“Daddy,” I say in my sweetest, most cajoling voice, and he groans.
“No, Pumpkin, you can’t have a pony,” he jokes.
“Aww. I was so sure you’d changed your mind,” I answer backplayfully. Then I take a spoonful of cereal, racking my brain for an opener. “So, uhm, actually. This is about a kid in my class. His name is Ray Campbell. Does that ring any bells?”
He blinks at me. “Should it?” Then his mouth spreads into a small smile. “Don’t tell me you have a boyfriend, Pumpkin?”
“Ew!” I choke on a mouthful of cereal. “Gross! Dad! Me and Ray Campbell? Definitely not!”
He thumps me on the back as I gag out the food that’s gone down the wrong pipe. “Relax, Piper. So what’s this about?”
“There’s a guy named Campbell who works at Devil Tower,” I wheeze. “Right?”
“Uhm…” He frowns, thinking. “Yeah, I think so. Why?”
“Is there anything…offabout him?”
Dad’s frown deepens. “No, I don’t think so. I mean, I don’t know him at all, really. He works down in the science department.”
“The science department?” I echo. “I didn’t realize there was a science department at Devil.”
“There are departments for everything,” he assures me. “The founders have their fingers in pretty much every pie there is. They’re investing a lot in this science project they’ve got going on.”
“What kind of a science project?”
“No idea. Some sort of experiment that—hey. Why are you so curious anyway?”
“I’m not curious at all,” I lie. “I just… well, I want to know about Campbell, that’s all.”
“Why?” Dad stares at me quizzically.
“We-e-ell… maybe I want to, uhm…” I clear my throat uncomfortably. “I guess you’re right, Dad, in a way. Ray’s not my boyfriend, but maybe, well… I have a little crush on him.” I try not to show disgust as I say the words. “I just want to know about his family. That’s all.”
For once, I don’t convince my naive dad. “Yeah, right, Piper. You’ve got something up your sleeve, don’t you?”
“What! Me?” My innocent tone seems to have Dad even more convinced that I’m up to no good.
“Don’t go looking for trouble,” he warns as he stands up and puts his bowl in the sink. “Especially not with that serial killer on the loose. And, most important of all, stay away from Devil Tower.”
It only occurs to me much later on how strange Dad’s reaction is. Why the hell is he more worried about me going to Devil Tower than about a serial killer?
Does that mean thereissomething strange going on at Devil?
Tuesday
Chapter 4
Piper
Tuesday is both the best and the worst day of my week.
The best, because there’s a buffer between me and Quill all morning long.
The worst, because that buffer is none other than Cass Henley, and the morning involves me being stuck with her for three long hours in my least favorite class ever: science.
It’s a lab day, and she’s my partner. We were given the option to choose our partners at the beginning of the year, which is horrible enough in itself. By the time everyone had paired off, the only partnerless people who remained were me, Cass—and Quill.
Quill, because everyone is way too terrified of him to go near him. Cass, because she’s an outsider like me. But, unlike me, it’s by choice. She’s got everything going for her: wealth, nice clothes, looks—with her long blond, perfectly straight hair, tan skin and cutting blue eyes—and brains. Not that brains get you very far in Astley. People here hate a nerd, but no one would look down at Cass for being one. Even though she’s a new student, she has a popular girl aura about her, and the only reason she has no friends is because she’s too busy feeling superior to everyone else.
