I went over to the window and pried it open. The frame groaned but with a jerk the window slid up and cool air streamed in. The fresh smell of rain in the night was one of my absolute favorites.
A shadow shifted on the street. I poked my head out. Even in the rain, the hooded stranger waited on the other side, staring at my window. I grabbed my cell phone from the nightstand and the pepper spray from my purse, slipped into my ballet flats, and rushed out the room and down the stairs. Devon appeared in the hall, his eyes bleary. I didn’t stop to explain.
My feet carried me outside where the rain plastered my hair down and soaked through my clothes. The stranger turned the corner as I crossed our front yard.
I pumped my legs. I heard Devon’s steps behind me and his shouts of confusion, but I turned a corner and then another until it appeared that I’d lost him. I stormed into the forest at the edge of our neighborhood, where the stranger had disappeared just moments before.
From up ahead, the sound of twigs breaking kept me on the trail. Devon must have given up or lost sight of me because I didn’t hear him behind me.
Without streetlights, the forest’s darkness was absolute. Rain rattled the leaves, and twigs snapped under my shoes. Shape-shifting while running was difficult and straining, but with Madison’s short legs I’d never catch the guy. Who was he? The killer? And I was alone in a dark forest with him. Maybe not my best plan.
I let the rippling wash over me. Tearing, stretching, twisting, remodeling. My clothes strained and ripped. I stumbled a few times over my lengthening legs but then, with Alec’s body, I gained on the stranger. Wind howled in my ears and for a moment I lost my bearings as he disappeared from view.
Up ahead, something flashed in the blackness like a beacon. He’d turned around to check if I was still following. My breath rasped in my throat as I jumped over a fallen trunk. The forest was cloaked in mist, concealing the outline of the mysterious figure.
I was startled by a sudden buzzing from my pocket. My foot caught on a rock, sending me flying. I landed face-first in a bed of leaves, the wind rushing out of my lungs. I stumbled to my feet but the stranger was gone and so was the mist. Over the steady drum of the rain, I could no longer make out his footsteps.
I took the phone from my pocket, and saw I had an incoming text from Alec.
Meet me at the bus stop at 11
A glance at my watch revealed that it was ten fifty-five. Alec seemed to forget that my legs weren’t quite as long as his.
Now that the adrenaline had left my body I realized just how tightly my clothes—luckily sweatpants and an elastic shirt—fit, how even my shoes had stretched, and how the wristband of my watch had cut into my skin. I shape-shifted back into Madison’s body. The seams of my shirt were partially ripped and a cool draft wafted against my butt. Apparently I’d also made a hole in my pants.
I wished I’d grabbed a sweater from my dresser before I’d started my chase. I looked around for the pepper spray I’d dropped but it was too dark. Shivering, I trudged through the forest in the direction of the bus stop, roots and stones digging into the thin soles of my flats. My cell phone buzzed again.
Where are you?
I ignored him. After a few minutes the trees thinned out and eventually I was back in our neighborhood. The asphalt felt good under my feet.
When I rounded the corner near the bus stop, Alec was already waiting for me, tapping his foot impatiently. His eyes scanned me from head to toe. He rushed toward me and grabbed my shoulder, making me wince. He pushed my ripped shirt aside to check the spot I had bruised with my fall. His fingertips were gentle as they traced the injury. A bluish spot was already blooming on my skin. The leaves hadn’t cushioned my fall as well as I’d thought.
“Are you okay?” he asked, hands brushing back the hair from my face and lingering against my cheeks. His palms felt warm and rough.
“I’m fine.”
He removed his hands slowly. “What the hell happened? You look like you had a fight with a bear.”
I slumped against the street sign, trying to take my weight off my feet. “I was trying to catch my stalker. He was watching my window again.”
His eyes flashed. “You shouldn’t have followed him. You can’t just do things alone! It’s too dangerous.”
“If it weren’t for your stupid text, I would’ve caught him. I was so close until you startled me.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched. “There’s been a new development.”
CHAPTER 14
* * *
“What do you mean?” I whispered.
“FEA pathologists examined Madison’s body and detected a growth—”
“She was sick?”
“No. Pregnant.”
“Is Yates the father?” I asked.
“We don’t know. But she wasn’t far along. The pathologists estimate only four or five weeks. It’s quite possible that Madison wasn’t even aware of it yet.”
Strange certainty cut through me. “No. She knew.” Alec raised his eyebrows, so I continued. “I think that was the reason for her meeting with Yates at the lake. He said they wanted to talk.”
“So you think she wanted to tell him about it?”
I paused. Yates had acted oddly when I’d talked to him about the reason for their meeting. “I’m not sure. I think he might’ve known about the pregnancy. Maybe they wanted to discuss their options.”
“I bet Yates would’ve wanted her to have an abortion,” Alec said.
“I’ll ask him about it. Maybe I can get it out of him.”
“I don’t want you alone with him again.”
“I’ll approach him in school tomorrow. I’ll just pretend that I suddenly remembered the pregnancy.”
Alec frowned. “All right. But there’s more.”
More?
“I had a discussion with Major and we agree that aside from Yates, Devon is our prime suspect.”
