Sally Singletary's Curiosity (The Sally Singletary Book 1)
Page 1
SALLY SINGLETARY’S CURIOSITY
AN ELEMENTS OF EAA SERIES
J.M. CATAFFO
Booktrope Editions
Seattle, WA 2015
COPYRIGHT 2012, 2015 JOHNNY CATAFFO
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).
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No Derivative Works — You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.
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Cover Design by Lizzie Russell
Edited by David Roberts
Previously self-published 2012
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to similarly named places or to persons living or deceased is unintentional.
PRINT ISBN 978-1-62015-893-7
EPUB ISBN 978-1-62015-924-8
Library of Congress Number: 2015914777
CONTENTS
COVER
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT PAGE
DEDICATION
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
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
CHAPTER FIFTY
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
CHAPTER SIXTY
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
COMING SOON
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This book is dedicated to my life partner, Rob. He was instrumental in the design of the cover as well as the development of Sally’s name and character. Without his encouragement and dedication, this book would not have been possible.
Sally Singletary represents strength of character and conviction. She never gives up, no matter what the challenge. She embodies all the characteristics that I’ve learned in life, especially from my mother, Evelyn, who always taught us to never give up on our dreams.
CHAPTER ONE
SALLY HELD THE ENVELOPE in her shaking hands, her heart pounding in anticipation and fear over what she would find inside. Barely able to contain her excitement, she quickly tore the edge and pulled out the folded paper. She took a deep breath as she slowly opened the letter and then began to digest the words printed on the page.
Dear Sally Singletary,
Congratulations! Your application for enrollment at Northwestern University has been accepted. On behalf of the Northwestern faculty, students, and alumni, it gives me great pleasure to inform you that you have been admitted to the Medill School of Journalism…
Sally put one hand to her mouth, trying to contain her shock. She couldn’t believe it, couldn’t register that she’d actually gotten in. She read the letter once more just to be sure.
For weeks, she’d been on pins and needles about her application, and nearly had a heart attack when she’d seen the envelope waiting for her in her dorm room. Northwestern was one of the top journalism colleges in the country and they’d just picked her for their upcoming freshman class!
Setting the notice down lightly on her lap, Sally glanced up at the night sky partly visible outside her dorm window. Things had gone well during her time at Hidden Lake Prep, but she was ready to move on.
Her head was filled with dreams of the future; the idea of going to the same school as Peter Alexander and Dave Barstow—two well-known and respected journalists—made her want to jump out of her skin! Her fingers gingerly rubbed the paper just to remind herself it was real.
She really wanted to tell Yasif the good news, but it was too late to meet up with him, and she felt it was the sort of thing best told in person. It would be torture, but she’d have to keep the good news to herself until morning.
A sharp noise outside drew her out of her reverie. Wondering what it was, she leaned forward to glance out the window. In the alley below, she saw two boys running toward the back of the school.
She recognized the blond—Billy—and his lanky best friend, Daniel, both friends of hers. In fact, she’d just seen Billy a day or two ago—although he was wet and wrapped in a shower curtain at the time. A smile tugged at the edge of her lips at the memory.
She heard a voice echo through the narrow space between the girls’ dorm and the gym—someone yelling. Shayne Masterson, the star football player, approached from behind the two boys as a woman appeared in front. Sally’s brows knit in confusion. It was Mrs. Conley, one of the math teachers. She’d just come from around the other side of the gym, cutting off their escape.
The whole thing was really odd. Why would the boys be running from her? And why would Shayne of all people be helping Mrs. Conley? It made absolutely no sense, and the puzzle was only made worse when the four began fighting over something she couldn’t see.
Sally wasn’t sure what to do. A strange glow caught her gaze. Something had fallen to the ground amidst the shuffle. Sally narrowed her eyes, trying to see what it was. She swore it looked to be a chain or a necklace, but why would a bunch of boys want that? Whatever it was, it was the source of the light and grew brighter with each passing moment.
Billy, Daniel, Shayne, and Mrs. Conley all scrambled for the item, their faces white in its eerie glow. Mrs. Conley held tightly to the back of Billy’s shirt as he stretched, reaching down toward the shining object. A fla
sh burst from the alley, causing Sally to throw up her arms instinctively to shield her eyes. When her vision cleared, she realized all four were gone.
