There was just enough illumination from the streetlight outside to see what they were doing. Julie didn’t see the box they were looking for, but it was possible the materials were no longer boxed up. She opened the top drawer of the file cabinet and started flipping through the files. Parker bent over the desk. A bulging folder turned out to have nothing but graded homework in it. Beneath that was a scrap of notebook paper. She squinted to make out the handwriting.
Hey Mister Granger, I was wondering if I could get some extra help from you if you know what I mean. Love, You know who.
The note smelled like someone had sprayed it with Coco Mademoiselle. Parker wrinkled her nose and crumpled it in her hand. Pathetic.
Julie gestured toward the computer. “Get his data off of there.” She pulled a pink flash drive from her pocket.
“Got it,” Parker said, heading to the computer and inserting the drive. Her fingers moved quickly, remembering the days when she and Nolan used to wipe his father’s computers clean just to mess with him. Ironic that something she and Nolan used to do together would come in handy in nailing his killer.
Files uploading, said a message on the screen. As Parker waited, she scanned the rest of the desk. The top drawer had nothing but pencils and a stapler inside, but when she jerked open the next drawer, she swallowed a cry of surprise. Right on top was a bulging manila envelope. Scrawled across it, in handwriting she recognized from the chalkboard, was JULIE REDDING.
She glanced at Julie, whose back was still to her. Why did he have a file on Julie? Were there transcripts inside? Personal details? Maybe he knew about her mom’s, uh . . . quirks. Parker fingered the folder, too afraid to look inside. She picked up the envelope and shoved it into her messenger bag. Julie had protected Parker since the accident. Now it was Parker’s turn to do the same.
Then she spied something else. Under the envelope was a yellow legal pad covered with Granger’s handwriting. Parker picked it up and angled it to catch the light from the window. When she made out the first line, she almost dropped it.
Nolan—Cyanide
“Julie,” she whispered. Julie’s head snapped up, and she turned around. Parker gestured wildly for her to come read over her shoulder.
Claire, music rival. Stepmother. Parker’s dad. (?)
“It’s dated,” Julie breathed. “October eighth.”
“The day we talked about And Then There Were None,” Parker said. A splintering shot of pain went through her forehead. Her whole body flinched, but she tried to keep centered. She had to keep her head.
Julie’s eyes scanned the paper. “Look, it’s a transcript of everything we talked about. He did hear us.”
Parker swallowed hard. “We should tell the others.”
They ran to the living room. Ava was combing through Granger’s mail while Mackenzie examined his bookshelf.
“Guys!” Julie hissed.
They both looked up. A moment later, Caitlin emerged from the bedroom. “No box, but I did find his private stash of pictures,” she said.
“Forget that.” Julie held up the notepad. “He has a transcript. He wrote down everything we said that day in class.”
Mackenzie stood up so fast she hit her head on one of the shelves. Ava covered her mouth with her hand. Everyone flew over to examine the transcript. A small, guttural sound escaped from the back of Mac’s throat.
“Do you think it’s enough to incriminate us?” Caitlin asked. “It’s just hearsay.”
“Yeah, but who knows what else he’s got on us?” Ava asked, her eyes wide. “What if he recorded us that day in class?”
“Or what if he has another copy?” Mac asked. “Like on his computer, maybe.”
“I’m getting all that data off his computer,” Parker said. Then she touched the outside of her messenger bag, thinking of the envelope inside. What could it say about Julie? Why did he have it? A cold, clammy feeling seemed to spread over her. The ache in her head throbbed rhythmically, like someone was driving a stake down the middle of her forehead and hammering it in a bit farther with every heartbeat, trying to break her in half.
Julie looked at her. “Is the data transfer almost done?”
Parker nodded. “I’ll go check on it.” But as she was on her way back to the office, footsteps sounded on the porch. Someone cleared his throat. Keys jingled, then came the metallic sound of the lock catching.
Parker froze. A jolt of terror shot through her body.
Ava turned toward the rest of them, her dark eyes wide and blazing. “Hide!” she breathed.
Parker’s eyes met Julie’s. Frantic, Julie thumbed toward the bathroom . . . and the open window. Go to the car, she mouthed to Parker. Parker nodded swiftly, then darted into the bathroom, hefted herself onto the sill, and tumbled out the window . . . just as Granger opened the front door.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
AVA WATCHED AS HER FRIENDS ducked behind curtains and shut themselves in closets. But instead of following them, she stood in the middle of the room and smoothed down her hair. When Granger opened the door, he stared at her, his eyes wide. He was in his running clothes, and his hair and skin glistened with sweat.