Cipher (The Cipher Series) (23 page)

She pushed herself off the couch. “I’ll walk you out.”

“I’m giving you five minutes,” Dad said. “Which is pretty generous considering you’re still awaiting sentencing for yesterday’s offense.” He raised an eyebrow at her, so much warning in that tiny movement.

The cool night hair cut through
Summer’s thin shirt, despite the fact that she was wearing long sleeves. She and Troy walked in silence over to his Jeep. She wasn’t sure why she’d wanted to walk him out. Only that she needed to be around him for a few more minutes, even if things were weird.

Troy bumped his hip into hers. “Thanks for walking me out, Sunshine. You’re a real gentleman.”

Summer couldn’t help return his smile. “Well, I know how scared you are of the dark.”

He glanced back at the house, and she did, too, thinking Dad must be standing in the doorway watching them or something. If he was, she sure didn’t see him. “You know, I actually enjoyed hanging out with your dad tonight,” Troy said. “You should give him a break.”

“What do you mean, I should give him a break?”

“He’s worried about you. I told him you were okay, because hell, I didn’t know what else to say, and he looked so stressed out about it. Maybe I shouldn’t have assured him everything was cool with you. Maybe I’m making it worse.”

“No, I’m glad that you did.” She put her hand on his arm. “Thanks. Sorry you had to deal with that. And I’m sorry he got all weird about his girlfriend. It’s not that I don’t like her. She’s just not…”

“Your mom.”

“She’s nothing like her, and I don’t understand how he can even like someone who’s so opposite of her. Of us.”

“I’m sure it’s good for him to try to move on and be happy,” Troy said. “You both deserve to be happy.”

Every time she was around Troy, he knew exactly what to say to make her fall apart. She bit back the tears that were starting to well up in her eyes. “I know you’re right, but I have a hard time letting my mom go. I just keep thinking if I would’ve stopped my mom that morning, then none of this would’ve happened. He wouldn’t need a new girlfriend.”

Troy put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in her the eye. “You can’t do that. It’s not like you could’ve changed it.”

Oh, hell, the tears were coming. “That’s not true. I knew something bad was going to happen. I had a really bad feeling that morning before she left. I tried to talk her out of it…” She clenched her jaw to kill the sob in her throat. “But she went anyway.”

“You can’t torture yourself with the past.”

The images were torture. Something tickled Summer’s memory as the quick flashes she saw if she let her guard down started up—but there was something new, in the far corner of her mind. She almost had a grasp of it, then Troy spoke again. “So are you going to tell me what’s going on with you?”

His features came back into focus, the streetlight casting them in sharp relief. “I’ll tell you my secret if you tell me yours.” As much as she wanted to know his, she’d have to edit several details out of hers. In fact, she couldn’t really tell him. He’d think she was insane.

A slow grin spread across his face. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Sunshine. I’ll save you your usual spot in chemistry. We both know that trying to sit away from me didn’t work.”

There was no way his secret was as awful as hers, yet he seemed as reluctant to share it. “Goodnight, Mister Bond.”

After his taillights were lost in a sea of others, she hurried back to the house, eager to have some time to focus on her last memory of Mom. As soon as she was inside her room, door closed securely behind her, she sat down on her bed.

Usually, she avoided the memory. Now she forced herself to plunge on in.

The temperature in Chicago had hovered at the ninety-nine degree mark that day—they’d broken the previous record-high for August. Mom was at the door, getting ready to head out.

“I’ve got to go,
Summer,” she’d said.

“Oh wait.” Summer got up from the couch, abandoning her television show. “Can I get some money before you go? The girls and I are going to grab lunch.”

Mom reached into her purse and handed her a twenty.

“Thanks, Mom.” Summer leaned in for a hug.

Mom hands her cell phone to an unfamiliar red-haired woman. The woman pushes several buttons and holds the phone up to her ear. Aisles of candy are lined up behind her, a magazine stand is off to the right.

A large, mangy-looking man standing near the cash register pulls a gun from his hip and aims it at the cashier. “Give me the money! And don’t do anything stupid or everyone in here will die!”

He turns and swings the gun in Mom’s direction.

Mom holds her hands up in the air.

“Get off the phone!” The man yells at the woman behind Mom, leveling the gun on her. The woman’s lips are moving quickly, speaking into the cell phone.

“She’s almost done,” Mom says in a soothing tone.

The man pulls the trigger, and the woman talking on the phone goes down. He shoots again. Mom falls back into the candy-filled shelves and tumbles to the ground. Blood pours from the wound in her chest.

