Trouble is a Friend of Mine

Dominic left Felix looking miserable.

‘Yeah, this is definitely something else,’ Digby said. ‘Oh, and … I was about to tell you this morning, when the Children of the Corn jumped us. I read Schell’s records. Guess what? Marina saw him right before she disappeared.’

‘Shouldn’t you tell the police? You know … plus that stuff about blurry fingerprints?’

‘Not yet. But we should get back in there to take another look.’

‘Whatever, dude. Told you. I’m not going back. He wants to do an exam on me and no way that’s happening.’

‘We won’t be going back during office hours this time.’

‘Yeah, right.’ Then I realized he was serious. ‘Hell, no.’

Felix got up.

‘Okay – got to go.’ Digby grabbed his tray and got up too.

‘Where are you going?’

‘Take care of some business. I’ll pick you up at your place.’

‘I’m not going with you,’ I said.

‘Okay, great, see you at eight,’ he said.





SEVEN


I admit it. I was a little happy that Digby was clearly unstoppable in his idiotic plan to break back into Schell’s office. It left me no choice but to go to the one person who’d know how to talk him out of it. Henry.

True, I could’ve told Mom or even Please-Call-Me-Steve, who went around practically begging students to ‘share’, but Mom would’ve just freaked and called the cops, and no one ever got good guidance from a guidance counselor.

And, yeah, I might’ve taken a little extra time getting dressed and I totally took three tries at my eyeliner before I went back to Olympio’s, but what can I say? Digby was right about Henry bringing all the girls to the yard.

Henry was refilling salt and pepper shakers when I got there. It was empty except for two girls, who were giggling and pretending to read the menu but were actually flirting with Henry. I recognized them from civics. The blond was Sloane Bloom.

I later found out from Digby that Sloane’s family was practically county royalty. Her parents are pillars-of-the-community rich and her father’s a real estate developer who stuck a picture of himself on every building he owned or managed. Digby said it was back-door publicity for his congressional campaign.

Sloane herself was a big deal in school because she’d modeled in New York City and had actually booked a zit cream advertorial in Seventeen. She and her posse were the kind of girls who ‘practiced’ their cheerleading cartwheels in the mall and then complained when boys stared at their asses when their uniforms rode up. See what I mean? They were easy to hate.

That day in Olympio’s, she looked murderous when Henry stopped what he was doing to talk to me. She and I were in hate at first sight.

‘Let me guess. He’s gotten you in trouble,’ Henry said.

‘Not yet, but I’m pretty sure what he’s planning for tonight will,’ I said.

‘Nah, it’s too late: you care. You’re on Planet Digby now. You’re already in trouble.’

‘If I tell you something, promise not to tell anyone?’

‘See? Secrets. Trouble.’ Henry held up his hands. ‘I shouldn’t get involved.’

‘I just need advice.’

Henry sat down in a booth with me. ‘I don’t think Digby would appreciate it if he found out you were talking to me about him. We have some history, you know.’

‘He said.’

‘But did he tell you what happened?’

‘About his sister? Sort of … plus, I read some stuff online. Is that what you mean?’

‘That and a whole lot else,’ he said. ‘The police tore that family apart. Before his parents finally split, the three of them sat around at breakfast, wondering if one of the others did something to Sally. Digby basically lived at my house.’

‘So what happened with you two?’

Henry got up for some pie. I tried to act cool when he brought over one plate and two forks.

‘They interviewed everyone. Digby had told me stuff about his mom that the police used against her. Digby assumed I was the one who told the police.’

‘And you weren’t.’

‘Of course not. I knew what that’d do. You met his mom?’

‘No.’

‘Val’s … well, Val’s cool, but when she goes off her meds … anyway, I think Digby’s therapist was the one who told the police.’

‘Why didn’t you just tell him that?’

‘This therapist was pretty much the only adult Digby would talk to. If I’d told him she was selling him out … anyway, she ended up recommending to the court that Digby move to Texas with his dad … which is exactly wrong. Maybe I should’ve spoken up. By the time that happened, though, Digby wasn’t talking to me anymore.’

‘What’s wrong with Digby’s dad?’

I glanced at Sloane watching me share the slice of pie with Henry. She was livid. It was the most delicious slice of pie I’d ever had in my life.

‘He was a recovering alcoholic but he started drinking again when Sally disappeared. Maybe Digby never told his therapist that, but everybody could see.’