Harkham's Case (Harkam's #1)

by Chanse Lowell

  Normally, she would have already started eating as she waited for one of her few friends, Katie, to join her. But today, it seemed wise to wait for him. No telling how he’d react if she began without him.

  He might spout off new equations that related on how to break the sound barrier. And knowing him, he would be louder in this room that carried acoustics than he would have been able to if he had total control of the PA system.

  Adam sat down next to her with one swift move and grappled her hand back into his.

  This time he had her right hand, so she would have to eat left-handed.

  Oh well. It was fine—if it kept him happy and at ease, then she’d do it without insisting he give her the freedom she needed to do what she was comfortable with.

  He began eating with zeal. Mexican food must have been one of his favorites, because he was demolishing his taco salad with frightening speed.

  “I thought you didn’t like healthy food?” She motioned her fork at the taco salad. “I’m seeing some green stuff on your plate.” She smirked.

  “I ignore the plant stuff. It’s the other goodness I like.” He dug out another massive forkful and shoved it in his mouth.

  “I like Mexican food, too. I love tamales. It’s hard to find decent ones, even though we live in Phoenix. You’d think it’d be easy to come by.”

  He only nodded and kept eating.

  Okay, so maybe right about now would be a good time to relish the silence, since most of the time he did the talking.

  She snorted and bit back a laugh. He definitely had made this school day extremely interesting.

  Her salad was good, but his food smelled delicious.

  Fatty, unhealthy food, she had to tell her mind repeatedly, so she wouldn’t be tempted to go get her own bowl.

  Damn. She really loved those greasy taco salads with the flour tortilla bowl shaped-shell, but she knew what it would do to her.

  “Hiya,” Katie said and joined them at their table. Her blonde ponytail swayed when she sat.

  “Hi,” Mari answered. “Katie, this is Adam. He’s a new student here. This is his first day.”

  “Ah . . . A little bit of a late start?” Katie smiled. “The first week of school is useless anyway, so it was probably better to skip it.”

  “I don’t think it’s better, but it was necessary,” he answered.

  Katie’s lips parted like she wanted to say something, but instead, she took a bite of her burger.

  “He’s got a few classes with me,” Mari told her. “I’m showing him around a little bit.”

  Katie’s eyes caught on Mari’s disappearing hand under Adam’s arm.

  “You smuggling somethin’ under there?” Katie chuckled.

  “Yeah—you know me . . . I’m a regular smuggler of all kinds of goodies.” Mari’s left brow lifted.

  “Like what?” Adam licked his bottom lip clean, then waited for her reply.

  “Well, uh . . . Like chocolate. I always choose to hide my chocolate under men’s arms. It won’t melt because I know the right melting point.”

  “It’s eighty-six degrees to melt chocolate. You have to do it slowly so it won’t scorch. And the average temperature under a person’s arm is of course, ninety-eight point six, so I don’t see how you can keep it from melti—”

  “I was only kidding.” Mari gave him a gentle, teasing grin.

  “Oh, yeah. That makes sense. Sorry, I . . .” He shook his head and went back to eating.

  Katie gave him an interesting look with her lips pursed, and her brown eyes lit up in amusement.

  Adam ignored Katie and continued to eat like he could never get enough food in his gut. Probably a defense mechanism when he was feeling a little off.

  Katie eyed the disappearance of Mari’s hand under Adam’s arm once more.

  “Don’t ask,” Mari mouthed the words to her friend.

  “So, how was English today? Mine was a bitch! Our teacher’s making us study Hamlet. I hate that story!” Katie said. “It’s so confusing, not to mention depressing as hell.”

  “Hamlet’s a metaphor for any age. It’s told with brilliance. If you don’t get Hamlet and Ophelia’s plight, then you really don’t get the way this world works,” Adam said with a matter-of-fact tone.

  Katie chuckled and relaxed into her chair. “Yeah, that’s what my dad says, too. Sounds like you two are drinking the same water.”

  “Does he have an RO system rigged into the sink in your kitchen? That’s what my dad installed in our house, and I’m only allowed to drink that. He won’t let me drink soda, and it’s not really fair since Sam and Zach drink it all the time.”

