Page 94 of Secrets in the Attic (Secrets 1)

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He was the only witness seeing me get into Dana

Martin's car, I thought, and laughed to myself,

recalling how Karen and I attributed so much possible

testimony to Ron Black's dog.

"If he could speak, he could bring down most

of the big shots," Karen had said. "My mother

included."

The moment I closed the car door, Dana drove

off.

"So," he said, turning and smiling at me, "have

you spoken to Karen today? Did she warn you about

me?"

"If she had, would I be here?" I answered. He laughed. "Karen told me you were very

special. She called you the school's biggest well-kept

seeret." "Me? Why?"

He just smiled at me. "To be truthful, I've never

heard any of the other guys talk about you except to

say they wouldn't mind being with you."

"Why should they?"

Again, he just smiled.

"Where are we going? I can't stay out more than

a half hour," I said.

"Okay," he said, whipping the car suddenly to

the left to go down a side drive. He turned to the right

and into a cleared area. I saw what looked like the

start of a house construction. There was a foundation

built and lumber piled on the side. "My cousin is

general contractor for this house," he said, and turned

off the engine.

"So," he said, "what are we going to do to help

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