Part 24 (1/2)
Hazel, this is from the school files. It's about Matty. I know this will be painful for you, but I figured you should know before it's too late. I had a bad feeling about him and there's no denying it now-it's all in the files. Call me later, mon pet.i.te, and we'll talk about everything.
xo, Sylvia Hazel braced herself and scrolled down. Part of Matty's file had been pasted in the e-mail.
VARDEMAN, MATTHEW.
”...Matthew violated the temporary restraining order taken out by his girlfriend's parents prior to leaving for Brookhaven.... Matthew is p.r.o.ne to violent outbursts and physical aggression...serious anger-management issues.... We recommend continued counseling upon arrival in Brookhaven...as he will encounter additional stress with this transition, outbursts can be confidently predicted....
Hazel read it again.
...violent outbursts and physical aggression...serious anger-management issues...
Hazel remembered Matty's explosion on the football field. His anger on the night of the dance. She shuddered. She'd been alone with him in the car after that. How could she have let herself trust him?
”Hazel...Hazel, did you hear me?” Her mother was calling her.
”What, Mom?” she yelled back, trying to keep her voice from cracking.
There were heavy footsteps on the stairs.
”I said, you have company,” her mother hollered.
Hazel shot bolt upright as her bedroom door slowly swung open.
Matty. He was here.
He was dressed in black, his hair dripping from the rain. His chest was heaving. Hazel saw a wild, desperate look in his eye.
...p.r.o.ne to violent outbursts...
Matty came toward her. She stood up to cover the e-mail on-screen, then clicked off the monitor.
She turned to face him, her shoulders tensed. ”What do you want?”
”Just hear me out.” He held his hands out in front of him but continued into the room. ”It was no big deal. They asked me some questions and let me go. They didn't have any proof.” He smiled wryly. ”So they had to release me.”
Hazel stared at him. Mute.
”I saw you in the parking lot as the police car was pulling away,” he explained. ”I know it looked bad. But they let me go, Hazel. I had nothing to do with it.”
He came closer, reaching his arms out to touch her. Hazel stepped to the side, slowly backing away.
”I was going to call. But I had to get to you. I was freaking out.” He took another step toward her. ”I found out how Breona died.”
She took a breath and stepped back again; she was nearly against the wall.
...restraining order...
”Someone stabbed her,” Matty said, his dark eyes boring into her. ”Hundreds of times.”
”You. Need. To. Go.” Hazel forced the words from her frozen chest. ”Now.”
Matty scowled. ”What? Why? You think I did it? Are you crazy?” he demanded, growing louder.
”Get out of here,” she rasped. ”Please.”
He gave her a long, hard look, then turned and stomped back down the stairs. She heard the front door open, then slam shut.
Hazel sank onto the bed, exhaling. It was all so confusing. She knew Sylvia was a manipulator, but it was all right there in Matty's file-and in the angry expression she'd seen on his face. What was happening? Matty couldn't have killed Breona-could he?
PERSONAL BLOG.
HAPPY2BME.
ALL SENSE OF TRUST HAS BEEN COMPLETELY TRASHED. I'M SICK OF BEING TREATED LIKE A DOG. HAZEL IS PLAYING WITH FIRE. SECRETS AND LIES-SOON THEY'LL ALL SEE WHERE IT GETS THEM. THEY'LL ALL PAY.
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
There were officers all over Brookhaven High. Some wore khaki San Diego Police Department uniforms. Others wore street clothes. Those were the detectives-or so Hazel a.s.sumed. Her life had become a crime-scene television show-only there was no sound track, and no one seemed to know who'd done it.
Walking down the hall, she scanned the crowd for Matty.
She pushed her way through the crush. Everyone seemed to be swept up in a swirl of tension-all tight, scared faces, hunched shoulders. Some people were talking too loudly; others were silent. School as they had known it was over forever.
Hazel paused a moment in front of her locker, remembering the day she caught Matty taping his green carnation to her door.
She thought of his smile...how fl.u.s.tered he had been. Was that the face of a brutal killer?
Then she thought of Breona's freak-out.
Breona, who was gone.
Hazel's cell phone went off, ripping her out of her heavy thoughts. She checked the ID-Sylvia.
”Yes?” Hazel answered.
”Did you do this?” There was a brief silence, then...
”Bad babysitter.” It was a metallic voice, just like the chip on Charlie Pollins's door.
”No!” Hazel cried. ”What is it? Where is it?”
”In my locker. It goes off when I open the door.”