“Last weekend. Here, at the party after the dance.” I finally meet Ethan’s gaze. “I don’t know if you remember this or not, but when we were sitting in that lounge chair,” I say, pointing to the other side of the pool, “someone bumped into us. I think that’s when he put it in the pocket of my coat. I found it there not long after that.”
“Here?” Will yells. “That son of a bitch came to my house! Did any of y’all see him?” he asks our friends.
Everyone shakes their head.
“Did you see him, Anna?” Ethan asks.
“No.”
Disappointment sets in his face. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I deflate next to him. “I knew you would make me tell my dad. And the suits.”
“Well, of course you have to tell them,” Catherine says and pulls me into a hug. “This guy is a nut job. Why would he give itback? I’m not buying that bullshit in the note. He wants something.”
Ethan drops the journal and note back into my purse. “Anna, we have to go tell your dad. Right now.”
“I’ll come with you,” Catherine offers. Will, Emma, and Ben offer to come along as well.
“Thanks, guys. But I don’t want to ruin everyone’s night.” I nod at Ethan and walk toward his truck.
We don’t speak to each other until we’re both inside.
“I can’t believe you’ve had this all week and didn’t tell me. This is a big deal, Anna. And I guess that’s what this morning was about—you think you’re some match for this guy? He’s a professional killer. You could barely touch that gun this morning.”
He slams his hand on the steering wheel, letting out a string of curses.
I don’t want to tell Dad. At all. But with everyone knowing about the journal, there’s no way it won’t come out now. The way this small town works, I bet it will be all over the school by Monday. Half the kids there still call me Meg—the last fake name the suits gave me. This will not help. If…when…I get back to school, no one will probably come near me.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just don’t want anything to change.”
He reaches for my hand and I grab on to his. As mad as he is, I know it’s mostly because he’s scared about what this might mean. Does Thomas want something else from me? And will the suits try to move us away?
So much for my normal life.
Rules for disappearing
by Witness Protection prisoner #18A7R04M:
Most mistakes are made when you think no one is watching. And someone is always watching.
New rule by Anna Boyd:
If someone is always watching, don’t bother hiding. You’re just going to a lot of trouble for nothing.
did exactly what I thought he would do when we told him about the journal—he got pissed then called Agent Williams, the lead suit on our case.
The journal and note are in a plastic bag, as instructed, sitting on the coffee table. Agent Williams is coming to Natchitoches to get the journal.
Ethan paces around the room while Dad stews in his chair by the window. Thankfully, Teeny is still asleep.
“You need to make a list of everyone you know who touched your journal,” Dad says in a quiet voice.
“Why?” I squeak out.
“Because Agent Williams is going to run the cover and pages for prints, hoping to find some trace of…Thomas. There are other prints there—mine, yours, Ethan’s, and whoever else touched it—and he needs to weed those prints out.”
I’m curled up on the couch, trying not to be totally depressed. And scared. Agent Williams is coming back and I don’t know what that means. “Teeny may have touched it at some point,” I add.