“Devon? Are you kidding me?”
“Today when he was supposed to be at wrestling practice, I saw him sneaking around the places where the last two bodies were found. I don’t know what he wanted there but he was definitely looking for something.”
“But why would he return to the crime scene? Maybe he’s trying to solve the case. After all, it’s his sister who was attacked. Or maybe he was just jogging.”
“He wasn’t there to jog and I don’t think he’s investigating. He went to the exact spots where the bodies were found. What could he possibly find there after the police already searched the place several times?” He paused. “Sometimes murderers return to the place where a murder happened because it gives them a kick. It’s a compulsion. And what’s more important, he knew exactly where Madison’s body was found. The police never disclosed the exact location.”
Dimples-in-his-cheeks Devon was a killer?
“That’s ridiculous. Devon loves his sister.” I couldn’t stop myself from getting defensive.
Alec narrowed his eyes. “You’re not supposed to let them get under your skin. Not Devon or the rest of the Chambers family or any of Madison’s friends. This is a job. Don’t get emotionally invested.”
I was so tired of hearing that. I looked away, my muscles heavy and aching.
“Don’t ever be alone with Devon or Yates. I mean it, Tess.”
“You haven’t even told me why Devon would kill those people. He doesn’t have a motive.”
“We’ll find out, but until then, keep your guard up.”
Didn’t I always? With a tired nod, I turned and dragged myself back home. Two minutes later I arrived, just as a car turned onto the street. Linda and Ronald.
Luckily, I was able to slip inside before they noticed me. But Devon cornered me in the hallway.
“What the hell was that?” he hissed. His eyes blazed with anger and I felt a twinge of nervousness. But just as suddenly, his fury disappeared, replaced by softness and worry. “Get into your room before Mom and Dad get inside. You look like you’ve been in a fight.
If they see you like that, they’ll freak out.” He shook his head. “You really owe me an explanation for this, Madison.”
That was the one thing I couldn’t give him. Not after what Alec had told me.
I raced into my room just as the front door opened. I peeled my wet clothes off and hid them in the wardrobe. I’d find a way to dispose of them tomorrow, but for now I needed sleep.
I locked the door, my fingers frozen stiff from the cold rain. Better safe than sorry.
What if Devon hadn’t been at the crime scene to look for evidence? What if Alec was right? An image of Devon’s smile, eyes alight with laughter and dimples showing, popped into my head and suddenly I felt guilty for ever buying into Alec’s suspicions. Ryan or Yates or even Phil with his freaky eyes seemed so much more likely to have killed Madison. If I could only find out why.
• • •
The next day during lunch, I strode into Yates’s classroom without knocking. He turned around, about to chide whoever barged in, but his reprimanding-teacher expression slipped when he saw it was me.
“You shouldn’t be here. If someone sees us—” he didn’t finish the sentence. He came around his desk but made no move to remove me from the room.
“You never minded in the past.”
His face twisted like he wished I would forget about it, or maybe that he hadn’t reminded me in the first place. I closed the door behind my back and leaned against it. My nerves churned like winding snakes in my stomach but I forced myself not to let it show.
“What do you want?”
“Did you know about my pregnancy?”
The color drained from his face. The backs of his legs bumped against the edge of his desk and slowly he sank down onto it. I couldn’t tell if he was shocked because of the pregnancy itself or shocked because I knew. “You . . . you’re . . . pregnant?”
Maybe I was wrong, but it sounded like he’d almost said “still.”
“I was.” I softened my voice, made it hitch. “I had a miscarriage following the attack.”
Relief flashed in his eyes and he made no attempt to hide it. He didn’t say he was sorry.
“Did you know? Was that the reason for our meeting at the lake? Did you want to talk about it with me?”
He stood. “I didn’t know.”
I stared at him, wishing I could wrangle the thoughts from his mind. “I don’t believe you.”
His shoulders went slack. “I’m not lying. I—the day before our planned meeting, you mentioned you were late with your period.” He went on faster than before. “But I wasn’t worried. I thought it was normal for a girl your age. You weren’t that late, and I didn’t even know you had taken a pregnancy test.” His eyes darted around the room, he twisted his hands, and the first signs of sweat patches showed in his armpits. But it wasn’t proof of him lying. Any guy who just learned he’d impregnated his secret girlfriend would likely break out in a sweat.
“But you knew it was a possibility. It would’ve made things really complicated for you. People would’ve started wondering who the father was.”
“I don’t even know if it was mine.”
Anger surged through me. “What are you trying to say? You think I was cheating on you?”
“You cheated on Ryan. What am I supposed to think? There’s no proof.” He was right. Madison had cheated on Ryan but the way he tried to put the blame on his student really rubbed me the wrong way.
“You’re right. The proof was destroyed when I almost died,” I said quietly.
He swallowed and looked down. “Did you tell anyone about it?”
“No.”
But what if Devon knew? Or maybe Dr. Hansen? What if Madison had gone to her to ask about the pregnancy? Yates could’ve killed Dr. Hansen in order to silence her.
