Free The Secrets of Lily Graves by Sarah Strohmeyer Page A

up and down my legs and across my crotch.
    Cleared for education, Sara and I slipped on our shoes and gathered our stuff. The whole experiencewas decidedly Orwellian.
    â€œThis is because of Erin, you know,” I said as we crossed the atrium.
    â€œKind of gives credence to your theory that she was murdered.”
    â€œYou had doubts?”
    Sara stopped. “Lil. This is the Potsdam PD we’re dealing with here. Did you take a good look at those dudes? The crossing guards we just passed are more qualified.”
    Over her shoulder, I spied a sheet of pink poster paper that had been tacked up outside of Guidance on Monday so people could write their condolences to Erin. Every inch was covered in ink.
    M ISS YOU !
    L OVE YOU !
    I KEEP LOOKING FOR YOUR SMILE AT PRACTICE.
    (D ON ’ T FORGET S KITTLE BUMPS !)
    M Y HEART IS DARK KNOWING YOU HAVE GONE.
    I CAN ’ T BELIEVE IT ’ S TRUE.
    I CAN ’ T STOP CRYING.
    P LEASE, NO. N O. N O. N O.
    There were many random lyrics from various songs, too many of which quoted “The Wind BeneathMy Wings.” But it was the dedication at the bottom that stopped me short.
    I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU, E. P EACE.
    It was signed simply
M
, which I knew had to be Matt.
    He was back.
    Picking up a Sharpie, I hastily scribbled
Rest in peace
,
Erin. I’ll find him
, and signed it
Lily G.
    Sara stooped to read it. “You meant you’re going to find the killer, right?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œBecause people might take that the wrong way.”
    â€œGood.”
    They were waiting for me upstairs. Blond and petite Cheyenne Day, dark-haired and almond-eyed Allie Woo, and their new queen, Kate Kline, Erin’s presumed successor.
    An ambush.
    â€œThere she is,” Kate announced as Allie and Cheyenne whipped out their cells to document in texts and photos whatever was about to go down.
    Kate was shorter than I was by a good five inches. But what she lacked in height, she more than made up for in self-righteous indignation. Below the adorablewidow’s peak that defined the part of her straight brown hair were equally pointy eyebrows that highlighted her mesmerizing blue eyes. Guys in school were secretly intrigued by Kate but few asked her out because they felt intimidated. I never understood that—before.
    â€œExcuse me,” I said, gesturing to my locker, which she was blocking.
    Kate didn’t move. “I bet you’re glad Erin’s dead.”
    â€œDon’t be stupid, Kate.”
    â€œDon’t be lying, Lily. You’ve been jealous of her since elementary school.”
    Not jealous. More like resentful for the way she made fun of Sara’s disability and my family’s profession, as if we were subhuman for not being symmetrical specimens whose parents worked in the brewery’s headquarters.
    A teacher passed by and wished us a good morning. I used the reprieve to spin my combination—25, 9, 33—while Sara positioned herself on my other side, just in case things got out of hand.
    The teacher disappeared. The locker popped open. Kate slammed it shut. “I hope you’re satisfied.”
    â€œWith what?” I stuck my finger in the handle and opened it again. Sara leaned against the door so Kate couldn’t close it.
    â€œ
With what?
” Kate shook her head so her hair rippled like a Pantene commercial. “With pushing Erin to the edge, that’s with what. She’d be alive today if it weren’t for you.”
    Sara rolled her eyes. “Oh, please.”
    After depositing my heavy calculus book on the top shelf, I closed the locker and gave the combination lock a quick flick. “I didn’t do anything to Erin. With all due respect to the dead, whatever she told you about Matt and me is wrong.”
    â€œIt’s not what she said, it’s what I
saw
,” Kate spat back. “Those scratches you gave her? You are one sick puppy to do that to her.”
    Sara dropped