someone who looks like you. Might get me some attention for a change.”
A black cloud descended over Echo. The sun was still shining above her, but she felt chilled to the bone. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Oh, I think you are. Wherever I say, actually. Now that you know how hazardous to your health I can be, I don’t think you’re going to cross me, are you, Echo? That would be foolish.” He was looking very pleased with himself, his pale eyes behind the wire-rimmed glasses taking on a dreamy quality. “Yes, I think that being seen with you will really up my image. Let’s see … a movie tonight, maybe the dance at the rec center next Friday night, then, who knows? This could develop into a really productive relationship for both of us, Echo. Pick me up at the frat house at seven. Be on time.”
And with a casual wave of his hand, he walked away.
He walked jauntily, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
Well, why not? she thought bitterly. Isn’t he practically getting away with murder? If Lily dies, it will be murder. And now I’m next on the list.
She couldn’t go to that movie with him.
She sat down on a stone garden bench surrounding a bed of bright red flowers. What choice did she have? If she didn’t go, he’d come after her on that bike, maybe not tonight, maybe not even tomorrow night, but sometime soon. She knew it. She could feel it. That look on his face when she’d threatened to cast suspicion on him would stay in her mind forever. He had meant that look.
She couldn’t go to the police. She had absolutely no proof that Pruitt had been driving that motorcycle. Even if she could convince the cops to talk to Pruitt, he’d know perfectly well who had sent them and she’d be finished.
Where was she going to get proof that Aaron Pruitt wasn’t who everyone thought he was?
This was a scary, scary mess she’d got herself into. Even if she didn’t end up in prison, even if she could somehow prove that the real villain was Pruitt and convince the authorities that she hadn’t known what he was going to do at Johnny’s Place, she’d be expelled for having any part in the tragic, horrible incident.
And then what would she do? Where would she go? Back to her grandparents’? They had their own problems, and they wouldn’t welcome her when they found out she’d been kicked out of school.
She had to stay at Salem. She had to!
Get a grip, Echo, she warned silently. Okay, so she couldn’t go to the authorities until she had some proof. She would have to find proof.
How?
Echo stood up. If she spent some time with Pruitt, revolting as the thought was, she just might learn something. Like … like where he might have hidden that bike. If she had the bike, she could go to the police with it. He’d said it wasn’t registered in his name, but didn’t the police have ways of finding out things even when you didn’t want them to? Her criminology class first semester had had a lot to do with forensic science. If there were fingerprints anywhere on that bike, if there was a single hair from Pruitt’s head in the helmet hanging from the handlebars, the police could connect him to it.
That wouldn’t let her off the hook. She’d still be an accessory. But if she came forward with the identity of the biker, wouldn’t that improve her chances of staying at Salem? Prove that she was, after all, a good citizen who cared about justice?
Without the bike, she had no chance at all.
With the bike, she had a tiny chance.
And the only chance she had of finding the bike was hanging around Pruitt.
Echo left the bench and began walking slowly back to Lester. There was a problem. Being seen on campus with Pruitt and attending a movie in his company was a terrible idea. It linked her with him. It would make it look like they were friends. Later, when she turned in the bike, if she found it, everyone would assume they’d planned last night’s attack together.
But if she didn’t go to
A black cloud descended over Echo. The sun was still shining above her, but she felt chilled to the bone. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Oh, I think you are. Wherever I say, actually. Now that you know how hazardous to your health I can be, I don’t think you’re going to cross me, are you, Echo? That would be foolish.” He was looking very pleased with himself, his pale eyes behind the wire-rimmed glasses taking on a dreamy quality. “Yes, I think that being seen with you will really up my image. Let’s see … a movie tonight, maybe the dance at the rec center next Friday night, then, who knows? This could develop into a really productive relationship for both of us, Echo. Pick me up at the frat house at seven. Be on time.”
And with a casual wave of his hand, he walked away.
He walked jauntily, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
Well, why not? she thought bitterly. Isn’t he practically getting away with murder? If Lily dies, it will be murder. And now I’m next on the list.
She couldn’t go to that movie with him.
She sat down on a stone garden bench surrounding a bed of bright red flowers. What choice did she have? If she didn’t go, he’d come after her on that bike, maybe not tonight, maybe not even tomorrow night, but sometime soon. She knew it. She could feel it. That look on his face when she’d threatened to cast suspicion on him would stay in her mind forever. He had meant that look.
She couldn’t go to the police. She had absolutely no proof that Pruitt had been driving that motorcycle. Even if she could convince the cops to talk to Pruitt, he’d know perfectly well who had sent them and she’d be finished.
Where was she going to get proof that Aaron Pruitt wasn’t who everyone thought he was?
This was a scary, scary mess she’d got herself into. Even if she didn’t end up in prison, even if she could somehow prove that the real villain was Pruitt and convince the authorities that she hadn’t known what he was going to do at Johnny’s Place, she’d be expelled for having any part in the tragic, horrible incident.
And then what would she do? Where would she go? Back to her grandparents’? They had their own problems, and they wouldn’t welcome her when they found out she’d been kicked out of school.
She had to stay at Salem. She had to!
Get a grip, Echo, she warned silently. Okay, so she couldn’t go to the authorities until she had some proof. She would have to find proof.
How?
Echo stood up. If she spent some time with Pruitt, revolting as the thought was, she just might learn something. Like … like where he might have hidden that bike. If she had the bike, she could go to the police with it. He’d said it wasn’t registered in his name, but didn’t the police have ways of finding out things even when you didn’t want them to? Her criminology class first semester had had a lot to do with forensic science. If there were fingerprints anywhere on that bike, if there was a single hair from Pruitt’s head in the helmet hanging from the handlebars, the police could connect him to it.
That wouldn’t let her off the hook. She’d still be an accessory. But if she came forward with the identity of the biker, wouldn’t that improve her chances of staying at Salem? Prove that she was, after all, a good citizen who cared about justice?
Without the bike, she had no chance at all.
With the bike, she had a tiny chance.
And the only chance she had of finding the bike was hanging around Pruitt.
Echo left the bench and began walking slowly back to Lester. There was a problem. Being seen on campus with Pruitt and attending a movie in his company was a terrible idea. It linked her with him. It would make it look like they were friends. Later, when she turned in the bike, if she found it, everyone would assume they’d planned last night’s attack together.
But if she didn’t go to
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