What Lies in the Darkness (Shadow Cove Book 1)

by Jessica Sorensen

  “Okay … Still …” I chew on my bottom lip, mulling it over. I don’t know why I keep thinking of the voice I heard when I first stepped into the secret spot. While I know it wasn’t real, the warning it whispered haunts my thoughts. “I know I’m probably sounding super overanalyzing right now, but I can’t help it. I’m worried there might be more to this than a lost computer. I mean, if someone can afford a five-thousand-dollar computer, they should be able to replace one, right? Why offer such a big reward to get an old one back unless there’s something really important on it?”

  “The files on the computer are probably irreplaceable,” Ev tells me. “Photos, school assignments—things like that.”

  “Sex videos,” Kennedy adds with a giggle. When I roll my eyes at her, she shrugs. “What? You know that’s Dixon’s phone number, right?” She grins. “And he’s such a dirty man-whore. I bet he has a ton of sex videos stored in his computer.”

  My jaw nearly smacks the concrete. “What the hell? How did you …? What did you …? Huh?”

  “Don’t worry; you don’t have to say it.” Kennedy beams proudly. “I know I’m awesome.”

  “Awesome, yes. But this …” I glance down at the receipt. “It’s like the stars aligned perfectly. I need a thousand dollars to enter the skate competition so I can kick Dixon’s ass in front of his whole family, and he’s the one who’s going to give me the entry fee. Plus, I can snoop around on his computer before we give it back and see if I can get some dirt on him. It’s so perfect.” I suddenly frown. “You don’t think he’s setting us up, do you?”

  “I seriously doubt Dixon put up the ad, hoping we’d see it and call his number so he could set us up,” Kennedy says. “I love you, babe, but sometimes, you overthink things too much.”

  “Hey, the trait can be annoying sometimes, but it’s useful sometimes, too,” I point out. Of course, deep down, I know she’s right. I am overthinking this, all because some creepy-ass voice that isn’t real whispered a warning to me. “I’ll try to tone it down a little.”

  “Good.” Kennedy rubs her hands together. “Okay, who gets the honor of making the call and convincing Dixon to give us enough info for us to start the search?”

  The four of us exchange a wary look as the light above us flickers on and off.

  “Fine, I’ll do it. This is my thing, anyway.” I reach for my phone in my pocket, but Embry smacks my hand away.

  “He’ll probably recognize your voice.” She blasts me with a pressing look. “You two talk a lot.”

  “More like argue,” I clarify. “But, yeah, you’re probably right.”

  “I’d offer to do it,” Embry says, scraping some black fingernail polish off her thumbnail, “but I have sucky people skills.”

  “True dat.” Kennedy laughs, and Embry playfully shoves her, causing her to stumble. Once she regains her balance, she sticks her hand out to Embry. “Let me borrow your phone. I’ll do it.” Once Embry hands over her phone, Kennedy looks down at the receipt in my hand and punches the digits into her phone. Then she flashes a smirk at Embry as she puts the phone to her ear. “Good thing I have excellent people skills.”

  Embry sticks her tongue out at Kennedy while I rush to dig a pen out of my backpack. Biting off the cap, I quickly jot down some important questions Kennedy needs to ask.

  1). Where was the laptop last seen?

  2). What was the date and time the laptop was last seen?

  3). What kind of laptop is it? What does it look like? Is there anything on it, like a decal or something that will make it stand out?

  4). Would anyone want to steal it for some odd reason, or does he think he just misplaced it?

  5). Is there any other helpful information he can give us?

  By the time I finish scribbling down the last question, Kennedy has Dixon on the line.

  “Hi, I was calling about the lost laptop ad you posted,” she says in a fake, flawless southern accent. She pauses as Dixon says something to her. “No, it’s not that. I was actually calling because the school has a team of specialists coming in to do an investigation about the increasing number of pricey lost items. There’s a bit of concern from the faculty that these items are being taken intentionally.” She bobs her head up and down as Dixon yammers her ear off about something. “Yes, I see. Well, that’s terrible, but it’s not uncommon. There’ve been a lot of complaints about the security cameras around the school premises experiencing power outages, and we’re looking into that, too, to make sure they haven’t been hacked into.” She snaps her fingers at me, signaling for me to hand her my list and a pen. “I would greatly appreciate it if I could ask you a few questions about your missing laptop so I can cross-reference the date and times with the security camera outages.”

