Thea at Sixteen (23 page)

Claire wished she could risk taking another bite of apple, but she was afraid the noise might be too jarring. “I am not a child, and I'm not a fool,” she said. “And I don't reveal secrets.”

“You're not going to reveal this one, because I'm not going to tell it,” Sam said. “I'll tell you what I can, but you have to swear you won't push it any further.”

“I swear,” Claire said.

“And it isn't going to satisfy you,” Sam said, “because I can't go into details. It isn't my story; it isn't my secret. Hell, it isn't even my family.”

“Tell me what you can,” Claire said. “Just so I'll stop worrying about Evvie.”

“It has to do with the summer I met Evvie,” Sam said. “And her relationship with Schyler. Something happened, nothing bad, but something that disturbed Evvie. I think that's why she chose me, because of that incident with Schyler.”

“But what does that have to do with his grandfather?” Claire asked.

“It doesn't,” Sam said. “Not specifically. I'll tell you the truth. It's a complicated situation, and I've never been sure I understood it completely. What I can tell you is that Scotty knows nothing about it. Nothing. And Evvie wants to keep it that way. Scotty's family life isn't ideal, either, you know, and Evvie doesn't want to jeopardize what he does have. So if you don't want to hurt him, or Evvie, keep your nose out of it.”

“I wish I understood better,” Claire said.

“I wish I could explain it better,” Sam said. “Families are messy business. Sometimes it's best just to bury the mess and go on from there.”

Claire nodded. “Thank you,” she said. “For telling me as much as you did. I promise I won't say anything to anyone about it.”

“I'll hold you to that,” Sam said. “I mean it, Claire. I really like you, and I'd like us to be friends, but I have to be able to trust you.”

“You can trust me,” she declared. “I promise.”

“Good,” he said. “Now I'm going to rouse Evvie before it's lunchtime, and I suggest you do the same with Thea.”

“All right,” Claire said, and took another bite of apple. She watched as Sam walked back to his bedroom. She knew even if he woke Evvie up immediately, they'd talk for a few minutes. Sam had to tell her that Claire had been snooping, and that should be good for some conversation.

Claire wished she had more time to figure out how much, if any, truth Sam had revealed. He'd brought up Schyler, and so had Evvie the night before, so there was a chance he figured in all of it. And she was willing to believe Scotty had no idea what was going on.

She had to admire the way Sam hadn't really told her anything. The best lies were like that, hazy, with possible nuggets of truth thrown in to confuse things even further. If Sam had told her a full-blown story of Sebastian Prescott and how he'd cheated Nicky out of … what? a family inheritance? a gold mine? the perfect recipe for chili? Claire would have known he was lying. This way, she could only assume he'd revealed partial truths along with the partial lies. Sam obviously had a lot of practice lying. Maybe it had something to do with Linda Steinmetz. If she ever had the time, she'd find out.

Meanwhile, she had to make her move before Thea woke up. Claire tiptoed to the telephone and dialed Clark's number. Clark answered it himself.

“I'm fine,” Claire told him. “We're having a wonderful time together.”

“Scotty mentioned what a nice dinner Evvie made,” Clark said. “I guess she inherited her culinary skills from Meg.”

“I guess so,” Claire said. If it was possible, Clark was even more tiresome in his adoration of Megs than Nicky was. “I don't suppose Scotty's awake.”

“He certainly is,” Clark said. “He's sitting right beside me. Do you want me to put him on?”

“Yes, please,” Claire said. She waited impatiently until Scotty got on the phone.

“Hi, Claire, what's up?” he said.

“I have nothing to do today, and I'm bored already,” she said. “Do you have any plans?”

“Nothing important,” he replied. “What about Thea?”

“I'm bored, she's boring,” Claire said. “Take your pick.”

She waited as Scotty's heart shifted gears. “I have an idea for something you might enjoy,” he said.

“Just the two of us?” Claire asked.

“That's right,” he said.

“Whatever it is, I love it,” Claire said. “Where should I meet you?”

“I'll pick you up,” Scotty said. “If that's convenient.”

“At the grocery store,” Claire said. “I'll tell them I'm going out for a walk.”

“Perfect,” Scotty said. “See you in an hour.”

“Right,” Claire said and hung up. Thea continued to sleep. Claire shook her head and smiled. Sam was a born liar and Scotty a born conspirator. The sun was just barely out, and already it was a day full of surprises.

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About the Author

Susan Beth Pfeffer wrote her first novel,
Just Morgan
, during her last semester at New York University. Since then, she has written over seventy novels for children and young adults, including
Kid Power, Fantasy Summer, Starring Peter and Leigh, and The Friendship Pact
, as well as the series Sebastian Sisters and Make Me a Star. Pfeffer's books have won ten statewide young reader awards and the Buxtehude Bulle Award.

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 1988 by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Cover design by Mimi Bark

ISBN: 978-1-4532-0154-1

This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.

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