The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum Read Free Book Online Page A

mentioned it to me. Why?”
    Valerie tapped her fingernails against the table. “I was thinking of setting her up on a date.”
    “Who with?”
    “The new guy—”
    “Dante?” I blurted. “You want to set her up with him?”
    “What? No, not him. I was thinking of the new guy who just transferred to my math class.” Valerie turned her piercing blue eyes on me. “But now why would you think of Dante Alexander so quickly? Has the Italian hunk been on your mind lately?”
    I blushed. “It’s not like that. Dave asked me to get him set up for the play, help him rehearse . . .” My voice trailed off as Valerie shook her head.
    “No, you can’t. Tell Dave to find someone else.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    Valerie cut a glance right and left. I almost laughed; I didn’t think anyone really did that outside of the movies. Valerie leaned close. “He’s dangerous, Abby.”
    “Dante?” I thought back to the end of Thursday’s rehearsal and the fear I had seen in his eyes. He hadn’t seemed particularly dangerous. In fact, he had seemed desperately in need of help.
    Valerie nodded. “He’s not really an exchange student from Italy at all. He’s from New York and he’s been living in Leo’s apartment above the Dungeon for the last year. I think Leo is his uncle or some other relative. Anyway, I heard he was in some kind of trouble with the law in New York. Abby—they say he killed someone.”
    “Are you insane? Where are you getting this?”
    Valerie sighed. “Honestly, Abby, it’s all over the school.”
    “He arrived yesterday. ”
    “I know. And Amanda’s friend Ashlyn talked to James who heard it from Troy’s girlfriend, Melissa Cooper. As in Officer Cooper. As in her dad. ”
    “I know who Melissa Cooper is,” I said. “It’s just gossip, Val. Besides, think about it: If Officer Cooper knows that Dante has been hiding from the law for the past year in the Dungeon, why doesn’t he just go over there and arrest him?”
    “He’s not ‘hiding from the law.’ He’s on probation or something like that. As long as he doesn’t commit any crimes, there’s nothing the police can do about it.”
    “But—killing someone?”
    Valerie shrugged and reached for her purse. “I’m just telling you what I heard.”
    “It’s nonsense.”
    “Just be careful around him, okay? Please? For your very bestest friend?” Valerie batted her eyelashes innocently.
    “Fine. I’ll be careful. But I still have to help him with the play. I’m the assistant director. It’s my job.”
    “Whatever. Here. I got you this.” Valerie slid an envelope across the table with my name written on it in her looping, swirling handwriting. “It’s a gift certificate to the spa.” She smiled at me brightly. “It’s like cash—only more restrictive.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, Val. You’re the best.”
    “Tell me something I don’t know, darling.”
    ~
     
    “How’s my best girl?” Jason asked, reaching over to squeeze my hand before shifting his truck into third gear.
    I shrugged, a flash of annoyance leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. “I’m okay.”
    “Really? You seem kind of quiet tonight.”
    It was after eleven; we’d been the last people out of the bowling alley and I was more than ready to go home.
    “Sorry. No, I’m fine. Just tired.”
    Jason smiled over at me. “Well, I hope you’re not too tired to open one more present.”
    I felt myself blush in the darkness. “You know you don’t have to get me anything.”
    “I know. But I wanted to.”
    He turned onto our street. I could see lights glowing from both my front porch and his. Great. Looked like we’d have an audience for this kiss. I swallowed a sigh and tried to muster up some excitement, but all I ended up with was a twinge of a headache behind my left eye and a deep weariness in my whole body.
    Jason pulled into my driveway and set the brake. He left the engine running, though, and the heater warmed up the truck’s