Page 120 of Paranoid

“The deal go down. The two kids by the gym? The black sack.”

Dylan was shaking his head slowly, back and forth. “You’ve got it all wrong.”

“Do I? Then explain.”

He hesitated. Swallowed hard.

“I thought so,” she said as she felt Reno step past her and begin sniffing at the floor.

He leaned back on the bed, closed his eyes, and banged his head twice on the headboard. “God, I’m such an idiot.”

She didn’t argue.

Sighing, he said, “It’s not drugs.”

“Good.”

“No, not good.” He swallowed hard. “It’s worse.”

“How could it possibly be worse?” she asked, and he bit his lip, looked away. Obviously he didn’t want to say. For a second she thought of the two women who had been killed recently. Surely her brother wasn’t into anything like that. Her pulse started pounding in dread.

He found her gaze. Held it. His face was white as a sheet. “You can’t tell Mom.”

“I won’t.”

“You promise?”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure. I promise.” She crossed her fingers.

“I hacked into the school computer system,” he admitted. “I’ve been selling tests and teacher’s notes and even . . . even fixing grades.”

“You’ve done what?”

“You heard me. I could be suspended or expelled or worse.... And you’re right, Mom and Dad would kill me.”

“Only if they found out.” The wheels were turning in her mind and her eyes narrowed as she considered all the options. “So then, what was in the bag yesterday?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Just a hard drive I fixed. I work on stuff and sell it. Refurbish it.”

“Like to who?”

“I dunno.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“I just don’t want to get anyone in trouble!”

“I said I won’t tell. So who?” she demanded.

“Just some guys.”

She waited.

“Friends. Like the guys you saw me with. Ryan. And Brent, you know, he lives a couple of blocks over, and Xander.”

“You sold computer stuff to Xander?”

“Well, him and Lucas, but come on. You can’t let Mom and Dad know, Harper. It’s got to be on the down low. You promised.”