The Clique

By Troy Lee Colvin

The clique, everyone wanted to be them and wanted to be with them. All close friends in school with a secret in common. Now, members of that high school clique are being brutally murdered. Can Sam Roberts get his life back? Can Detective Jenkins clear his name? What will happen when their paths cross? Is anyone safe that was in the clique or will they all meet with a fate that started years ago?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 3, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452083025

Troy Lee Colvin

He was born in Washington state and moved to Alabama when he was young then moved to Texas for ten years when he was nine. He moved back to Alabama in 1991. He is a professional firefighter, police officer and a critical care paramedic. This is his first book and he knows he wants to write more. He found his first book to be an adventure as well as a challenge that he enjoyed.

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© 2010 Troy Lee Colvin. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 11/16/2010

ISBN: 978-1-4520-8302-5 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-8300-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-8301-8 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010914548

Printed in the United States of America

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any Web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

For Meagan

For without her, or her constructive criticism, this book could not have become my reality.

Contents

PROLOGUE

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Epilogue

PROLOGUE

It is ten minutes after school when Clarence runs through the doors at Cosgrove Senior High. His business teacher had him stay over from class to help on an advertising project that he was very interested in. He has always been interested in advertising ever since he can remember and it let him take his mind off of what he had to do almost every day after school, which was run. He runs to beat the bullies that have been hazing him and harassing him for as long as he can remember. He has never done anything about it because he has grown accustomed to it. Only in the last week or so has things been quiet for him, since Principal Johnson issued the suspension. He runs a little faster. Maybe he has a little luck today.

Clarence did not develop a stuttering problem till about eight years ago. Things were great in his house. He had a great father and his mother was always there for him. He was young when it happened. He came home from school one day and his mom was at work. His dad was supposed to be but Clarence saw his car in the drive way when he came home. Clarence was excited. He loved spending time with his dad. They went fishing and camping and had all sorts of fun. He heard his dad upstairs. He got himself a glass of milk and went upstairs to his parent’s room. Just as he opened the door it happened, Clarence’s father killed himself in front of him. Clarence felt the warm spray of blood cover him. He stood frozen to the spot he was at till the police stormed through the front door. They picked Clarence up and took him to an ambulance and the paramedics checked him and did all they could to clean the blood off of him. Clarence’s mother came home and was devastated. She fainted and the medics had to take her to the hospital. That was where Clarence started to stutter. A police officer came up to him and asked him if he needed anything and Clarence told him, Nnnno ssir. Ever since that day Clarence has stuttered and he has always been made fun of.

Now he rounds the corner of First and Third and stops cold. There they are: Denise, Steve, Tracy, Tess, Sean, Wilson, Darryl and Judy. They have all been good, close friends for as long as they have been in school going to the same classes, the same school functions, always together. They are a close knit group, there own clique and everyone wants to be with them or be them. They did not live more than a block from one another. You saw one chances are you would see two or three more. Steve and Denise were the closest. Rumor had it they would be married right after high school and were almost inseperable. Tess teased every guy she could, either by a few words or the cleavage revealing clothes she wore all the time. Sean, Wilson, and Darryl enjoyed the power they had over the underclassman. Judy was the one in the group that you could get anything you wanted. Tracy was the rational one, she went along with what the others wanted to do or whatever Steve asked, but was not afraid to speak her mind. Then there was Steve Jenkins. He ran the group and everyone wanted to do nothing but please him. He was the one Clarence feared the most.

Clarence’s face turns paste white as he breaks out in a cold sweat. Fear has a firm grip on him. They were all suspended a few weeks ago for picking on him. Mr. Johnson, the principal, had heard from the teachers and a few students that the group had constantly picked on Clarence. Mr. Johnson caught all of them one day as they had Clarence against the lockers in between classes and Clarence crying. Clarence begged for Mr. Johnson to not do anything to them because he was afraid it would just make things worse. They were all suspended for three days and had to apologize to Clarence and their parents had to come get them from school. From the talk lately around school Darryl and Denise and Steve all got a pretty bad beating from their fathers. Word has also gone around that Steve was going to get even with Clarence. Clarence thinks to himself maybe he should cross the street.

