“No!” I say quickly, before my dad can start saying things like he’d like to get his hands on the creep for five minutes. “No, it’s nothing like that. Could you please, just let me explain everything before you say anything else?”
They promise to listen, and they actually do pretty well. I go over the whole thing, about how Carrie told me he was molesting her, and how she begged me to back her story up. I admit that my testimony was a lie. I explain that I totally believed her, but that now I’m almost positive that she was lying. I tell them what I learned from Hayley, and how Carrie turned our friends against Hayley with the jewellery thefts, to keep Hayley from telling anyone about her suspicions.
It’s a relief to get it all out, but I wish my mom and dad didn’t look quite so horrified. It’s Dad who speaks first.
“That man went to prison, Shana. To prison.”
“I know, Dad. I’m so sorry — and I want to do whatever it takes to make it right.”
“It may not be that easy,” Mom says. Her mouth quivers and I can see she’s still on the verge of crying. “It’s not always a simple matter of telling the truth and everything is okay.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“I, well, I guess this kind of thing is handled differently in different places,” she says after a pause. “The best thing to do is go ahead and talk to the police and see what happens from there.”
“What kind of trouble do you think Shana will be in?” Dad asks her.
“It’s hard to say. She’s a minor, and she didn’t do it out of malice. But she did commit perjury, which is serious. I don’t know whether she’ll be charged or not, but they certainly have grounds if they want to. The only thing in her favour is that she’s a minor. They may take that into consideration.”
“It doesn’t matter, anyway,” I say, trying to sound braver than I feel. “Whatever happens to me is my own fault. The only thing that’s really important is that Mr. Kelward is freed.”
Dad nods at that. Then he turns back to Mom and asks, “Do you think Shana should have an attorney present when she talks to the police?”
“I don’t know. It would probably be enough if one of us goes with her when she talks to them.”
It hadn’t occurred to me that my mom or dad might come with me when I go to the police to confess what I’ve done. I can’t quite tell if I’m relieved or dismayed. Not that it makes any difference. And at this point, all I want is for it to be over with.
CHAPTER
SIXTEEN
My stomach lurches as our car turns onto Gottingen Street and pulls up to the Regional Police station. I take a few slow, deep breaths to calm myself, but it doesn’t help much.
It turns out that it’s Dad who’s with me. For all of Mom’s true-crime knowledge, she decided she was too emotional to go and would probably cause more problems than anything. Dad gives me a quick smile of encouragement as we climb the steps and approach the red brick building where the vice team has its offices. Once inside, we give our names and are told to wait and that someone will be with us shortly.
“Shortly” turns out to be about forty minutes. I’ve gone to the bathroom to pee twice in that time and am just thinking a third trip might be necessary when an officer appears and takes us to an interview room. I’m relieved that it’s not the same one who took my statement against Mr. Kelward. I remember, with shame, how kind that officer was. After I’d given him my statement he patted my hand and told me I had done the right thing.
Today, it’s Officer Plourde, an older man who looks like he’s forgotten how to smile. Frown creases are etched on his face and his manner is gruff as he tells us to take a seat. Once he’s seated himself at the other side of the table, he flips open a notepad and asks how he can help us.
It’s hard to begin and my voice wavers a few times. Dad gives me nod and pats my shoulder to let me know it’s okay, but the steely eyes of Officer Plourde offer no encouragement. Slowly, painfully, I get the facts out — how I had given false information to the police and on the witness stand, believing I was helping my friend. I told him I’d come to believe Carrie’s story was a lie, and that I was convinced her stepfather had done nothing wrong and should not be in prison.
Officer Plourde jots down a few things as I talk. He lets me finish before he has any questions for me. Then, the things he asks surprise me.
“You say that you made up your testimony to help your friend, Carrie Freeman?” he says.
“Yes.”
“How long have you two been friends?”
“About three years.”
“And has there been any change in your relationship with Carrie recently?”
“We’re not friends now,” I say. I wonder if I should have told him about the jewellery and everything that happened over it, but Dad had told me not to go into that. He’d said I shouldn’t make it too complicated.
“I see,” Officer Plourde says. He doesn’t sound like he sees at all. His eyes narrow and he leans forward just a little.
“Are you aware that it’s a serious thing to make a false statement to the police?” he asks.
“Yes.” My voice is barely a whisper.
“Well, in that case, do you want to reconsider anything about what you just told me?”
I stare at him, not understanding. Is he trying to give me a way out? Does he mean to suggest that I should forget about it, and leave an innocent man to a fate he doesn’t deserve?
“I’m not quite sure what you’re getting at,” my dad says. He looks just as confused as I feel. “My daughter came in here to do the right thing. She knows there will be consequences and she’s ready to accept them.”
