me for what Iâve said. Repeating the statement silently to myself, I realize she might have gotten the impression that I think sheâs kind of hot for Rayna, which she might not consider a compliment. The noise quotient around me is starting to dissipate since Miss Ro, as usual, is taking control of the situation, which means my time is running out. I hear a very loud voice reverberate inside of my skull, and its tone is not pleasant: Ask your question, Dominy!
âHave you told your brother everything thatâs been going on with me?â I blurt out.
Nadine recoils, so she looks like Iâve just dumped a bucket of piping hot water on top of her head and sheâs melting into the gym floor.
âWhat?!â she replies.
Evasive! I remember my father telling me that the number one sign that someone is guilty is when theyâre evasive, when they respond to your question with a question and try not to answer you directly. Nadine has fallen right into that category.
âHave you told Napoleon about the curse?â
I canât be any more direct than that. And neither can Nadine.
âAbsolutely not!â she replies, clearly insulted by my lack of faith in her principles and our friendship. âHow could you even ask me such a thing?â
Thanks, Dad! Now I feel like an ingrate. After everything Nadineâs done for me, this is how I repay her. With an allegation.
âIâm sorry, Nay, I really am,â I plead. âItâs just that, well, like we said, itâs a stretch to think Arlaâs dad figured out the connection between the killings and the full moon on his own, so he must have had help reaching that conclusion.â
Instead of clutching her shoulder, Nadine is now crossing her arms in front of her chest. Different gesture, but same result; sheâs protecting herself.
âAnd you just assumed that I betrayed your confidence and told my brother?â she asks. âThat I shared with him everything that I promised to keep secret.â
âWell, right when we were talking about it at lunch . . .â I stop myself. What am I going to say? I felt a butterfly whizz by my ear and then saw Napoleon? That would make me sound ludicrous. So of course I say something that makes me sound doubly ludicrous.
âYou know what they say about twins,â I start. âSometimes theyâre psychic.â
Nadine doesnât smile, but her features soften. She drops her arms to her sides and shakes her head. I can tell that she thinks Iâm crazy, but at least she understands where Iâm coming from. Iâm grasping at straws and not questioning her friendship or her honor.
âNapoleon cannot read my mind,â Nadine asserts. âAnd Iâthank the stars aboveâcannot read his. Can you imagine the thoughts running around that creepy little head of his?â
Actually, I can. I have a brother, and I know how creepy they can be. And how dangerous.
âIt was my brother then,â I manage to get out. âBarnaby must have told Louis about the connection to the full moon.â
Leaning in toward me, Nadine whispers. Her tone is a curious mixture of conspiratorial and condescending and compassionate. âDom, it doesnât matter who told Louis,â she informs me. âSomeone was bound to figure it out sooner or later.â
Sheâs right. Itâs no use pointing a finger; the fingerâs already been pointed. But I still want to know whose hand the finger belongs to. I was convinced that it was Napoleon, but I canât prove it. He appears to be wearing several gloves to protect his identity.
âNap and I have never had a psychic connection. Heâs always been a bit closed off, not just to me, but to everyone,â she confides. âLately, though, I donât know, heâs been weirder than usual.â
Iâm about to ask her to explain herself, to define weirder, but Iâm too preoccupied