Chapters (95)
- Front Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Video #1
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Video #2
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Video #3
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- The Final Video
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Back Cover
A few teachers have already gone into the building, including Dr. Whitley, the assistant principal. But he didn’t notice me, or else he noticed me and didn’t feel comfortable talking to me because of all the suspicion.
A few students trickle in: kids working early in one of the science labs or kids on the swim team slogging across the parking lot from the natatorium. Otherwise, it’s quiet.
Ron’s sedan comes my way. The car moves slowly, like a shark through deep ocean water, and pulls into spot number fifty-seven. He climbs out, wearing the clothes he always wears to teach—houndstooth jacket, white shirt, bow tie. He looks like someone’s idea of an English teacher.
When he sees me, he smiles. But it looks forced, like my smile in the videos I’ve posted on YouTube. “Well, this is a surprise.”
“For me, too.”
He opens the back door of his car and pulls out a battered leather briefcase. When he straightens, he looks me up and down. My heart is pounding. It’s thumping so fast, I think I might have something wrong with me. My hands are shaking as well, so I stuff them into my jeans pockets.
“Is something the matter, Hunter?” he asks.
“You tell me. I’m confused.”
“Aren’t we all?”
“You said you were out here on the night of homecoming.” I sound accusatory, like one of the lawyers from Law & Order. “You said you saw Chloe and me argue and then drive off, right? Isn’t that what you said?”
“Hunter, I’ll answer your questions if it helps you, but you need to speak to me in a more respectful tone. I know I’ve allowed things to be informal between us, but we are on school grounds.”
I count to five, trying to slow my heart by taking deep breaths. I’m not sure I have any control over what my heart does. If I did, I wouldn’t care so much about what happened to Chloe. Or Daniel.
When I finish counting, I use a warmer, calmer tone. “Okay. Can you just answer my question? If there’s a simple answer that clears up everything, I’ll leave and let you get on with your day.”
“Fair enough,” he says. “What I told you is true. I was out here in the parking lot. I saw you and Chloe having a rather intense discussion and then leaving. I told you that. I told the police that. Is there something else you want to know? I have a stack of poems to grade before first period.”
“Did you drive this car to campus that night?”
“What?”
My voice rises a little again. “Did you drive this car that night?” I nod toward his sedan.
“Of course.”
“And you parked here?”
“Hunter, where else would I have parked? This is my assigned spot. And you know I always follow the rules.”