  Katie blinked, and her mouth popped open slightly. “Bummer.”

  Mari took a deep breath and changed the subject. “Adam’s a math whiz. Anytime we need help with our calculus studies, I’m sure he’d be happy to tutor us.” She really had no idea if this was true or not, but it seemed a logical assumption since he liked to ramble numbers when he was agitated.

  She nudged his arm, hinting he should agree.

  He was oblivious and kept eating.

  “Or if I need him to bake me chocolate desserts, he’s my man,” Katie said softly.

  Mari should have found that funny, but the idea of Adam being in another teenaged girl’s home, even if it was as innocuous as a kitchen, made her jaw tense and her chest heat up. Didn’t seem to matter that Katie wore glasses, had a slight overbite, a long, beak-like nose and thin, dish-water blonde hair that always appeared slightly wispy. It still bothered Mari to think Katie might be interested in him. It was best Mari keep quiet on the subject. And maybe best she kept her thoughts clear of him as much as possible.

  This boy was gonna be the reason she had a breakdown before the end of the school day. She just knew it. Her stomach was clenched in knots.

  “I like math,” he muttered with the fork passing over his lips again.

  “Sounds great. I always need help with it. I’m determined to pass it so I can get the college credit for it,” Katie said.

  “Who’s the hottie?” a female voice traveled from behind Mari. “It’s time for an introduction.”

  Oh God, no . . .

  Mari glanced over her shoulder and went for nonchalance, but failed miserably. “Oh, hi, Kendra,” she said through gnashing teeth.

  Those three damned buttons were still undone on Kendra’s shirt, and her breasts looked larger than ever.

  Perfect way to spend Kendra’s lunch—with a fork sticking out of each stupid, bouncy tit.

  She didn’t need them for a basic high school education anyway. Or so Mari had been told more than once about her B cups.

  Chapter 3

  Kendra and her distracting, jiggling tits joined them at their table. And that was unusual for her. Well, not the jiggling boobs part. The big tits were always there, they just hadn’t been quite that noticeable or upsetting to Mari before.

  Usually Kendra sat with Rory and his dough-head jock friends. Mari was only worth talking to when Kendra was trying to cheat off her homework.

  Mari’s entire insides tightened worse when she saw the way Kendra was leering at him from across the table.

  “So, is anybody going to tell me who the hottie is? I saw him before anyone else did when he walked into Calc.” Kendra smirked. “Anyone have a tongue? Or have you all joined a monastery that requires a vow of silence?” She continued to wear a smug smile. “It’s my job to know everyone in this school.”

  No, Kendra . . . It’s your job to fuck everyone with a functioning dick in this school. Mari fought off a scowl and bit her tongue to keep from saying something nasty. Truthful, but nasty all the same.

  “Her name’s Mari. And I think she’s hot, too,” Adam answered. “No one here is silent. You’re just being impatient for them to reply. Maybe it would be a good idea to let people think before they respond. That might make it easier for you to do your job well.”

  “Well, fuck. The hottie just went Martha Stewart on my
ass.” Kendra laughed and looked around the table.

  “I told you, her name’s Mari, not Martha Stewart,” Adam said, giving Kendra a penetrating look.

  Mari hiccuped a laugh. “She was talking about you.”

  “I thought you said girls could think other people of the same sex are attractive. Isn’t that what she’s doing—observing how pretty you are?” He blinked twice and then peered deep in Mari’s eyes like he was searching for answers that eluded him.

  “Ken knows who I am. We’ve known each other for years. You’re the new one here. And yes, she can think another girl is pretty, but that’s not what she was doing. She wanted to know who you are.” Mari scratched her chin on her shoulder since he still had her hand soldered to his ribs. “Adam, this is Kendra. Ken, this is Adam.” She turned back to her lunch.

  “Well, which is it?” he asked.

  “Which is what?” Kendra’s brow crinkled.

