a deadly storm, an unsolved disappearance, and a small town brimming with secrecy;
an outcast girl, a boy who only knows how to hide, and the world against them;
what could go wrong?
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Her next stop is the library, nestled in a safe corner of downtown across from the park where she and Harry encountered Faye before that dreadful night at the church. Boo retreats to the study area and buries herself at a computer desk, intent on doing some online research. The files stay hidden in the backpack secured between her feet while Harry's journal is open to a blank page, ready to collect her written thoughts.
She combs through arrest records, local articles, news coverage, civilian footage-any scrap of information bearing Loughton or Nathaniel's names, but it's as if any online footprint they've ever made has been completely erased. She can't be too surprised though-they clearly have reputations to protect.
Her phone begins to chime loudly, drawing the attention of a narrow-eyed librarian. Boo grimaces in apology and hastily answers, grateful to see Harry's name on her screen.
"What is it?" she hisses quietly. "I'm at the library."
"I thought you were going to the station."
"I just left." The librarian throws another glare her way and she shrinks closer to the desk.
"Find anything interesting?"
"Yes," she says hurriedly. "Maybe. I don't know. Did you?"
"Why are you whispering?" he chuckles, ignoring her question.
"Because I'm really not looking to get scalped by a retired teacher," Boo hisses. "Where are you?"
Harry stifles a chuckle. "Driving back from Harrisford, I was . . ."
He pauses for a moment. "What, you were doing what?" Boo cries in irritation. A chorus of shh's rise up around her in reply.
"Tailing Calum," he answers after a moment further. There's something in his voice that Boo finds more than unsettling.
"What's the problem?"
"Nothing," he laughs awkwardly. "Honestly, nothing. The kid is more boring than I am."
Her head pulses in annoyance. "Somehow I don't believe you."
"Ma'am," a sharp voice interrupts. Boo looks up in surprise to find the librarian glaring down at her. "Hang up or take the phone call outside. I won't ask again."
"You aren't asking now," Boo mumbles as an immediate response. Her face flushes hot as she realizes her words came out much louder than she intended. The librarian's cross stare deepens and Boo realizes the last thing she needs is to draw more attention to herself. "Okay, I'm out, sorry."
Harry cackles in her ear, having eavesdropped on that entire interaction. "If you feel like escaping a scalping, you can always come over to brainstorm."
Boo halts in the middle of packing her bag back together. "You mean, go to your house? Inside your house?"
"Typically when one person invites another over, it's under that intention, yes."
