Read Online Bargains and Betrayals by Shannon Delany - Free Book Online

headlines:
    VISITING WRESTLERS STILL MISSING
    THANKSGIVING BREAK SIGNALS MORE TESTS FOR JUNCTION STUDENTS
    But the one that made my heart jump was:
    LOCAL FOOTBALL STAR DIES
    My stomach did a little flop and for a moment both hope and fear fought in me, tightening my throat around my suddenly misplaced heart as I briefly hoped the headline was about Derek.
    Guilt swamped me. To hope someone was dead … even after he’d done so much …
    That wasn’t who I wanted to be.
    I adjusted my position to get a better view as the nurse rearranged pages on the laundry clipboard.
    Jack Jacobsen of Junction High School died tragically Saturday afternoon on the train tracks outside Farthington. Deemed another in the growing rash of Train Track Suicides, the local community is stunned.
    “Jack had so many things going for him,” Mr. Richard Maloy, head guidance counselor for the high school, reported. “The football team has been really shaken up by these last two suicides,” Maloy admitted. “We’ve brought in additional counselors like Dr. Sarissa Jones to help handle any questions the students may have.”
    Junction Jackrabbits quarterback and team captain, Derek Jamieson refused to comment, though friends have mentioned their concern over his recent absences.
    “It’s obvious we’re all very shaken up,” Sarah Luxom, the recently returned captain of the cheerleading squad, said.
    The clipboard slapped down on top of the newspaper. “Here,” the nurse said. “New day, same concept. Now made even simpler for your safety.”
    “You make it sound like I was to blame. I was attacked .”
    She wheeled the cart over to me. “You shouldn’t waste your time reading that stuff. The news can be disturbing.”
    “Ignorance may be bliss, but I’d rather be aware than blindly blissful.”
    “Whatever. Go on, the laundry doesn’t do itself.”
    Pushing the cart along, I let its wheels chatter, fighting me a few minutes. Things One and Two paid no attention. I finally relented, turned the cart correctly, and headed down the hall.
    Laundry detail was blessedly uneventful, giving me plenty of time to add to my ever-growing list of questions.
    Jessie
    Again under guard, I headed to the common room for visitation.
    I was spotted by the strange guy a moment before I noticed my father. Hazel eyes followed me as I entered the room.
    “Dad,” I said, careful not to shout. If something like chess or laundry delivery could upset the regularly maintained balance at Pecan Place, what would an exclamation of relief do?
    Things One and Two led me to the table where Dad waited.
    He eyed them warily. “Jessie,” he said, wrapping me in his arms and choking me with a bear hug. He glared up at my hulking guards and said, “Dr. Jones said I’d be allowed the privilege of speaking to my daughter in private because Jessie has done such a good job recently.”
    I waited until my guards backed away before I raised an eyebrow at my father in question. He pulled out chairs for us and winked.
    “You’ve been good, but not that good.”
    “Yeah.” I agreed, not bold enough to mention the sedation. Or the fight. How bad would Dad feel knowing he’d sentenced me to spend time in a place I got attacked delivering clothes?
    “That boy of yours is drivin’ himself crazy with guilt.”
    I stared at my hands resting loose on the table between us. Dad reached out for them. “I don’t want him doing anything stupid.”
    “Love makes you do all sorts of stupid things, Jessie,” Dad muttered. “He says he loves you. Makes no bones about it.”
    “Dad, you saw what they did to him when he tried to keep me from coming here.” Leaning in, I whispered. “He’s showing up here, outside my window every night.”
    Dad let out a low whistle. “I don’t know what to make of him, Jessie,” he admitted. “He’s really worried about you. And…” He licked his lips and looked around the room.
    “And what?”
    His gaze settled on me again.