Chapter 18: A New Piece of Evidence

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Empty cereal bowls drowned in the gray sink water, as Brooke marched upstairs to grind some medicinal and poisonous herbs for their mission

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Empty cereal bowls drowned in the gray sink water, as Brooke marched upstairs to grind some medicinal and poisonous herbs for their mission.

Caleb is taking a long shower, but he was too depressed to sing the Backstreet Boys. In the meantime, Nessa and Johnny Phoenix were busy putting their dirty garments in the laundry machine.

It was a good thing Brooke had taught the siblings how to wash their clothes, or else the appliances would have gone up in flames.

Drowning the noise downstairs was Caleb's heavy boombox, playing Brandy Norwood's classics from three years ago.

Brooke grinned; her eyes analyzed the herbal jars, but her head wouldn't stop bobbing to Brandy's music.

Retrieving a box from the closet shelf, Brooke picks up the jars of herbs and sets them next to the king-sized mattress.

Next, she carefully lays out fresh plants on the floor. Finally, Brooke reaches into her backpack and pulls out a book of plants her mother had given to her for her seventeenth birthday.

The pages smelled like lavender, but its paperback book cover was coated in dirt, pencil markings, and coffee stains-no thanks to Brooke.

Regardless, she would write notes on the pages documenting the pros and cons of which herbs were safe to eat.

Brushing the first page with her index finger, a patient Brooke scanned the words when she foresees Johnny moving toward the door.

"It's already open, Johnny!" she called out, reducing the volume.

Holy shit. Johnny thought as he lowers his fist. He was surprised Brooke had caught him standing right behind her.

No one can pick up his movements so fast.

Opening the door, Johnny asked, "how did you know it was me?"

"You move pretty slow," Brooke observes, giggling under her breath.

She shuts the book, puts away the plants, and placed the jars on the floor. "Besides," Brooke adds, "you never come in my room unless you need something from me."

Johnny scoffs. "No, I don't."

"After we broke up, you keep coming over to my dorm room, asking me if I was finished grinding your medicinal herbs for our assignments."

"You are the best healer in junior high."

Brooke wears a fake smile. "That doesn't mean that you can burst into my dorm room without knocking."

"Heh, sorry."

"All is forgiven. So, what brings you here?"

Caleb and Brooke's bedroom is neater than Nessa's. Apart from their different tastes in music posters, Brooke organizes everything to a T while Caleb tidies the bed and vacuums the floor.

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