Page 50 of Confessions of the Dead

Evelyn got right in her face. Her breath smelled like old hot dogs. “Did you get dizzy? A couple hours ago?”

Riley’s mouth fell open, then she quickly clamped it shut. She hadn’t told anyone about that and didn’t plan to. If she told her mom she got dizzy on the stairs and nearly fell, she’d never let her stay home alone again. She shook her head.

“Yeah, she did,” Mason said. “Look at her. She’s a shitty liar.”

Evelyn tilted her head slightly, like a dog studying a new bone. “The whole world went sideways for a second, real fast like, then slowly fixed itself, right? Like standing on a teeter-totter? And things got all quiet, like you were underwater?”

Riley had no idea how the girl knew that, but it was as good adescription as any. All three of them were staring at her. Then she understood—it happened to them, too. “What … was it?”

Evelyn’s eyes grew narrow. “You’re saying it wasn’t you or your mom who did it?”

Before Riley could answer, Mason said, “We should search her house. There’d be dead chickens or something. Hoodoo, I think that’s what they call it. I bet it’s all in the basement. That’s where they always do that sort of thing.”

“We got plenty of dead birds,” Robby pointed out, shaking the pack on his back.

“We don’t have a basement,” Riley told them, unable to hide the irritation in her voice even if she was scared. “My mom’s a waitress. She’s been working all morning. And you three are crazy.”

Mason pointed the bat back at her. “Hey, watch it.”

Evelyn let out another hot dog breath and sighed. “I think she’s telling the truth. Look at her. She look like some kind of witch’s kid? She’s shaking, like she’s gonna cry. We’re wasting our time here.”

“I’m not gonna cry.”

“Baby’s gonna cry, for sure,” Mason chimed in.

“I killed one,” Riley threw back at him. “I bet none of you can say that.”

“For all we know, you imagined all that.”

“Or she’s making it up,” Robby added.

Riley pointed at the sink. “Or I’m not, and there are more of those things out there. Maybe I’m the only person who’s seen one.”

Tires squealed loudly outside, and all four of them looked to the window.

“Oh shit, five-oh,” Mason muttered, starting for the door. “Let’s go, Ev!”

Evelyn didn’t move. She remained fixed on Riley. “We should take her with us.”

A wave of anxiety rolled over Riley. She didn’t like any of them. Evelyn and her brother gave her the creeps. Mason was no better.

Robby shuffled to the door behind Mason, looking like he might buckle under the weight of his backpack. “Mason’s right, Ev. Come on!”

The jingle of a key in the front door.

Evelyn gripped Riley by the chin. “You tell them anything, I’ll kill you. Understand? What you saw isn’t for them. They might be part of it.Don’t trust them.”

Riley forced a nod.

Evelyn ran. She bolted out the kitchen door behind Mason and Robby a moment before Matt and Riley’s mom came in from the front.

The tears finally came, and Riley slammed into her mother with enough force to nearly knock her over.

Her mom hugged her so tight she could barely breathe. “It’s okay, baby. Mama’s got you. We’re going to stay with Matt for a little while.”

Riley pressed her face into her mother’s side, nodded, and let her lead her back to Matt’s patrol car at the curb. She helped her climb into the front seat.

None of them saw Mrs. Nguyen.

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