The Outliers

by Kimberly McCreight

  “And we’re all pretty familiar with the various defense contractors,” the skinny one says. He looks around at the others, who nod. “We’ve never heard of North Point.”

  “But we’ll look into it, of course. We’d be happy to discuss all of this further, Ms. Lang.” It’s the tall one again. The one with all the teeth. He takes a step closer. “We’d be happy to give you a full briefing and look into any theories you might have. We’ll just need you to come with us and answer a few more questions first. I can promise it won’t take long.”

  Before I can answer, my phone vibrates once, then again in my back pocket—two different messages, one after another. Then a third before I can even get it out of my pocket. When I pull it out, there are three texts in a row from Jasper. All asking the same question.

  Are there some kind of agents at your house?

  I turn my back to the door as I type out a reply.

  Yes. Why?

  Jasper’s response comes instantly. And it’s only a single word.

  Run.

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to my tireless and tenacious editor, Jennifer Klonsky, for taking a chance and then having superhuman faith and patience. Your contributions to this book have been legion. I am grateful not only for your exceptional editorial skills, but also for your sound judgment and sharp sense of humor. Thanks also to Catherine Wallace and Elizabeth Lynch for all your endless help.

  My deepest thanks to Suzanne Murphy and Susan Katz for granting this series liftoff and to Kate Jackson for helping keep it aloft.

  Thank you to the dedicated and talented HarperTeen marketing team: Diane Naughton, Elizabeth Ward, Kara Brammer, and Sabrina Abballe, as well as to the incredibly creative people in integrated marketing: Colleen O’Connell, Margot Wood, Nina Mehta, and school and library marketing: Patty Rosati and Molly Motch. Thank you also to my fantastic publicists: Cindy Hamilton and Gina Rizzo.

  Many thanks to all those who created such amazing visuals: Barb Fitzsimmons, Alison Donalty, Alison Klapthor, and especially, Sarah Kaufman.

  Thank you to the endlessly clever and adept HarperTeen sales team: Andrea Pappenheimer, Kerry Moynagh, and Kathy Faber. Thanks also to: Jen Wygand, Jenny Sheridan, Heather Doss, Deb Murphy, Fran Olson, Susan Yeager, Jess Malone, and Jess Abel, as well as Samantha Hagerbaumer, Andrea Rosen, and Jean McGinley.

  Thank you to all the committed people in HarperTeen managing editorial: Josh Weiss, Bethany Reis, and my copy editor, Valerie Shea.

  Many thanks to my fabulous agent Marly Rusoff, Michael Radulescu, and Julie Mosow. And so much gratitude to the indefatigable marvel that is Gina Laquinta. Thank you also to Shari Smiley, Lizzy Kremer, Michael Taeckens and Harriet Moore. And to the always wonderful Claire Wachtel.

  Many thanks to the experts who so generously lent me their wisdom: Dr. Marc Brackett, Dr. Cassandra Gould, Dr. Allyson Hobbs, Dr. John D. Mayer, Dr. Rebecca Prentice, Dr. Matt Wall, Wendy Green, and Leslie Lewin. I am indebted also to the incredible work of Roxane Gay.

  Endless thanks to my fantastic friends and family: Martin and Claire Prentice, Mike Blom, Catherine and David Bohigian, Cindy Buzzeo, Cara Cragan and Michael Moroney, the Cragan Family, the Crane Family, Joe and Naomi Daniels, Larry and Suzy Daniels, Bob Daniels and Craig Leslie, Diane and Stanley Dohm, Elena Evangelo and Dan Panosian, Dave Fischer, Heather and Michael Frattone, Tania Garcia, Sonya Glazer, Jeff Johnson, David Kear, Merrie Koehlert, Hallie Levin, John McCreight and Kim Healey, Brian McCreight, the Metzger Family, Jason Miller, Tara and Frank Pometti, Stephen Prentice, Motoko Rich and Mark Topping, Jon Reinish, Bronwen Stine, the Thomatos Family, Meg Yonts, Denise Young Farrell, and Christine Yu. Thank you to the baristas at the Park Slope Starbucks for treating me like an honorary employee. And a very special thank-you to the wonderful Kate Eschelbach for so steadily holding down the fort.

  Much gratitude to my first reader, Megan Crane, to Nicole Kear, in charge of daily vetting, and to Victoria Cook, who fanned the flames of a tiny spark years ago.

  Thank you to my daughter Emerson for inspiring me daily with your grit and determination. And to my daughter Harper for the living reminder of what it means to be equal parts kind and courageous. Many thanks to my husband, Tony, for the months of way-more-than-your-fair-share of child care and for always making me smile, after making them smile. Couldn’t have done it without you, wouldn’t ever want to. And to all three of you, thank you for always welcoming me home.

  LOOK OUT FOR MORE

  COMING SOON …

  Also by Kimberly McCreight

  For adult readers

  Reconstructing Amelia

  Where They Found Her

  About the Publisher

  Australia

  HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

  Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street

  Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

  http://www.harpercollins.com.au

  Canada

  HarperCollins Canada

  2 Bloor Street East – 20th Floor

  Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada

  http://www.harpercollins.ca

  New Zealand

  HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited

  P.O. Box 1

  Auckland, New Zealand

  http://www.harpercollins.co.nz

  United Kingdom

  HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

  1 London Bridge Street

  London, SE1 9GF

  http://www.harpercollins.co.uk

  United States

  HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

  195 Broadway

  New York, NY 10007

  http://www.harpercollins.com