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Back The Copycat
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 turned to Ali. “There’s a first-aid kit under the sink in the bathroom. Go get it.”

It was awkward going past Andrew Sloane, but Ali ran for the kit.

“Can I wrap his paws?” Digger asked Colleen. She nodded and moved out of the way so Digger could get to work.

Colleen turned to Ali. “Do you change, Ali?”

“Yes, but I just got my powers too.”

“Did you know he was visiting my mother?” Andrew Sloane asked her. It sounded like an accusation.

Ali shook her head. “He never told me.”

Andrew Sloane began to pace. “He knew he wasn’t supposed to visit her. He promised.”

Colleen sighed. “Oh, Andrew. You made him make a promise he couldn’t keep. We should have told him about Copycats a long time ago.”

Digger finished wrapping Alfie’s paws and stood up. “I’d like to move Alfie onto a bed in another room. Maybe with a little rest, he’ll wake up and turn back into himself.” He smiled at Gigi. “Besides, I think Gigi could use some rest too.” He lifted Alfie and carried him out of the room.

Everyone followed, but at the door to Ali’s parents’ bedroom, Digger said, “Colleen wants you to wait downstairs, Uncle Andrew. She doesn’t think Alfie will change back in front of you.”

“Come sit downstairs in the living room with me,” said Ali’s mother, placing a gentle hand on Andrew Sloane’s arm.

“But I’m his grandfather!” Andrew Sloane sounded like he on the verge of making a scene.

Something dark and angry bubbled up inside Ali, as if the stress of the last few weeks was a venomous ball that needed to be expelled.

“He needs to rest!” she shouted. “He needs to not have to sneak around anymore. He needs his family to get along.”

Andrew Sloane opened his mouth, but Ali kept going, her words spilling out in one unstoppable wave. “You can be mad at everybody, but this wouldn’t have happened if he could have just walked over and visited Gigi like a regular grandkid. If he could have been trained to use his powers. I never met Teddy, but everybody says he was wonderful and full of life. You want to suck every bit of happiness out of your family because you’re so unhappy. I bet Teddy wouldn’t like that at all. I bet he’d want Alfie to know Digger. Teddy and Digger were best friends. And Teddy loved Gigi. It’s cruel what you’ve done to our family. This is your fault!”

“Enough, Ali-Cat,” said Digger. “Go to your room. I’ll let you know when there’s news.”