Revelation: A Private Novel (Private #8) - Softcover

Brian, Kate

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1416958835 ISBN 13: 9781416958833

Verlag: S&S Books for Young Readers, 2008

Inhaltsangabe

The biggest mystery of all...and Reed is dying to learn the truth.

Two months after Cheyenne Martin was found dead in her Billings House dorm room, exclusive Easton Academy is rocked by another stunning revelation: Cheyenne was murdered. No one knows who the killer is, but everyone agrees that Reed Brennan, who took over Cheyenne's role as Billings's president, gained the most from her death. Once the most powerful girl on campus, Reed is now powerless to stop her classmates' accusing whispers. Rumors begin to swirl that she killed Cheyenne.

And just like that, Reed is kicked out of Billings.

She's lost everything -- her friends, her home, her boyfriend -- and Reed knows the only way to get it all back is to figure out who really murdered Cheyenne. And she has to do it fast because the killer is still out there. The more Reed investigates, the more she uncovers. And as any Billings Girl knows...secrets can be deadly.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Kate Brian is the author of the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Private series and its spin-off series Privilege. She has also written many other books for teens including Sweet 16 and Megan Meade’s Guide to the McGowan Boys.

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Suspect Numero Uno

I skipped breakfast, spending the hour calming my nerves, adding to my list of evidence against Ivy, and sending Noelle an e-mail apologizing once again for what I had done. All I could do was hope that she would have an unguarded moment and read the message, and that my words might start to melt the ice wall she had put up between us. I finally headed out in time to make it to morning services at the ­chapel, where I sneaked in at the back of the crowd.

The vibe in the air was hushed, paranoid. Apparently everyone had heard about the murder investigation at breakfast. And if they hadn't, the two uniformed cops stationed near the doors of the chapel certainly set an eerie tone. "...police are taking over Dean Marcus's old office...."

"Are they going to interrogate everyone? I didn't even know the girl."

"...everyone knows who did it anyway -- "

When I heard that one, my head whipped around, but I couldn't tell who had said it. I was soon bustled right down the center aisle to the junior section, where I was about to sit in my usual pew -- until I realized it was a Billings pew. Instead, I took the one two rows back and tried to hold my head high.

"Hi, Reed," Constance whispered as she slid into the pew in front of mine. "How was your first night in your new room?" she asked, trying to sound all positive and upbeat.

"Fine," I lied, the back of my neck flushed with heat. I could practically feel Noelle watching us from a few rows back. I knew she wouldn't like the idea of Constance fraternizing with the enemy. "But the room itself is kind of dark and depressing."

"I missed you," Sabine added as she joined Constance. "It was so odd, sleeping in that room alone."

A lump of sorrow filled my throat, nearly choking me. Meanwhile, Missy shot me a death glare as she, Lorna, Astrid, and Kiki filed in next to Sabine.

"You guys better quit it," Missy hissed to my friends while ­glancing at me. "Noelle will eat you alive for talking to her."

My heart squeezed tightly in my chest.

"I don't care what Noelle thinks," Sabine said defiantly.

"No, you guys, Missy's right," I said, as much as it pained me to agree with her. "You don't want to get on her bad side right now. I'm fine. Just...face forward."

Constance and Sabine turned their backs to me reluctantly and I slumped against the hard pew. A few other juniors filled in the seats to my right, all eyeing me with curiosity, wondering why I was in their row. I supposed the news of my expulsion from Billings hadn't completely made the rounds yet. Either that or they were still obsessing over the Reed-and-Dash-seminude show they had all gotten to see. I had been the subject of whispers and stares ever since the night of the fund-raiser.

"Good morning, faculty and students of Easton Academy!" Headmaster Cromwell announced, taking his spot behind the podium.

"Good morning, Headmaster Cromwell," we dutifully recited.

With a nod, our fearless leader got right down to the morning announcements. He wore a gray suit and blue tie this morning, along with his ever-present American flag tie tack. His white hair was perfectly slicked back from his face and his voice boomed throughout the chapel as always, but I noticed something different about him. There was something almost jaunty in the way he spoke and held his head. Like Mr. Serious was actually excited about something.

