A Diamond in My Pocket by Lorena Angell Read Free Book Online

“We’ve yet to receive a ransom request and have
not been given an explanation as to their whereabouts, but we will continue to
investigate until we find them and return them home.” Applause and hollers
roared through the room and the intensity made my hair stand on end. “Please
continue to use extreme caution when out of doors and if you pick up on any
suspicious activity report it at once. Thank you.”
    The kids at my table all started
talking to each other, excluding me from their conversation of course, but I
sat and listened to them gathering as much information as possible.
    “It’s got to be the Death Clan
behind this,” one girl said.
    “No, it’s the CIA. They’ve been
staked out, spying on us. They even have insiders here at the compound.”
    “You’re crazy! Our Seer or Mind
Reader would have rooted out a spy already.”
    “Not if the spy had superior
blocking abilities.”
    “Maybe she’s the spy?”
    They all looked at me. “Me?” I
laughed. “Maybe you are spies.” That got them going. The bickering and name
calling began and grew rapidly until Mrs. Winter had to come to our table and
put a halt to the commotion. I couldn’t help but laugh, until I raised my head
and found Chris judging me harshly. I excused myself and walked out to the
floodlight-lit veranda. The sun was still low in the sky.
    Beth came out behind me and closed
the door. “Calli, you better not do anything stupid at the time trials
tomorrow.”
    “Or what? You’ll make my life even more miserable and make sure everyone talks bad about me behind my back? Oh,
wait, I remember, you’ll beat me up.”
    “This new assignment is most likely
related to our missing friends and if you go and beat out the fastest, you’ll
be placed on the team. You don’t know crap about our world so don’t go screwing
it up by being a showoff.”
    I didn’t answer her; I only turned
my back and waited until the door closed. The cool night air was revitalizing
to my senses and the crisp pine and freshly cut grass smelled pure and fresh. Four
adults, probably the tutors or hired clan members, made their way across the
lawn to the four cabins. I turned back to the dining room where everyone filed
out, except Chris. He stayed in his chair, watching me.
    Mrs. Winter came out to the veranda
with me. “Are you alright?”
    “As good as I can be, I suppose. When
will you show me the Shadows?”
    “Not for a couple more hours. The
sun has to go all the way down before the Demons come out.”
    “Sounds like a bad dream.”
    “You don’t know how right you are. Meet
me in my office after dark and I want you to bring along the shirt you were
wearing earlier.”
     
    ****
    I walked the well-lit deserted
hallways down to Mrs. Winter’s office. Her door was closed so I peered around
the edge of the glass window. She was sitting at her desk talking to someone on
the phone, “I’m not comfortable with what … this will put our slowest in too
much danger. Yes, he’s right here, hold on.” Clara extended the receiver toward
the empty room and from out of my range of vision, up popped Chris as he went
over to the desk. His back was to me as he spoke on the phone. Mrs. Winter
spotted me at the door and held up a finger to say, ‘wait a minute.’ I moved
away from the door and rested my back against the wall. Soon, the door opened
up and Chris walked out. I purposefully turned my head away from him as he went
by. My self-esteem had taken enough blows for one day. I entered Mrs. Winter’s
office as she was pulling her arms into her extravagant coat.
    “Calli, good job, you remembered
your shirt,” she smiled at me. “Most forget and I have to send them back up to
their room. Come with me.” I followed her out into the main foyer where she
turned and said, “It is vitally important you follow every direction while
outside after dark.”
    “I will.” We exited the front doors
into the bright floodlights and crisp mountain air. She led me