NovelEnglish“The police had been finding a troubling pattern in their investigation into the rash of missing teenagers. Each one had left home willingly, ventured to some off-the-grid location, and then vanished without a trace. There's footage. They all had this vacant stare, like they'd been drugged or something," Finn said, tossing a stack of printouts on my desk.
"And all of them, at some point, had crossed paths with Phoebe." I looked up sharply at Finn. "What are you implying?" "Every one of these missing kids was on the autism spectrum, prodigies in their own right but introverted, not big on socializing. Their parents hired tutors, teenagers like them, to help socialize them. Before Phoebe turned eighteen, she was a tutor to these kids." Finn frowned, his implication hanging in the air. Was Phoebe connected to the disappearances? "That's impossible..." My head started pounding, and a ringing filled my ears.
"Phoebe was just a regular student. She couldn't possibly tutor prodigies..." | couldn't believe it. | was no prodigy. Just an average student.
Just a regular kid cramming for college entrance exams.
"But that was her facade." Finn sneered, scrolling through images on his phone. "These are test papers from our Genius Class. The handwriting for the questions is Caleb's, but look at the answers." | took Finn's phone, my breath catching at the sight. That handwriting looked like mine.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Phoebe was a genius, masquerading as an ordinary student.” Finn's voice was icy. He always suspected there was more to Phoebe.
"I got these from Caleb's stash; he treasures them. He won't admit it was Phoebe who answered them, but the handwriting doesn't lie. She aced everything—she was one of those full- score freaks." To Finn, anyone who scored full marks in the Genius Class
was more monster than human.
If it weren't for Phoebe's death, rendering her beyond suspicion, she would've been a prime suspect.
"Phoebe was a genius, especially in chemistry. She could concoct mind-altering drugs from basic ingredients, drugs that could make people compliant, and do it under the radar, leaving the cops clueless." Finn's theory sounded like a wild guess. He speculated that | had created some drug to make the autistic kids comply, to leave home willingly and then get snatched away where no eyes could see.
Holding Finn's phone, my hands trembled.
Impossible... | couldn't believe it.
At that time, | wasn't even of age.
How could | have done such things? I had no memory of it.
"My head... it's splitting..." Suddenly, the pain escalated, as if my skull would crack open.
"Foebe?" Finn watched me sway, his expression a mix of skepticism and annoyance.
| steadied myself against the bed, the room spinning.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Phoebe!" Dexter's voice, frantic, came from the doorway. He must've heard about my car accident and Julian whisking me away.
Dexter shot Finn a warning glance before scooping me up in his arms.
| was too weak to resist, my head throbbing as if it might explode.
"Phoebe, are you okay?" When | came to, Dexter was at my bedside, his eyes filled with concern.
"I told you he couldn't protect you," Dexter murmured, his voice tinged with guilt and regret.
Regret that | didn't stick with the Fitzgerald family, that | left ‘with Caleb.
Ignoring Dexter, | closed my eyes again.
A voice echoed in my mind, relentless, "You can't escape, Phoebe." "Foebe's awake?" Finn's voice drifted in as he entered, questioning Robin and Stella at the door.
Stella glared at Finn. "What did you do to upset her this time?" Finn looked innocently baffled. "I just shared what | found about Phoebe! | have a legitimate suspicion that she was a genius and connected to the disappearance of those prodigies!" Stella looked at Finn as if he'd lost his mind. "Is there ‘something wrong with you? Sure, Phoebe was a good student, top of our class, but a genius of the sort you're talking about? Not even close! Plus, she'd cry for days over a stray cat's death. You think she's involved in human trafficking?"
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