I was too in shock to verbalize my answer, so instead, I simply nodded.
“Right, okay, I am going to call him and let him know my suspicions. His number should be in your records in the office.”
I was caught off guard by his statement, mostly because he had a point. I eyed him warily as I stood there trying to make sense of how he could confuse mine and Echo’s name, considering every bit of information that was swirling around our little town, said Echora Garrows, not Echo. Only people that knew her called her Echo. The shortened version of her name was lost to people outside of her loop, so how did Mr. Masson know it? It made me more than just wary of him, it made me suspicious. We didn’t know who it was. It could be anyone. I couldn’t trust anyone I didn’t know particularly well—including Mr. Masson. I suddenly felt the need to get the hell out of that office. I prayed my voice wouldn’t shake when I spoke.
“I agree, and I will be careful. I need to get to class because a tardy pass only excuses me for so long.”
He nodded as if coming out of a daze and opened the door to let me pass, but grabbed my arm gently before I got all the way out of the office. I looked up at him in question, and he had the softest expression I’d ever seen the man wear.
“I’m serious Eden, Be careful. You can trust me. Whether you accept that offer is up to you, but you have to promise me that you will keep yourself tuned into your surroundings. I don’t think this person will stop at a failed attempt if they truly want you dead. Oh, and your secret—it’s safe with me.”
****
Mrs. Camden’s substitute was an unbelievably tall woman that looked older than dirt and smelled like a perfume parlor. She looked down the bridge of her nose at me then shifted her gaze to Mr. Masson, who gave her the tardy pass and left without another word. Glancing down at the slip, she gave a huffy sniff and said, “Take your seat Eden; we don’t have all day to wait on you.”
I didn’t know what her problem was, but I already didn’t like her. What was it with the older librarian-like teachers that got under my skin? Everyone I’d had in the past made me feel the same emotion, contempt. My mind wandered on the topic, and as I sat there exchanging glares with the teacher, I couldn’t help but wonder who’d cut the brake lines on my car. It could be any one of my classmates, but that was probably unlikely. Just then, my phone buzzed in my pocket. The substitute had turned away and was busy writing something on the big dry erase board in the front of the class.
Drew: Did you make it to class okay, or are you still with Mr. Masson?
Drew: Never mind; he just walked into the room.
Me: Lol
Drew: Okay, well, I was just making sure you got there, okay. I promised your dad I would escort you to every class. For all we know, it could be a student here just waiting to corner…
Drew: Eden, get off your phone, but if I know Ms. Wahl, it’s already too late, and she is already making her way down your row to take your phone. –Mr. Masson
“Hand it over, Eden.”
Sure enough, Mr. Masson had guessed right. I reluctantly handed the old crone my phone and was appalled when she started reading my texts. A small sinister twist of a smile tickled her lips as she showed me her back and walked to the head of the class.
“Page 263 of your textbooks,” she said as she put my phone into her desk.
Sighing, I opened my book and thought about the last thing Drew texted me. No, it would have to be someone who was at least the same age as Echo would be now. Hell, for all I knew, it could be the substitute. I took in her staunch and conservative attire, the hooked nose the horn-rimmed glasses. Yeah, I could see it. She could totally be the killer.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Slithering Phobia
When I’d tried to argue with Ms. Wahl that I needed my phone because of what was going on, she looked at me like I’d grown an extra arm.
“I don’t care if the devil himself is coming after you. You’re not getting your phone back until the end of the day, Eden.”
“But…”
She’d held up a silencing finger and clucked her tongue at me. “Uh, no buts. You can have it back at the end of the day, Eden, end of conversation.”
I stormed away from her desk as I inwardly listened to Echoputting in her two cents about it.
Holy shit, she is just as much of a bitch now as she was when I went to school here. Only now, she’s ancient. Hell, even back then, the witch was old, but she was a full-time teacher then. You don’t know how lucky you are that she’s just a substitute now.
As promised, Drew was waiting outside the class when the bell rang. He was completely paranoid, and I couldn’t blame him. I was just as scared as he was about an attack out of the blue. To make matters worse, it seemed that whoever was behind it didn’t care who was caught in the crossfire.
“Did you get your phone back? Mr. Masson wouldn’t give me mine, he said I had to wait until the end of the day.”
“Ms.
