Harbinger

by Emme DeWitt

  HARBINGER

  by Emme DeWitt

  First Kindle edition © 2016 Emme DeWitt

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher or author. This book is a work of fiction. The names of characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  For Caroline and Dena, whose strength and wisdom breathed life into Noah from the very beginning

  Published by Iron Sparrow Media

  http://www.ironsparrowmedia.com

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Epilogue

  Coming Soon

  About the Author

  One

  The sting of Adele’s quick backhand broke through the barrier of my thick moto jacket, jarring me from my reverie. My hand instinctively crossed my chest to rub away the pins and needles. I sighed in annoyance.

  “Gah, rings. Really?” I grumbled, tenderly touching my arm for any signs of injury. “Now I’m going to bruise.”

  “Shhh,” Adele hissed. Her head continued to whip around, trying to find the perfect position to eavesdrop on the muttering leaking through the closed office door without leaving the confines of her seat.

  I sat up straighter in my chair to ward off another reprimand, but my fingers continued their search for tender spots. My eyes focused instead on the salt residue my boots had left on the once pristine oaken desk in front of me when I’d tried to reposition my long legs earlier. The pins and needles in my arm now matched those in my entire right leg, which had fallen asleep in its uncomfortable position.

  Adele was unsympathetic. Tension rolled off her in waves, filling the spacious office in minutes. Another sigh escaped as I checked my phone for the time. This time, I got a cut eye.

  “We’ve been sitting here for twenty minutes,” I said.

  “And?” Adele’s head snapped around again at a lull in the conversation outside.

  “And,” I replied, trying to choose words that would not merit another hit, “I’d rather wait in the car.”

  My eyes had already scanned the walls lined with books to exhaustion. I tried to make out the titles, but they were far enough away in small enough letters to force me to give up after a few minutes. Nothing else held my interest in the room, which was first and foremost functional, not stacked with bobbles, knickknacks, and other design magazine worthy clutter that one typically found in an administrative office. Someone had been taking leadership advice to heart.

  “You can’t wait in the car,” Adele said without hesitation.

  “Because—” I bit my lips a little too late.

  Adele’s head swiveled around to face me. Her silence dragged on as her eyes ceased to blink.

  “It’s rude?” I finished uncertainly.

  She sighed, breaking her glare only to roll her eyes at me. “Bingo,” she said, her attention refocusing on the door.

  “Isn’t it also rude to keep us waiting?” I asked, picking at a loose thread at the end of my frayed sweatshirt sleeve.

  Adele hummed at me. Suddenly, she whipped around to face the desk, crossing her legs and readjusting them to seem comfortable and unassuming.

  The doorknob clicked, and a head popped into the room. Adele turned slowly in her chair at the noise, feigning mild expectation.

  “So sorry for the delay,” the secretary said. “The dean was waylaid by a sudden emergency. She should be in shortly.”

  “No problem,” Adele chirped, her smile so wide it came off as maniacal instead of sincere. Even I could tell the difference.

  The secretary bowed out, and the door shut with a crisp snap. I blinked, and Adele’s crazy face was gone.

  “See?” Adele said. “An emergency.” She smacked her leg in satisfaction.

  “At least we know it wasn’t me this time,” I muttered darkly.

  “What?” Adele said.

  “Nothing,” I replied. I wrapped the length of loose string around my finger, pulling it tightly to break it off.

  “Listen, Noah,” Adele said, her full attention honed in on me.

  I glanced toward the murmurs that punctuated the silence from the other side of the door, hoping Adele would remain distracted so we could avoid this conversation. Again.

  “Your father left very explicit instructions in your trust,” Adele said as she always did. By now, we had a script.

  “I must be enrolled in school until I’m 18, at which time I will graduate. Continued support is only offered if I graduate with honors. No arrests. No convictions. No fuss. Or no money,” I chanted, the words burned into my brain better than my times tables.

  “Of course, but,” Adele said, pausing for a deep breath.

  I frowned, turning to face her. There was never a “but.”

  “This is the last stop.” Adele’s posture braced for my response.

  “Okay.” I twisted the freed string into a tight ball between my fingertips as I strategized where to discard it. Likely, I would have to return it to a pocket somewhere to be forgotten about. I hadn’t seen a trash bin in the office, at least not one easily accessible to guests.

  “No, Noah, I’m serious,” Adele said. “The board got you this slot through some serious connections. No one else would take you.”

  “There’s always public school,” I said dismissively. “Federally, I think they’re required to take me.”

  Adele shook her head. Her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose as she sighed. “You have to make this work for the next two years. No…incidents,” Adele said.

  “It’s not like I purposefully get in trouble,” I argued. “It just happens.” My fingers continued to work at the tiny ball of string, and I watched my long fingers flex with the movement. My nail beds were a wreck, the length bitten raw to the quick. I wondered if painting them would accentuate the damage.

