Drop of Doubt

Bye, Dr. Green.” I opened the door, stepping out. “I said, call me Sean,” he called after me. “Bye, Dr. Sean.” “Bye, smart ass.

Well, if it isn’t the future Mrs. Green.” He rocked his eyebrows up and turned back, winking at the woman in the bed. “Excuse me, won’t you? I have to ask my future wife where she might like to go on our first date.

If it took me showing some warmth to get warmth in return, I'd do it.

Not long enough,” he said. His green eyes smiled at me. “And no giggling. You girls and your incessant giggling. If it wasn’t so cute, I’d give you all detention for it.” “I ...” “And you’re the worst. Your giggling’s infectious and it sets everyone else off. Don’t think I haven’t noticed. First Luke breaks out, and then the rest of them start.

Dr. Green beamed. “A girl after my own heart. Give her five minutes and she’s ready to go.

What did I tell you about that giggle? If you start now, you’ll go all evening and get all my patients started and it’ll take me forever to calm them down.

Dr. Green laughed, resting a hand on his forehead. “You should have seen those boys. They ran so fast, you’d have thought I was the devil come to collect.

Peanut,” Nathan cooed. “You can’t paint it if you’re giggling and shaking.

think apple pie is my favorite. Although, ask me tomorrow and I might change my mind.

rolled my eyes. “Dr. Green...” “Sean.” I stopped, blinking after him. “Hm?” “My name is Sean. You can call me Sean, if you want.

She said the secret to long life is to never stop moving. The moment you stop, you’re dying.” He poked me in the arm and sat back. “That’s your lesson today. Expect a test tomorrow.” I giggled a little. “Always teaching?” “I don’t have to today,” he said. “That was just a bonus.” He polished off the last of the apple pie, licking the spoon like a lollipop. “Ready?” “For what?” “You’ll see.

You came back for me. You pulled a fucking knife out of my leg. What the hell did I do to get you to like me so much?” “You painted my toenails.

I’d gone from being simply awkward to being completely weird. Like I’d traveled a long way, only to feel like I was stuck in the same place.

He dropped my fingers and planted his palms on the counter, one on either side of me. He kept them close enough that his arms were brushing my ribs as he hovered over me. His blue eyes locked on mine, the serious gaze deepening. “I want to know if you want to. Will you go to the movies with me?

Kota popped in beside North. He glanced around, a finger touching the bridge of his glasses. “Were we not invited to the ... zombie-nail-painting-cupcake party?

Mr. Blackbourne seemed to understand me completely, reading my thoughts. “I tried to deny it before, too. I can’t any more. You belong with us.” He reached out, his finger catching the tear on my cheek, cleaning my skin. Mr. Blackbourne, the perfectionist. He leaned down, his voice a soft whisper in my ear. “Stay with us. Always.

Do we dust for fingerprints now?” I asked. He swiveled his head back around until he was gazing at me. “Who do we look like? The Hardy Boys?” Silas chuckled at us without looking up from the laptop screen. Stone, C. L. (2014-01-19). Drop of Doubt: The Ghost Bird Series: #5 (Kindle Locations 945-947). Arcato Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Arf, arf, arf.” I yipped back at it. “Princess,” Victor grumbled behind me. “Please stop barking at the neighbors.” Stone, C. L. (2014-01-19). Drop of Doubt: The Ghost Bird Series: #5 (Kindle Locations 1721-1722). Arcato Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Gabriel started to open his mouth, but Luke was on top of him quickly, cupping his hand over his face. Gabriel glared at him. Luke signed to me one-handed, “See why I brought you along last time?” I signed back. “You never taught him sign language?” Gabriel grunted, impatient. Luke grinned. He started signing. “We should pretend we’re talking about him.” “Stop talking about me,” Gabriel whisper-whined. Stone, C. L. (2014-01-19). Drop of Doubt: The Ghost Bird Series: #5 (Kindle Locations 5133-5136). Arcato Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Nathan’s blue eyes met mine. “Are you okay?” My heart felt frozen. His eyes sought out everything I was trying to hide. I wasn’t sure how much they heard when I was talking, but I didn’t want to appear like I was trying to hold back. Maybe I shouldn’t, but I needed time to absorb what had gone on. “He scared me, but he didn’t do anything.

opened the door. He was leaning with his arm up on the frame, and his other hand on his hip. The way he was standing caught me off-guard. I’d noticed the red T-shirt and the blue jeans he wore, but with his arm up like that, the muscles in his arm and shoulders were much more noticeable. My heart tripped in my chest at how handsome he was. His blue eyes swept over me. His face brightened. “Yeah. I like those.

If he could track your cell phone, wouldn’t he already know where you live?” Silas and Victor laughed. “He won’t be able to get through security,” Victor said. “What security? We got in without anyone seeing us.” “There’s security. Trust me.” “Couldn’t someone just scale the wall and walk in the front door?” “They wouldn’t make it over the wall. The only reason you got in was because you were with me.” “What if I scale the wall?” “Please don’t scale the wall, Princess.” Stone, C. L. (2014-01-19). Drop of Doubt: The Ghost Bird Series: #5 (Kindle Locations 1557-1562). Arcato Publishing. Kindle Edition.

His voice deepened. “I miss you, too, Peanut.” There was a pause between us. I didn’t know what else to say to him then. My mind went blank. He mumbled something away from the phone like he was talking to someone else. “I’ve got to go. Stay with the others, okay?

I just wanted the cupcake,” Nathan said. “Let me have that one.” I laughed, shaking my head. Nathan took the cupcake from Luke, held the edge, and started pulling the paper away.

Luke chuckled. “Did anyone mention you fall like an angel?” “Or a bag of rocks?” I asked. “That’s what it feels like. I’m good at crash landings.

So how about this,” he said, focusing on the pan. “The next time we get the chance, you

Peanut,” Nathan said in a quiet voice. He crossed the kitchen, snagging my hand from my mouth and drawing me toward him. “Come on, sweetie. We need to get to school.

I meant run out the front door. The dude had a gun.” I threw my hands up. I couldn’t believe him. I turned around, ready to walk out the door and make him drive back. It was late. I was a mess. I wanted to be between the sheets next to Kota and Nathan and not getting shot at while stealing a digital camera. Stone, C. L. (2014-01-19). Drop of Doubt: The Ghost Bird Series: #5 (Kindle Locations 3840-3843). Arcato Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Footfalls fell heavy behind us, like someone giving chase. “Run,” Volto said. He didn’t have to tell me that part. Stone, C. L. (2014-01-19). Drop of Doubt: The Ghost Bird Series: #5 (Kindle Locations 4860-4861). Arcato Publishing. Kindle Edition.