Authors: Brodi Ashton

Neverfall (14 page)

BOOK: Neverfall

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Will put a hand on her shoulder. “Mom—”

She shook him away. “She pretends to be a friend, pretends to love Jack, and she won’t even answer one question about where he went.” She was talking to Will but glaring at me. Her voice grew softer but still resonated with anger. “You don’t know anything about love.”

Her words stung. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Caputo. I didn’t know you were trying to get hold of me—”

“Enough with the innocent act,” she said. “I can’t even stand to look at you anymore.”

She whipped around and stalked off. It wasn’t until that moment that I realized we had an audience. Several people had wandered over, obviously curious about all the shouting. Now that she and Will had left, I was alone, the center of a dozen accusatory stares.

I put on my sunglasses to hide my eyes and set off for the parking lot. It wasn’t an act. I really didn’t know she had been trying so hard to talk to me. Was my dad playing the buffer? If so, part of me wanted to thank him, but another part of me was angry that he didn’t tell me about it.

Mrs. Caputo’s car came around the corner, and I ducked behind a tree. Of course I could understand her anger. The only thing keeping her from killing me had to be Jack’s note. She could never know exactly how much I was to blame for Jack being gone, but I silently made her the same promise I made to Will.

I will find your son. As soon as I find Cole
.

The moment I thought the words, a strange feeling came over me. It was unsettling, like a pull at my back. A warning, almost. I crept farther behind the tree as Mrs. Caputo’s car passed by and suddenly, from behind me, two hands grasped my shoulders.

I jumped. Whipped around. Found myself staring into two dark eyes. And then I tried to stifle a scream that was equal parts panic and excitement.

“Hi, Nik,” Cole said.

About the Author

2011 OPIEFOTO

BRODI ASHTON
is also the author of
Everneath
. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Utah and a master’s degree in international relations from the London School of Economics. She has an active following on her blog, which can be found at www.brodiashton.blogspot.com. Brodi lives in Utah with her family.

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Credits

Cover design by Ray Shappell

Copyright

Neverfall

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

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