The school bell rang once—only five minutes until the next class started—and Yates released a breath. I turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm. “This is a new chance for both of us. My wife and I have started marriage counseling. We should leave the past behind. Just think what people would say about you if they found out about us.”
I couldn’t believe he was trying to make Madison feel guilty and threatening her reputation. Disgusted, I shook him off and stormed out of the room. Nobody paid me any attention as I hurried away. My brain was struggling to wrap itself around what had just happened when Ryan stepped in my way.
“We need to talk,” he said. I wasn’t sure if I was in the mindset for another difficult conversation but I nodded anyway.
“Let’s go somewhere private,” Ryan said, turning on his heel. At the other end of the corridor, Francesca made a face that would have impressed even Kate. She gave me the evil eye as I followed him; gossip would be floating around school soon.
Ryan led me into an empty unlocked classroom, closed the door, and leaned up against it. I braced myself for an argument as I waited for him to speak. He pushed himself off the wall and began moving toward me but then stopped and ran a hand through his hair. He looked nervous. “Listen, Maddy.”
The way he said it, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it, his face warped with regret, I knew this conversation wouldn’t take the turn I’d thought. I let him take my hand in his own, which were big and calloused. It wasn’t quite as bad as Yates touching me, but I didn’t want Ryan to be this close, either.
“I’m sorry for what happened. It was stupid of me and it won’t happen again. I really want you back.”
What wouldn’t happen again?
“Please, Maddy.”
His other hand came up to my neck and that was too much. I tried to pull away, but his hands tightened around me like vises.
“Let me go,” I hissed.
“Don’t be like that, Maddy. You know I love you. We were the dream couple—why ruin it all?”
His hand on my neck drew me toward him, trapping my hand between us. He was so close I smelled the staleness of cigarettes on his breath. “Let me go,” I said, shifting my weight to get a better stance. “You’ve got a new girlfriend, go be with her.”
“Chloe? Please. I was just trying to make you jealous. It’s nothing. I want only you.”
Our lips were inches apart. I struggled against his grip, but with a thrust he pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips against mine. His fingers dug into my skin. Images from my training with Alec flashed in my mind. I clenched my mouth shut and jerked my knee upward. Bull’s-eye.
With a feral noise—half yowl, half groan—he let go of me and staggered backward before sinking to his knees as if he was about to pray.
A shudder went through my body. That had almost been my first kiss.
“What the hell’s gotten into you?” he panted. “Why’d you do that?”
“Because you don’t understand the meaning of no,” I said, careful to stay out of his arm range. He was strong and tall. The element of surprise was what had given me an advantage, but that was gone now.
He closed his eyes. I couldn’t read his expression. Was he angry or apologetic?
“What happened before I broke up with you?” I demanded. The bell rang a second time. I’d be late for class.
He cradled his crotch in his hands, looking up at me with damp eyes. He pressed his lips together. For a moment it looked as though his eyes had clouded over. Had I hit him that hard?
“You okay?” I asked stupidly.
“No, I haven’t been okay since you broke up with me.”
The door opened, hitting Ryan in the back and making him stumble forward.
Alec poked his head into the room; his eyes darted between Ryan and me before he stepped inside and closed the door.
“Get out. This is private,” Ryan growled, a fine sheen of perspir-ation on his face.
Alec ignored him. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “We were just talking.”
“Is this your new boyfriend? That took all of five minutes.” Ryan staggered to his feet, his shoulders hunched from pain. He looked like the answer would re
ally crush him. But there was something else at play.
“That’s none of your business,” Alec said before I could say no.
Ryan took a step toward me, his face conflicted.
Alec pushed him back. “Get out before you lose more than your pride.”
They were almost the same height, but Ryan didn’t know that Alec was stronger than any normal human. He straightened as if he wanted to fight but pain still contorted his face. I had landed a good hit. With one last look at me, he left.
“Looks like you just made a new enemy,” I told Alec.
His face turned dark. “I can deal with him.”
Following the line of Alec’s eyes, I saw the finger marks Ryan had left on my wrist. Good thing that Alec couldn’t see my neck from that angle. It felt sore, too. Ryan took getting Madison back a bit too seriously.
I rubbed my wrist and leaned against a table.
“Why did you follow him into an empty classroom?”
“Because he came to my house yesterday to talk. He wasn’t going to give up unless I finally spoke to him.”
“He was at the house? Why didn’t you tell me? He could’ve come to attack you.”
“I’m not stupid, Alec, and Devon was home anyway.”
Alec shook his head. “Oh great, is that supposed to calm me? That guy is as much of a suspect as Ryan.”
I shushed him. We couldn’t risk being overheard.
“Devon is innocent.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“I think Yates knew about Madison’s pregnancy.”
“Are you sure?”
“No. I’m not sure. He didn’t admit anything, but he was jumpy and tried to guilt me into not talking about the affair or the pregnancy with anyone. I don’t know what to make of him.”
Alec closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose. “I’ll talk to Major.”
“We need to get to class,” I said, knowing the look on his face too well. I turned to exit the classroom.
“You’re risking too much,” Alec whispered.
Impostor A Variants Novel Page 14
