Olivia sucked in a worried breath. There was only one thing in the cart: a big bag of candy. Perfectly normal for some people, maybe, but Lillian never ate candy.
What is going on?
As if she were asking herself the same question, Lillian suddenly came to a dead stop, nearly knocking into another woman’s cart.
‘Are you OK, honey?’ the other woman asked. ‘You look a little . . . lost.’
‘Oh . . . um . . .’ Lillian blinked, glancing around as if she’d only just realised she’d turned into the Newspaper & Magazines aisle. ‘I’ll be fine,’ she said. Then she added, in a lower voice, ‘I hope so, anyway.’
She’s clearly not used to doing a weekly grocery run, Olivia thought. At least not in the FoodMart.
Maybe that was it. Maybe Lillian was actually here for the vampires-only secret store hidden beneath the FoodMart. The BloodMart was where the local vampires went to buy their synthetic food. Since she hadn’t been in town long, though, maybe she’d forgotten which aisle held the secret door that the vamps used to get there – and of course, she wouldn’t be able to ask just any ordinary shopper for directions.
At least I can help her with that part, Olivia thought.
As the other shopper settled in to browse a cookbook, Olivia prepared to slip over and guide her stepmom to Aisle Twelve. She was just about to start forwards when she saw Lillian’s gaze suddenly focus on a book in the Life & Style section. She scooped it up from the stand, looked at the front cover – and burst out laughing.
It wasn’t happy laughter, though. There was an edge to it that made Olivia freeze in her hiding place.
Ohh-kay . . . Suddenly, she didn’t want to step forwards after all. This is really weird.
From her hiding place, she watched Lillian replace the Life & Style book, then wander across to the travel section and pick up something else. This time, Olivia was close enough to see the book’s title: Life Escapes.
‘Oh, that’s fabulous!’ The other shopper looked up from her cookbook to point at Life Escapes, smiling. ‘Especially if you’re looking for a change of direction.’
‘You could say that,’ Lillian murmured. She gave a secret smile as she put the book in her cart. The next moment, though, her shoulders slumped and her eyes seemed to glaze over again. With an audible sigh, she hauled the cart around and listlessly continued to another part of the store.
If Life Escapes made her smile, what was the book that made her burst out laughing? The moment that her stepmom disappeared from view, Olivia hurried down the aisle, veering around to avoid the other shopper’s cart.
Lillian’s first book was easy to find – but harder to interpret.
Careers: Fulfilling Your Potential!
Olivia felt a sick feeling of dread in her stomach. Lillian had gone from this to the travel section, hadn’t she? Following the same path, Olivia turned to pick up another copy of Life Escapes.
Was Lillian planning a vacation? Or . . . was it something much more serious?
‘And . . . cut!’ Camilla’s voice snapped through Olivia’s reverie. Her friend had reappeared, phone in hand – and she’d obviously been filming Olivia for the last few minutes.
‘Great choice to pick up the travel books!’ Camilla declared. ‘I take it all back about “improv”. You were brilliant!’
‘Sorry?’ Olivia stared at her. ‘I thought that you had –’
‘Run away?’ Camilla grimaced. ‘I kind of did. But when I saw Lillian heading in the other direction, I thought I’d come back for just one more take – and I’m so glad I did. You were fabulous! The whole symbolism of “escaping” because of the broken heart . . .’ She beamed. ‘. . . well, it couldn’t be more perfect for the Pall Bearers video!’
But why does Lillian want to escape? Olivia could barely force a smile as her friend rattled on and on about the music video.
If Lillian was secretly unhappy in Franklin Grove . . . what could Olivia do about it? I can’t say anything to my bio-dad. He’d be devastated! As for Ivy . . .
No, Olivia decided. I can’t tell her. Not until I have real proof. Ivy loved Lillian. The thought that their stepmom might want to leave . . . I can’t scare her like that.
And as for Camilla . . .
Olivia looked at her friend, who was racing on a mile-a-minute about symbolism, and she sighed. Camilla was too focused on her project to be much help.
It was up to Olivia to keep a careful eye on Lillian . . . and desperately hope that her new stepmom wasn’t planning a real escape.
Ivy braced herself the next morning as she stood outside the school guidance counsellor’s office. It was exactly the same spot where she’d overheard Olivia getting verbally ripped to pieces the day before. If Ms Milligan hated the nicest person in this school, then what’s she going to think of me?
An investigative reporter never let hostile sources get in her way, though, and neither would Ivy. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.
‘If it’s not a disaster, go away!’ the counsellor snapped.
Grimacing, Ivy knocked again.
A loud, pointed sigh sounded inside the room. ‘Fine. What is it?’
Forcing a smile, Ivy opened the door and stepped inside.
She almost stepped right back out again as she was met by the ferocious glare of the woman at the desk, an expression that made even Ivy’s patented death-squint look like a welcoming smile by comparison.
Wearing a no-nonsense grey trouser suit and huge glasses, Ms Milligan had to be at least six feet tall, and from the way she was scowling, she looked ready to expel Ivy right that moment for interrupting her.