  “Your name. Is it Kendra or Ken? And isn’t Ken a masculine name? I always thought it was supposed to be for boys, not girls. Were your parents confused? Or did they name you before they knew your gender?” He sniffed. “I want to know so when I address you, I get it right. I don’t need you to identify your sex. It’s easy to see you’re a girl.” He glanced at her breasts but looked unimpressed at their size and generally bouncy, pert qualities. “I don’t like being embarrassed in social situations.”

  Kendra’s spine stiffened in her seat, and she leaned back a little as a V in her brow deepened. Her eyebrows almost looked Vulcan. “Are you for real? Nobody talks like this.”

  “Like what? With manners and using correct grammar? Just because I’m playing at being a teenager doesn’t mean I should slaughter the English language,” he replied. “If you’re into Martha Stewart, then I would think you’d know more about this type of thing. She talks fairly proper, but then she’s pretty old, so maybe that’s required. Plus, she had a show and has magazines and stuff. You don’t have any of that.”

  “I have a Facebook page for my manicures I do out of my home,” Kendra said, grinning.

  “That’s a good start, but it doesn’t require you to talk professionally, because I’ll bet you only do it for your peers. They don’t like proper language. It makes them feel funny.” He sniffed once more.

  Was he allergic to something in his food?

  Mari studied his face to see if there were any other reactions that were off.

  “Fuck me if you aren’t the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” Kendra pointed a manicured nail at him.

  Bright pink—as usual.

  Mari wanted to gag and roll her eyes. Instead, she coughed and went back to poking at the remains of her salad.

  “I’m not a thing. I’m a man. I’m older than you are, so it’s polite to call me a man.” He blinked at her and wore an odd expression. He shifted in his seat toward Mari.

  Kendra snorted a laugh. “Oh my God, you are too adorable for words! I want to stuff you in my backpack and take you home with me.” She kept her eyes on him, but addressed Mari next. “God, he’s smart and gorgeous. I want some of that. Time you shared, girlfriend.” She flipped her brown, salon-highlighted hair over her shoulders, then reached her hand over the table. “You can hold my hand instead.”

  Adam ignored her offer. “I need one hand free to eat, and Mari’s hand fits my requirements.”

  “And mine don’t?” Kendra asked, her voice going up in pitch.

  “No. You have long, painted nails, you wear a lot of scratchy rings, and I don’t think you really like me.” He took a hefty bite.

  “I can take my rings off. And I do like you.” Her eyes turned fearful.

  He refused to answer until he’d chewed his food thoroughly and swallowed. Then he said, “Long nails.”

  “They’re fake. I can get rid of them tonight.”

  “I detest fake nails. Do you know what that toxic glue does to your nail bed, not to mention what it does to your brain cells? Nail polish and glue are your enemies. Brain cells don’t like them.”

  What brain cells? Mari giggled to herself. Kendra wasn’t known for her smarts. She was known as the girl who could get any guy in the school she wanted. Her tight, revealing clothes were a part of that equation.

  So, maybe she did need those big breasts to make it through high school after all.

  Lame. Those forks needed a better place to reside. The idea of stabbing them into her melons was more tempting by the minute.

  “Does it matter? I’m stopping tonight. You’ll see. Tomorrow, I’ll be ready for you.” Kendra smiled, but her eyes held a different emotion—pure hunger, and not for food.

  “As far as I know in this moment, you only have one class with me. Mari’s in four of my classes, and my sister’s in two, so my hand holding schedule-card is full. There’s only one class I don’t have someone, and I can handle that. I’m brave.” He took another forkful and lifted it to his lips. “But maybe at a sporting event I might consider it.” He broke off an edge of the tortilla shell and set it down on his plate.

  “Wonderful!” Kendra was bursting with so much joy, Mari was waiting for her to break into Disney princess songs any moment, forcing all digestion in the vicinity to stop. “I’ll hold you to that, and I’ll look for you at the next football game in the bleachers.”

  “If I attend. Those are almost as bad as cafeterias,” he said so quietly Mari wasn’t sure Kendra heard it.

  Not like she’d listen to him anyway. Once that girl had her mind set to have a guy, she didn’t rest ‘til she won.

