Read Online Beautiful Dead 02 - Arizona by Eden Maguire - Free Book Online

improved security within their school. This comes after tragic events of the past year, in which four of their senior-high students lost their lives.'
    This is what they mean when they talk about shutting the stable door after the horse bolted, I thought as I sat in my room watching Al yson Taylor read the evening bulletin. Our principal, Guantanamo commandant Dr Valenti, announced on camera that he had plans to boost the CCTV system around the perimeter and to carry out stop-and-search inspections on students suspected of carrying knives or guns into school.
    Achtung!
    This was despite the fact that none of the four victims died on school premises. Not that this seemed to matter - like I said, most parents were sliding towards mass hysteria, afraid that every day would be their kid's last.
    ' Darina, are you going to eat tonight, or not?' Laura cal ed up the stairs.
    'Not,' I replied.

    Come on down. I already cooked pasta.'

    So I don't have a choice?'
    'Eat!' she insisted.
    Down I went, admiring Arizona's mom for the professional way she'd presented her own family tragedy on air but glad for once that I had Laura. Al yson Taylor might be wel groomed, slick and classy, she might be fabulously successful and wealthy, but she was headed for divorce and she'd never been there at mealtimes to nag her kids to eat.
    'Why are you smiling?' Laura asked, pushing my plate across the kitchen counter.
    Sorry, I didn't know it was against the rules.'
    In the corner with his plate of pasta on one knee and his laptop on the other, Jim grunted. He meant, Show your mom more respect, or else.
    I raised an eyebrow in his direction, meaning, How about you show enough respect to log off and come eat at the table?
    Luckily neither of us thought it was worth open confrontation.
    'Did you know Arizona Taylor had a brother with autism?' I asked 52
    Laura, as casual y as I could. I'd spent a long time during classes today planning my course of action and come up with the fol owing bul et points:
    •check out autism on the internet
    •ask Logan to drive with me to the car repair place behind the mal
    •poke around and discover more about the Taylor family reputation.

    I'd done my autism research before I switched on the TV to watch
    Al yson read the news. I had a visit to Logan scheduled in straight after pasta. Meanwhile, maybe Laura could dish some Taylor dirt.
    She paused with her fork in mid-air. 'No - I believe Arizona was an only child.'
    'He would be about nine years old,' I prompted.
    'When did the Taylors arrive in El erton? That would be eight or nine years back actual y. But there was no baby that I remember.'
    Wow, was Raven a wel -kept secret!
    Laura chewed her pasta. 'You know Arizona was Frank Taylor's daughter by his first wife? Al yson was not her birth mother.'
    I shook my head. 'I didn't even know Frank was married before.'
    'Yeah also to a much younger woman. He and Al yson only married after they settled in that big new house out at Westra.' Laura was on a reminiscing rol . 'The Madisons were acquainted with them more than
    most at that time, so they got an invite to the wedding. Jon Madison designed their house.'
    At last I thought I spotted a way through the brick wal keeping me from answers about Arizona's situation. 'So are the Madisons stil friendly with the Taylors?' If so, I could cal in on Summer's parents and carry out a little more investigatory activity.
    Laura shook her head. 'There's a story going around that the Taylors didn't pay Jon al they owed him for his professional work so the friendship soured. And you know, Jon and Heather didn't real y have too much in common with the Taylors - especial y with Al yson. She runs with the media pack, and it's dog eat dog in that world.'
    'So definitely no baby brother for Arizona,' I murmured. And the brick wal stil stood solid.

    'Al yson did take a career break around the time they were building

    the house,' Laura recal ed. 'She switched news channels and wasn't in