  “Well, it can’t happen here,” Adele said. “You’re cut off if you get expelled.”

  My fingers froze.

  “We’ve survived before.” I shrugged, redirecting my attention to the smudges on my boots. I rubbed at them, worried the salt might damage the leather.

  Adele cleared her throat. Her jaw moved without sound as she tried to find the words she wanted.

  After a few moments, it clicked. “You’re leaving if I mess up,” I said. My words were fact, but a lump grew in my throat.

  “It’s been the arrangement from the start that I would wa
tch over you until you graduated—”

  “Or until the checks stop,” I said coldly. I continued to rub purposefully on the heel of my boot.

  “That is not true,” Adele snapped.

  “You’re just following the contract. It’s fine.” I was already done with the conversation. Mentally I wiped it away, swallowing hard to clear the lump as well. “It’s not like you’re my mother anyway.”

  “Seriously?” Adele said. “You’re going to say that to me?”

  “It’s the truth.” I shrugged, focusing on the greying smudges on my boots.

  “Even so, I did my best.” Adele crossed her arms and legs angrily. “Not like you made it easy.”

  The blanket of silence stifled the room, replacing Adele’s nervous energy with muted anger.

  “Do me a favor.” Adele broke the silence after I’d moved from cleaning one boot to the other, the ball of string lost on the paisley carpet below. “Count to three before you say anything factual. Really consider if it’s necessary. If it’s kind. It should help reduce any misunderstandings with people who don’t know you’re not as much of an asshole as you come off.”

  I snorted. “Oh, I’m more of an asshole the more you get to know me.” A slight smile pulled at my lips.

  “Yeah, but just fake it a little until they’re in too deep.” Adele’s hand talked nervously for her in the air. “You don’t need a ton of friends, but having at least one or two people in your corner is important.”

  “Not too many people jockeying for those spots.” I snorted.

  “Well, you’ve got one, but she’s old and lame and calls you No-no to embarrass you in public.” Adele picked the fuzzies off her suede booties. Our heads were now level to one another and the desk.

  “Lame? I mean, your slang could use some updating, but you’re the most fashionable hacker I know.” I brushed imaginary dust from my now immaculate boots.

  “I code,” Adele said. “That does not make me a hacker.”

  “I see the support checks. I’m aware of the cost of living. I can even do math,” I said in mock surprise. My wide eyes met Adele’s.

  She mirrored my shocked expression. “Really?” Adele said in mock admiration. “Since when?”

  “I can even do differential equations,” I replied. “You can be impressed any time now.”

  I slouched back down in my chair, crossing my arms over my stomach. My butt was now asleep from the hard, unforgiving wooden torture device known as a Windsor chair. Adele’s leg bounced in mild agitation next to me as she returned upright as well.

  “I’ll be impressed when you graduate.” Adele’s eyes finally took in the office. “It would be nice to stick it to the board. Bunch of grumpy old biddies.”

  “I’m sure they’re not used to being so involved with their investments,” I mumbled through my collar, which had crept up to cover the bottom half of my face. Even in such an uncomfortable position, I was happy the small rift with Adele was already smoothed over. I didn’t like it when we were on bad terms.

  “If they weren’t so cloak and dagger about everything, I’m sure it would be less work, too,” Adele grumbled. “You’re a teenager, not a mobster.”

  “At least I got to keep my name.” I sighed.

  “There is that,” Adele said. “You don’t really look like an Ashley or a Jennifer anyway.”

  “Those were my options?” I asked.

  “Or the ever popular Mary.” Adele was unable to contain her smile. “We could even smooth it together and make it Mary Ashley or Mary Jennifer.”

  “I hate you,” I mumbled.

  “I have strong feelings for you also.” Adele’s smile shook with quiet laughter.

  The door flew open, catching both Adele and me by surprise. The secretary stood sentry holding the door handle.

  Adele leapt out of her seat, hauling me up by the arm.

  She rapidly fired into my ear. “Try not to say anything. Yes ma’am or no ma’am if you have to reply. Don’t make faces. Don’t check your phone. Don’t do anything remotely considered insulting or offensive. Got it?” Her face was obscured by my long kinky hair that had fallen off my shoulder as I stooped to her level. Even with her wedge booties, Adele was a good six inches shorter than I was.

  I nodded, my eyes on the door. I nudged her with my elbow as soon as I saw a blur, allowing her to step back to her place as if our pep talk had never happened. I shoved my hands in my pockets, doing my best to school my face so I wouldn’t get kicked out before I even started.

  Two

  A woman strode into the office, the air from her movements fluffing her cropped grey hair with each step. Her hand was extended out to Adele even from several feet away. The dean and Adele plastered on the requisite polite smile, showing just enough teeth. I didn’t attempt to mimic them, citing instruction number three about remaining inoffensive.

