Second Nature by Ae Watson Read Free Book Online Page B

mischief.
    Mine narrowed as I
contemplated my feelings for Rita, a girl I hardly knew. “I don't know her well
enough to form an opinion. Her family seems more like new money, which is weird
that our parents would want anything to do with that. And for new money, they
don't seem to have a lot. Also weird.”
    “She’s a lot like someone
else we all suffered through having as a friend too. So if she keeps acting
like that—”
    I chuckled bitterly. “Oh,
she’s going to keep that up. She’s a total queen bee. She reminds me of my mom.
And her mom and mine could be sisters.” That brought a shudder down my already
cold spine. “There’s no way that she wasn't the queen bee of her crowd in
Manhattan.”
    “Yeah, dude, I agree.”
Sierra nodded and brushed her red hair out of her face. “She and Rachel would
have been quite the pair.” The words no sooner left her lips and her father
walked out onto the deck with Lindsey’s dad. They both wore Italian suits and
shoes, looking far too formal for the crowd of bikini-clad teenagers. Even Vince
was in a swimsuit.
    “What is he doing here?”
Sierra’s eyes narrowed. She didn't fear her dad the way the rest of us did,
well, the way I did. He was so serious and intense.
    He waved at Sierra but
stopped in front of the loungers where Sage and Rita were plotting. As he was
talking to the girls, Sage’s face dropped, paling to match her corn silk
colored hair.
    “Oh snap. Whatever he is
saying is bad. Sage looks upset.”
    “Yeah, she just lost all
the color in her face.” I nodded, putting the Coke down and moving a little
closer to her, shivering and wrapping my arms tightly around myself.
    Sierra’s dad turned and
waved for Lindsey to come to them. Lindsey’s dad shouted at her, “Lindsey, you
have to come with Sage! Climb out!”
    Vincent was already
stiff, but Lindsey looked confused as the fun and laughing faded from her.
“Why? What’s going on?”
    Sierra’s dad walked
toward the edge of the pool. His left eye twitched once as he spoke,
“Everything is fine. The police just have some routine questions. I need to
take you and Sage down to the station.”
    “His eye’s twitching,” I
whispered.
    “Oh God.” Sierra gave me
a slight sideways look.
    Lindsey froze for a
moment before she nodded. “Okay. But why just us? Didn't they already ask the routine questions?”
    “It doesn't matter. Get
dressed.” Her dad sounded impatient.
    Looking startled, she
walked to the stairs, climbing out and shaking her hair onto the concrete.
    My feet moved forward,
pulling me through the water to the stairs. I had to go with them. I had to know
what was going on.
    Lindsey gave me a stare
from the deck as Vincent climbed out behind her, looking irritated. His
concerned or distressed face was also his angry one so I couldn’t be sure if he
was mad or worried.
    “You can’t come.”
Sierra’s dad shook his head at Vincent. “Just the two girls. The rest of us
have to stay here.”
    “I’m driving her there.
I’ll wait in the parking lot.” Vincent’s tone was not one you negotiated with.
Lindsey’s dad smirked and folded his arms over his chest. He appeared to agree
with Vince.
    Sierra’s dad conceded,
“Fine, that's fine. But we have to go now.”
    “What about the party?”
Sage pulled her sundress on over her dry bathing suit and fixed her messy
blonde bun. I wanted to slap her and scream that there would be no party. We
had to prepare for whatever the killer was working on. If he had sent the
picture of us standing around Rachel and Sage, we’d all be going in for
questioning.
    “This won’t take long.
They just have some extra questions about that night and about the scene.” Mr.
Casey shook his head. “But it is urgent that we get going.” He looked at
Sierra. “Go home and wait for me to call you there.”
    She swallowed hard, but I
offered a faint smile. “I’ll come with you.”
    “Okay.”
    “And I’ll drive Sage and
Linds to the