Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
She bites her lip, her eyes going soft on me. “So do you.” I nod in understanding.
Luke clears his throat behind me. “Never seen you have the look of getting your hand stuck in a cookie jar,” he says, and he’s right. Bennett is always so put together and stone-faced. This is a softer side. Not the dean but simply Bennett, Luke’s brother.
“Because he did,” I say, grinning over my shoulder. “The cookie jar being my sister.”
“Jesus Christ,” Bennett mutters, but there’s no heat in it. He runs a hand through his disheveled hair, and I have never seen the two of them appear more alike.
“How about I make everyone breakfast?” my sister asks. Yeah, we should get out of the hallway. I link my arm with my sister’s and head down the stairs with her. Bennett says he’s getting a shirt.
“Do you know?” my sister asks. Her eyes are growing serious, and I know what she’s talking about.
“Yeah, Luke told me.”
Luke grabs a few things from the fridge as Bennett makes it back down to the kitchen. We all cook together. It’s light and normal. I could really get used to this. I haven’t been real sure about what I want to do with my life, but I do know I want this.
We take everything to the table and sit down together.
“So,” I start. Might as well because no one mentioned it while we were cooking, falling more into small talk.
“Announcement?” Bennett asks, already knowing where I was going. Luke drapes his arm over the back of my chair.
“The homicide,” I say. “It’s official today. Right?” I might try to see what information I can pull out of Bennett. I’m sure Luke knows what I’m up to.
Bennett’s face goes serious. “Yeah. The announcement goes out at noon. An alert should be going out now to students. A mandatory school-wide assembly.”
“Is that normal?” I ask, reaching for my orange juice. “A whole assembly for... this?”
“No, this is the first murdered teacher or student, so I’m not sure what normal would be, but we’re not a normal high school.” I nod in understanding. That’s true. You wouldn’t be able to call an assembly on a Sunday at most other schools.
“There’s more,” Luke says, his hand tightening on my shoulder. “I can tell.” I glance over to Luke to see he’s staring at his brother.
Bennett sets down his fork. “This isn’t the first time,” he says quietly, “that this has happened in Charming.”
I see my sister tense across the table. “What do you mean?” she asks.
“Twenty years ago,” Bennett says, “before my time, before any of us, there was another death. She’d been chopped up too…” He trails off, shaking his head. “There were similarities. Things that didn’t add up.”
“Not to sound ominous, but don’t lots of killers cut up bodies?”
“Are you sure you want to go there while we’re eating?” Bennett asks in warning.
“Yes,” I blurt out.
“The similarities to the way they were cut up. Normally a person cuts at the joints. This person was cut in random spots. That is abnormal. We had a meeting last night in town with the mayor and sheriff...”
“There’s something else,” I say, and three pairs of eyes turn to me. “Emily.” Bennet’s brows pull together; I’m sure he’s searching his memory bank.
Luke goes rigid. “Madeline—”
They gave us information. I want to do the same. She could be in danger. “She’s in town, and she has history with Coach Murphy.”
“Emily?” Bennett repeats her name.
“Phipps.” His face flashes with recognition.
Bennett sits back in his chair, his breakfast forgotten. “She lodged a complaint a few years ago about her. Right as I was taking over as acting dean,” he says quietly. “I had a counselor speak to her, thought a woman would be better, but she recanted everything.” I can tell he hadn’t been happy about that.
Paislee reaches across the table, finding Bennett’s hand. He grips it like a lifeline.
“She wants to talk to me,” I say. Okay, maybe she agreed to talk to me.
“You think that’s a good idea?” Bennett asks. Luke gives a quick no, but Bennett keeps going. “This can’t be a coincidence.” I nod in agreement.
“See?” I elbow Luke.
“Then the cops should talk to her,” Luke grumbles out.
“No, an authority figure had her recanting her story. A coach crossed lines with her. I’m sure she lacks some trust. I am not threatening. I’m a student and a girl.” I half plead for him to see reason, wanting him to know I have to do this.
“You are not going alone,” Luke says, his voice flat and final. He looks at me, jaw set, eyes hard. “If you want to talk to her, fine. But I’m coming with you.”
“Luke—”
“No.” He leans forward, elbows on the table, pinning me with that stare. “That’s the deal, Madeline. Take it or leave it.” I don’t want him to scare her away. I mean, his reputation is that he’s an asshole.