Kiss and Tell(28)

“Well, whoever is sending us these dares, we just left his surveillance shed,” Tenley told her. She quickly filled Sydney in on everything they’d found.

“That proves it,” Sydney breathed. Her voice dimmed on the speakerphone, then grew louder again. “My dad can barely use a computer, let alone set up surveillance. It’s Sam we want. He must have set up my dad.”

“Spawn!” Emerson said suddenly. “That’s what Sydney’s second note said, right? The reason the darer chose her? It’s because your Matt’s kid, Sydney. Sam must really hate your dad. I wonder if that’s why he set up his shed across the street from his house.”

“Wait.” Tenley pressed too hard on the gas, making Emerson fly back in her seat. “Think about the darer’s reason for choosing Emerson. Just like her. Meryl Bauer dated Matt, according to his trophy box, right? Maybe Sydney’s in the game because she’s Matt’s daughter, and Emerson’s in the game because she dated Matt. You’re just like Meryl, Em.” She glanced over at Emerson. Tenley’s own horror was reflected back on her friend’s face.

“We need to go to the police,” Emerson said tightly.

“With what?” Tenley shook her head in frustration. “That shed proves we have a stalker, but it’s like you said: without the computer memory, there’s nothing to connect it to Sam.”

“Maybe he left fingerprints behind?” Even through the speakerphone, Tenley could hear the doubt penetrating Sydney’s voice. Their darer was nothing if not meticulous.

“We have to at least try,” Emerson said angrily. “We’ll show the cops my pictures of the shed and tell them we’re sure it belongs to Sam.”

“And if they don’t believe us?” Tenley shot back. She took another turn, speeding toward Emerson’s house. “I was just at the station being questioned about drugging Jessie. My credibility is shot.”

“So is mine,” Sydney groaned. “The cops accused me of starting the fire at my dad’s place.”

“If they don’t believe us, and they take their time hunting down Sam…” Tenley trailed off, the words sticking in her throat.

“Then Sam will have plenty of time to hunt us down instead,” Emerson finished.

“And punish us for disobeying,” Sydney added.

Tenley pounded her fists against the steering wheel. “We need a visible lead—something that will give the cops no other option but to look into Sam.”

“The backup server!” Emerson burst out. “That’s what the computers said before they were wiped, right? ‘Files transferred to backup server.’ If we could find that server, it would have to lead to Sam!”

“Especially,” Tenley said slowly, “if it was in Sam’s office.”

“I’ve been in Sam’s office before with Calum.” Sydney’s voice filtered loudly over the phone. “There were lots of computers and printers in there. Maybe it’s on one of them?”

“You’ve been in Calum’s basement?” Tenley asked.

“No.” Sydney sounded confused. “The office was upstairs.”

“Not this one. At Calum’s party, he said no one could go in the basement, because his dad has some office down there.” Tenley paused. “Why would Sam care so much about keeping people out of his basement office, but not his upstairs office?”

“Maybe because his basement office houses his stalker server.” Emerson drummed her fingers against the window in a restless pattern. “If we could find the server and call the police while we’re there, they’d have to come check it out.” Emerson blew out an angry breath. “But there’s no way we’re getting into the Bauers’ house.”

“Maybe there is,” Sydney said. “Calum and his dad are at an awards ceremony all night, remember?”

“Yeah, I also remember that Neddles Island is barricaded like Fort Knox,” Tenley replied.

“Except that I know the code to the gate,” Sydney shot back.

Sydney’s words made Tenley’s breath catch in her throat. “What did you just say?”

“I know the code,” Sydney repeated hurriedly. “Calum gave it to me a while ago, when I went over his house. That time I saw his dad’s upstairs office. It’s his mom’s name: Cassandra.”

“It’s risky,” Emerson said.

“Doing nothing is even riskier,” Tenley argued. “If we go to the cops without a real lead, then we’re just sitting ducks once again. This is our chance to finally end this.” Out of the corner of her eyes, Tenley saw Emerson nod.

