Deadly Little Voices by Laurie Faria Stolarz Read Free Book Online Page A

we know who he’s supposedly seeing?”

    “Not yet,” Wes says, “but I’ve got calls in to all my connections.”

    “Within the geek community,” Kimmie says, blowing him a kiss.

    “Of which you’re the current president.” He blows a kiss back at her. “Anyway, I should know within the hour.” He checks his cell phone for messages.

    I gaze down at my hands, feeling my heart tighten. It’s not that I don’t want Ben to be happy. It’s just that a part of me can’t help feeling jealous—the part that wants him to be happy only with me.

    “I’m just thinking it might be a good idea to keep the lines of communication open with Ben,” Kimmie says. “If not for your heart, then for the sake of your head.”

    “Not to mention your other body parts,” Wes jokes.

    “I just mean, considering everything that’s going on with you right now,” Kimmie continues, “it might not be the best time to stop all communication with Ben.”

    “No one’s stopping anything,” I tell her. “And it’s not that I don’t want Ben to know what’s been going on with me. It’s just that his power works a lot differently from mine. Don’t you think I should be focusing my attention on finding someone who knows exactly what I’m going through?”

    “Someone besides your ear-hating aunt, you mean?” Wes says, smooching Miss Dream Baby’s ear. “With all due respect, of course.”

    “Of course,” I say, looking down at the sticky note again, knowing full well how crazy my whole story sounds.

    And only half believing that I’m not going crazy, too.

    WHILE WES DRIVES KIMMIE home to get her stuff, I remain in my room, wondering if Aunt Alexia might be open to talking to me.

    I get up from the bed and place my ear against our shared wall, accidentally kicking one of my strewn shoes in the process; the wooden heel knocks into the wall.

    My heart tightens and I hold my breath, hoping she doesn’t think it was me knocking, trying to get her attention.

    A moment later, a clanking noise comes from her room. I huddle in closer, trying to hear something more. The scratching sound has returned. “Camelia?” a voice asks. I start and then turn to look, surprised to find my dad standing just behind me. “What are you doing?” he asks with a grin.

    My pulse racing, I look back at the wall. The scratching sound has stopped now, but I honestly have no words.

    He studies me for several moments, then asks if I’m hungry. “Your mother won’t be home for another hour,” he says, flashing me a bag from Taco Bell. The smell of chicken chalupas calls out to me.

    I follow Dad into the hall. He stops in front of the guest room door and knocks a couple of times. It takes a moment for Aunt Alexia to answer; her door creaks open with an eerie whine.

    Dressed in a loose cotton dress and a pair of leggings, she stares at me as Dad talks to her.

    “Care to join us for a little snack?” he asks her, holding the bag up. “I got enough for all of us.”

    She hesitates, as if considering the idea, but then shakes her head, still gazing at me.
    “Maybe some other time.”

    Dad nods and tells her that we’ll be in the kitchen if she changes her mind. I start to follow him, noticing that Aunt Alexia continues to watch me. She tries to be sneaky about it, closing the door most of the way, peeking out through the crack; plus she’s switched her room light off.

    But I can still see her there: a sliver of white that cuts through the darkness, sending shivers all over my skin.

    “Coming?” Dad says, already down the hall, in the kitchen. I can hear him setting up the island.

    I take one last look at Aunt Alexia’s room, just as the door clicks shut.

    “How’s she doing?” I ask Dad, joining him in the kitchen. I slide onto an island stool, noting the requisite trash bag he’s set out in which to dump any remaining evidence.

    Dad pops the lid off a container of salsa and assures me that Aunt Alexia’s been