I hesitated, casting a nervous glance at Toni’s doorway. The hall was empty. As much as I’d dreaded this conversation, I wanted to have it now, and quickly, before anyone interrupted us.
“Actually there is,” I said. “You can stop sending threats to my parents.”
“I don’t . . . What do you mean?” he said, but his pale face and slack jaw were dead giveaways. Giving up, he asked, “How did you know it was me?”
The truth was I didn’t know for sure until that moment. I’d been thinking about it for days. Hardly anyone knew my father was Employee X. Doyle Murphy knew, but he’d confessed to everything at the falls and seemed legitimately confused when I brought up the notes. Flynn knew. But ghosts don’t send notes. It had to have been someone who’d only recently found out. People don’t start holding a grudge five years later. So I thought about Cooper and his Stell research. And the timing of my parents’ weird behavior. And his parents’ resentment. His anger over college and money.
I’d been hoping my instinct was wrong. Cooper was the last person I wanted it to be. But here it was. Disappointment dragged on my heart like an anchor.
“It doesn’t matter how I know,” I said. “I just want to know why. How could you do that to my parents?”
Red-faced with shame, he grabbed both my hands. “I’m so sorry, Morgan. I was just so angry. And it’s not your dad’s fault. I realize that. I’d let my parents’ bitterness poison me. And Diana was mad that I couldn’t be with her at school. And I . . .”
He let go of my hands and looked at the floor. “I needed someone to take it out on, I guess. I never would have really blackmailed them or anything.” He gazed up at me, his eyes pleading. “Please don’t tell Toni.”
I didn’t want to tell Toni. She’d been through enough. And she leaned on Cooper so much. I didn’t want to be the one to tarnish him in her eyes. But was it enough to figure out who the anonymous person was and give my parents peace of mind? Did I also need him to be punished?
After a long moment, I said, “Fine. I won’t say anything. But not for you. For her.”
Mrs. Klane poked her head out of the doorway to Toni’s room. “Oh, Morgan! She’d love to see you!”
I left Cooper alone with his regrets and crossed the threshold into Toni’s room. I tugged the baseball hat I was wearing down tightly on my head. The room was overflowing with flowers, balloons, stuffed animals, and cards. The head of the bed was raised, and Toni sat with her hands clasped on her lap. The bandages were off, and she looked almost like herself. Especially when she smiled at me.
“Get in here,” she ordered.
I swooped over and wrapped my arms around her as much as I could, remembering to be gentle. Then I pulled back and sat in the chair, wiping happy tears from my cheeks.
“How do you feel?” I asked.
“Like I fell from a second-story window,” she joked.
Toni had already spoken to the police and corroborated what I’d heard at the falls. Doyle Murphy pushed her out the second-floor window of his hidey-mansion. Then he called Reck to clean up his mess and stage the scene on Crescent Road. She was lucky to be alive.
“I heard you killed the guy,” she said in a low voice. “Evan’s uncle.”
I shrugged. “It was me or him, and it sure wasn’t gonna be me.”
She cracked a smile. “Look at you, being all badass-y.”
“Look at you, being all alive-y,” I said back.
She smiled, but her eyes got this faraway look, like they were reliving that dark moment. “I don’t want to talk about me anymore,” she said. “Tell me something about you. Something good. What have I missed?”
“I applied to the summer program.”
Her face brightened. “You got off your lazy butt and submitted your portfolio? Go, you! Now please make my day and tell me you and Evan are an official thing.”
I couldn’t help smiling. “Yes, we are. You were right about him.”
She cupped her hand over her ear. “Say that again. Just the last part.”
I laughed. “You were right.”
She leaned her head back on the pillow. “Man, that feels good. I might have the doctor give you instructions to tell me that every day.”
“You are such a pain in my—”
She made a tent with her fingers and narrowed her eyes at me. “Have you given him the All-Access Pass to Morganland?”
I looked up at the ceiling and shook my head. “I think it’s time for your pain pills.”
She mock slammed a fist on the bed. “Come on! I need details!”
“You’ll get nothing!” I stood up, pretending to go, but Toni reached out and grabbed my hand.
“You’re so lucky I didn’t die. You’d never find another best friend as awesome as me.”
“Truth,” I said, blinking back more tears.
She reached up and touched the shaved side of her head. “I am one hot mess.”
“Just hot,” I corrected.
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t patronize me. My head is half-bald, Morgan.”
“It’s edgy! Five bucks says within a week, girls at school start copying you.”
“Yeah, right,” she snorted. “Who’d be insane enough to do that?”
I slowly reached up and took my baseball hat off. That morning, I’d cut my long black hair into a short bob and shaved the left side above the ear.
Toni’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head. “No. You. Didn’t.”
“Reece did it, too,” I said.
Her hand flew up to her mouth. “Are you serious?”
“Yep. He’ll be here any minute. I’m so glad you’re better. He’s been keeping the whole town awake with his incessant crying every night.”
She burst into laughter and then winced and grabbed her side. “Ouch. Don’t make me laugh.”
I shrugged lightly, my shoulders barely lifting. “I’m your best friend. That’s my job.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
High-fives and hugs to:
Everyone at Putnam, especially my editor Shauna Rossano.
My agent, Scott Miller.
Barbara and Dan Harrington, my biggest cheerleaders (also known as Mom and Dad).
My family and friends who make me laugh and fill my days with funny texts and e-mails, and who still come to my signings even though you’re probably getting sick of them, but you know that I need you there. Love you guys.
Book lovers everywhere—readers, bloggers, librarians, teachers, booksellers. Thank you.
Mike and Ryan, the best things that ever happened to me, the two suns in my sky.
Forget Me Page 20