“What on earth?” She jolted upright, her eyes focused on the spot where they’d been as though expecting them to suddenly reappear.
Carefully, she slid open a desk drawer and dropped the acceptance letter inside. Curfew or not, she’d examine the alley; make sure what she’d seen was real. Her roommate’s robe would have to be enough to cover her pajamas. Pulling it on, she quietly moved across the room so as not to wake the sleeping blonde. She was halfway to the doors at the end of the hall before she realized she had forgotten her shoes.
The stairs were cold against her bare feet as she made her way to the first floor, passing the double doors leading into the main parts of the school. One was propped slightly open, and she heard the clinking of keys on the other side. A quick glance and she saw two men in uniform jogging by, a muffled radio voice echoing in their wake. Quickly, she flattened herself against the wall and held her breath, risking a second glance only once she was sure they had passed. Were they cops? she wondered.
Once she was sure they couldn’t see her, she dashed down the first floor hall through the doors leading outside. This would normally have set off an alarm if opened at night, but it hadn’t worked in weeks, and none of the girls had bothered to report it. She propped the door open slightly and made her way to the corner of the building where Mrs. Conley had entered the alley.
There, she saw a set of fresh footprints in the dirt. It was clear the teacher had come through the same hall Sally had just used in order to catch the boys.
The alley itself was empty—not that she expected otherwise. Moving into the darkness and retrieving her phone, she turned on the light. Sure enough, a couple fresh imprints left from the boys’ sneakers marked where the struggle had taken place.
“At least I’m not crazy.” Her voice echoed in the narrow space.
She snapped a couple quick pictures with her phone’s camera before a noise grabbed her attention. The back door on the other side of the building flew open and two men came out. She dashed back toward the dorm, heart pounding, afraid to get caught out at night.
As she pulled the door open to go back inside, she noticed red and blue flashes reflecting off the trees in the front of the school.
Definitely cops.
CHAPTER TWO
THE NEXT MORNING Sally made her way toward the cafeteria, the acceptance letter folded in her jeans pocket. Her excitement over college, however, was overshadowed by the confusion of what she had seen outside her window. She kept playing the events over and over in her mind, still unsure of what to make of what had happened. It felt surreal, like a dream, but she was pretty sure it hadn’t been. Pushing her long, auburn hair back behind one ear, she pulled out her phone and glanced once more at the picture she had taken. Engrossed in her thoughts, she nearly walked right into another girl in the hall.
“Sorry!” She gave the girl an embarrassed smile, then put her phone back into her pocket.
By the time she arrived at the cafeteria, Yasif was already there waiting. The son of a diplomat from Jordan, he was her best friend. They had met as freshmen when Sally had been investigating rumors that a member of the archery club had been stealing from a recent fundraiser—Yasif had just joined as a member of the club, and she had interviewed him as part of the investigation. It was then that she discovered they had a similar curiosity for finding the truth. Together they had managed to uncover the theft, recover the stolen money, and get the student responsible expelled.
As Sally approached the table, she noticed a bagel and a cup of coffee waiting for her. “Thanks.” She smiled at Yasif, then put her bag on the back of the chair and sat across from him.
“So what is it that was so urgent that we had to meet up at the ass-crack of dawn?” Yasif asked as he stirred his coffee, adding some creamer. Today he wore a yellow long-sleeve button-up shirt tucked into a pair of crisply pressed jeans, Sally noted with some amusement. His dark hair sat neatly atop his head and his thick black eyebrows framed his gentle brown eyes. Although she would never tell him, she had always thought Yasif was attractive in a humble sort of way, even if he was a bit of a dweeb. She absolutely loved his Middle-Eastern accent.
She leaned closer. “If I tell you something, promise not to think I’m crazy?” She wasn’t entirely convinced herself that she wasn’t.
“You know me better than that, Sal.” Yasif took a sip from his cup, staring at her over the rim.
Sally grinned nervously. “Seriously, this is in the mega-crazy category.”
He leaned closer, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. “Is this about what’s been going on around the school? I heard there were cops out front last night.”
“From what I could gather…yes.”
“You saw something?”
