Speak No Evil-Gifted 6 Read Free Page B

Gaga,’ Amanda declared. ‘Personally, I think she looks kind of sleazy.’
    ‘And what Madame said about doing something good with our gifts – OK, maybe for some of the others that could work. But the only good thing that ever came out of my gift was helping that kid find the lottery ticket his father had hidden before he died. And that was just a fluke – it’s not going to happen again.’
    ‘We don’t belong in that class, Ken,’ Amanda said.
    ‘I know,’ Ken said. ‘But how are we going to get out of it?’
    This was the perfect opportunity to invite him over to her place to discuss the matter. But they were approaching her locker now, and Amanda’s heart sank when she saw Nina standing there, obviously waiting for her.
    It was a funny thing about Nina. She’d been part of Amanda’s clique since forever, but she wasn’t exactly a friend. What was that word she’d heard on Gossip Girl? Frenemy. That’s what Nina was. They hung out together, but Amanda didn’t trust her.
    Still, she forced a thin smile to greet the girl. ‘Hi, what’s up?’
    ‘My mom’s picking me up to go to the mall. Want to come?’
    Amanda groaned inwardly. If she said ‘yes’, she couldn’t invite Ken over. If she said ‘no’, she’d have to give Nina an excuse, that she already had plans – which meant she couldn’t invite Ken over.
    ‘Yeah, OK,’ she said without much enthusiasm. She opened her locker.
    ‘How ya doing, Ken?’ Nina asked.
    ‘OK,’ Ken said.
    ‘I was just thinking about you,’ Nina went on.
    ‘Yeah? Why?’
    Nina shook her head sadly. ‘Meadowbrook’s soccer team is so pitiful this season. They’d be doing so much better if you were still playing.’
    Ken gave her a modest smile. ‘I don’t know about that. I wish I could play, but I can’t get the medical clearance. Because of my ankle.’
    ‘Ken was in a bad accident in September,’ Amanda told Nina.
    ‘I know, I remember,’ Nina said, glancing at her briefly. Then she turned her full attention back to Ken. ‘I was so worried about you.’
    Ken seemed surprised. ‘Yeah?’
    Amanda was more than surprised. Nina had never said one word about Ken’s accident. She eyed Nina suspiciously. Was she flirting? And what was that flush spreading across Ken’s face? Was he enjoying this? She slammed her locker door shut.
    ‘I’m ready,’ she said shortly. ‘Let’s go. See ya, Ken.’
    ‘Bye, Ken,’ Nina said. She linked her arm through Amanda’s arm. Amanda turned her head to give Ken a private, parting smile, but he’d already turned in the opposite direction. What was he thinking after that little encounter? she wondered.
    She could certainly see where Jenna’s gift could come in handy . . .

C HAPTER T HREE
     
    O N TUESDAY MORNING, CARTER woke up. He got out of bed, he went to the basin, he filled the cup and watered the plant. He brushed his teeth, he got dressed, and he went to the dining room. He ate his breakfast, he watched the clock, and when the time was right, he went to Dr Paley’s office.
    ‘Good morning, Carter.’ The doctor’s back was to the boy as he adjusted the video camera. ‘I want to try something new with you today.’ He turned to face Carter. ‘There is a procedure in which a sleep-like condition is induced in the subject. In this condition, the subject is highly susceptible to the suggestions of the doctor. This condition is called hypnosis.’
    Carter stiffened. He knew that word. That word could make bad things happen. Dr Paley’s eyebrows went up.
    Ah, I see that word disturbs you, and I think I know why. Serena Hancock used hypnosis to make you talk. But it’s possible that what Serena used was a counter-hypnosis process. Let me explain my theory.’
    He pulled out the chair that he normally sat on from behind the desk and placed it in the centre of the room. Then he turned the chair that Carter always sat in to face it, and he motioned for Carter to sit down.
    Carter didn’t move. His