The Lies That Bind Read Online Free PDF Page B

situation in the hall.
    “What are you doing in there?” I asked.
    “I’m trying to work,” she said, her tone petulant.
    “Really sorry to bother you, but somebody passed out in the hall.” Hey, I could be cranky, too. She wasn’t the only one whose peace and quiet had been disturbed. “Can you turn on some more lights? I can’t see a thing.”
    Naomi didn’t move, just stared at the body. “What happened?”
    “How should I know? Turn on some lights. This woman fainted or something.” I was getting crabbier by the minute. I hated stumbling over bodies.
    “Oh, my God.” Naomi fumbled for the light switch on the wall outside her office door, but nothing happened. “Sorry, I guess the hall light’s burned out. I’ll have to get it fixed.”
    She flipped her office light on and opened the door all the way, and the hall was illuminated. She tried to open Layla’s door, but it was locked. She skirted the body and tried Karalee’s office. It was unlocked so she shoved the door open and turned on the light.
    “How’s that?”
    “Much better.” As I said it, I could hear a siren wailing in the distance. “Police should be here any second now.”
    “Is she breathing?” Naomi asked, still staring at the body.
    “Barely,” I said.
    Naomi wrung her hands. “It’s a good thing you found her. You probably saved her life.”
    “I just happened to come along,” I said modestly, clasping my hands together. They felt tacky. I held them up to the light, then wished I hadn’t.
    Blood. My stomach twirled and my head started to spin. I really hated blood. “Idiot,” I muttered. I couldn’t help it, though. The sight of blood made me sick. I took deep breaths and stared at the woman on the floor. Since she was bleeding, she must’ve hit her head on something. Something sharp or hard enough to draw blood.
    As I stared more closely at the woman, my insides took an even more unwelcome dip. That fuzzy black angora sweater looked alarmingly familiar.
    “Oh, no.” I inched back until my butt hit the wall.
    “What’s wrong?” Naomi demanded.
    Icy chills slithered down my spine, worse than I’d ever felt before. God help me, I had just saved the life of Minka LaBoeuf.
    The blast of sirens brought everyone out of the classrooms. I managed to keep the hall clear while Naomi ran to the front door and led the two police officers through the gallery to the hall. One officer looked around while the other knelt and checked for a pulse.
    “Watch out,” I muttered. “There’s blood.”
    The officer kneeling looked up at me. “You found her?”
    I nodded, then shivered and looked away.
    “Okay, good job.” He grabbed his walkie-talkie and called for an ambulance. He was answered by a squawk, then the dispatcher responded, “Ambulance en route.”
    “I’ll wait up front,” I said, and walked back to the gallery, where all the lights were now glaringly bright. Alice rushed over and met me.
    “What happened?” she whispered. She looked even more pale than when she’d first showed up in class. “Is somebody sick?”
    “Somebody’s been hurt,” I said.
    Tom, Cynthia, and Gina crowded behind Alice.
    “Who is it?” Tom asked, staring past me into the hall.
    “Another instructor,” I said, unable to utter Minka’s name out loud.
    “It’s Minka LaBoeuf,” Naomi announced from behind me. “Brooklyn saved her life.”
    I winced. “No, I didn’t.”
    “Yes, you did,” Naomi insisted, then added, “Brooklyn found her and called nine-one-one. Look, she’s got Minka’s blood all over her hands.”
    Oh, great. I knew she meant that in a nice way, but it really didn’t sound good.
    “I . . . I need to wash my hands,” I whispered, staring at the dried streaks of blood.
    “How did you get her blood on your hands?” Cynthia asked, her eyes focused on my outstretched hands.
    Her tone carried a strong hint of accusation and I was about to shoot back something when Alice took hold of my arm and said