Emancipated (36 page)

Authors: Reyes,M. G.

BOOK: Emancipated

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Vesper
. It couldn't be a coincidence. The same last name as Grace before her mother remarried Candace's father.

Alex Vesper.

And that's when Maya realized. It was like something was hollowing out her insides. She felt as though she might actually be sick. She leaned forward on the chair and stared at the brilliant white shine of the ocean. She simply tried to breathe.

Alex Vesper was Grace's father. Grace's father was on death row
.

“So that's why Lucy didn't want us talking about
Jelly and Pie
!” she heard John-Michael say. “She didn't want us wondering about why she changed her name, maybe looking it up on the internet. I have to say, never in a million years would I have guessed that Lucy was at the Tyson Drew murder party.”

“Me neither,” said Grace. “It's as if Lucy's gotten used to hiding it. Like she's used to living with suspicion. Makes you wonder why.”

Maya felt as though tumblers were falling inside her mind, cogs locking into place. Slowly a key turned, and on the other side was nothing but fear. Betrayal.

Danger.

She was afraid to search for the news story. But Maya knew that she must. Her fingers trembled as she tapped the screen of her smartphone, brought up a web browser, and searched.

“Dana Alexander” “Tyson Drew”

Something cold stirred deep within as the results came up.

The name didn't appear in the headline. Only one newspaper had even reported it. A casual reader might assume it was a mistake. But there it was on a list of famous people who'd been at the Hollywood party at which Tyson Drew had been found dead.

Dana Alexander.

The bigger newspapers didn't mention her. She'd been a huge star back then. In her youthful prime; two years before she played Lady Macbeth in Hollywood's biggest adaptation of the Shakespearean tragedy.

Was it possible that Dana Alexander had the kind of power that could keep her name out of a story like that?

Maya shivered, thinking of the latest report she'd typed up for the woman.

All these years later and Dana Alexander was still keeping tabs on Lucy and Grace. The only thing that Maya could see that connected the two girls was the man on death row.

A cool breeze blew in from the water. Maya began steadily to shake.

It finally made sense, the reason why Alexander was watching the house. Lucy or Grace: one of them knew something. Lucy was at the Tyson Drew murder party. Grace was Alex Vesper's daughter.

What if Vesper wasn't guilty?

What would Dana Alexander be prepared to do if Lucy remembered something about that Hollywood party, something that might save Grace's dad from death row?

What would Dana Alexander do if everyone
told the truth
?

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ARIANA
CALLS THE WEST COAST

MEMORIAL DAY, EVENING

“This isn't working out quite as I'd hoped.” Dana Alexander's voice was silky smooth, clinically cool in its expression of disdain.

Ariana pursed her lips. Sometimes it was downright irritating talking to the British woman, with her supercilious airs and her stuck-up accent. It wasn't like Ariana to experience xenophobiaâshe had nothing against folks seeking a new life in the United States. But
sweet Lord of mercy
, some Europeans were just so damn precious.

“Only so far I can push things with the girl. It gets to looking like harassment.”

“No doubt,” came the dry response. “That's why I made provision for an alternative source of information. But things have dried up on that front, too.”

“You absolutely certain? Maybe the kids just got settled into a routine?”

“Always a possibility,” said Alexander. “And yet, I think not. Their lives were just getting so interesting. Lucy almost expelled, John-Michael being investigated by the police, Paolo hiding somethingâI still don't know what. And now? All I'm hearing is âsweet little Grace, the devoted daughter.' Such an angel, what a saint! So dedicated to her cause, to her pen pals, the poor lonely prisoners.”

“Maya doesn't know that the guy on death row is Grace's father. Gotta expect the girl to have a little bit of fellow feeling for her.”

Alexander's response was fiercely snapped out. “Of course Maya doesn't know! The fact that Vesper is that girl's father just makes her all the more sympathetic. If Maya were ever to discover that particular gem, I doubt I'll ever hear anything else from that little brat house again.”

“Sounds like Maya is already choosing her words more carefully.”

“Indeed. That's why it may be time to proceed to Plan B.”

“There's a Plan B?”

“There's always a Plan B. Pack your bags. You'd better pop along to LA. Surely you're overdue an unfortunate fall from the wagon? Booze or pillsâI don't care which you tell her you've gone for. Poor you, you've no one to turn to except dear little Lucasta from rehab. In the words of Lady Macbeth, darling,
âScrew your courage to the sticking-place
,
and we'll not fail.'
”

Ariana could almost hear the smug smile on the other end of the phone. But then there was a marked shift in Dana Alexander's tone. This time it was pure ice.

“There's nothing I despise so much as a spoiled child, Ariana. It's time I took a more active role in their lives. Time to bring the heat to Venice Beach.”

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

It's always tricky for an author to break out of a pattern and innovate into a very different style of writing, but thanks to some brilliant, talented friends and editors, writing
Emancipated
has been a joy.

To Michael Grant, whose wealth of experience as a children's and young adult author I have been able to rely on in so many waysâas a mentor and manuscript critiquer, as a story adviser and a guide to Venice Beach and Santa Monica. The reason there is a Mercedes-Benz in this story is down to a car rental snafu and Michael's glee at driving around all day in a high-end convertible during my visit to LA.

To Hoku Janbazian and my aunt, Tere Reyes, for taking care of me and showing me around LA during my trip to research the locations for
Emancipated
.

A fantastic editorial team is the best gift an author can have: Elizabeth Law's single-minded dedication to helping me make this series as great as possible. It's not every editor who can analyze character development in reference to nuance in
Mad Men
and
Breaking Bad
, and fewer who'll do the same over Skype from Paris!

At HarperCollins, thanks to Katherine Tegen, Katie Bignell, Bethany Reis, Veronica Ambrose, and especially Maria Barbo for such careful, thoughtful consideration of the manuscript at each stage of its evolution, for such clear and confident guidance.

On this side of the Atlantic, thanks to my lovely friend and fellow YA author Susie Day, for beta-reading an early draft and persuading me to write a better ending! Robert Kirby of United Agents has been a fantastic source of advice and support throughout.

And without my wonderful family, David, Josie, and Lilia, this would all be a fairly meaningless endeavor!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M. G. REYES
was born in Mexico City, grew up in Manchester, England, and loves visiting LA. She has been a scientist, internet entrepreneur, and novelist. She no longer lives with her parents. You can follow her on Twitter @RealMGReyes and on Tumblr at www.mgreyes.tumblr.com.

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COPYRIGHT

Katherine Tegen Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

EMANCIPATED
. Copyright Â© 2015 by Michael Reynolds Applegate Inc. 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 hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

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ISBN 978-0-06-228895-0

EPub Edition November 2014 ISBN 9780062384614

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