  Everleigh and Embry cover their mouths to conceal a laugh. Me, I smile like the freakin’ Cheshire cat as I hand Kennedy my list and a pen.

  Grinning, Kennedy crouches down, sets the receipt on the ground, and begins asking the questions on the list. She jots down a few notes before telling Dixon she’ll be in touch. Then she hangs up and bounces up and down.

  “God, that was such an adrenaline rush.” She hands me the receipt now covered with the notes she took. “I was seriously worried he wouldn’t buy the story, but I think I sold it pretty well.” She points a finger at me. “I finally found a use for all those boring detective shows you make us watch all the time.”

  “Told you they’d come in handy one day.” I smile, skimming over the notes. “So, according to this, the last time he saw his laptop was Friday morning?”

  “Yeah, he said he put it in his locker before second period, and by third period, it was gone.” Kennedy flicks the receipt in my hand. “He insists no one knows his locker combo, but that doesn’t mean someone couldn’t break into it.”

  I rub my lips together, thinking. “Did he go to the main office and ask them to check the security footage?”

  Kennedy nods. “And that’s where things get really shady.” She leans in as if she’s revealing a scandalous secret. “Apparently, the cameras shorted out at the exact time the laptop was stolen.”

  “That can’t be a coincidence.” Ev steps up beside me to read the notes on the back of the receipt. “Cameras don’t usually short out like that unless there’s a power outage. And the school has a high-end system, so it should have a backup recording system.”

  “Maybe the secretary doesn’t know about that,” Kennedy suggests. “That’s who Dixon said he spoke to.”

  “That could be a possibility.” Ev anxiously thrums her fingers against the sides of her legs, dazing off in deep thought. “Ms. Finkleson isn’t the best with electronic devices. One time, she called me into the office to show her how to use the calendar program on the computer, and it took an hour before she figured it out.”

  “Maybe you could offer to help her find the backup data for the cameras,” I propose. “And then, while you’re at it, you could sneak a look at the footage of when the computer was stolen.”

  Ev hastily shakes her head and shuffles back. “No way. Do you know how suspicious it’d look that I even knew the camera system went down? Plus, I don’t do well under pressure.”

  “True.” I rub my jawline, the wheels turning in my head. “Hmmm … What if I went in and reported something stolen around the same time as Dixon? When Ms. Finkleson tells me the cameras went down, I can ask her if she can check the backup system.”

  “And what will you do when she has no idea how to do that?” Worry creases Ev’s brows. “Because she will say that.”

  I tap my ear. “I’ll put an earpiece in, and you can walk me through the process.”

  Her frown deepens. “And where do you plan on getting this earpiece?”

  My lips curl into a grin. “Leave that to me. Just be ready by lunchtime to put this plan into motion. It’s the best time to do it, anyway, since Ms. Finkleson usually is the only one in the main office. The fewer people who see us messing around with the security syst
em, the better. In fact, Kennedy and Embry, you two should chill outside and keep an eye out on things. Make sure no one, like Dixon or one of his friends, comes wandering in there. I don’t want them putting two and two together and figuring out what we’re up to.”

  Kennedy salutes me, and Embry gives me a fist bump.

  “You got it,” Kennedy says. “Though, I don’t really think any of Dixon’s friends are smart enough to put two and two together.”

  “Better safe than sorry,” I say. “We don’t want any accidental slipups happening.”

  “Hey, that’s what my mom said to me when we had our first sex talk,” Embry remarks, and Kennedy snorts a laugh.

  Ev releases an exhausted sigh. “Guys, this seems a little extreme for a revenge plot. Isn’t there a better way for Mak to get back at Dixon?”

