Adventures in Funeral Crashing (Complete Novel)

Chapter 18: Suspecting

I managed to avoid Ariel all morning after our bizarre run in, so it was a good day. I hadn't seen Ethan either, so it wasn't a great day (even if we were still in a fight), but all in all, I was in an okay mood by the time I made it to Chemistry class, fourth period.

I was one of the first ones to walk into class, but I noticed Suzie was already at her desk reading the end of Pride and Prejudice. She was so engrossed in it that she didn't even notice me walk in. I went to my lab table and set my books down. That's when my mind did a double take. I looked back at Suzie again, who still hadn't looked up from her book. Yes, it was definitely Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen that she was reading. That was an odd coincidence.

Don't get me wrong. Jane Austen is a great writer and I'm sure many people enjoy her books (I know I do), but come on, this is high school. What are the odds of Suzie Whitsett reading that book at the same time that I got a harassing email from its long dead author? Was it a coincidence or was there more to it? And, Suzie had admitted to also reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley around the time of the first murder, not to mention that Suzie was one of the last people to see Liz O'Reilly alive at the Palos Animal Shelter Adoption Fair in the park.

Now, I couldn't imagine Suzie having anything to do with the murders, but there were a lot of weird coincidences. I also couldn't ignore the idea that sometimes the quietest ones could be the most deadly. I looked back at her. I knew that Suzie had known at least two of the victims. Did she know Troy? Suzie mentioned that Liz had talked about him, but I hadn't asked her if she knew him. Did Suzie have any sort of a motive to try and murder those girls? I thought for a moment and then before I could convince myself not to, I walked toward Suzie.

"Hey Suzie," I said, walking up to her lab table.

Suzie looked up from her book. "What's up?"

"Did you know Troy at all? Liz's boyfriend?" I asked.

"Wha-a-t?" Suzie stammered nervously and put down her book.

"Did you ever meet Troy Matthews?" I asked again.

"Once," Suzie admitted after a moment.

"When?" I asked.

"At the animal shelter," Suzie offered.

"What was he doing there?" I sat down next to her.

Suzie shifted her chair a fraction of an inch away from me. "He was there visiting Liz."

I pressed on, "What did you think of him?"

Suzie shrugged, "He was cute, but I know he wouldn't go for me or anything."

I raised my eyebrows, "Why not?"

"Most guys don't," Suzie admitted, looking sad. "I'm too quiet and shy people say, but they just usually don't."

I knew how Suzie felt on that account. Guys didn't normally fall all over themselves for me either. At least, not until last night, when they got into a fight over me. That was an anomaly, though.

"I hear you," I said, trying to think of my next question.

 Suzie seemed suddenly anxious. Was I getting to her? I wasn't even sure what I was getting at. Was she crazy over Troy too? Were all girls? What was it about him? I felt like I was in that movie There's Something About Mary except Troy was Mary. Although, even I had to admit...Troy was pretty cute.

And then Suzie suddenly blurted it out, "So, I was talking to the girls at the Animal Shelter yesterday and Jenna kept telling me I should just ask Kyle to Homecoming. She was really crazy adamant about going after a guy if you liked him. Anyway, so I thought I'd ask you since you talk to him every day."