“So this is why the mystery boyfriend’s stayed a mystery,” Alex said. “A teacher!”
“I couldn’t tell anyone, not even you, Alex. He’d get in so much trouble. Which is how this all started. We were super careful when he was working at Marbella High, but after he got his degree and graduated, it didn’t seem like such a big deal. Someone must have seen us, though, someone who knew we’d met when he was my teacher, because late last year I started getting these text messages. Just like you guys—from a blocked number. Pics of me and Mark, holding hands, kissing—enough to cause problems. The person said he’d need some favors.”
Oh, I knew all about that.
“It was weird, though—at first the favors were just answers to questions about kids at school, and mostly gossipy stuff. Who was hooking up with who, who was in charge of getting booze for parties, that sort of thing. But then the questions got a little more specific. Who was doing drugs, who was getting them. I didn’t really know, but apparently I was supposed to find out.”
“So you basically educated this person about all the kids at school and what they were into,” Alex said. “You’re the reason Blocked Sender knows all this stuff about us? You told him our secrets?” When she’d teased him about the teacher, I’d thought maybe she wasn’t so angry with him anymore, but I’d never heard her sound so mad.
“I had to,” he said. “I had no choice.”
“You always have a choice,” Alex muttered, but she’d turned her body so she didn’t have to look at him.
“Does that mean we’re dealing with someone who doesn’t know us at all?” Raj asked.
“I don’t think so. The person seemed familiar with some of the names. And they knew what kinds of questions to ask, that’s for sure.” He looked down.
“What did you tell him?” Isabel asked. “You told him about me, didn’t you? I figured it had to be someone in drama, since no one else knew.”
“Knew what?” Raj asked.
“Not now,” I said, feeling weirdly protective toward Isabel.
“I answered every question they asked me, but toward the end it really was all about drugs. And I never told them anything about you,” he said to Alex. “I swear.”
“Whatever,” she said.
“You have to believe me. The rest of you guys, yeah, I told him about you. But I didn’t have a choice. You have to know that, now that all of this is happening to you too.”
“Because of you,” I said.
“Look, the texts started talking about statutory rape laws in California. I’m not eighteen yet—Mark could get busted for being with me. I can’t let that happen.”
“Guess you learned how to use your camera phone app, then,” Alex said. “Good job selling us all out.”
“Lay off,” he said. “Mark and I are really serious. I’m in love. Do none of you understand what that’s like?”
“Love shouldn’t have to mean turning on your friends,” Alex said. “And I notice you didn’t deny your new camera skills.”
“Enough!” I said. “Alex, I get that you’re mad. Justin, I get that you think this is some kind of romantic drama and you’re the hero for saving your boyfriend from getting arrested, but I hope you can understand that none of us care about that even a little bit. We need to come up with a plan here. Are we all agreed that we want this to stop?”
I looked around to see everyone nodding.
“Excellent. Justin, is there anything else you can tell us? Do you have any idea who this is or how many people might be involved?”
“I don’t know much,” he said. “Except you’d be amazed how many people I was able to get dirt on. This is a lot bigger than just us.”
“Let’s clarify the facts, then.” I went into logic mode. “Here’s what we know: Justin gave Blocked Sender enough dirt on anyone who’s ever done anything bad at Marbella High to set up some sort of drug empire. He’s been making money through Raj and whoever else, using what Alex taught him to hide the money. He brought in the rest of us as a backup plan when Raj bailed. And he must have another source of information, if Justin didn’t tell him about Alex.”
“Not holding my breath to find out who that is,” Alex said under her breath.
“What else?” I asked. “Is there anything else we can put together? Anything else we know?”
“There’s one more thing,” Isabel said, holding out her phone. “I got a text message on the way over here. We know where I’m supposed to drop off the pills.”
21.
“You could have brought that up a little earlier,” I said.
“Maybe I was a little more interested in hearing what Justin had to say,” she said. “Kind of seemed like the most important thing.”
I could see her point, I supposed. “Well, where are we supposed to bring them?”
“A mailbox,” she said. “The address is 1744 Ridgewood Drive.”
“That complicates the surveillance operation,” Alex said.