Read Online Code of Silence: Living a Lie Comes With a Price by Tim Shoemaker - Free Book Online
Authors: Tim Shoemaker
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there’s the DNA evidence.”
By the look on his face, he hadn’t thought of that.
“Your sweatshirt. One piece of hair in that hood and you’re pinned to the crime scene. It’s probably at the crime lab right now,” Hiro said.
Swallowing, Gordy looked from Cooper to Hiro. “But still, they’d have to get a DNA sample from Cooper to match it. Right?”
Hiro reached across the table and plucked a hair from Gordy’s head.
“Hey,” Gordy said, batting her hand away. “What’s that all about?”
“Do you honestly think the police can’t get a DNA sample if they really want it?” She looked at Cooper, wishing he’d understand, hoping he’d rethink the whole strategy of staying silent. “You’re in danger, Cooper. We all are, but you especially. Our Code of Silence isn’t going to keep the things you left behind from telling them everything they need to know.”
CHAPTER 10
T en minutes later Hiro threw up what little of the lunch she ate. Right there at the table. Mertz, Bowens, and Barbour leapt from the adjoining table screaming and pointing, drawing more attention to Hiro. Students clapped and cheered. Hiro hung her head and cried.
Cooper glared at Mertz—huddled together with her two clones. Like they’d never seen someone sick before. They made Cooper queasy just looking at them.
“Let’s get you some fresh air, Hiro,” Cooper said, holding one of her arms and helping her to her feet. Gordy grabbed all three of their backpacks, stuffed the last of his sandwich in his mouth, and walked on the other side of her. Five minutes outside made all the difference. Even her voice sounded stronger.
“I’m sorry, Coop,” she said. “I’m just so scared.”
He totally understood the feeling.
Halfway through sixth period, Principal Shull’s voice crackled over the PA system. All students were directed to proceed to the auditorium immediately. Any reason to cut class short should have been cause for celebration. Instead, Cooper shuffled along with the herd, keeping his head low.
Climbing to the top row of the bleachers, Cooper sat between Hiro and Gordy. Cops milled around everywhere on the maple gym floor below. Like sentinels at each door, they stood in their blue uniforms, ready to grab their eyewitness, if they could only figure out who it was.
“I don’t like it,” Gordy whispered. “Do they know something?”
“Yeah,” Cooper said. “But not enough.” He stuffed his backpack at his feet.
Jake sat two rows down, next to Kelsey and Eliza. It seemed they hadn’t stopped talking since they’d started at his locker.
Riley Steiner, Trevor Tellshow, and Walker Demel sat in the front row, which was totally weird for them. For any other assembly they’d be sitting in the back, having their own little party. After the visit from Principal Shull and the cops in Miss Ferrand’s class, they obviously knew they were in the clear. They seemed intensely interested in knowing the trouble somebody else was in.
Hiro leaned close to Cooper. “If a violent crime isn’t solved in the first 72 hours, the chances of it ever being solved go way down.”
Great. Only fifty-five hours to go.
Cooper saw Lunk mount the stairs and head their way. The kid was big enough to be in high school. Actually he
should
be in high school. For some unkown reason he’d been held back before he moved to Rolling Meadows. And it could stay a mystery for all Cooper cared. It wasn’t the kind of thing he’d want to ask Lunk about. Being held back didn’t have anything to do with smarts, though. The guy was sharp. Like always, he walked alone and wore a black t-shirt and faded camouflage pants.
Lunk kept coming, like he deliberately intended to sit close to them. Cooper felt Hiro tense next to him. When Lunk made eye contact, Cooper nodded and managed a smile.
Sitting on the wooden bench directly in front of them, Lunk turned just far enough to see them. “Hey, Coop.” He nodded at Gordy.
By the look on his face, he hadn’t thought of that.
“Your sweatshirt. One piece of hair in that hood and you’re pinned to the crime scene. It’s probably at the crime lab right now,” Hiro said.
Swallowing, Gordy looked from Cooper to Hiro. “But still, they’d have to get a DNA sample from Cooper to match it. Right?”
Hiro reached across the table and plucked a hair from Gordy’s head.
“Hey,” Gordy said, batting her hand away. “What’s that all about?”
“Do you honestly think the police can’t get a DNA sample if they really want it?” She looked at Cooper, wishing he’d understand, hoping he’d rethink the whole strategy of staying silent. “You’re in danger, Cooper. We all are, but you especially. Our Code of Silence isn’t going to keep the things you left behind from telling them everything they need to know.”
CHAPTER 10
T en minutes later Hiro threw up what little of the lunch she ate. Right there at the table. Mertz, Bowens, and Barbour leapt from the adjoining table screaming and pointing, drawing more attention to Hiro. Students clapped and cheered. Hiro hung her head and cried.
Cooper glared at Mertz—huddled together with her two clones. Like they’d never seen someone sick before. They made Cooper queasy just looking at them.
“Let’s get you some fresh air, Hiro,” Cooper said, holding one of her arms and helping her to her feet. Gordy grabbed all three of their backpacks, stuffed the last of his sandwich in his mouth, and walked on the other side of her. Five minutes outside made all the difference. Even her voice sounded stronger.
“I’m sorry, Coop,” she said. “I’m just so scared.”
He totally understood the feeling.
Halfway through sixth period, Principal Shull’s voice crackled over the PA system. All students were directed to proceed to the auditorium immediately. Any reason to cut class short should have been cause for celebration. Instead, Cooper shuffled along with the herd, keeping his head low.
Climbing to the top row of the bleachers, Cooper sat between Hiro and Gordy. Cops milled around everywhere on the maple gym floor below. Like sentinels at each door, they stood in their blue uniforms, ready to grab their eyewitness, if they could only figure out who it was.
“I don’t like it,” Gordy whispered. “Do they know something?”
“Yeah,” Cooper said. “But not enough.” He stuffed his backpack at his feet.
Jake sat two rows down, next to Kelsey and Eliza. It seemed they hadn’t stopped talking since they’d started at his locker.
Riley Steiner, Trevor Tellshow, and Walker Demel sat in the front row, which was totally weird for them. For any other assembly they’d be sitting in the back, having their own little party. After the visit from Principal Shull and the cops in Miss Ferrand’s class, they obviously knew they were in the clear. They seemed intensely interested in knowing the trouble somebody else was in.
Hiro leaned close to Cooper. “If a violent crime isn’t solved in the first 72 hours, the chances of it ever being solved go way down.”
Great. Only fifty-five hours to go.
Cooper saw Lunk mount the stairs and head their way. The kid was big enough to be in high school. Actually he
should
be in high school. For some unkown reason he’d been held back before he moved to Rolling Meadows. And it could stay a mystery for all Cooper cared. It wasn’t the kind of thing he’d want to ask Lunk about. Being held back didn’t have anything to do with smarts, though. The guy was sharp. Like always, he walked alone and wore a black t-shirt and faded camouflage pants.
Lunk kept coming, like he deliberately intended to sit close to them. Cooper felt Hiro tense next to him. When Lunk made eye contact, Cooper nodded and managed a smile.
Sitting on the wooden bench directly in front of them, Lunk turned just far enough to see them. “Hey, Coop.” He nodded at Gordy.
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