  And right now, it looked like Kendra was already formulating plans in her head.

  Of course she was, the selfish bitch. Kendra’s life revolved around how many dicks she could get in her cunt in a school year. It was a source of pride for her, along with her idiotic nails.

  Kendra’s powder-blue eyes were sparkling with mischief, and that’s when Mari was done eating.

  She stood up with her tray of food, and when she went to go empty it, she barely realized that Adam had moved right in sync with her, never questioning, merely going about his own business like they’d always been conjoined and he knew exactly what to do.

  Mari turned to the side and said barely above a whisper, “She’s right, you know.”

  “Right that I should hold her hand?” He shook his head. “I don’t think so. She’s a rotten girl. She hides it with perfume, fake hair coloring, nails that aren’t her own and tight clothes. Those things are only fancy wrapping to hide what she really is.”

  Her breathing picked up. Fuck, he was more than just cute—he was incredible. And endearing. And near to her. And smelling so, so good.

  “And what is she? Because most guys at this school can’t get enough of her. They almost fight duels for her.”

  He laughed. “Oh, Mari—duels don’t exist anymore. I think maybe you’ve read too many historical fictions.”

  She poked his shoulder.

  He barely budged. “She’s not you. That means she’s not as good. Not what I’m looking for. She doesn’t get what it means to be nice unless she wants something, and she doesn’t even really know what she wants. Silly girl.” He made a tsking sound and shook his head while wearing a knowing smile.

  “So, in other words—she’s fake, she’s not good enough and you need someone with substance.”

  He snorted. “Yeah—that’s you. Now you’ve got it.”

  Her chest heated. She needed air to cool this flame down. Walking seemed like the answer, so she headed out the cafeteria door with his toes licking at her heels.

  Good God, this guy was going to be tricky to deal with if he kept on being this insanely sweet and attractive. Not to mention Kendra-wise. He was hard to resist, and she’d barely known him for a few hours.

  This might require some smokes to get her through.

  * * *

  Adam stepped out of the locker room into the gymnasium, tugging at his ridiculously tiny shorts for his PE uniform.

  Sam waved
him over.

  “How was lunch?”

  “It was good. Mari’s hands are soft and pliable,” he said. “Plus, she talks to me, so it’s a good time when I’m around her.”

  “I think she likes you, Adam.” She smiled at her brother with approval.

  “She said I’m her friend, and she doesn’t mind if I hold her hand like that.”

  “I mean, I think she’s got a crush on you, and I knew that would happen, what with your looks and height and everything. Just watch out, okay? She seems nice enough, but you never know . . . I don’t want you to get hurt.” She glanced around at the room, probably gauging the girls’ stares in his direction.

  “Another girl wants to hold my hand. Her name is Kendra and Ken.”

  The other students began stretching, preparing for basketball warm-ups. Nobody paid any attention to them.

  She laughed. “Who?”

  “Hey, handsome, you should be perfect for this . . . With how tall you are,” Kendra said, wandering over to them.

  “Hi, Kendra and Ken,” he greeted her.

  “You are an odd duck, but eccentric can be good,” Kendra said with a purr in her voice. “Call me anything you like. Most guys call me baby. I don’t mind.”

  “Adam’s not most guys.” Sam turned to him. “You’ll call her Kendra and nothing else.” She took hold of his hand with a defiant look in her eyes.

  Kendra stepped around them to his other side, and when she reached for his other hand, his whole body swung away from her.

  The next thing he knew . . . Sam was on the ground and Kendra was lurching after him. He tried to get away, but he was worried he’d trample his sister.

  So, instead, he froze and chanted volume formulas for the different types of triangles. The numbers exploded in his head when a hand slipped into his.

  They took over, all of them, and he yelled each one to get them out of his brain.

  The hand squeezed tighter, and his voice grew bolder.

  He went from formulas to quadratic equations within moments.

  “ . . . Stop it . . . Won’t let you . . .” He heard bits and pieces of Sam trying to get whoever was touching him to quit doing it.