“Should I type up a rebuttal?” Leona asked. “Calling out the imposter?”
I sighed. “Unfortunately, I don’t think we can. The copy-Kitten has our identities in her back pocket. We can’t go on offense until we know more.” I glanced down at the floor, noticing how my white sneakers covered up my toes—the toes that used to always be painted (badly). Now they were colorless.
“We need to set up surveillance,” I said quietly. “Starting with Chloe Ferril.” My stomach sank. I knew this would directly violate the promise I’d made to Aiden. Sure, technically I wasn’t restarting SOS, but it was still spying.
“You should do it.” Kira pointed, volunteering me as she smiled. “After all, Tess, you still owe her a little payback for the alarm clock incident.” She tapped her forehead with her index finger.
“Good point,” I replied. I wouldn’t mind catching the ex-vixen who tried to steal my ex-boyfriend (sort of). I turned to the squad, and as they looked back at me so attentively, I sighed. I wanted to do something more to help out my best friend. “Girls,” I pleaded. “While I check into Chloe, I need you all to do something for me. Kira’s been working really hard to get you prepped for homecoming. Can you please show her some more respect? This routine is our most important of the year.”
Kira let out a breathy noise next to me, and I felt her move closer. The squad looked around at each other guiltily and then nodded toward us, mumbling apologies to Kira. Well, except for Leona. She was picking at her nails.
“Great! Now go kick some tail!” I added, hoping to rev them up before practice. As they began to adjust their waistbands and hair ties, Kira leaned her shoulder into mine.
“Thanks, Tess,” she whispered. “Your support means a lot.” When I looked over to her, Kira’s blue eyes were brimming with tears, and I realized I’d missed the snot out of her. And the squad.
SOS CHANGE-OF6STATUSMEMO
CASE: 002
CLIENT: Jenn Duarte
Jenn Duarte originally contacted SOS about her boyfriend Riley Richards’s relationship with an unnamed female. The female was later identified as Megan Wright, her best friend. Although the cheating has not been confirmed, there is cause to continue the investigation.
However, the client has since been named a subject in another case. Ms. Duarte was observed with Tate Donovan, who is not her boyfriend.
This may be a case of mistaken identity or a double cheat. Right now, both Ms. Duarte and Mr. Richards are official suspects.
The investigation will resume immediately.
SOS
Text: 555-1863
Exposing Cheaters for Over Three Years
CHAPTER FOUR
KIRA SLAPPED HER HANDS TOGETHER TO SIGNAL the start of practice, her loud clap echoing through the gymnasium. Just then, a cell phone sounded from the bleachers—it had a techno ring tone. I tsked and looked sideways at her. I’d never allowed the girls to have their phones on in the gymnasium.
“That’s me,” Leona called, leaning over to dig through her backpack. “I had my tech guy trace the SOS e-mail to get an IP address.”
“Oh, well, good thinking,” I said, truly impressed. Leona was a better spy than even I had realized.
“Hello?” she said. “Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yep. Wait, what?” Leona’s eyes snapped up to mine.
“What is it?” I asked, my heart beginning to pound in my chest.
Leona continued to stare at me as she nodded, as if the guy on the other end of the line could see her. “Thanks, Greg,” she said absently into the phone. “I’m sure I can track down the rest of the information on my own. Talk to you later.” Leona lowered the phone to her lap and snapped it shut.
I could feel Kira standing there, swinging her head to look between Leona and me. “For Pete’s sake! What is going on?” she squeaked.
“What’s the IP address?” I asked, my voice near a whisper. Leona’s expression reminded me of that day when we’d gotten the fake cheater report on Aiden. Oh, no. Leona had bad news—onehundred percent.
“He said…” She paused and furrowed her brow. “He said that the SOS e-mail was linked to one of our accounts.” Kira reached out to take my arm, steadying herself.
“What?” I asked, Kira’s hands like ice on my skin. “Whose account was it?”
Leona looked down at the phone in her lap, then back up to meet my eyes, swallowing hard. “He said the e-mail came from your computer, Tess. That means…” She faltered. “The copy-Kitten has been in your house.”
Hot fudge sundae! With nuts.
This was not good. I touched my hand to my chest and gasped for breath. Someone had been on my computer. Someone had been in my house!
“I need to sit down,” I said, stumbling toward the bleachers, my sneakers squeaking on the wood floor. My entire world felt tilted.
The girls surrounded me, holding my arms as I sat down. Once there, Leona reached over to pat my thigh. “Hopefully they didn’t take pictures of you while you were sleeping or anything,” she said supportively.
“Leona!” Kira snapped.
“What?” she asked, holding up her hands. “I said hopefully.”
My brain was spinning like a pinwheel. Who would have had the nerve to break into my house? I closed my eyes. It was sort of like, how did I have the nerve to break into the houses of cheaters so many times? Could this be karma?
Leona tapped her shoe. “Tessa, you sure you didn’t know about the e-mails? I mean, they did come from your computer.”
She sounded completely suspicious! I couldn’t believe she’d ask me that. “No! Of course not.”
“You have been different lately, Tess,” Izzie agreed. “Maybe you have PTSOSD.”
“I don’t have post-traumatic SOS disorder! Girls, I promise you. I had nothing to do with this.”
“I believe her,” Kira said loudly. “I checked everyone’s phone records and social calendars against the dates of the e-mails. As far as I can tell, none of us could have done it.”
I exhaled. At least Kira was making sense.
“Sorry,” Izzie apologized to me. “I guess I’m just a little paranoid.”
“We all are,” Leona added.
Suddenly the muscle spasm struck again and I groaned, clutching my lower back.
“Oh, no!” Izzie screamed, nearly falling on top of me. “She’s having a seizure! Does anyone know CPR?”
“Stop,” I tried to say over the frantic squeals of the squad. “I’m fine, girls. Really. It’s just a muscle spasm.”