Revelation

The biggest mystery of all...and Reed is dying to learn the truth.

Two months after Cheyenne Martin was found dead in her Billings House dorm room, exclusive Easton Academy is rocked by another stunning revelation: Cheyenne was murdered. No one knows who the killer is, but everyone agrees that Reed Brennan, who took over Cheyenne's role as Billings's president, gained the most from her death. Once the most powerful girl on campus, Reed is now powerless to stop her classmates' more >>

The biggest mystery of all...and Reed is dying to learn the truth.

Two months after Cheyenne Martin was found dead in her Billings House dorm room, exclusive Easton Academy is rocked by another stunning revelation: Cheyenne was murdered. No one knows who the killer is, but everyone agrees that Reed Brennan, who took over Cheyenne's role as Billings's president, gained the most from her death. Once the most powerful girl on campus, Reed is now powerless to stop her classmates' accusing whispers. Rumors begin to swirl that she killed Cheyenne.

And just like that, Reed is kicked out of Billings.

She's lost everything -- her friends, her home, her boyfriend -- and Reed knows the only way to get it all back is to figure out who really murdered Cheyenne. And she has to do it fast because the killer is still out there. The more Reed investigates, the more she uncovers. And as any Billings Girl knows...secrets can be deadly.

Suspect Numero Uno

I skipped breakfast, spending the hour calming my nerves, adding to my list of evidence against Ivy, and sending Noelle an e-mail apologizing once again for what I had done. All I could do was hope that she would have an unguarded moment and read the message, and that my words might start to melt the ice wall she had put up between us. I finally headed out in time to make it to morning services at the ýchapel, where I sneaked in at the back of the crowd.

The vibe in the air was hushed, paranoid. Apparently everyone had heard about the murder investigation at breakfast. And if they hadn't, the two uniformed cops stationed near the doors of the chapel certainly set an eerie tone."...police are taking over Dean Marcus's old office...."

"Are they going to interrogate everyone? I didn't even know the girl."

"...everyone knows who did it anyway -- "

When I heard that one, my head whipped around, but I couldn't tell who had said it. I was soon bustled right down the center aisle to the junior section, where I was about to sit in my usual pew -- until I realized it was a Billings pew. Instead, I took the one two rows back and tried to hold my head high.

"Hi, Reed," Constance whispered as she slid into the pew in front of mine. "How was your first night in your new room?" she asked, trying to sound all positive and upbeat.

"Fine," I lied, the back of my neck flushed with heat. I could practically feel Noelle watching us from a few rows back. I knew she wouldn't like the idea of Constance fraternizing with the enemy. "But the room itself is kind of dark and depressing."

"I missed you," Sabine added as she joined Constance. "It was so odd, sleeping in that room alone."

A lump of sorrow filled my throat, nearly choking me. Meanwhile, Missy shot me a death glare as she, Lorna, Astrid, and Kiki filed in next to Sabine.

"You guys better quit it," Missy hissed to my friends while ýglancing at me. "Noelle will eat you alive for talking to her."

My heart squeezed tightly in my chest.

"I don't care what Noelle thinks," Sabine said defiantly.

"No, you guys, Missy's right," I said, as much as it pained me to agree with her. "You don't want to get on her bad side right now. I'm fine. Just...face forward."

Constance and Sabine turned their backs to me reluctantly and I slumped against the hard pew. A few other juniors filled in the seats to my right, all eyeing me with curiosity, wondering why I was in their row. I supposed the news of my expulsion from Billings hadn't completely made the rounds yet. Either that or they were still obsessing over the Reed-and-Dash-seminude show they had all gotten to see. I had been the subject of whispers and stares ever since the night of the fund-raiser.

"Good morning, faculty and students of Easton Academy!" Headmaster Cromwell announced, taking his spot behind the podium.

"Good morning, Headmaster Cromwell," we dutifully recited.

With a nod, our fearless leader got right down to the morning announ << less