The Follower by Kate Doughty (ebook reader with built in dictionary TXT) 📕

this had happened. They would know that Rudy brought up the alcohol. They would know that this was all his fault. And he can’t handle that.

Perry’s pen flies over her notebook as Rudy speaks. When he finishes, she gives him an approving nod. “That’s a lot of connections,” she says. “We’ll be sure to take that into account. But tell me, do you have any further proof to connect the rabbit and the allergy attack to what happened to your sister? Other than a hunch?”

Rudy feels his face redden. He doesn’t. Perry smiles sympathetically. “We’ll take note,” she promises. “You’re quite the . . . investigator, aren’t you?” Rudy isn’t sure whether or not she means that as a compliment.

Yang nods. His poker face is amazing; Rudy can’t tell if he has been swayed by anything he or Amber said. Yang simply blinks twice, nods to Perry, and tells the Coles they may want to start saving screenshots of the follower’s comments. “Just in case the situation escalates.” Rudy and Amber agree to document their past interactions and drop off the files at the police station the following day.

Afterward, the Coles lead the officers back downstairs and out toward the porch. “Thank you for your cooperation,” Sheriff Yang says. “We’ll be looking into it.”

Officer Perry nods and turns to Mrs. Cole. “We’ll do some research into your follower. I don’t know how much your family relies on social media from a financial standpoint, but from here on we would advise that, should you continue to post, you do so with caution. Again, we can’t say for certain that this follower is behind anything, but we want you to take all necessary precautions.”

Mrs. Cole nods.

Yang gives her a tight smile. “Our hearts go out to you and your family. We’ll be speaking with Cecily as soon as we’re able, and while we’re waiting on results from the lab. Have a good day, sir, ma’am, kids.”

He touches his hat and leads the deputy to their car. The minute the police cruiser turns the corner, Mrs. Cole crumples into her husband and shakes with great, heaving sobs. Something about the police leaving makes everything feel so real. The family stands and watches the cops drive away, and Rudy feels Cecily’s absence like a blow. He wants to crumple just like his mom. Instead, Rudy finds Amber’s hand and grabs it. She squeezes back.

Mrs. Cole leads them back inside. “Kids, could you . . . give us a minute? Then we can talk . . . we can talk posts.”

Rudy and Amber exchange a wordless glance and head upstairs as their parents retire into the kitchen. As soon as they’re out of earshot, he starts talking. “Amber, what did you think about the police?” he asks slowly, trying to gauge her reaction.

Amber shifts. “They seemed thorough, about Cecily, but I don’t think they believed us about the follower being behind all of this . . .”

Perry’s words echo in Rudy’s mind: You’re quite the investigator, aren’t you?

“I think it has something to do with Alex’s death,” Rudy blurts out. “I think we need to find out what, why they want us out so badly, and how it all ties back to Alex Grable. Because it does, I know it does—”

“Rudy, you don’t know that—this isn’t like internet drama, you can’t just play detective and dig up emails—”

Just then, a shout echoes from below. Their parents’ conversation has escalated into a fight. A nasty one from the sounds of it. Rudy runs over to the dumbwaiter and opens it so they can better hear what their parents are shouting about. The first thing he hears is something about a private investigator.

He perks up. So maybe his parents don’t think that the cops are taking this seriously enough?

“We don’t have the money—” That’s Rudy’s dad.

“This is our daughter! We’ll find the money!” That’s Rudy’s mom.

“After the medical bills? You heard them, Marie, even if they save the eye she’s going to need plastic surgery, and optometrists, and therapy—”

Money. Of course. They were in a tight spot before this house, and now . . . now, Rudy can’t even imagine how bleak the outlook must be.

“We can’t stop posting now, can we?” Amber asks. “We need the money.”

Rudy shakes his head. “We’re barely staying afloat as it is.”

From downstairs: “If we had the money—if you hadn’t—”

Their father’s voice breaks. “Marie, please.”

Mrs. Cole’s voice dissolves into sobs. For a moment, it grows quiet downstairs, and Rudy imagines his parents huddled together, his dad patting his mom’s back to try and comfort her.

Then the conversation starts up again, but they are no longer yelling, so Rudy and Amber have to move closer to the dumbwaiter just to catch snippets of what their parents are saying. They talk about whether or not they should move. Eventually, they seem to decide that, since the makeup remover that hurt Cecily was in her go bag, it could have been tainted anywhere around town. And just like that, the conversation turns back to leaving town and how they just don’t have the money . . .

“So many sponsors want Cecily,” Rudy says, shaking his head. “I wish I could take her place, but . . .”

“I could do it.” Amber’s voice is a whisper.

“What?”

“I could do it,” she whispers again. “I—I’m not Cecily, but I did the livestream. I can do posts, I could see if her sponsors would take . . . me.”

Amber won’t meet his eyes. She seems nervous, hesitant. “Amber, you don’t have to. What if they comment on stuff? What if . . . ?” The words hang unsaid: What if it’s dangerous?

“Cecily needs us,” Amber says. And that’s all it takes.

Rudy takes Amber’s hand and they head downstairs. As they approach the kitchen, it’s clear their parents are no longer arguing.

“I know. I know you’ve been trying so hard,” Rudy hears his mom say. “I’m sorry, I just . . .”

“It’s going to be all right,” Mr. Cole says. “It’ll be okay.”

They walk in on their parents huddled by the counter, their mom wrapped up in their dad’s