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Chapters (52)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. Acknowledgments
  45. P.S. Insights, Interviews & More . . .*
  46. About the Author
  47. About the Book
  48. Reading Group Guide
  49. Read On
  50. Praise for Careful What You Wish For
  51. Also by Hallie Ephron
  52. About the Publisher

Emily crouched, clutching her gear bag to her chest, her legs trembling as she tried not to make a sound, not daring to raise her head.

The door to the kitchen opened. “Emily?” Quinn called into the house. Emily’s hand flew to her mouth; she panicked for a moment before she realized Quinn must have spotted Emily’s car parked outside.

“Emmy?” Quinn called out again. Don’t call me Emmy! Emily wanted to scream. “According to this,” Quinn said to her companion, “she’s here somewhere.”

According to this? A chill went down Emily’s back. More soft footsteps. The door to the kitchen closed. Seconds later Emily heard the sound of crickets. Her phone. In the empty garage, its chirp was like a clap of thunder.

34

EMILY SLID THE phone from her pocket and, her hand shaking, held it at arm’s length. It felt radioactive with its screen lit up: QUINN NEWELL. When the screen went blank, she powered it off completely.

How could Quinn be tracking her location? When Frank installed the friend-finder app on Emily’s phone, he’d explained to her just how safe it was. Only people she’d specifically granted permission could track her, and only when her phone was turned on. He’d linked her to himself and Becca and Lila. So who’d added Quinn?

Emily had to get out of here now. It wouldn’t take long for Quinn to realize that Emily wasn’t still in the house. But activating the garage door opener would be like triggering a burglar alarm. There had to be another way out.

That’s when she noticed the standard door sandwiched between the two overhead doors. She picked up her gear bag and made her way over to it. She tried to turn the knob but it was locked. Panicked for a moment, she felt for a lock in the handle. Bingo. She twisted it, opened the door, and slipped out.

Squinting into the sun, she raced to her car. She stumbled as she took a quick look back. No one called out to her. No one came after her. She could only hope that Quinn or her friend didn’t look out a window. She jumped into her car, threw her bag and cell onto the passenger seat, jammed her key into the ignition, and turned it. The engine roared to life. Her tires squealed as she accelerated out of there.