Rhythm & Clues: A Young Adult Novel by Rachel Shane

Author:Rachel Shane [Shane, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B019M1YOWC
Publisher: Twinstar Press
Published: 2016-03-20T00:00:00+00:00

One-Month Ago

In the parking lot after the concert, I waited by my car as Gavin headed to Isla’s car so she could give him a thumb drive of songs she thought he might like.

“The one called Blister Heart is my favorite. My dad, like, totally knows the producer.” She tapped the thumb drive and giggled.

I focused on the gravel beneath my feet, trying to ignore my thrashing heart. A phone started ringing, and I jumped. It was mine.

No one called me. Ever. I only had the phone for emergencies with my incompetent car. I’d acquired a pay-as-you-go plan with my supermarket salary.

I didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”

“Is this Jan Crane?” a gruff male voice said. “Moxie?”

“Who is this? How’d you get my number?”

A few feet away, Gavin flicked his gaze to me. His forehead creased, and his face went pale. “My parents?” he mouthed.

I shook my head.

“This is Doctor Taylor at Milford Brook hospital. Your mother was in an accident. She’s going to be all right, but we’re keeping her here for observations.”

What sent me stumbling back into the brick wall for support was not that Krystal had been hurt, but that she’d thought to tell me about it.

“An accident?” My voice cracked. Gavin appeared at my side, his hand reaching for my elbow. In his wake, Isla made a show of wearing a concerned expression, but her attempts were overshadowed by the fact that she pulled out a tube of lip-gloss and applied it while Gavin turned his back.

“She fell asleep at the wheel. Hit a telephone pole. Broke a few ribs, an ankle, and dislocated her shoulder.”

“What?” Gavin propped his arm above me on the brick wall, caging me in, but also blocking Isla out. His face was full of concern.

I squeezed my eyes shut, thinking of the hospital bill. “No one else got hurt?”

“Not to my knowledge—the police are interviewing her now.”

“The police were involved?”

“Standard protocol, Miss.”

“Can I—” I sucked in a deep breath. “Can I see her?”

“Yes, she’s in room 312.”

“Thank you,” I said and hung up.

Gavin’s anxious face didn’t leave me much room to think before I spilled the story to him in a rushed whisper. Isla pretended to be occupied by the excitement her nails held.

“I’m so sorry,” Gavin said.

“Oh, gosh, Moxie! Did something happen to your mom?” Isla covered her mouth in mock concern, and I wondered why she never tried out for the school play.

“Everything’s fine.”

“I’m coming with you,” Gavin said.

“No, it’s fine. Go home. The last thing you need is your parents wondering why you didn’t come home on time from the youth group dance. I don’t want you to get in trouble.” I touched his shoulder without thinking and immediately removed my hand when he tilted his head to stare at his arm. “We need to keep practicing.”

“Let me borrow your phone so I can call Sabrina. Maybe she can cover for me, or if not, my parents will just have to deal with me being a rebel for once.”

Before I could even hand mine over, Isla sashayed forward with her hand outstretched.

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