  “Not a way where she can get back at Dixon and have enough money for the skate competition. And getting to compete is half the point of this,” Kennedy says. “Look, Ev, this needs to be done, not just for Mak, but for the greater good of our fellow losers. Dixon has spent too many years running his mouth and tormenting the school.”

  Ev continues to frown. “And what if something happens? Like, what if Ms. Finkleson catches on to what you’re doing?” She shakes her head, causing strands of hair to fall into her eyes. “She may be computer illiterate, but she might figure out something’s up when you ask her to look at the footage of Dixon’s locker.”

  “Excellent point, Ev. I didn’t even think of that.” I twist a strand of hair around my finger, mulling over the dilemma. “What we need is a way to get her out of the office so I can peek at the footage once she gets the files open. Like a distraction that makes it so she has to run out of the office for a moment … like a fight going on or something.”

  Embry’s hand shoots up in the air, her boots thudding against the concrete as she jumps up and down. “Oh, me, me. Please pick me!”

  Kennedy swiftly shakes her head and mouths, “Don’t let her do it. She’ll end up getting detention again.”

  “Not a real fight,” I clarify, and Embry’s hand falls as she pouts. “Like a fake cat fight between two best friends. Now, all I need are two best friends who are amazing at acting and pretend fighting.”

  Kennedy and Embry exchange a deliberating look, a shrug, and then a nod of agreement.

  “I guess we can do that,” Embry says. “Just as long as I win the fight. I do have a reputation to uphold.”

  “Like you could really kick my ass in a fight,” Kennedy says then zips her lips when Embry arches a brow at her.

  “So, we’re good, then,” I tell Ev. “Once she gets into the backup system, I’ll sneeze, and then Kennedy and Embry will start fighting just outside the office. Just make sure to scream a little.”

  “Yeah, so you can both get detention.” Ev restlessly taps her foot. “A fight isn’t going to work. You need to do something more inconspicuous that won’t get Kennedy and Embry detention.”

  “Good point, Ev.” I aim a finger at her. “Way to be an active participant in this devious, delinquent plot.”

  Ev lifts her glasses up and presses her fingers to the brim of her nose. “I’m just trying to make sure you guys don’t get expelled so I don’t get stuck going to this hellhole by myself.”

  “Oh.” Kennedy steps back, covering her mouth with her hand, mocking being aghast. “Ev just said hell.”

  Ev gives her a dirty look, but her lips quirk, and I can tell she’s starting to soften.

  “I could always just pull the fire alarm,” Embry offers. “The one near the back of the school is out of view from the cameras. I should be able to get it done without anyone knowing.”

  “How do you know that?” I question.

  “Remember that time the alarm went off during the Biology final last year?” she asks, and I nod. “Well, I may have forgotten to study, and I may have asked for a bathroom pass so I could pull the alarm and get the final postponed until the next day.”

  “That was you?” Kennedy smacks her a high-five. “I owe you a huge thanks, Em. That stunt saved my pretty, little behind from flunking Bio.”

  “You didn’t study, either?” Embry asks.

  Kennedy rolls her eyes. “Duh, I was with you the night before. Remember? We snuck into that club.”

  “I can’t believe I’m just realizing how much trouble you guys get into,” Ev gripes. “And I’m sure this office stunt is going to be another thing to add to your list.”

  Embry drapes an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry, Ev; if shit hits the fan, Embry, Mak, and I will take the fall. You won’t be anywhere near the office, anyway.”

  Ev nervously combs her fingers through her hair. “It just seems like you guys are enjoying this a little too much.”

  Embry, Kennedy, and I trade an amused look.

  “Nah, I think we’re enjoying this just the right amount,” I reply. “Even you can appreciate taking down the school’s worst evil villain a teeny, tiny bit. Just think about all the times he’s tormented you personally.”

  She wavers then nods. “All right, I’m in.”

  I smile and force her to give me a high-five.

  Maybe she’s right. Maybe I am enjoying this too much. The truth is, our revenge plan kind of reminds me of the days when I helped my dad get a story. Sometimes, we’d have to do stakeouts or make sneaky phone calls like Kennedy just did to Dixon. Some stories were a real pain in the ass. My dad would have to go undercover to get to the bottom of the real truth, and I’d be his eyes and ears. He was always so good at it, and I’ve often thought it would be great to be like him: chasing stories, getting to the real truth, solving some great mystery.

