The Secret Girl (Adamson All-Boys Academy #1) - C.M. Stunich Page 0,109

the face.

There's a masculine grunt, and then the jerk's up and stumbling, snatching his companion by the sleeve and yanking him back toward us. They leap right over Church, and then they're just … gone.

The other boys come up the stairs as I help Church to his feet, grabbing some paper towels to clean the blood off.

“Where did they go?” Ranger asks, panting, but I shake my head.

“I have no idea.” But then we all see it, just the tiniest droplets of red. And this time they're not coming from me. “I must've hurt that guy when I hit him with this,” I say, holding up the weapon.

“Here,” Tobias says, pointing up at the attic door above his head. He reaches up and pulls on the rope, opening it and dropping the ladder. “Micah, let's check it out.”

The twins climb up as I scramble into the bathroom because, you know, period problems. When I come out and wash my hands, Church is all cleaned up and waiting for me.

“They definitely came in this way,” Tobias calls down as we form a small semi-circle around the ladder. “There's a hole that leads into one of the bedrooms, I kid you not.”

Ranger and Church exchange a look.

“Can we get dressed and follow it?” I ask, a little too excited at the prospect of tracking these pieces of shit down. “I mean, after I change out of these.” I pinch the pajamas between two fingers and sigh. Ranger looks back at me, face tightening up. Sometimes when he looks at me, I feel like maybe he sees his sister in my place. I wish he didn’t. Not because I don’t like the feeling of being protected, but …

“It seems like it’s you in particular that they’re after,” he says, his voice a low, deep growl. “Stay here with Church, and we’ll go after them. You guys can call Nathan the creeper, and the headmaster.”

“So I can get sent away, and these idiots walk? Not happening. I’m getting dressed.” Ranger opens his mouth to protest, but I’m already slipping into my room and slamming the door. I get dressed in my uniform, taking the bag with the weapons and my phone along with me. When I come back out, Church is looking over the banister to the floor below as the twins come jogging back up it.

“Well?” he asks, as they exchange a look before turning back to him.

“The hole goes into Mark Grandam’s room. He’s not there, obviously, and none of his friends are answering. Then again, it’s technically the start of spring break today. They might all have left after the physical.” Tobias tousles his red-orange hair and closes his eyes for a moment before he reopens them. “Spencer’s still not back either, or I’d ask him about this, but … the hole in Mark’s ceiling looks pretty fresh. I don’t think it’s been there long. It may just be coincidence.”

“Was there anymore blood outside his bedroom door?” Church asks as I dial up my dad’s number and wait. All I get is his voicemail, but I guess that’s not surprising considering the hour. The next person I call is Nathan, the watchman, but even he’s not answering. Hmm. Church glances back at me, but he doesn’t bother to ask. I think he can tell by the look on my face that I couldn’t get ahold of anyone.

“Just a little,” Micah says, shrugging. “It seems to head for the stairs, but that’s where we lost them.”

“Fuck.” Ranger starts down the steps, and we all follow, all the way to the bottom floor. Outside, it’s still pouring rain, and the storm doesn’t look like it’s getting any better. We all sort of mill around for a moment before Ranger spots a bloodied handprint on the wall. “What in the hell …” He glances back at us, and I shrug.

“Maybe the guy I hurt touched his face and then touched the wall …?” I trail off because that’s just a random guess of mine. Ranger turns back to look at the print and then follows it around the corner and down the hall, the rest of us trailing behind him. There’s a door at the end that leads into an administrative office. Papers are flung all over the floor, and a giant safe’s been pushed aside to reveal yet another door.

Ranger tries the handle, finds it locked, and then pauses, like something’s just occurred to him. Pulling the gold key from his pocket, he