The Graduation Read Online Free

says he didn’t.”
    “He told you that?” Michael asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Do you believe him?” She looked him straight in the eye. Her dreaminess lessened. Indeed, she seemed suddenly cautious. “I do.”
    “But was he there, the night of the party?”
    “He said something about coming at the end.”
    Michael could hardly contain his excitement. “Was he up in the bedroom when Alice died?”
    She became slightly annoyed. “Why are you asking all these questions? I told you, I have a headache.”
    “I’m sorry, I was sort of pushy. Let me ask just a couple more and then I’ll help you find an aspirin.”
    “I don’t take aspirin. They make your stomach bleed. I have to save my blood to donate to the hospital.”
    “Was Clark in the room with Alice just before she died?”
    “No. He left when I left.” She put a hand to her temple—as she had done when he visited her last winter—and paled. “I wish you’d stop. Please stop.”
    It drove him nuts, to be so close and yet so far. “I have to ask you, Polly, if I’m ever to clear Alice’s name.”
    “She’s dead. She doesn’t care about her name. The dead don’t care about anything. The only one who cares is me.”
    “That’s not true. I care.”
    She paused, surprised. “You do?”
    “I really do. Polly.”
    She thought for a moment, then looked away. “Don’t go to the all-night party. Mike.”
    “Why not?”
    “Clark might come,” she answered.
    “Did he tell you he was coming?”
    “No.”
    “Then why do you think he will?”
    “I—I feel it. It’s a bad feeling.”
    “But I want to talk to him.”
    Polly shook her head. “He won’t talk to you.”
    “What will he do?”
    “I don’t know,” she said, standing, obviously up-set. “Excuse me, but I have to go to the bathroom.” She looked right and left, confused. “I hate this school. I come here and Alice shoots herself and then Aunty chokes on a pillow. It’s an awful place. It makes me want to throw up.”
    “Polly,” he began.
    “Just don’t get too close,” she cried, running away.
    Michael wondered if anything she had told him had been accurate.
    Bubba appeared a minute later, dressed to kill, except for an oversize sombrero that bobbled around on his head. Michael had not seen him in over a month. Bubba had lost a few pounds. Must be Clair’s doing. He sat beside Michael on the bench, a brown paper bag in his right hand, his yearbook in the left. Michael knew what was in the bag. He immediately glanced all around.
    “We’re alone,” Bubba said.
    Michael nodded at the sack. “You got it?”
    “I got it. Are you sure you want it?”
    “Where did you get it?”
    “Kats.” Bubba said.
    “Bubba! I told you no one is supposed to know.”
    “You only gave me a few days. Besides, I fed Kats a good story. Don’t worry.” Bubba glanced at the bag, appearing a tad worried himself. “You know, Mike, you’re a smart guy, but I know a lot of smart guys who have done stupid things with one of these.”
    “I’ll be fine.”
    “If you’d tell me what you want it for, I might be able to give you some sage advice to keep you out of jail.”
    Michael held out his hand. “The less you know, the better for you.”
    Bubba reluctantly gave him the package. “Every-thing’s inside. The keys, too.”
    Earlier in the week Michael had asked Bubba to slip into Polly’s school locker, borrow her purse, and make a copy of her house keys. Michael wanted another look at the bedroom where Alice had died, but wasn’t fond of the idea of breaking into the McCoy residence. “I appreciate it.”
    “What are Bubbas for? I hear Maria’s coming to the ceremony.”
    “Did Nick tell you?”
    “No. A confidential source. Do you have your speech ready?”
    “I haven’t given it a moment’s thought. Hey, what am I doing as valedictorian anyway? What happened to Dale Jensen? Did he get a C in a class or what?”
    “He got busted.”
    “When? How?”
    “Tuesday night.