Untraceable (45 page)

On the next turn, I pull over and unzip my backpack. As I rifle through the crap inside, I pray for something. Anything that might help piece everything together. Once and for all. I fish around until my fingers brush something.

Hidden all the way down at the bottom.

How could I have missed it?

I scan the area to be sure I’m alone before pulling out a small tube. I pop off the lid and tip it over, letting a stack of dirty papers slide out. I take off the rubber band and unroll them. Pages of maps, rows of numbers, and some kind of code.

Why did Mo give these to me? Did he want me to have them? Or did he know he was going to die and needed someone safe to take them?

I sift back through my memory bank, searching for any clue. Then it hits me. The reason I recognized Agent Sweeney is because he’s the same man from the woods. The one pushing the stretcher. The one who wouldn’t let me look at Mo’s body. The one wearing a blue blazer when the man with Tommy was sporting a white lab coat.

You don’t want to look at this one
.

Was Mo alive under that sheet? If so, why would Agent Sweeney sneak him out of those woods?

I sit down on Luci’s cracked leather seat before I can pass out. My limbs tremble as the facts and events from the last few weeks buzz through my mind in chronological order. I reevaluate everything I know about Mo. About the last few weeks. About everything he said.

I reach into my pocket and pull out the Alexandrite stone he gave me that night. I can almost hear his voice whispering it’s meaning in my ear.

A person carrying this stone is reminded that things are not always what they seem and must seek out the truth.

What was he trying to tell me? That he wasn’t working alone? That he was working undercover too?

I cover my mouth.
Is Mo still alive?

I smile to myself.

Because I think I already know the answer.

First, I’d like to thank the children’s book publishing industry for loving books as much as I do.

To Harold Underdown, Lexa Hillyer, Emily Lawrence, and Supriya Savkoor for helping me make this book the best it could be.

Alyssa Henkin, for all the time you spent supporting me and helping me grow as a writer.

I’d like to thank all the beautiful bloggers for their support.

The best part about being a writer is all the people I have metespecially The Bookanistas, The Hopefuls, The Calliope Circle, Southern Breeze, Midsouth, and all of SCBWI.

A special shout out to Lindsey Leavitt, Sarah Francis Hardy, Suzanne Young, Lisa and Laura Roecker, and Elana Johnson for their friendship and undying support since the early days.

To Kristin Tubb, Jennifer Jabaley, Beth Revis, Gretchen McNeil, and Megan Miranda for reading my book(s) and offering constructive feedback.

To Vania for her creativity and bringing this book to life.

To Katie Andersen, Jessica Dehart, and Nancy Tuttle, I would not be here without your advice, daily chats, and honesty.

To Beth, Catherine, and Amy for sharing my rants, tears, fears, and happiness throughout the years. No matter what.

To Kendra and Ursula for healing words & positive energy.

A special and heartfelt thanks to Kimberly Derting for believing in me and this book—sometimes more than I did. Her loyalty and friendship is priceless. (And, I’m so so glad she is NOT a big hairy guy who wears white skiffies.)

To my family, who has always been there for me:

Fiona for her encouragement and Jeff for not being afraid to tell me why my ideas would or would not work.

Gary and Michelle for always asking me WHEN, not IF, I was going to be published.

My dad for always pushing me and teaching me I could accomplish anything if I worked hard and never gave up.

My mom for being my friend and #1 fan. Thank you for reading my book(s) over and over again, yet always being excited as if it were the very first time.

To my sweet dog Bud (and Connor), I still miss having you at me feet; and to Charley, for picking up where Bud left off.

To the two best things I ever did in this world, Madelyn and Gray, thank you for the patience, unlimited giggles, hugs, and smiles. You gave me the inspiration and confidence to know I could create unbelievably special things.

To my wonderful hubby, best friend, and soulmate, Alistair, who has stood beside me every step of the way since I started this crazy rollercoaster ride. You’ve been the one person in this universe who believed in me more than I ever believed in myself. Thank you always encouraging me to keep writing—no matter how down and defeated I got.
Am byth a thu hwnt!

And, most importantly, to all my beautiful readers, I am so grateful to you and hope my words touch your heart in some small way.

Last, but certainly not least, to the Big Cheese upstairs, even though it may not always seem so, I thank you for the ironic moments, universal signs, twists and turns, and helping me find the strength and faith to continue - when I needed it most.