Free What Holly Heard by R.L. Stine, Bill Schmidt Page A

asked carefully.
    Abruptly he stood. “No. I’m sorry, Miriam, but I don’t want to talk about Holly anymore. I’m sick of it.”
    He stood above her, suddenly trembling with rage. “She treated Gary like dirt! And she stuck her nose into everyone else’s business. Miriam—she was even asking Gary questions about
me.
What did she need to know about me? Huh?
What’s wrong with me?”
    â€œNothing, Jed, I—”
    â€œHolly is dead, Miriam. I know she was your best friend. I’m sorry for you. But I don’t feel sorry for her!”
    â€œShe was murdered, Jed!” Miriam cried. “Someone strangled her! How can you be so heartless?”
    Jed leaned close to Miriam, his breath hot on her face, his eyes cold.
    â€œBecause it was all Holly’s fault.”

chapter 16

    R age washed away any fear Miriam felt. “Jed!” she gasped. “I can’t believe you said that!”
    She stood, planting herself directly in front of him, her chin angled up at his shadowed face.
“I
was the one who told Holly to ask about you.”
    Jed scowled at her. “What are you saying?” he demanded.
    â€œI
did it. You’ve been acting like a total crazy person these past few weeks! So angry all the time. Ruining the biggest game of the year. And hurting
me.”
    Miriam took a deep breath. “I needed to know, Jed. Holly was doing me a favor. But now she can’t tell me what’s wrong with you.
You
have to tell me.
What is it?”
    Jed’s shoulders slumped. He sighed. “Why did you have to do that, Miriam?”
    â€œI care about you, Jed. And if something’s wrong, I want to know about it. No matter how bad it is.”
    He turned away.
    â€œJed?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œTell me. Please.”
    But his face had grown hard again. “I’ve
been
telling you!
Pressure.
My father wants me to get a scholarship. Coach Hurly wants me to practice twenty-four hours a day. The rest of the school expects me to win the championship. What more do you need to hear?”
    â€œWell, maybe if you would talk to me more, I could help you!” Miriam cried.
    Jed didn’t seem to hear her. He was still pacing, punching his fist into his hand.
    â€œI couldn’t take it anymore,” he continued, his eyes wild. “When Holly came asking all her nosy questions, I got mad. What’s wrong with
me?
I have a
life,
that’s what. I don’t have time to stand by my locker and whisper about Mei Kamata’s every move. Okay, Miriam? Does that explain it enough?”
    Miriam couldn’t speak. She had no idea what to say. Finally she replied: “That doesn’t explain what you said about Holly. There is no way it was her fault she was killed.”
    Jed let out a humorless laugh. “Maybe not.” Miriam saw a muscle twitch in his face. “But you don’tknow everything, Miriam. You think you do, but you don’t.”
    He turned away from her again and stormed down the sidewalk toward his car.
    â€œJed, wait!” Miriam started after him. But her anger halted her halfway.
    Let him go,
she told herself.
He’s not the guy you knew.
    Could he really be that cold-hearted? Did he really believe all the terrible things he said about Holly? Was it possible that he truly thought Holly had deserved to die?
    Without another word Jed climbed into the car, slammed the door, and sped off.
    When he was out of sight, Miriam let out her breath in a thick cloud of steam.
    What did he mean, I don’t know everything? What else is there to know?
    Does Jed know something more about Holly’s death than I do?
she wondered.
    A bitter wind howled down the street, stinging her cheeks. Miriam didn’t know how long she’d been standing in the freezing winter air. She dug her hands back in her pockets and shivered back to the front door, and warmth.
    One thing she
did
know—she couldn’t talk to