Page 17 of Save Me
Cyril glares at him from ice-blue eyes.
“Lydia went round to a friend’s. I think they’re coming later,” I reply before things can escalate. You can barely even mention her name without Cyril taking it as a personal provocation.
No way can he find out that my sister’s having a fling with that joke of a teacher.
Which reminds me that I really need a word with Mr. Sutton. That wanker needs to keep his hands off my sister, or I’ll make the rest of his career at Maxton Hall a misery.
I’m annoyed that I haven’t dealt with him already. But my first priority was making sure Ruby keeps her mouth shut. Especially because there’s still something fishy about that girl.
A few days ago, Lydia and I bumped into her in the corridor on our way to philosophy. My sister stared firmly at the floor, but I looked Ruby over. Our eyes met, and then she looked right through me, not even batting an eyelid. I did the exact opposite—I stared after her for so long that I had to turn my head to watch her walk away. She had such a proud walk. Gripping her folders, determined steps, chin up. She looked like she was going into battle.
Without thinking about it, I’m keeping an eye out for her. My sensors must be kind of tuned in to her, because although there are over a hundred people in the crowd down there, I spot her in seconds. I rest both arms on the banister and lean forward slightly.
Ruby is standing at the edge of the buffet, taking frantic notes on a clipboard. She looks up, glances around, and starts writing again. Then she turns on her heel and heads toward the sound system behind the DJ. She speaks to him and points at her notes.
Something clicks in my head.
Oh, God.
She must be on the events team.
My lips twitch. Well, this will be amusing.
Ruby says something else to the DJ, who nods. Then she walks back across the dance floor to her spot by the buffet, slightly on theedge of things. She reaches into the neckline of her dark green dress and pulls something out. A phone. She types and slips it away again. At the same moment, a guy in a suit walks over to her.
I see who it is and grip the wooden balustrade tighter.
Graham Sutton.
I’d be suspicious of any guy who got too close to my sister, but Sutton’s setting off a whole extra series of alarm bells. Especially when I see him speaking earnestly to Ruby. She won’t meet his eyes but doesn’t seem particularly fazed.
I squint, cursing myself for being up here and not down there, where I could hear what they’re saying to each other. They might just be talking about something as banal as this event. Or they could be discussing my sister.
What if they’re in it together? What if Sutton’s in league with Ruby? I’d never thought of that, and I doubt Lydia’s ever considered it either. She never told me exactly why she’d been snogging a teacher, but I know my sister well enough to know that this man is more than a bit of an adrenaline rush for her.
I feel an overwhelming need to protect my twin. Almost without thinking about it, I reach into the inside pocket of my jacket and pull out my phone. I unlock it with my thumb and swipe left to launch the camera.
Ruby and Mr. Sutton are standing in a dark corner. He has one hand on her shoulder, and his lips are fairly close to her face so that he can speak to her. At first glance, you can’t tell that Ruby’s clipboard is between them and that they’re both looking at it. Seems as though they really are talking about the party.
Seeing it in real life, it’s totally harmless. But on my phone screen, from a carefully chosen angle, and with a bit of editing, youcould read the situation entirely differently. I click on the shutter. Again and again.
“What are you doing?” I hear Alistair say, right behind me. He glances over my shoulder at my phone.
“Taking out a little insurance policy,” I reply.
He frowns. “What have you got against her?”
I take a deep breath. I could do with a lot more Bowmore, to switch my brain off altogether. It’s been days since I managed that.
“She saw something she shouldn’t have.”
Alistair gives me a long, thoughtful look, then he nods. “OK.”
“If she tells anyone, Lydia will be in deep shit.”
He looks down, watching Ruby, who’s still talking to Mr. Sutton.
“I see.”
