Shattered Girls (Broken Dolls Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

will, no doubt, use up all of the hot water?”
    “Sianne, stop. You know we’re here because Jason and Pam are missing. You need to call the professor for us. The number Gabby has in her cell was disconnected.” I anxiously tap the bowl. “We haven’t seen him for years, and he needs to know what happened to his son. He’s buddy-buddy with big-deal corporations now, I’m sure he could hire the best detectives. Or something.”
    I peek at Gabby from the corner of my eye, but she remains expressionless.
    “Missing? Well, why didn’t you say! Oookay! Mind you, I haven’t used the telephone for a while! Still, I’m sure Daniel would love to speak with his granddaughter and her height-impaired, anorexic friend.”
    I refrain from rolling my eyes only because Sianne hurries to the phone and dials a number. She puts it on loudspeaker and sits it in the center of the table. Clasping her hands together, she leans in, a perpetual smile on her face.
    It rings three times.
    And another three.
    And three more.
    “Isn’t the anticipation thrilling?” Sianne warbles, moving her hands around like a magician.
    “Not really,” I grumble, losing all hope of the professor answering.
    “Granted, it would be awkward if I dialed the wrong number…”
    There’s a crackle on the other end, followed by a few thumps. Someone breathes heavily.
    “Hello?” they answer.
    Gabby frowns. “Grandpa? Is that you?”
    The voice takes a while to respond. “Gabby! My dear, how’ve you been?”
    I mimic Gabby’s frown and walk closer to the phone. “Are you sick?”
    “Ella, is that you?” Is it the connection, or is his voice higher than usual? “Not sick, my dear, just overworked! Are you well?”
    “No.” And just like that, I’ve begun to stage-whisper. “Jason and Pam have gone missing. Gabby and I are at Sianne’s. We don’t know what to do.”
    “Have you called the police?”
    “Not yet, but we’ll call Devin’s dad directly. He’s the best cop in town.”
    The professor pauses. “I see…” There’s another crackle. “Perhaps it’s time I paid you girls a visit.”
    Gabby jumps from her seat. “Really? Honestly? I miss you so much!”
    “As do I, sweetheart. I’ll aim for the tomorrow afternoon train if your Aunt Sianne can meet me at the station?”
    We look at Sianne, but she folds her arms and shakes her head. “Trains, trains, feigning rain. Chugga, chugga, chu! Chugga, chugga, chu!”
    “In English, Sianne?”
    “The trains that speed forth into tunnels, their grinds and gears enough to stun all. They cannot be trusted in the darkness and silence, you’ll never get the chance to cry out once.”
    “As nonsense as that is, I have to admire your ability to improvise a poem.” Gabby’s a lot brighter now she’s speaking with the professor. “Grandpa, Ella and I will pick you up tomorrow. Are you sure you can’t come tomorrow morning? We really need you.”
    “No!” he snaps, followed by a pregnant pause. “I mean, I won’t be ready then. It
has
to be the afternoon.”
    “Oh.” Gabby speaks with restrained outrage. “What time, then?”
    “Ah,” a computer mouse clicks on the other end of the line, “I can do the 3:00 p.m.? Will school be finished by then?”
    “Yeah, but screw school. I need a break.”
    “Gabby, no.” The professor sounds panicked. “It’s
vital
that you go to school. You can’t afford to miss one lesson or to have one bad grade! Do you understand?”
    Gabby bites her tongue, literally, and scrunches up her nose. “Whatever.”
    “Sorry? What did you just say?”
    “I mean, we can’t wait to see you. We’ll find my parents, won’t we?”
    “We’ll do everything in our power,” he soothes. Fat load of help that is! “Please try to rest, love. It’s no doubt been an exhausting day for all of you. Don’t call the police just yet, wait for me to get there.”
    Relief spreads across Gabby’s face. “Thanks, Grandpa.”
    The professor grunts. “Indeed.