The car’s tires screeched as Tenley made a U-turn toward Neddles Island. “I’ll meet you there,” Sydney said on the other end of the line.

“No.” Tenley gripped the wheel tightly, making the color flee from her knuckles. “We’re closer. And of all of us, you’re on the thinnest ice with the police. You stay at your place. We need someone to be our check-in call.”

She took a deep breath as she slammed on the gas pedal and accelerated toward Neddles Island.




There was an eerie perfection to the inside of the Bauer mansion. All the surfaces gleamed, the chandeliers glittered, and there wasn’t a single item out of place: no strewn couch cushions or dirty dishes in sight. Any evidence of last night’s party was gone. It made it seem as if no one lived there at all.

There had been a moment of panic on the bridge when Tenley had punched in Cassandra and the gate hadn’t opened. “He changed the password,” Tenley had moaned. “Of course he did.”

Emerson had tried to convince her it was a sign, but Tenley had refused to give up. She’d tried Calum, then Bauer. Finally, on the fourth try, she’d gotten it: Meryl. After that, getting into the house had been easy; apparently when your home was gated, it wasn’t necessary to lock the door. Now Tenley moved quietly through the house, wishing Emerson was with her. But someone needed to keep watch from the car.

She pulled her sweater over her hand before opening the door to the basement. She didn’t plan on leaving any fingerprints behind. The room loomed below her: a dark descent. She gripped the banister tightly and started down.

In the basement, it was too dark to see anything. Tenley’s breathing became shallow as she felt around for a light switch. Once she found it, the dim overhead light flickered on.

There were no computers, no high-tech equipment, no office paraphernalia at all.

Tenley looked around, confused. The room was filled with workout equipment. There was a treadmill, a rowing machine, a punching bag, and several racks of weights. The disappointment was crushing. Sam Bauer’s private office was a home gym?

She had just started picking her way toward the back of the room when a distant noise stopped her.

A car. She could hear the rattle of the Bauers’ one-lane bridge as the car trundled over it. She froze, listening hard. The car came to a stop. There was a pause, then the whine of the iron gate as it swung open. Tenley grabbed frantically for her phone. Where was Emerson? She was supposed to be keeping watch! Why hadn’t she warned her?

She had no missed calls or texts. Update??? she texted Emerson. She didn’t have time to wait for an answer. She could hear footsteps making their way down the driveway. They were hard, stomping footsteps—footsteps that definitely didn’t belong to Emerson. They drew rapidly closer, until they were climbing the deck to the house.

Tenley’s eyes flew to the basement door. It was hanging wide open. She heard footsteps upstairs advance inside. There was no time to make a run for it, or even to close the door. She had to hide. Her gaze landed on a closet in the corner of the room. It was her best shot.

She sprinted for it, clicking the door shut softly behind her. It was dark inside the closet, only a sliver of light stretching under the crack. A strange smell permeated the space, making Tenley wrinkle up her nose.

She could hear the footsteps working their way across the house upstairs. Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the darkness. The outline of coats and linens flickered in her vision. Her heart plunged as she noticed a small, furry form. She covered her mouth, trapping her scream inside. It was just a stuffed bear.

Above, the footsteps moved steadily toward the basement. If only she’d thought to turn off its light! But it was too late now. She slunk backward, trying to will herself into nothingness.

Her foot tangled with something on the ground. She grabbed wildly for the clothing rod, but she missed. Her phone slipped from her grip as she stumbled backward. She landed hard against the back wall. Pain shot down her arm and up her leg, but she was too numb to react to it, because the footsteps were louder, they were closer. They were right above. She was just about to grab a coat to hide under when she felt a strange buckling in the wall.

She twisted around. The wall looked normal. She shoved her palms against it and pushed. Nothing. The footsteps paused at the top of the basement stairs. “Hello?” The voice that reached the closet was muffled and unfamiliar, but there was no doubt: It was a man’s voice. “Someone down there?”

Tenley didn’t have time to think. She rammed her shoulder into the wall. Pain pulsed through her as it shifted under her weight, revealing a crack where it didn’t quite meet the carpeted floor.