Secrets in the Attic (Secrets 1)

faster you get rid of their suspicions, the better. The

police might even be watching this house now. The trick is not to do anything that detours from your normal routine. Every detective story we've read

teaches us that."

"I don't think the police are watching the house.

I've already spoken to them. You were right. My

father had to take me to the police last night:' "What?" She went to the sofa. "What

happened? Tell me everything."

I described my session with the detectives,

relating their questions and my answers as accurately

as I could. She listened attentively, her eyes narrow

and cold. Then she nodded.

"Good. I like that part about the headaches.

They'll think I went nuts or something."

"What will the school nurse tell them?" "That she couldn't find any reason for my

having a headache, no fever. She thought I was

behaving strangely, especially when I pleaded not to

be sent home. I kept promising I would be better soon,

and she got busy with other students and forgot all

about me."

"I'm pretty sure your mother told them she

didn't know why you would have done what you did."

"Didn't I say she would?" she asked, and rose. She

paced, her arms extended firmly, her hands clenched into fists. "She'll never admit to anything now. She'll

just wring her hands and cry."

"Why are you so sure?"

She stopped and turned on me. "Don't you see?

Don't you get it? Stop being so thick. I gave her a perfect way out of everything. She'll collect on some life

insurance or something. Or she'll sell the drugstore

and move away to live like a wealthy woman and find

herself another well-to-do man. I did what she