told us to take our information to the cops.
Maybe Clark was innocent? What did Kian mean when he said “or what?” After everything with Clark in the back alley, the scratches on my window, the reflection on the Kindle and the recording on the iPhone, I began to wonder if the what could have been...an angel. I know; the idea sounded ludicrous even in my own mind. I mean, angels. Really? Forget the impossibility of them existing, but what would they have to do with Tommy’s death? Why?
I decided I shouldn’t say anything to Samuel until I knew more. The disloyalty would crush Molly; I blood promised her. But I rationalized she would come to understand as I understood what the heck was going on at Millennium High. Besides, Kian said I was in danger. I had felt someone watching me and heard someone following me when I picked up the iPhone. I didn’t want to draw any more stalkers my way.
I sneaked carefully around the kitchen corner, wanting to head back to my bedroom. I had a lot to sort out alone.
“ Hey, Ali! Come here.” Samuel waved me down as I passed. “Come, have a seat.” I plopped down next to him, and he handed me half his sandwich. “Have you eaten?” I shook my head and took the food graciously. “Feels like we never see each other anymore, what with my new hours and all.”
“ We didn’t see much of each other when you were in the academy, either,” I told him. He’d always been sure of what he wanted since ten years old.
“ Well, I miss you. How you doin’? Holding up?” Felt like prodding, like the way he elicited information out of suspects.
“ I’m...good.” I shrugged. “Fine.”
“ Well, Mom wanted me to make sure you really are fine.”
“ Oh. I am.” Then I thought that maybe instead of giving him information, I could pull some out of him. “So, how is your investigation on Tommy going? Any new leads?”
“ Same old, same old. I got to tell you I think the poor kid just couldn’t handle all the pressure and jumped.”
“ And nothing makes you think differently?” I bit my lip.
“ Not really.” He paused in recollection. “Why? Should it?”
“ No reason; I just wasn’t sure what happened is all.”
“ Well, looks cut and dry as far as the New York City Police are concerned.”
“ Oh.” I didn’t want to push my luck and bit into the sandwich.
“ You’ve been going out
Whatever Krysta heard peeved her. She strutted away from Kian and me with a chip on her shoulder and an extra kick in her rhythm. I couldn’t be sure why. Did I represent competition, or did she just not want me in on their secrets? Curiosity engulfed me. Kian had secrets. He knew about Tommy, his death. He knew I was in danger. From what? Why? How did Kian know all this? And was Clark really to blame?
I didn’t have long to ask him, because when we arrived at the ground floor the cops showed up in the administration parking lot, and we all scrambled in different directions. Molly grabbed my wrist and threw me into the backseat with her, and as soon as Jennifer plopped into the driver’s seat, the sedan revved. I looked back to find Kian and his friends, but like Dameon at the memorial, they had vanished.
Revelations
Molly and Jennifer decided to stay in the comforts of their homes on the last day before school. Their parents had begun missing them, as much time they had been spending over at my house. Besides, going back to school meant they needed to be in bed early.
I stepped near the kitchen and saw Samuel eating one of Mom’s amazing chicken sandwiches for lunch. The thought occurred to me that now would be the perfect time to talk to him about Tommy and Clark. I had seen and heard enough to draw suspicion in Clark’s direction. But then I remembered how Krysta reacted to Jennifer when she said, “You’ve connected the well plotted lines.” There was just something about the way Kian glared at Krysta when she told us to take our information to the cops.
Maybe Clark was innocent? What did Kian mean when he said “or what?” After everything with Clark in the back alley, the scratches on my window, the reflection on the Kindle and the recording on the iPhone, I began to wonder if the what could have been...an angel. I know; the idea sounded ludicrous even in my own mind. I mean, angels. Really? Forget the impossibility of them existing, but what would they have to do with Tommy’s death? Why?
I decided I shouldn’t say anything to Samuel until I knew more. The disloyalty would crush Molly; I blood promised her. But I rationalized she would come to understand as I understood what the heck was going on at Millennium High. Besides, Kian said I was in danger. I had felt someone watching me and heard someone following me when I picked up the iPhone. I didn’t want to draw any more stalkers my way.
I sneaked carefully around the kitchen corner, wanting to head back to my bedroom. I had a lot to sort out alone.
“ Hey, Ali! Come here.” Samuel waved me down as I passed. “Come, have a seat.” I plopped down next to him, and he handed me half his sandwich. “Have you eaten?” I shook my head and took the food graciously. “Feels like we never see each other anymore, what with my new hours and all.”
“ We didn’t see much of each other when you were in the academy, either,” I told him. He’d always been sure of what he wanted since ten years old.
“ Well, I miss you. How you doin’? Holding up?” Felt like prodding, like the way he elicited information out of suspects.
“ I’m...good.” I shrugged. “Fine.”
“ Well, Mom wanted me to make sure you really are fine.”
“ Oh. I am.” Then I thought that maybe instead of giving him information, I could pull some out of him. “So, how is your investigation on Tommy going? Any new leads?”
“ Same old, same old. I got to tell you I think the poor kid just couldn’t handle all the pressure and jumped.”
“ And nothing makes you think differently?” I bit my lip.
“ Not really.” He paused in recollection. “Why? Should it?”
“ No reason; I just wasn’t sure what happened is all.”
“ Well, looks cut and dry as far as the New York City Police are concerned.”
“ Oh.” I didn’t want to push my luck and bit into the sandwich.
“ You’ve been going out