小说园

第4部分（第1页）

It　was　just　eleven　in　the　morning；　and　the　beach　belonged　to　kids　and　their　caretakers。　Vanessa

studied　her　peers；　the　army　of　au　pairs；　wondering　if　maybe　she？d　strike　up　a　friendship。　Did　the

rest　of　these　babysitters　have　bosses　who　undressed　in　front　of　them？　She　imagined　the　Hamptons

must　be　filled　with　people　like　Ms。　Morgan；　and　she　wouldn？t　mind　having　someone　to　s

bizarre　employer　stories　with。　But　looking　around；　it　didn？t　seem　too　likely　that　any　of　these　lithe

creatures；　with　their　perfect　tans；　over…size　sunglasses；　and　manicured　nails；　would　want　to　have

anything　to　do　with　her。　Or　vice　versa。　Basically；　it　was　like　being　back　at　Constance　Billard；　the

school　that　had　tormented　her　for　the　last　three　years。

Vanessa　stared　out　at　the　endless　ocean；　suddenly　fighting　the　urge　to　cry。　She　kicked　her

sneakers　off　and　crossed　her　legs；　looking　in　the　mess　of　things　around　her　for　some…thing　to　drink。

She　found　a　tiny　box　of　apple　juice　and　opened　the　cellophane…wrapped　straw；　stabbing　it　into　the

little　hole　in　the　box　angrily。

？There　you　are！？　Nils　skipped　toward　her　across　the　sand；　taking　a　shortcut　over　their　neighbors？

blankets　and　towels。

？Don？t　do　that；？　she　scolded　him。　？Or　do　and　get　yelled　at。Whatever。Where？s　your　brother？？

？Don？t　know。？　He　dropped　to　the　ground　and　rummaged　through　the　stuff　that　was　strewn　all

over　the　blanket。　？Vanessa；　you　got　sand　inside　my　Cheez…Its。？

？Life？s　rough；　sometimes。？　Vanessa　inspected　her　milk…white　ankles　and　even　paler　feet。　She

almost　wished　she？d　thought　to　get　a　pedicure。　She　swiveled　them　off　the　blanket　and　buried　them

in　the　sand。　？Please；　Nils；　tell　me　you　didn？t　kill　your　brother。？

Nils　grinned　at　her；　leaned　in　closer；　placing　his　sticky；　sand…covered　little　hands　on　her　shoulders；

and　burped　in　her　face。

An　overprivileged　psychopath　in　the　making。

？The　boy　you？resupposed　to　be　watching　is　overthere；　？a　familiar　whiny　voice　piped　up。

Vanessa　turned　to　meet　the　cool　glare　of　her　old　class…mate；　Kati　Farkas。　Kati　sported　a

professionally　sprayed？on　tan　and　a　too…small　black　Gucci　bikini。　Beside　her　lay　her　best　friend；

Isabel　Coates。　Isabel　was　on　her　tummy　with　her　pea　green　string　bikini　top　off。　A　tiny　redheaded

girl　was　rubbing　her　back　with　Ban　de　Soleil　bronzing　oil。

？Oh；　hello；？　Vanessa　responded　coldly。　Two　other　long…limbed　mannequin　types　lounged　beside

Isabel　beneath　a　pink…and…white　striped　umbrella。　？Are　you　a　nanny　for　the　summer　too？？　she

asked　Kati；　even　though　she　knew　it　couldn？t　possibly　be　true。　Kati　and　Isabelwork？　Never。

Kati　rolled　her　eyes。　？She？s　my　niece。　I　like　watching　her。　She　gets　us　stuff　and　rubs　on　our

lotion　and　guys　think　she？s　cute。？

Vanessa　nodded。　She　really　had　no　response。　Then　she　caught　sight　of　Edgar　across　the　beach；

walking　to　the　edge　of　the　water　and　then　screaming　excitedly　every　time　a　frothy　wave　crashed　at

his　feet。　She　was　about　to　stand　and　grab　him；　but　he　saw　her　and　started　to　run　toward　her　instead。