How was that possible, when we had another murder on our hands and the Easton Police Department taking over offices in Hell Hall so they could question students?"And now, a final announcement that I'm hoping will bring a bit of levity to our lives here at Easton," he said, looking across the room. A never-before-seen sparkle danced in his normally dead blue eyes. "This year I have decided to reinstate an old Easton Academy tradition -- the Easton Academy Holiday Dinner."

Instantly, the entire chapel filled with an excited buzz. Everyone, it seemed, knew what this dinner was -- all except me.

"For those of you who are new to our community, the Easton ­Academy Holiday Dinner is a catered banquet held in the dining hall. There will be traditional holiday fair and decorations, the ­Easton Academy Chorale will treat us to a holiday concert, and everyone will have a chance to relax and unwind before finals. All students and faculty are invited. In my day this dinner was the social event of the season. I'm hoping it will be that again."

The buzzing intensified as the girls around me started gabbing about how their mothers and grandmothers had always talked about the Holiday Dinner and how fabulous it was. I was surprised my classmates could get so excited about a dinner in the cafeteria.

"The dinner will be held next Friday night. Dress will be formal," the headmaster continued. "Also, each student will be receiving a special note in his or her mailbox this afternoon. This note will contain the name of another Easton student. You are to select a gift for this student and bring it, wrapped in holiday paper, to the dinner, to be placed under the Easton tree."

"Yay! Presents!" Lorna said, clapping her hands. "I hope someone good gets me."

Now the talking was at an all-time high. Headmaster Cromwell raised his large hands and called for silence. Instantly, the chapel went quiet. We were all used to following his demands by now.

"Finally," he said, "the Holiday Dinner also includes a toasting hour, one of my favorite traditions. During this hour any student who wishes to do so will have the opportunity to stand up and toast another member of the Easton community, whether it be for their service to the school or their academic achievement or their steadfast friendship. It is an honor to be singled out during toasting hour, so if you intend to speak for someone, please prepare your toast in advance. Your speeches should be eloquent and from the heart. Anyone giving an inappropriate speech will, of course, be dealt with accordingly. That is all."

"Leave it to Cromwell to end on a sour note," Lorna said under her breath.

Still, everyone around me was chatting happily, and smiles abounded. I couldn't help thinking that, for once, the Crom had gotten it right. This dinner was exactly what Easton needed. Something to look forward to. Something to get our minds off Cheyenne's murder investigation.

As soon as we were dismissed, I jumped up and exited the chapel as fast as I could. Outside, the bright sun bounced off the white blanket of snow covering the quad, nearly blinding me. I had to close my eyes for a split second, and my foot came down on someone else's. Blinking, I could just make out the purple-y shadow of Amberly Carmichael, freshman and heir to the Coffee Carma empire. I was just opening my mouth to apologize when she cut me off.

"Watch it," she snapped, yanking a white wool cap over her wavy blond hair. "I don't want to be your next victim."

Her two sidekicks, who always hovered behind her, laughed before they all sauntered off. For a second, I didn't move. I was too stunned. Since when did Amberly talk to me that way? Since when did any freshman talk to any upperclassman that way? And next victim? What was that about?

I looked around at the crowd still pouring through the doors. ­Several people who had been looking at me looked away, and a few sophomore girls hanging out near the outer wall of the chapel sneered in my direction. I saw Detective Hauer coming my way with a ­uniformed police officer and my pulse froze in my veins.

Please. Not here.

They walked right by me. But that was when I heard the whispers.

"That's her."

"She totally did it."

"...capable of anything."

"Psycho whore, basically. That's what we should call her."

My...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: S&S Books for Young Readers
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2008
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1416958835
• ISBN 13: 9781416958833
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 288
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Simon and Schuster Netherlands BV; info@simonandschuster.nl; ; Herculesplein 96; Utrecht; 3584 AA; Niederlande