Read Online Luminosity (Gravity Series #3) (The Gravity Series) by Abigail Boyd - Free Book Online Page A

involved.”
    Stauner set down the collection of files he’d been holding and looked like he was considering what to say to me. “Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to a chair beside him.
    “No, thank you.”
    “Suit yourself.” He crossed his arms and leaned back, speaking in a gentle, monotone voice. “Ambrose Slaughter is dead. There is no one we can arrest in that situation, no jail time, no punishment. He’s already received his just reward, so to speak. There’s his family’s reputation to consider.”
    “But, his involvement could link to others,” I pleaded, frustrated and verging on desperation. “Kidnapping three girls is a huge undertaking. The deaths had ritualistic hallmarks: the cuts and the blood letting.”
    He smiled at me softly, as though at a five-year-old afraid of monsters.
    “Yes, there were indications of a ritual, but Warwick’s mental state was not exactly stable,” Stauner explained. “It’s not uncommon for mentally ill people to become involved in occultism. We couldn’t follow up on many of the items you presented us with. It was impossible to get into the tunnel where you said Jenna’s sweatshirt was found, so that was out. Her sweatshirt had no fingerprints.”
    “But what if Warwick was part of a cult?” I asked.
    “Satanic cults are largely a myth. We have no evidence that one is operating in Hell. Do you?”
    I wracked my brain for something concrete. “Not exactly. But I think the Thornhill Society may have some ties to an underground organization.”
    He actually snickered at me, which made me blush angrily. He had no right to treat me like a fool.
    “It all comes back to the evidence,” Stauner said. “There is no direct evidence linking Ambrose Slaughter to the murder of Jenna Reed, Alyssa Chapman or Susan Wright. Certainly nothing linking Thornhill, which is an upstanding community fellowship that Ambrose’s own family is a part of. Until you have such evidence—solid, indisputable evidence—the case is closed.”
    There was no reasoning with him. I clenched my fists and stormed off towards the door.
    “Say hi to your dad for me,” Stauner called.
    ###
    Anyone thinking Lainey and Madison’s fight might be a fluke was proven wrong over the next few weeks. Madison sat on the opposite side of the commons during lunch with the few brave enough to have migrated with her. Both girls started nasty rumors about each other that mutated into raging STDs and catastrophic prescription drug addictions.
    Harlow more than stepped up into Madison’s place. She became like Lainey’s conjoined twin and Lainey even abandoned miniskirts and pink to start dressing like Harlow. One day, Theo and I saw the two of them walking together, with their arms linked, across the commons with their entourage behind them. Lainey and Harlow were dressed almost identically in dark skinny jeans and lacy white tops with blazers.
    “Doppelgangers,” Theo muttered, shaking her head. “Watch out, the pod people are taking over.”
    I knew that Lainey had always made every effort to keep Madison beneath her, but nothing could stop Harlow from rising to the top.
    I hadn’t gotten the chance to call Madison, too busy with the little annoyances of life. I felt like I had to tiptoe around my parents, as if walking on cracking glass. They seemed to be arguing constantly about little things. A trip to the grocery store turned into a shouting match, complete with cans being slammed into the cart. I lingered behind my parents, pretending not to know them.
    It all came back to Claire’s attempt to join Thornhill. She started going to their meetings every week, and her early hesitance was replaced by an unwavering determination to join. The more she talked about them, the more Hugh shut down. And I didn’t know exactly how to get through to him.
    ###
    On Fridays, during the last ten minutes of Chemistry class, we would debate theories about the birds. A few interesting speculations were tossed