Natural Selection Read Online Free PDF Page A

picked
up her handset and waited a moment before speaking in clipped
phrases I didn’t bother to try to understand.
    It wasn’t long before Mrs. Soberlo
came out of her office. She put her hand on my shoulder, and I
looked up, feeling like I was moving through molasses. “We can
discuss what brought you here another time, Miss Hoffman. I’ve
spoken to your mother, and she says if you are willing to talk the
police, you can. I can call her to come in if you’d rather wait for
her, but I will sit with you to make sure someone is looking after
your rights.” I nodded numbly, and she stepped out into the hall,
returning a moment later with the policewoman in tow.
    “ Come along, Miss Hoffman,”
the principal barked. I hopped to my feet and obeyed. That wasn’t a
tone to be argued with.
    Mrs. Soberlo led us down a carpeted
hall in the office to a small room where staff meetings were held.
As I numbly followed, I heard the cop behind me still talking on
her cell phone. From the little I could overhear mixed with what I
knew from every cop show I’d ever seen, I figured she was calling
in her partner. I knew he had to be some old guy who would be able
to retire if he could just solve this one last case. Inside, Mrs.
Soberlo sat in one of the fabric covered office chairs and had me
sit next to her. The policewoman introduced herself as Regina
Simms. I swallowed nervously, and it went down wrong making me
cough. Officer Simms went to fetch me a glass of water. She
returned with a Dixie cup and a young man in a dark suit. I could
tell by the badge clipped to his belt he was probably a detective.
So TV let me down again.
    “ I’m Detective Laurent,” he
said, setting a manila folder on the table opposite me. His
immaculately groomed dark hair and youthful face seemed at odds. He
was rather bulbous with a large nose and a fleshy face. He shook
hands with the principal, then me. His palm was hot and damp, and
his grip was loose and timid. “I understand you knew Mariah
Carter?”
    I numbly nodded, unable to speak
through the shock. The whole situation seemed unreal like it had
been staged by some poor author trying to hurry a plot along. I
took the water and attempted to swallow a sip, but my throat felt
swollen.
    “ Were you
close?”
    “ Kind of. Things have been
different since we got to high school, but we used to be really
close.”
    “ How would you describe
her?”
    “ She was just kind of
average, like me.” I watched him eye me up and down, and I
remembered my Goodwill finds. I flushed, my lips compressing as I
looked away.
    “ Average? This is average?
Isn’t this more what the kids are calling New Age?” I let my eyes
flick to his face briefly, but the look on his face reminded me of
a predator stalking prey. I swallowed, my gaze darting away
again.
    Mrs. Soberlo came to my rescue. “It’s
Spirit Week, detective. Most of the student body is dressed
similarly to Miss Hoffman. Don’t they train you to do this kind of
stuff? What does Miss Hoffman’s appearance have to do with
anything? Her friend died, and I would appreciate a little decorum.
She doesn’t need a cocky detective getting snarky with
her!”
    Go Mrs. Soberlo! I eyed the
distinguished woman, clearly having underestimated her. She was
tall with short, grey hair heavily peppered with white. She wore a
nice suit, rather harsh in its cut, but it worked on her tall thin
frame—I bet Jamie Lee Curtis would play her if they ever made a
movie of her life. The detective noticeably cringed, and Officer
Simms hid a grin behind her hand. I looked between him and my
principal, squirming uncomfortably. Mrs. Soberlo sat with her arms
crossed and a stern look on her face saying he had better keep in
line. I understood how she had gotten her reputation with the
students, but I was grateful for it right now.
    “ Very well, Miss Hoffman. I
apologize.” He didn’t really sound like he meant it, but I shrugged
and looked at my hands fidgeting in my lap. My