  “Ms. Kincaide, my apologies for your wait.” The dean used both her hands to clasp Adele’s hand. “I do appreciate your patience.”

  “Not a problem.” Adele’s voice was pitched higher than normal. “We’re happy to squeeze into your busy schedule.”

  “Ah, Ms. Young.” The dean released Adele’s hand for a few good pumps of my own. Even in her black power suit and heels, she seemed to be mildly perplexed at my looming height. The hesitation was evident only for a moment before her smile widened and her posture returned to its power pose. “Please, have a seat.”

  The dean settled herself behind the large desk, and I took extra care to avoid kicking the desk as I crossed my legs. I squinted at the marks from earlier, realizing belatedly I should have wiped those off when I was cleaning up my boots. Oh well.

  “So,” the dean said, “the good news is that most of the paperwork has already been taken care of by the trustees, as they sent your files ahead.”

  “We do appreciate you accepting Noah so late into the school year,” Adele said. “I’m glad it hasn’t been too much of a burden.”

  So far, I thought to myself.

  “Of course! How could we not accept her? Legacy students are always such a joy to have.” The dean’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “We take great pride in our alumni community. And both parents, no less!”

  I stiffened in my seat.

  Both parents? My eyes slid to Adele, and she gave me the most imperceptible head shake. The message was clear. Not now.

  “And of course, we can’t forget you, Ms. Kincaide.” The dean’s hands were clasped in front of her on the desk. “It’s been such a treat to see you as well. Fifteen years flies by, doesn’t it?”

  Adele laughed, the tinkling tone sounding off in the austere room. Adele’s nerves from earlier now made perfect sense. Even after all these years, sitting in the principal’s office still affected even the most confident adult.

  “Absolutely. It’s so great to see Noah will be benefiting from the same strong leadership as I did. And her parents, of course. A lot of great memories,” Adele babbled, nodding her head.

  “I certainly hope so,” the dean said. “We’ve prepared both her schedule and her dorm room, so as soon as her tour guide arrives, we can get her started.”

  “Dorm room?” Adele’s smile faltered.

  “Yes, residency rules are still the same from when you were a student,” the dean said with an oblivious smile. “You remember.”

  “Ah, yes, but the board should have included some additional paperwork and explanation.” Adele’s smile was growing more forceful by the minute. “Noah needs special accommodations, so she’ll be residing with me off campus.”

  “We did receive the recommendations; however, residency is a requirement for admission. That was made clear to the board, and they accepted. I assume this won’t be a problem.” The dean’s voice was missing the hitch of a question.

  I bit the inside of my cheek.

  “No, ma’am,” I replied, noticing Adele’s tongue stuck behind her teeth in shock.

  Her eyelids fluttered a little, and I wo
ndered how long it would take her to reboot from the shock to her system. Adele had been half confident I could succeed using our old standby routine, but now that I was forced to do it on my own, I could tell she was preparing for instant failure. A knot formed in my stomach.

  “Wonderful,” the dean said. “Your student guide should be waiting for you outside. Thank you both for your time. We’ll see you for Parent’s Weekend, right, Ms. Kincaide? You shouldn’t miss it.”

  The dean’s expectant smile was our cue. I stood, inclining my head slightly in thanks before turning for the door. I grabbed Adele lightly by the arm, and she stood up obediently. We were already at the door before she finally reacted.

  “See you next month,” Adele said cheerily as her goodbye.

  “Looking forward to it,” the dean said indulgently, already half focused on some files splayed across her desk.

  We ducked out the door, and I shut it before the secretary could jump from her seat. Luckily, the phone rang just then, and the secretary was otherwise occupied.

  I still held Adele’s arm, and I squeezed it tightly to get her attention.

  “Ouch.” She frowned at me.

  “Hello.” I waved my hand in front of her face.

  “What?” She dropped her voice so the secretary’s one-sided conversation covered our own.

  “I’ll be fine,” I said. “What is with you?”

  Adele shook her head. “I’m fine,” she countered. “But you’re screwed.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I muttered darkly.

  Adele let out a big breath, steadying herself. “Plan B.” Her eyes squinted in concentration. “Scope out campus. Find a place you can use when you need to get away. Text me if you have problems. I’ll come get you.”

  I tugged my phone out of my pocket, glancing briefly at the screen before presenting it to Adele.

  “Zero bars. I didn’t even know that was a thing.” I flicked through my settings to check out the internet access options. No phone calls I could deal with. No internet? No thank you.

  “Fine, use the Wi-Fi and the old chat app. I’ll keep it up at home. I emailed you the new address if you need it.” Adele pinched the bridge of her nose.