Free Sally Singletary's Curiosity (The Sally Singletary Book 1) by J.M. Cataffo Page A

quietly.
    “Idric, my name is Lani and I’m a reporter. Have you been questioned by any men in suits?”
    The boy gave her a confused look. “Men in suits? What are you talking about?”
    “Here.” She handed him a card. He glanced, but didn’t take it. Lani placed it on the desk next to him. “If they talk to you, I want to know.”
    Idris folded his arms. “You barge into my room, and now you want my help? Screw you!”
    Lani smiled. “You’ll help me or I’ll tell the headmistress about your extra-curricular activities.” She pointed at the drawer where he’d stowed his tablet. “How’d you pull that stuff up on a school network, anyway?”
    The boy went bright red. “A friend showed me how.”
    She gave him a stern look. “They come to you; I want to know.”
    He nodded.
    Lani turned and waved with a smile. “Toodle-loo!”
     
     

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
    SALLY TRIED HER BEST to touch as little as possible in the old beat-up Honda as they bounced down a country road leading back to Atlanta. The car reeked. Cans, bottles, wrappers, and other bits of trash were piled in the back next to Yasif. He kept glancing at it, as though expecting it all to topple over on him with each curve in the road. Sally couldn’t take it any longer. “You know what? Pull off over there.”
    “What?” Jake gave her a puzzled look. Apparently, he was oblivious to the state of his car.
    “Just pull into that gas station, okay?” Sally pointed toward the approaching business, the only one she’d seen for miles.
    Jake gave a slight frown but complied.
    She was out of the car before he’d even set the brake. After collecting the few things she could find in the small store, she approached the register. “Can I have a trash bag?”
    The clerk gave her an odd look.
    “You don’t have any on the shelf and I really need a trash bag… Please?” He regarded her a moment, then handed her one from behind the counter. “Thank you.”
    It took thirty minutes with the boys’ help, but she managed to make the car livable. After forcing them away for a few minutes, she emptied half a bottle of odor absorbent inside, holding her nose the entire time.
    “Is that really necessary?” Jake asked.
    She answered with a raised eyebrow.
    “Dude, don’t you ever clean your car?” Yasif crossed his arms, leaning against the building as they waited for the vehicle to air out.
    Jake sighed. “I don’t get out much.” He walked around and stood on the other side in the sun.
    Sally watched him. He looked better. The guy was still pale, but after a couple meals, his face was fuller, healthier. With a little self-care, he could actually be attractive. He was a bit slim, but had some definition. Too bad he was into boys. When Sally looked away, she found Yasif staring at her, his brows low. Immediately, the guilt of what had happened at the hotel returned.
    Once Sally was satisfied that the car was once again habitable, they got back in and resumed their journey and Sally filled Jake in on what they’d seen so far.
    “So let me get this straight. You saw a cat turn into a guy?”
    Sally nodded.
    “And you saw another creature you couldn’t identify?” He cast a quick glance back to Yasif.
    “Uh-huh.”
    “And four people disappeared from the school, without a trace?”
    “Yep,” they responded together.
    “And now there are government men nosing around?” He paused. “What the hell?”
    One side of Sally’s mouth turned upward into a slight smile. “Now you see our predicament.”
    “I just don’t get it,” he replied. “I mean, why come after you?”
    “The Hi-Li,” Yasif offered, appearing as though he would rather not be having this conversation.
    Jake glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “But you guys aren’t famous or anything. I mean the Hi-Li is just a school paper, right? Why would they be coming after you? As strange as this all is, it still doesn’t make logical sense.”
    “Strange things rarely do,”