Officer Plourde sighs and throws his hands up. “Okay,” he says. “But we have a problem. A big one.” He lets that sink in for a few seconds before he continues. “Fact is, we’re already aware of the situation between you and your friend, uh, Ms. Freeman. She was in to see us a few days ago. Young lady was quite upset and worried. She told us there had been some trouble over the theft of some rings and things. When she realized you were involved she tried to talk to you about it, which is when you threatened to come here and make trouble for her. According to Ms. Freeman, you said you were going to do everything you could to see that her molester was freed to hurt her again.”
“That’s a lie!” I tell him. “Carrie is the one who stole the jewellery. She was setting up Hayley, because Hayley knew Carrie made up the story about her stepfather.”
“And how did Hayley know that?” Officer Plourde asks. He sounds skeptical.
I try to explain about the boarder and Carrie’s suggestion to Hayley, but my words are getting jumbled. What I’m saying doesn’t sound reasonable even to me. It sounds weak and silly — like I’m trying to build a case on air.
“Hayley could explain it better,” I finally say. “I can call her and see if she can come down. I know she’ll want to help.”
“Hayley would be the other girl involved in the thefts?” Officer Plourde asks.
“What? No! We didn’t steal anything. Carrie set us up.”
“She set both of you up?”
“Yes. Well, at first it was just Hayley, but somehow Carrie must have found out that I was on Hayley’s side. That’s when she threw me under the bus, too.”
“Is that what made you threaten to ‘expose’ Ms. Freeman by coming to the police?”
“I never did that! I never said a word to her about talking to the police.”
“Then how did she know you were coming here?”
“I don’t know. She must have guessed it.”
Plourde is looking at me like he can’t quite believe I expect him to buy a word of this. I can see there’s no point in saying anything else. Carrie got to him first. She put on one of her big performances and he bought it. And that’s it.
�
��Okay,” I say. “You don’t believe me, I can see that. But an innocent man is in prison. So, I’m going to find a way to prove I’m telling the truth and get him out of there.”
I stand up, ready to go, but Dad takes my hand and tugs me back down.
“My daughter came here to give you a statement,” he says. “You may not believe what she’s telling you, that’s up to you, but I want you to take her statement anyway and put it on file.”
Officer Plourde looks annoyed. “Our time is not to be wasted on teenage squabbles,” he tells my father.
“This isn’t a squabble,” Dad answers. “Shana has just told you that she gave false testimony. You can look into that or you can take the other girl’s word for what happened. But my daughter is trying to do the right thing, and I want it on record.”
Plourde shrugs. “Suit yourself. But you should know that this could cause a lot of unnecessary trouble for your daughter.”
“My daughter,” Dad answers, “is telling the truth, as I’m sure you’ll discover when you investigate the matter.”
Half an hour later I’ve signed a statement and we’re on our way back home.
“Thanks, Dad, for coming with me,” I say. I want to tell him thanks for believing me, and for standing up for me, too, but I’m too close to tears to risk saying anything else.
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Hayley and I are eating lunch the next day when Jen comes over to our table. For a few seconds my hopes rise. I think she’s there to join us. That idea is crushed when she makes no move to sit down.
“These didn’t belong to any of us, so I guess they’re yours,” she says to me. She reaches a fist out and opens it over a bare spot on the table. A delicate gold chain and matching anklet land in a tiny heap. I recognize them as mine, although I hadn’t even realized they were missing until this moment.
“It looks like she was taking things from you too, Shana,” Jen says. “I don’t know why you’re on her side.”
“Come on, Jen,” I say. “You’ve known Hayley for a long time. Do you really think she’d steal anything — from anyone?”
A shadow of doubt passes over Jen’s face, but I can see she’s afraid to think about it too much. It’s easier and safer to go along with the others, especially when one of them is Carrie. Funny that I never understood before how much power she has over the group. How long has it been this way?
I could never have admitted it until now, but there was always a thread of fear running through my friendship with Carrie. I’d seen her in action enough times to know how dirty she could get when someone crossed her. And even though we were best friends, I think I always knew that, under the right circumstances, she could turn on me, too.
Hayley gives me a sad smile after Jen has moved off. I’m sure she’s sifting through as many feelings as I am as we eat lunch. It feels like everyone in the cafeteria is staring at us and it doesn’t take much brainpower to figure out why. I have no doubt that Carrie is hard at work spreading stories about Hayley and me. I’m sure there is hardly a person left at the school who hasn’t heard something horrible about us. And if I know Carrie, she won’t have limited herself to the lies about us stealing. Whatever stories she’s telling will be bigger and darker and uglier than that.
I shake my head, like that might clear away the unpleasant thoughts. There’s no point in obsessing over something I can’t change — at least, not right now.
“She won’t be happy until she destroys us, you know,” Hayley says.
It’s like she’s been reading my mind. “We have to find a way to prove that we’re the ones telling the truth,” I say.
“How?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. Then I remember something my mom has told me a few times. “But everyone makes mistakes when they commit crimes. That’s how they get caught.”
“What about the people who get away with things?” Hayley asks. Not exactly encouraging, but it’s a fair question.
