The Rising (Darkness Rising 3)

"Get out of here," I said, barely able to open my jaw enough to get the words out.

Rafe looked surprised at first but seeing my face, that melted away and his own face hardened. He turned to Nicole.

"What'd you do?" he said.

"Wh-what did I do?" she squeaked. Her blue eyes rounded and she flinched, like a whipped puppy seeing a raised hand. "I-I don't understand."

"What's going on here?" Hayley said.

"She . . ." I clenched my fists tighter and my face started to throb, as if I was about to shift. I took a deep breath and tried to find calm so I could explain.

"I-I don't understand," Nicole said again, tears welling up.

"Oh, stuff the theatrics," Sam said. She turned to the others. "Nicole killed Serena."

TWENTY-ONE

SILENCE.

Hayley stared at Sam. Then at me. Nicole's mouth opened and closed as she made a strangled noise deep in her throat.

"Did you say . . . ?" Hayley began.

"Nicole drowned Serena. She dragged Maya under, too, probably as a warning. Then she tried to kill her after the crash."

"No," Hayley said. "Nicole was pulled under herself after the crash. I was there."

Sam shook her head. "She faked it. She dragged Maya down and wrapped her foot in some weeds. She hoped in the commotion, no one would realize Maya was missing until it was too late. But Maya got free."

"Th-that's crazy," Nicole said. "Y-you've always hated me, Sam. You hated coming to live with us and you were jealous of me and--"

"Um, no, you're the one who was jealous. Spiking my orange juice with vodka so I'd go to school drunk. Planting drugs in my bedroom. Drugs you got from volunteering at the clinic. Like the drugs you got to dope Maya at her party."

"That was Hayley. Everyone knows it was. She worked at the clinic, too, and she hates Maya."

"I did not roofie Maya," Hayley said. "I didn't have access to the drug closet." She turned to us. "Dr. Blair caught me sneaking Ritalin this summer. She took away my key. I couldn't tell you guys that without admitting I got caught stealing drugs. I asked Nicole to vouch for me, but--"

Nicole crumpled--just let her legs give way and fell to the floor, hunched and sobbing. Hayley looked at me. Even Rafe did. Uncertain looks from both of them. I had to admit, Nicole was a good actor. If I hadn't seen her switch from "sweet Nicole" to "raving lunatic Nicole" in a heartbeat at the campsite, I might have believed her myself. Even now I felt that niggle of doubt.

Had I been wrong about people before? Oh, yeah. Repeatedly in the last couple of weeks. Starting with Rafe, which is why he stood here now, looking hesitant, studying my expression. He'd been the target of my snap judgments. So had Hayley.

"Maya?" Rafe said. "Is that what you think? She killed Serena?"

Before I could answer, Nicole leaped to her feet with astonishing speed for someone who'd been in a puddle of misery a moment ago.

"Maya hasn't said that," Nicole insisted. "Sam's the one doing all the talking. Maya's smart. She thinks things through and she knows there's no way I could have drowned Serena. How could I do that and escape without being spotted?"

"By swimming under the water," Sam said.

"Seriously? How long would I have had to stay under water? Ten minutes? That's impossible."

I glanced at Hayley, who'd gone quiet. "It's not, is it? At least, not for the members of Salmon Creek's championship swim team. Serena could hold her breath for at least five minutes. I'm guessing you could do the same, Hayley?"

Hayley nodded. "We all could. Me and Nicole and Serena. We used to have competitions when the coach wasn't watching. The winner was always . . ." She looked at Nicole. "Almost fifteen minutes one time, until Serena freaked out, worrying Nic would hurt herself. None of us could stay under nearly that long."

"No!" Nicole said. "That's a lie. No one can hold her breath that long."

"No normal person," I said. "But you're not normal, as I'm sure they've told you here already. You're a xana. Your talents are singing and swimming, which I'm sure includes holding your breath."