“Mom, don’t go,”
Summer said as she released the hug, her heart racing, her mind swimming. “I’ll blow off lunch with my friends and go with you somewhere. We can see if there’s a dance class we can slip into, or catch a movie, or hit the mall. Whatever you want to do.”

“Don’t be silly,” Mom said. “I’ve got to go, and I’m in a hurry. I’ll see you when I get back this afternoon.”

“Mom, please. Please don’t go.” Summer had had the flashes before and nothing had ever happened—well, not that she knew of. This was her mom, though. She wasn’t
willing
to take any chances. “I really want you to stay with me today.”

“I’ve got to go do my job.”

“I thought you had the day off,” Summer said, desperate to keep her here no matter what she did. “Just stay here. Please!

“Someday, you’ll understand. You’ll see you can’t help when you have to go.”

Summer’s heart thumped faster and faster, harder and harder. “But I need to tell you something, and it can’t wait.”

“It’ll
have
to wait. This is something I can’t be late for. Now, be good. You’re awesome. I love you.” Mom blew her a kiss, then walked into the garage and pulled the door closed behind her.

Summer bit her lip, debating what to do.
I’m going to have to tell her.
Even if she doesn’t believe me, even if she thinks I need to be put in a mental institution, I can’t let her go.
She heard the garage door close and ran for the front door. By the time she’d unlocked it and stepped outside, Mom was already driving away. She pulled her phone out and called Mom’s cell.

No answer.

She called five more times.

Mom never picked up.

It made sense now, why Mom insisted she had to go. Why she said Summer would understand someday. Mom had been going out on a Cipher job, Summer was sure of it. And Mom had been killed trying to do that job.

Summer hadn’t saved Mom, and it had eaten away at her every day since. But she was going to save Ashlyn. There had to be a way, and she was going to find it.

Because Summer couldn’t have another death on her conscience.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Summer bent down to pull on her boots. When she straightened, Gabriella was there. “Oh, holy crap,” she muttered. “I mean—Just crap. Not holy. But seriously, you scare me every time.”

“It’s been over a month, Summer,” Gabriella said, ignoring the popping-up-and-scaring issue. “You’ve got to know it’s drawing near.”

Bile churned in the pit of
Summer’s stomach. “Just tell me when exactly. It’s driving me crazy.”

“I don’t even know for sure—those orders go out last minute. I do feel the urgency of the situation, though, which means you must, too. Those instincts were given to you for a reason. You can’t delay any more, or the only result you’re going to get is horrible guilt for you, Ashlyn, and Pamela.”

Ashlyn. Who might still be mad at her. She was going to fix that at school first thing, but while she had Gabriella here, she wanted confirmation on her theory. “My mom died on a Cipher job, didn’t she?”

Gabriella sighed. “Yes. That one came down to the wire. It was literally seconds before her death that your mom got her to call and talk to her husband. I’m not sure why she didn’t get there earlier.”

“That call cost my mom her life. I saw it. The man with the gun got mad because that other woman was on her cell phone.” The realization of what had happened hit Summer, knocking the air out of her.
If I hadn’t delayed Mom, she wouldn’t have been in the store when the gun went off. She would’ve done her job
before
the woman went inside.
Her head swam as she tried to put together words. “Does anyone die on accident?”

“Summer, this is complicated stuff. I can’t reveal the secrets of the universe to you. I’m here to do my job, which is to get you to do your job. I will tell you that Ciphers have failed before. Sometimes they’re too late—it’s not a perfect science. There are ways to get past it for the deceased and the family members, but it’s much more extensive and emotionally scarring. Some people never come back from it. That’s why it’s so much easier if you do your job
now
. Before it’s too late.”

Summer grabbed Gabriella’s hand, desperation throbbing through her veins. “Just tell me if some deaths are accidents.”

Gabriella’s watch chimed. “I’ve got a tight schedule, Summer. I don’t have time to keep coming down here, so please put a little more effort into this.”

She tightened her hold on the Angel of Death’s hand. “I’m trying as hard as I can. But right now, I really need you to tell me if people die when they’re not supposed to.
Suicide, that kind of thing? Do people die before their time?”

Gabriella’s outline started to fade, and then
Summer was clinging on to nothing but air.

***

“Did you see Ashlyn this morning?” Summer asked Troy at lunch. Ashlyn’s usual spot across the cafeteria was empty, she hadn’t answered any of her calls, and Sumer was starting to worry she was too late. Everything inside her turned cold and hard. Not only did she fail, but her friend had died mad at her.