  I just cross my fingers that I can be as good at this undercover thing as he was and that all the trouble will be worth it. And that my sanity has returned to normal.

  LOCATION: JUST OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL RECORDING ROOM

  TIME: 11:08 AM

  DATE: MONDAY, MARCH 22ND

  So, yeah, our school has its very own super swanky recording room where aspiring artists can create videos, take photos, paint, record music, or whatever else their little artists’ hearts desire. The room is also fully stocked with all kinds of gizmos and gadgets that these artists can use. And what I have my sights set on are the walkie-talkies the school’s video camera crew uses when televising sporting events.

  While I in no way, shape, or form have a good reason to be in this room, I’m currently pretending I do. With Embry’s camera strapped around my neck, I stand outside the shut door, waiting for the red light to click off and for the person occupying the room to clear out. According to the schedule on the door, they have exactly one minute left. Then there’ll be a ten-minute break when the room should be empty, giving me just enough time to slip in and steal a couple of walkie-talkies and an earpiece before hightailing it back to class. If anyone stops me in the hallway and asks what I’m doing, I have a freshly signed bathroom pass in my back pocket.

  Exactly one minute later, the red light flips off, and the door swings open. I straighten and am preparing to walk in when Rylen strolls out of the room with a guitar slung over his shoulder. When he sees me, his lips pull into a smile.

  “Hey, Mak.” He tilts his head to the side as he glimpses the camera dangling around my neck. “I didn’t know you were into photography.”

  I decide how to play this. Rylen knows me enough that he might be able to tell if I’m lying.

  “It’s actually a new hobby,” I say. “Embry’s really into it, and she’s giving me a few pointers.” When he peers around the empty hallways, I add, “She’s actually waiting for me in the quad. I’m supposed to pick up some equipment for us to use.”

  He shoves the sleeves of his grey thermal shirt up. “That’s cool. I mean, that she’s helping you. And photography’s pretty fun. I think you’ll like it.”

  “Are you into it?”

  “I’m not hardcore into it, but I’ve taken a few classes.” He pats h
is guitar. “Music’s more my thing. And skateboarding.”

  “Well, aren’t you just a man of many talents?” I flash him a teasing grin.

  For some reason, he seems embarrassed. Is it because he’s talking to me? He’s associated with me at school before, though. Perhaps whatever has turned everyone into gawkers has made him second-guess being nice to me.

  “But, anyway, I have to get that stuff out to Embry ASAP. Maybe I’ll see you at the skate park later.”

  I’m moving to head inside when he sidesteps, causing me to bump straight into him. I start to trip back, but he curls his arm around my waist and steadies me.

  “Sorry,” he says quickly. “I didn’t mean to run into you. I just wanted to ask … to make sure you’re okay.”

  “Um, yeah.” I’m so confused, not only by his question, but by his invasion of my personal space. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Because of what happened to that girl.” He studies my puzzlement, and then his eyes widen. “Shit, did you not know about that?”

  I start to shake my head, but then it clicks. “Wait, are you talking about the girl who drowned in the lake?”

  He relaxes, stuffing his hands into the back pockets of his black jeans. “So, you did hear about it, then?”

  “Yeah, my mom was working at the hospital when she was brought in.”

  He turns all squirmy again. “Did you hear who it was?”

  I suddenly feel extremely nervous, too. “No. Do you know?”

  He massages the back of his neck tensely. “Um, yeah … it was … Bria Brookenrose.”

  “Bria? My brother’s old girlfriend, Bria?” I say, probably too loudly.

  He nods, and while my mind races with questions, only one leaves my lips.

  “Do you know how she died?”

  “Well, I don’t know for sure, because there hasn’t been anything in the paper about it, but there’s a rumor going around school that …” He sweeps his dark strands out of his eyes, looking like he wants to be anywhere but here. “That she killed herself because of some pact she made with your brother.”