Free The Secret (The Scinegue Series Book 1) by S.R. Booth Page A

Roth’s household.
     
    “ L ook at this!” Billy continued writing as Sarah spun to see what he was so excited about. “I’ve got it! I’m getting words!” He held out his notepad for her to see.
    Their heads bent close together over the paper, bated breath released at each new word he uncovered. The mystery they were unraveling both excited and terrified them. For as many strange things they had discovered, it was still more than unbelievable to them that something real was happening; that this wasn’t a misunderstanding or an overactive imagination. Something sinister was apparently going on, and for some reason Billy—and by connection Sarah—had been drawn into it.
    Sarah looked up suddenly, excitement and fear showing in her rosy cheeks and bright eyes. “That’s tonight!”
    Billy nodded without looking up, the tip of his pen touching each letter and number as he counted to the next letter, soon revealing the remainder of the message.
     
    I will be at the Corner Store on October 4 at nine p.m. I have imperative information that I can only share in person. I am certain you have questions and I will provide the answers that I can, but again, only face-to-face. I know what I ask is a lot with the little information you have been given. For now, for your safety as well as my own, it is the best that I can do. I pray that you will meet me on the fourth. I will look for you on the bread aisle.
     
    The message deciphered, he sat back in his comfortable office chair and steepled his fingers under his chin. Sarah watched him intently. Minutes ticked past, and the silence remained unbroken as the young couple contemplated what they’d uncovered, and where it was leading them.
    “Well,” Billy was the first to break the silence, “I think I have to go. But you,” he ordered, “are staying here.”
    “No!” Sarah exclaimed. “I’ll go crazy if you leave me here just wondering and imagining what might be happening to you!”
    “You’re not going.” He took her hands in his and looked in her eyes. “I don’t know what’s going on yet, but it’s not anything good. I have to know that you’re safe. What if I’m walking into some sort of trap? What good would it be for us to both get caught? You read what it said about being watched. If we are being watched, you need to stay here to make sure whoever is doing the watching believes we are both here.”
    Sarah started to speak, then took the notepad Billy had been using. Flipping to a fresh sheet of paper she scribbled, If we’re being watched, someone could be listening too.
    He blinked at her in surprise before raising his eyebrows and nodding. A re you all right with doing this? He wrote briskly in his tiny but neat handwriting. We can still just walk away from this and go on with our lives as usual.
    No! Sarah’s swirling sprawl flowed across the page of the yellow notepad. We can’t ignore this. It won’t go away, and we will just be caught unprepared for whatever is coming. Go. I’ll take care of things here. She gave him a determined look. “I love you,” she mouthed.
    “I love you, too,” he replied silently.
    “So, popcorn and a movie tonight?” Sarah asked in a clear, loud voice, with a plan already formulated. She stood up and walked towards the kitchen to start the popcorn, throwing a look over her shoulder to see if Billy was going to play along.
    Billy was quick to follow her lead. “Sounds great! I’ll get a movie started. Anything in particular you want to watch?”
    Billy hurried to the DVD cabinet and grabbed one of Sarah’s favorite movies and started it without waiting for a reply. Then he arranged some pillows and a blanket on the couch, adding his favorite cap to the pillow ‘sitting’ in his spot. Crouching down below the windows he crept to the kitchen, and Sarah joined him behind the cabinets out of sight from any windows for a kiss.
    She started to speak, but Billy put his finger to her lips with a shake of his