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“Yes,” Mr Blackbourne said

“And we know the lockers are pretty easy to break into,” Nathan said “You did it”

“Not easily Not until someone else showed us the knack of it” I just didn’t believe Karen would be the type to break into them

I left Nathan then, not wanting to, but ot to me

Hendricks looked like he was getting into a long tirade with her She crossed her ar

He opened a hand, pointing to fingers, like counting off

“What’s he doing?” I asked

“He’s listing off locker numbers,” Mr Blackbourne said

This went on for a bit, with the principal reciting the locker nu to call the cops He finally settled down, told her to check in with the front desk for a pass for class and told her to leave

That was it? No detention? Nothing?

Karen didn’t seeot up, went to the front desk and waited for a hall pass

“I want to follow her,” I said

“Do it,” Mr Blackbourne said and looked up at me “Stay far back If she returns to class, I want you to coer” He nodded to Silas “And make sure Miss Sorenson isn’t stopped”

Silas went to the door, opening it for

I gazed back once at Nathan onto look at me

A heavy, dark look reached his blue eyes “Be careful,” he said

???

Using Victor as a guide, we followed Karen We didn’t turn corners until she did, relying on Victor to tell us which direction she went

We followed her upstairs to a particular section of lockers She slowed near a row and quickly opened up a couple next to each other

I peeked around a corner Silas stayed back

She ruh the two lockers, picked out an iPod, a technical calculator, and so out of one Fros that were similarly random

She closed both, du and then walked off down the hallway

“She’s heading to another set,” Victor said

I went to the lockers, looking at the numbers I whispered for Victor, “Locker one seven one five and one seven one six”

There were a few moments of silence, then Victor spoke “I don’t know these students, but those were the numbers Mr Hendricks told her she stole from earlier”

Odd “He told her to do this?”

Victor didn’t respond, but he could have been discussing it with someone else

Suddenly, I felt an ar me away

“Come on,” Silas said

I didn’t knohere he was taking me, but realized there were footsteps in the hallway further down, behind us So

When I looked back, a teacher was passing in the hallway, spotted us, al us down

Like he expected us to be there

My heart raced Silas al arm wrapped around my shoulder When I was able to step down, he kept his arm around me We headed around a corner and aimed us toward a restroo and not looking back

He closed the door behind us once ere inside and threw the lock on the door

I checked the stalls, but there was no one around