Virals by Kathy Reichs & Brendan Reichs

Author:Kathy Reichs & Brendan Reichs [Reichs, Kathy & Reichs, Brendan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Novela, Ciencia ficción, Fantástico, Intriga, Juvenil
Publisher: ePubLibre
Published: 2010-11-02T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 36

“Carl said I talked too much. What a joker.”

Hi sat on the floor, locked in an intense tug o’ war with Coop. The puppy rolled and growled, giving it his all.

“Yuck it up, pal.” Shelton spooned dog food into a bowl. “Karsten harassed me the whole time. I almost blew it.”

Catching a whiff of Science Diet, Coop padded over to investigate.

“He suspects us,” Ben said.

Parked in my usual turret groove, I debated sharing what had taken place during my interview. Ben was right. Karsten had accused me directly.

“Playing dumb worked,” Shelton said. “My parents don’t suspect a thing.”

“We still have Dr. Dumbass to worry about.” Hi, ever the poet.

We’d met up after dinner. The adults usually left us to our own devices on weekend evenings. While they thought we were on the beach, we’d gathered at the bunker.

Shelton smiled. “Your advice was good. Karsten asked about little things. Ben’s pratfall, the fat lady, even the poodle. I could tell he was pissed.”

Hi bowed without rising. “BS is my specialty. If you lived in my house, you’d be a pro, too.”

“The old fart even asked where I parked the boat,” Ben said. “Weirder, he asked if I’d been sick. Trying to throw me off, I guess.”

The tinniest alarm sounded in my brain.

“What exactly did he say?” I asked.

“Just that. 'Have you been sick?' Now that I think about it, he asked me twice.”

“Funny, I had the same question,” Hi said. “Caught me off guard. But I lied and said no. I wasn’t going to mention my blackout after running from Charleston’s finest.”

“Me too.” Shelton mimicked Karsten. “Have you been unwell lately, Mr. Devers? Flu-ish? Anything at all?” His eyes rolled. “What’s his angle, anyway?”

“Karsten must have a reason,” I said. “He brought it up with me, too.”

An accusation, not a question. I didn’t say it.

“Why would he think we don’t feel well?” Shelton cleaned a glob of dog chow from Coop’s whisker.

“Or care?” Ben added.

“I don’t know.” Not totally true. “The break-in took place during a storm. Maybe he thinks the burglars caught cold.”

The others looked at me like I was nuts.

“To be honest, I haven’t been feeling great.” Hi sounded a touch nervous. “And why did I faint on the boat?”

“Don’t worry, I’m feeling run down too.” I forced a chuckle. “We’ve had a big week.”

I wasn’t ready to mention my own little fit.

“All right.” Shelton spoke with reluctance. “I wasn’t going to say, but something strange happened to me yesterday.”

We all waited.

“My legs just gave out. I was showering, then I was lying on the tile and couldn’t move. I felt incredibly hot. Then, poof. I was normal again.”

Oh boy. Shelton’s attack sounded similar to mine.

“How have you felt since?” I asked.

“Fine. Not sick in the slightest.”

“That’s what happened to me!” Hi squawked. “I dropped like a rock, scorched up inside, then it all went away. But I’ve felt run down ever since.”

“Ben?” I still wasn’t ready to share.

“Nothing. Strong like bull.”

Could be coincidence. Don’t start a panic.

“It’s probably just the flu,” I said.

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