“She stayed home today,” Troy said. “I know that Aaron got her math assignment to take to her.”

At least she was alive—she’d take pissed if it meant okay. Now she just needed to figure out how to fix things between them. Summer pressed her fingertips to the headache building at her temples. “I’ve managed to make a mess of everything.”

“What’s up?”

Summer glanced at Ashlyn’s empty space again. “I really need to talk to Ashlyn, but I think she’s avoiding me. We didn’t agree on something—it’s why I was bummed last night. I’m afraid she’s mad at me, and I don’t know what to do.”

“Just give her some time to cool off. Ashlyn won’t hold a grudge. Especially not against you.” Troy put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze that sent zips of electricity from this touch to the center of her core. She wanted to throw her arms around him and have him hold her again, the way he did when he’d discovered her outside of the band room. Instead he dropped his hand, and the spot where it’d been suddenly felt too cold. “Anyway, I’ve got to go, but I’ll catch you later.”

It took her a moment to switch gears from lusting after him to the fact that he was taking off again. “Right. You have to go plan your underground resistance.” Another thought popped into her head, something to describe his odd behavior. It was a ridiculous idea, one that she worried might be the truth. “Or is it…something more illegal?” She told herself she should keep her mouth shut, but he was there for her, and she’d hate to see him ruin his life on something stupid. She lowered her voice. “Are you dealing drugs or something?”

Troy’s eyebrows scrunched together, the corners of his mouth tilting down. “You think I’m a drug dealer?”

“No. Yes. Well, I don’t know. I mean, how would I know? You’re always leaving mid-convo, in a hurry to get somewhere; you’ve managed to make friends with everyone; you carry sunglasses around—I was thinking you must carry them to hide the signs. It all kind of fits.”

“Ouch. I thought you knew me better than that.” He studied her for a moment and let out a long exhale. “I’m friends with everyone because I’m so charming.” He grinned to prove the point. “The dark glasses are because it’s sunny here in California. And as for where I’m always running off to…” He held out his hand. “Come on then. I guess it’s time to show you what I’ve been doing in my spare time.”

Summer slipped her hand into his, her heart fluttering when he automatically curled his fingers around it. He led her across the school grounds to the far back corner, where she’d had her crying break down a little over a week ago. He pushed open the door to the band room and walked in. Motes of dust floated in the beam of light from the doorway, the air stale because the room didn’t have near enough windows.

“Mrs. Wilkes lets me practice during lunch and after school,” Troy said.

Practice?

Troy released her hand and moved to the lockers lining the wall. He retrieved a pair of drumsticks and sat down behind the drums. He sucked in a big breath, and then the sticks in his hands were moving across the surface, pounding out a rhythm. She moved closer as he played, feeling the beat vibrate across her skin. His eyes followed the quick movements, his brow wrinkled in concentration, and one corner of his mouth twitched up in an adorable half smile that changed with the beat. At the end of the song, he made a big booming finish, complete with tossing a stick in the air and catching it and an obligatory cymbal crash.

Troy grabbed the cymbal to silence it and shot her a devastatingly cute grin. “So, there you go. I play the drums.”

Summer ran her finger along the edge of the cymbal. “And why is this a big secret?”

“It’s not so much a secret as…Well, you know my mom would be horrified. She already hates that I’m always going to listen to bands play all the time—that I’m as into music as my dad was. At first I was just messing around. I tried the guitar first—not for me. But then I grabbed a pair of drumsticks, and from the first time I played, I was hooked. I’m not going to leave the people I love to do it, but I can see how easy it would be to get caught up in it.”

Summer placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’re a teenager in high school. You don’t have a family to take care of. It’s okay to pursue your dream.”

“I don’t think that’s what my mom will say.” He stared across the room for a moment, a million miles away. Then his eyes focused and he turned his attention back to the drums. “Okay, tell me what you think about this one I’ve been working on…” He banged out another rhythm, glancing over at her now and then as he played. Any second she’d turn into a puddle of a girl on the floor—as if he wasn’t hard enough to resist
before
he got behind a set of drums.

“Imagine it with some guitar mixed in, and you’ve got a song.”

Summer grinned at him. “You’re making magic.”

He titled his head. “Magic?”

“Music can transport you to another time with a couple of notes. It makes you feel the heartbreak or the love, right along with the singer. The right song speaks to your soul in a way nothing else can. It’s magic,” she whispered. Heat crept into her cheeks. She’d always believed that about music, but even in all her gush sessions with Troy, she’d never vocalized it like that.

