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Back The Copycat Save as PDF
Chapters (68)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Chapter One
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Chapter Two
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Chapter Three
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Chapter Four
  19. Twelve
  20. Thirteen
  21. Fourteen
  22. Chapter Five
  23. Fifteen
  24. Sixteen
  25. Chapter Six
  26. Seventeen
  27. Eighteen
  28. Nineteen
  29. Chapter Seven
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Chapter Eight
  34. Twenty-Three
  35. Twenty-Four
  36. Twenty-Five
  37. Chapter Nine
  38. Twenty-Six
  39. Twenty-Seven
  40. Chapter Ten
  41. Twenty-Eight
  42. Twenty-Nine
  43. Thirty
  44. Thirty-One
  45. Chapter Eleven
  46. Thirty-Two
  47. Thirty-Three
  48. Thirty-Four
  49. Thirty-Five
  50. Chapter Twelve
  51. Thirty-Six
  52. Thirty-Seven
  53. Thirty-Eight
  54. Chapter Thirteen
  55. Thirty-Nine
  56. Forty
  57. Forty-One
  58. Forty-Two
  59. Chapter Fourteen
  60. Forty-Three
  61. Forty-Four
  62. Forty-Five
  63. Forty-Six
  64. Forty-Seven
  65. Chapter Fifteen
  66. The Following Summer
  67. About the Author
  68. About the Publisher

Digger took a deep breath, then did something unexpected: he finished addressing the party invitation to Andrew Sloane.

“Wait—you’re still going to invite him?”

“Uh-huh.” Digger licked the envelope and picked up the last unaddressed party invitation. “Look. I’m not happy you went to see Uncle Andrew without talking to me first. And I’m not happy that he said those things to you. But if Gigi wants him here, he gets an invitation.”

“But what about the awful things he said?”

“He’s entitled to his opinion. As for Teddy’s death? I happen to agree with him, at least in terms of my involvement.”

“But it was an accident!”

Digger shook his head. “A car accident is an accident. Neither Teddy nor I knew anything about going through rapids, and Gigi shouldn’t have bought him a boat so we could try. It was sheer stupidity.”

Ali didn’t add that she’d also thought Digger had been stupid when Alfie had told her what had happened. “Is that why you left Saint John and never wanted to come back?”

Digger nodded, then picked up his pen and finished filling out the invitation. “I owed it to Uncle Andrew to leave town and never come back.”

“But if we’d never come back, I’d never have met Alfie!”

“Maybe that would have been for the best. All this talk about Alfie and her birthday party has given Gigi hope for a reconciliation that’s never going to happen.”

“Maybe Uncle Andrew will get the invitation and change his mind!”

“Don’t count on it.” He sealed the last envelope and stood up. “I’m off to make my deliveries. Do you mind keeping an eye on Gigi?”

“Okay.”

The phone rang as Ali headed upstairs to check on Gigi. The display read PRINCESS ELIZABETH SCHOOL. Great. When the voice message button began to light up, Ali picked up the receiver and entered the code.

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Sloane, this is Principal Birchwood. Ali didn’t attend her afternoon classes. I’m assuming she went home sick, but just wanted to make sure. Can you call or send me an email to let me know you got this message?”

Ali hit delete.

A few minutes later, Ali rapped on Gigi’s door. There was no response. Ali decided to let her be. She didn’t want to watch Gigi sleep. In her heart, she knew Digger and her mom were right; Gigi needed more help. At least she would have her birthday party, even if the Other Sloanes weren’t there, and Ali would do her best to make it the best party ever.