The Cheater Read Free Page A

jumped.
    â€œI’ll get it!” she cried, running to the phone.
    â€œHello?”
    â€œHello, Melanie?”
    Melanie was Carter’s mother. “This is her daughter,” Carter said. “She’s out right now. May I take a message?”
    She jotted down a message from the woman, who was one of her mother’s friends. Then she hung up. Her father was nibbling the sandwich and reading the front page of the newspaper.
    The headline caught Carter’s eye.
    NUMBER TWO MAN IN AUSTIN GANG TESTIFIES AGAINST BOSS—ADMITS TO MURDERS, BRIBERY, FRAUD
    That’s Daddy’s case, Carter thought.
    â€œI think I’ll go upstairs and take a nap,” Carter said. “I’m pretty tired.”
    â€œGo ahead, honey,” said her dad. “You deserve it.”
    She went upstairs and shut herself in her room. She had her own phone there. She dialed Adam’s number.
    He answered.
    â€œAdam!” said Carter. Her heart was beating fast. “It’s Carter. How did it go?”
    â€œBeautiful,” said Adam. “It was a breeze.”
    Carter breathed a sigh of relief.
    Then Adam added, “Until I tried to leave.”
    Her heart froze. “What happened?”
    â€œThey asked everyone for photo ID. Sorry, Carter. They were ready for us.”
    Carter squeezed her eyes shut. This is it, she thought. I’ve been caught cheating. My life is over.

Chapter 3

    â€œHey,
Carter,” said Adam. “You still there?”
    Carter struggled to catch her breath. Finally she choked out, “Yes. I’m here.”
    The line went silent. Then Carter heard Adam making some kind of noise. It took her a moment to realize he was laughing.
    Laughing!
    â€œWhat are you laughing at?” she asked in a trembling voice. Did he really think this was funny?
    â€œI was just teasing you, Carter,” said Adam. “No one asked me for ID. No one suspected a thing. The test went perfectly. We’re in the clear.”
    Carter struggled to choke back her anger. How could he joke about something so serious?
    Then she realized what was behind his joke: a message. This test was serious to her, but not tohim. While he had nothing to lose, her whole future was at stake.
    â€œNow,” said Adam. “It’s time to collect my payment. What time should I pick you up?”
    â€œDon’t come here,” Carter replied quickly. She didn’t want anyone to see Adam pull up to her house—especially her parents. “I mean, you don’t have to pick me up. I’ll meet you somewhere.”
    â€œAll right. Where?”
    Carter nibbled a fingernail as she thought about it. “How about the corner of Village Road and Mission Street?” This was in the Old Village, several blocks from her house. “Do you know where that is?”
    â€œSure,” said Adam. “I’ll meet you there at eight.”
    â€œGood.”
    â€œAnd, Carter, try not to dress like a North Hills princess. We’re going into
my
world tonight and it’s no country club.” He hung up before Carter could say a word.
    Carter was seething. How
dare
he call her a princess? She could handle any place he wanted to take her.
    Still, while dressing for the date later that evening, she was careful about what she wore. She put on a pair of ripped jeans and a plain black top. She took off all her jewelry.
    At five minutes to eight she left the house, telling her mother that she was going to Jill’s. She walkedtwo blocks, then took the bus to Village and Mission—and waited.
    Five minutes later a beat-up old black Mustang pulled up to the corner and stopped. It was Adam.
    He didn’t turn off the motor and get out of the car. He just stuck his head out the window and gave Carter a sexy smile. “Hi,” he said. “Get in.”
    She walked around the car to the passenger side. He flipped the door open and she slid in.
    They rode in silence. Awkward