She pinched off a piece of her bagel and followed it with a sip of coffee. “Well…” Leaning back, she pushed her hair behind one ear, conscious of the fact he hadn’t noticed the highlights. She wasn’t even sure why she wanted him to; after all, they were only friends.
“Come on! Tell me!” His eyes were expectant, almost begging.
“Okay, but you have to promise to hear me out.”
“I promise! I promise!”
Nervously, she began. “You know Billy?”
His look went from excitement to confusion. “Daniel’s roommate? The crazy kid?”
“He’s not crazy.” She searched for the right words. “He’s just been through a lot.”
“He has an imaginary sister,” Yasif informed her as if she didn’t already know.
Sally became defensive. “He was in an accident. He lost his entire family. Don’t you think that might mess with the guy’s head?”
He grunted something she couldn’t understand.
“Anyway, I saw him with Daniel, Shayne, and Mrs. Conley in the alley behind the gym. I don’t know what they were doing, but they seemed to be arguing over something. Then they disappeared right in front of my eyes!” She tried to get the words out before she lost the nerve to tell him and then waited apprehensively for his response.
Yasif raised an eyebrow.
“See? You think I’m crazy.”
“People just don’t disappear into thin air, Sal.”
“Well, get this.” She pulled out her phone and rummaged for the pictures, then held it out for him to see. “They were standing right there. Then all four of them just vanished. The cops were all over the school. I’m surprised more people weren’t woken up by it.”
“Ben said he saw the cops out front when he got up to take a piss.” It always sounded funny to her when Yasif used American slang or profanity. It just didn’t roll off his tongue like it should, no matter how hard he tried. “He saw a couple cops run through the main building, but he was in a hurry to get back. He figured out how to hack through the school’s content filters and access some rather inappropriate sites.” Yasif grinned.
Sally rolled her eyes. “You boys.”
Yasif grabbed the phone and pulled it closer to get a better look. “What’s this?” He pointed at the screen.
Sally looked at it, unsure of what he was referring to. Then she saw it. In the center of the frame, a faint swirl of light hovered in the air. She hadn’t noticed it earlier. She zoomed in on the photograph. “I have no idea. It looks like an after image or something.”
“Camera ghost, probably,” he said.
“A what?”
“You know, sometimes a stray reflection from a nearby light can cause something like that.”
“Doesn’t that seem like an odd coincidence? They were here in this alley. I saw them. They were fighting over something. I think it may have been a necklace.”
Yasif cocked his head.
“I know, I thought it was strange too, but then there was a blinding light, and the next thing I knew, they were gone.”
He eyed
her, still a bit skeptical.
“I know what I saw,” she insisted, putting her phone away. “And I know I’m not crazy. Something weird is going on and I’m going to find out what it is.”
“A story then?” he asked.
“One thing’s for sure…” Sally pinched another piece off her bagel and held it between her fingers before tossing it into her mouth. “It’s certainly worth an investigation.”
“I’ve got to get to class. I’ll catch you later, okay?”
Sally smiled.
Yasif headed off, but turned before entering the commons. “Oh, and Sal… Nice highlights.”
CHAPTER THREE
ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES of going to a school built for a bunch of rich kids was they had access to some great technology. This was why Sally felt the need to bring the school’s journalism program into the 21st century. With the help of Yasif and Daniel, they’d built one of the most advanced news platforms of any high school and called it the Hidden Lake Investigator. What would they do now that Daniel was missing?
All that technical stuff was beyond her. Her expertise was in content, writing and editing most of the articles and organizing the news feeds. She’d become the site’s chief editor by default.
She kept her eyes peeled the rest of the day, watching, waiting, for something to present itself. Her mind wasn’t on her classes. Instead, she kept making notes about the people she planned to talk with to gather information about the strange occurrence. If she were going to write a story about this, she’d need to get her facts straight. It wasn’t until she was back in her room after classes that she realized she hadn’t told Yasif about her acceptance letter.
It was unfortunate, because she still thought it was news best delivered in person. But it couldn’t be helped; it would be a while before she’d see him again since she’d made plans to spend the weekend with her mother. The idea of leaving the school in the middle of an investigation was not at all appealing, but she’d promised the visit and there was no turning back now. Besides, barring any major disasters, she could get enough things done from her phone’s remote access, and she’d be able to share her happy news about college with her mother.