Page 89 of The Sleeping Girls

Caitlin: He didn’t resent the fact that she was the favorite?

DeDe: Maybe. He smarted off about it a few times but got backhanded so learned to keep his mouth shut and take it.

Caitlin: Did Digger ever hit Anna Marie? Or hurt her?

DeDe: Not when I was there. But I didn’t see the family after I left. I can tell you though there was a lot of tension in that household. Something was definitely wrong, something they didn’t want anyone to know about it.

Ellie drummed her fingers on her desk. What exactly was going on in that family?

NINETY-SEVEN

SOMEWHERE ON THE AT

Tears of frustration blurred Ruby’s eyes. Her fingers were raw where she’d tried to untie the ropes. Blood trickled down her arm from where they’d cut into her wrists.She had to pee so bad she thought she was going to explode. And it was so cold in here, her hands were going numb.

The sound of water gushing above made her shiver, and she heard the ping of it on the floor as it dripped into the room. She squinted in the dark, desperate to figure out where she was. but shadows lurked everywhere. Biting back a sob, she dragged herself along the concrete wall, pressing her hands along the surface in search of a window or door.

Seconds ticked into minutes. Then longer. She had no idea how long she’d been here. But she was terrified he’d be back any minute. A noise above made her freeze and she leaned against the wall and held her breath.

Listened for footsteps.

Heard her heartbeat pounding in her ears.

Then… was it thunder outside? Or the man who’d abducted her?

Had he come back to kill her?

NINETY-EIGHT

RED CLAY MOUNTAIN HIGH

Students gave Bianca a wide berth as they exited the assembly. Stupid cop made it sound like she was a criminal and now everyone was treating her that way.

Bianca’s heart hammered as she hurried to catch up with Mitch. When she reached him, she tapped his arm.

He turned, a scowl darkening his deep brown eyes.

“Mitch, please talk to me. Let’s go to Homecoming together.”

“Moron,” he muttered. “I wouldn’t go with you if you were the last girl in school.”

Bianca stepped backward as if he’d slapped her.

Blinking away tears, she darted through the crowded hall to her first period class, Computer Science and Technology. Just as she sank into her seat and everyone settled down, Mr. Jones, or Bones Jones as the kids called him behind his back because his legs looked like toothpicks and he walked bow-legged, stepped to the front of the room. The brown rug on his egg head had slipped out of place, which usually brought giggles and whispers. Today, there were none.

Good grief. Big babies were too scared to even laugh.

The assistant principal rapped on the door then stepped inside. “Bianca Copenhagen, Principal Bentley and I need tospeak to you now. And bring your backpack, you won’t be returning to class today.”

Bianca’s cheeks burned with embarrassment as she wove through the rows of desks and stepped into the hall. She felt as if she was a prisoner walking the gangplank like the pirates once forced captors to do.

“Sit down, Ms. Copenhagen,” Principal Bentley said as they entered his office.

Bianca slipped into the chair across from the principal and twisted her hands in her lap.

“The FBI confirmed that you posted those pictures of Kelsey Tiller, Ruby Pruitt and June Larson. For that reason, the school ethics committee has decided to suspend you for the remainder of the school year.”

Bianca gasped. “But… you can’t do that. Homecoming is this week, and I headed the committee—”