Page 102 of Pretty Broken Dolls

“Why did you send that text message?”

“I didn’t. Katie, are you okay?”

“Lizzy, I’m looking at this message you sent a minute before I called. It says, ‘Dead and gone.’”

“I never sent it, Katie. You sure it’s from my number?”

“Yes.”

“I would never send something like that.”

Katie knew in her own mind that Lizzy wouldn’t have sent it, but she felt that all of a sudden she couldn’t trust her own judgment. Who sent it? And why?

“I’m sorry, Lizzy. I was mistaken. It’s been a long couple of days. I’m sorry.” Even though she knew the message came from Lizzy’s phone number—or did it? There was more going on and she was going to get to the source, but she didn’t want to worry her friend so she made light of it.

“Katie? You doing okay?”

“Yeah, just a rough day, that’s all. I’ll call you later. Okay?”

“Sure. Talk to you soon.”

The phone connection went dead.

Katie sat there with her phone in her hand for several minutes still looking at the text message.

Dead and gone.

Chapter Forty

Friday 0935 hours

Katie burst through the office door. “I almost forgot about this until last night. I know that you’re concerned about me, but sending a text saying, ‘You’re the bait’ isn’t funny.” She had forgotten about mentioning it to McGaven—thinking he was joking with her—but now this one from Lizzy confirmed there was something going on.

McGaven looked up from his screen. There were more papers scattered across his desk than before. “What are you talking about?”

“This,” she said, showing him the text with his cell number ID.

“I didn’t send that.”

“Who did? It’s your cell number.”

“I’m telling you, Katie, I didn’t send that text. Why would I do that?”

“How is this possible?” she said and put her phone down like it was radioactive. “What’s going on? Who is sending these?”

“What do you mean ‘these’? Have there been more?” he asked, clearly concerned.

Katie calmed her nerves. It was just a text. “Well, yes. Last night I received a text, which I thought was from my friend Lizzy. It has her name and cell number ID.”

“What did it say?”

“It said, ‘Dead and gone,’ like the email at Darla Winchell’s parents’ house. Sadie said it too.”

McGaven picked up Katie’s phone. “Can I look?”

“Of course,” she said.

He examined her contact list, phone numbers, and texts. Then he pulled up his name on the contact list and sent a text to himself. “Everything okay.” Taking his own cell phone, he sent a text to Katie. The message came in. Examining it, he said, “I think your phone has been cloned or spoofed.”