Luckily, he nodded, a huge smile stretched on his perfect lips. “I couldn’t have put it better myself, Sunshine.”

Summer held out her hands. “Okay, hand over your sticks. I’ve always thought I should dye my hair hot pink and join a band. I probably should learn an instrument because I know I’ll never be a vocalist.”

Troy gave her the drumsticks and moved to the side.

Summer sat down and banged on the drums, thinking anything she did would sound at least semi-awesome. Instead, it sounded like a mess. “Hmm, it’s harder than it looks. That was pretty awful.”

“Hit it lighter. Hold the sticks loose, like this…” Troy slid behind her and put his arms around her to demonstrate how to hold the drumsticks.

Suddenly, she could care less about the drums. Their bodies were touching almost everywhere, his thighs pressed against the outside of hers, his chest against her back. She felt it rise and fall with his breaths, felt the exhale fall from his lips and stir her hair.

“Now hit this like…” Troy guided her hand, using it to tap the snare. His lips brushed her cheek when he spoke, sending a pleasant chill down her spine. “See, that sounds better. Try it out.”

Using her wrist to flick the drumstick, she repeated the hit. “Like that?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder to look at Troy. Only a few inches separated their lips. Her heart thumped once. Twice. Before she overthought and blew the moment, she decided to go for it. She closed the gap and pressed her mouth to his. Both sticks clattered to the ground as she twisted toward him. His hand slid behind her neck, pulling her closer. Heat coiled through her body as she parted her lips and deepened the kiss. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, running it across her top lip.

Someone pushed against the door, the sound echoing off the walls.

Summer jumped up as people burst into the room. She was so dizzy from the kiss that she had to steady herself on a nearby chair. It took a couple of seconds for her brain to kick into gear.
If people are coming in for class…
She looked at the clock on the wall and saw she only had a few minutes to make it all the way to the other side of the school.

“Crap, I’ve got to get to my next class.” She glanced at Troy, who was staring up at her, a stunned look on his face. “I’ll, um, see you later.”

She rushed down the steps, pushed past a few stunned-looking freshmen trying to get into the room, and sprinted all the way to her next class. Mrs. Crawford was closing the door as Summer slipped inside. She fell into her desk, gasping for air. She didn’t have any of her materials, but she didn’t care.

I kissed Troy.
She lifted her hand to her still-tingling lips and smiled.
And he totally kissed me back.

***

All practice, the girls’ barbed remarks didn’t get to Summer. The insults simply bounced off her. Troy saturated her thoughts, blurring all her other problems. Her gut wouldn’t let her forget she needed to make things right with Ashlyn, though—she planned on calling her the second she got done with practice. Make that when she got home. Driving and talking on your cell could get you pulled over.

As soon as practice let out,
Summer walked outside, already formulating her apology to Ashlyn. When she saw Troy’s Jeep in the parking lot, her stomach got all fluttery, and her lips burned again with the memory of that kiss in the band room today. She pulled out her phone, thinking she’d call and see if he was almost done practicing his drums. Maybe even see if he’d like to give her another lesson.

Then she saw Troy.

And the volleyball player.

Summer’s heart dropped as she watched them talking and flirting.
I’m such an idiot. Like he’s going to give up all his other girls for me.
She couldn’t watch anymore, so she hid between the buildings. There was no way she was going to walk past the two of them right now. She was the girl he was around all the time—the one who talked to him about
you know.
It made Summer feel like an even bigger idiot for thinking they’d shared something more than a kiss today.

She pulled out her phone and dialed Ashlyn’s number. She swore when she got the voicemail. “Ashlyn, please pick up. I really need to talk to you. I’m sorry about everything, and I really need to hear your voice. Please call me back.”

Summer peeked around the corner. Troy opened the passenger-side door for the amazon-volleyball-player girl. He pulled out his phone as he walked around the Jeep. Summer’s phone rang, vibrating in her pocket. Eager to talk to Ashlyn, she dug it out.

Ashlyn’s name didn’t show up, though. Troy’s did.
He’s calling me while he’s practically on a date?
Maybe he wanted to tell her today was a mistake—try to sugarcoat his we’ll-just-be-friends spiel. Or maybe he wanted to keep her on the back burner with the rest of his girls. Either way, she couldn’t talk to him now. In fact, she felt like she’d never be able to talk to him again.

He climbed inside his Jeep and drove away, his and Cara’s outlines visible for a moment before they disappeared into the evening to do whatever they were going to do. Summer tried the text message approach with Ashlyn.