“I still think they all probably made mistakes,” I say, “only maybe no one looked hard enough to find them.”
“So, what mistake do you think Carrie made?” she asks.
“I don’t know — yet. But I’m sure there’s something, and all we have to do is figure it out.”
“And then prove it,” Hayley adds.
“Yes, then prove it,” I agree.
“That’s probably going to be the hard part,” she says with a sigh.
* * *
That evening we get together at my place and write down everything that’s happened so far. We write in third person, so there won’t be any confusion in case we eventually have to give it to someone else to read — like the police. We organize everything by timeline. In the end, this is what we have to work with:
Facts in the Case
1. Last summer: Carrie tells Hayley she can easily get rid of the boarder she doesn’t like by accusing him of molesting her.
2. Last fall: Carrie’s mom and Joe Kelward (who have been dating for about a year) get engaged and then married. Carrie makes no secret of the fact that she doesn’t like him and doesn’t want him in her life.
3. January: Carrie accuses her new stepfather of molesting her. He is arrested and charged.
4. It’s hard to know exactly when Carrie begins to worry about Hayley, but it probably wasn’t long after the charges were laid against Joe. Carrie must wonder if Hayley will suspect that she made up the accusation, just as she suggested Hayley do with the boarder.
5. February: Carrie tells Shana there isn’t enough evidence against Joe and she is terrified he will get off. She convinces Shana to help her by giving false testimony.
6. For several months before the trial, some of our friends begin to notice items of jewellery are missing. We learn later that Carrie is framing Hayley. We now know she did that to get rid of Hayley, so that if Hayley had any suspicions, she couldn’t share them with the rest of us.
7. The trial is held and Joe is convicted. Hayley cannot hide her feelings — which is when Carrie realizes for sure that Hayley suspects that Carrie made up the story about Joe in order to get rid of him.
8. Carrie sets up the scene at Shana’s house where Hayley is “caught” stealing.
9. Carrie pretends she’s going to see Hayley to work things out, but actually makes up nasty messages for both Hayley and the rest of us to make sure we stop being friends.
10. Shana goes to see Hayley, learns the truth. Somehow (HOW?) Carrie finds out that Shana has taken Hayley’s side.
11. Shana finds the stolen jewellery in Carrie’s house, and tries to “discover” it with the others there. This backfires because Carrie has found out what she’s up to and turns it all against Shana instead. (How did Carrie find out? Perhaps there’s a clue there.)
12. Carrie goes to the police and tells them that Shana has threatened to recant testimony as a way of hurting Carrie. As a result, the police do not believe Shana when she goes there to admit she lied.
“Well, that’s it, I guess,” I say, looking the list over. I keep staring at items ten and eleven, and I wonder out loud how Carrie found out about those things.
“It’s probably something simple,” Hayley says, “like she called your place and your mom told her where you’d gone, or maybe someone saw you and mentioned it to her.”
“Maybe,” I say.
“You can’t start getting spooked about this,” Hayley says. “I mean, she’s just a kid, like us. She doesn’t have superhuman powers or anything. It’s easy to get nervous with Carrie, because she doesn’t play fair, but anything she does has a normal explanation. We have to remember that.”
“You’re right,” I say. I’m glad, really glad, that Hayley and I are on the same side.
I make a copy of our list for Hayley on my scanner. That way, we can each add not
es if we think of anything else, or come up with ideas on how to expose Carrie for the lying manipulator she is.
But I have to admit, it looks kind of hopeless at this point.
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
Besides giving myself a headache thinking about all of this, nothing has happened over the last few days. Until earlier today, that is.
I’d just dropped off resumes at a few stores in the Halifax Shopping Centre. Summer’s coming soon and I’ll be sixteen in July, so I’m looking forward to getting my first real job.
So, anyway, I was making the rounds in the food court on the upper level when I saw Carrie heading toward me. I don’t know if she’d already seen me. She looked startled when she got close and glanced in my direction, but that could have been an act. Everything with Carrie is an act.
She was alone, and as soon as she saw me she made a beeline in my direction. I stood my ground, chin up, and waited while she walked right up to me.
“I guess you know by now that you made a big mistake when you decided to cross me,” she said.
“I made a big mistake when I decided to be friends with you,” I answered. I should have left it there. I should have let it go and walked away. But there was so much anger in me! It had been building for days, which is why I couldn’t help but add, “You shouldn’t think that you’re going to get away with any of this.”
She laughed at that, but it was ice cold and humourless.
“I’m so much smarter than you that I actually pity you,” she said with a snort. “Like last year, when you and Mike broke up.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, startled by the change of subject.
“I did that,” she told me. “And you never even suspected.”
I stared at her, uncomprehending, while she continued. “When I went to use your laptop that day, Mike’s Facebook page was still up. He hadn’t remembered to log out. So I changed his status — it took two seconds. A few minutes later when I was in my own account, I showed you his status change and you went right to pieces. It was so easy — because you’re so dumb.”
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