Steve sees Clarence and does not want him to cross the street. He can see it in Clarence’s eyes. He wants to run. If he does cross the street then what Steve has plans for is not going to work. Today is payback. He is still furious from the suspension and beating from his dad he took because of that stuttering asshole.

Clarence is thinking that something is different this time. What are they up to now? His mind flashes to the suspension and the apology and the look on Steve’s face when he had to apologize. It is more like disgust and fury that Clarence saw, not remorse nor was it apologetic. He continues his way down the sidewalk. As he is walking he notices Tracy and Denise looking up and down the street. They look at him from time to time as well. Something they have never done before. Clarence is getting more scared than usual as he gets closer to the group.

As he gets closer, he notices that Steve is on an opposite wall than usual, too. Steve has that same look on his face as the day he was suspended. Clarence thinks he is fixing to pee on himself because he is so scared. Why couldn’t have Mr. Johnson just let it go, Clarence thinks to himself. He wants to bolt and run. He looks to the street but decides that traffic is too heavy and he would rather not wind up under a car. After all what is the most they can do, he wonders. He wants to run so bad. Instead he continues down the sidewalk looking straight ahead, gripping his books a little tighter and walking a little faster. He walks past the alley without bothering to look at any of them, especially Steve. He does not hear or even notice Steve coming up behind him. Tracy and Denise watch a little more closely up and down the street. Where are you going you stuttering dumbass? Steve says.

Clarence’s blood runs cold and stops where he is at. Jjjjust pppplease llleave me alllone. I havvven’t done anyth-th-thing to yyyyou. Wwwwhy dddo you do thissss tttttto me? Ttttto make yyyyyou ffffffelll bbbetter about yourselvvvvves? Steve tells him just before grabbing him around the neck, I feel pretty damn good right now, and drags Clarence into the alley and around the corner where no one can see or hear him. Before he is dragged round the corner Clarence sees Tracy and catches her eye. There is a look of terror in them, and something else. Clarence knows he is in trouble. He tries to break free from Steve but is not strong enough. Steve just tightens his grip more and slams him against the wall and Clarence begins to cry. Steve’s friends are starting to look a little nervous except Darryl. Tracy has come to where they are at from where she was at the corner. She can actually see the fear on Clarence’s face. Maybe we shouldn’t do this, Steve, Tracy tells Steve.

Steve’s spits back through clenched teeth, Shut up, Tracy. You are in this too. He turns back to Clarence, Well, well, well, we got us a crier here. Clarence I think we can help you with that st – st – stutter of yours.

Clarence starts to plead, Ppppplease llleavvvve me allllone. Iiiiits nnnot mmy fffffault ththat IIIII stuttttter. I jjjjjust wwwwwwannnna gggo home, Ppppplease!!!!!! He yells thru the tears. Steve slaps him.

Shut up you tard. You got us suspended because you’re stupid. I got beat till I was almost unconscious because of you. Steve tells Clarence

Bbbbecause of mmme? How ddddo…

He is cut off by Steve again. You ain’t going anywhere today. Like I told you, we’re gonna help you with that stuttering problem you have. Today is payback. Then the beating began.

All Clarence sees in the beginning is Steve’s fist hitting him in the middle of the face. His eyes immediately water and he does not see anything else. He feels only immense pain. All of Steve’s friends then jump in on Clarence. He tries to yell but he is hit again and again. He tries to fend off his attackers but is hit in the arm with a pipe that shatters the bone. He is kicked in his mid-section, his chest, his stomach. He tries to yell again but is kicked in the face and it makes a sickening crunch. Over and over he is beaten. His ears are ringing but he hears and, barely, sees one person trying to stop them. She is trying to get in between the mob to stop them from hurting him anymore. Stop it! You all are going to kill him. Leave him alone! Tracy yells.

Steve yells back at her, Then leave now. You knew what we were going to do, and Steve kicks Clarence again and the pack is on Clarence again. Tracy pleads with Steve, Please stop this. He has had enough. Look at him. Clarence is a bloody heap, has wet on himself and is unconscious. Steve looks at all of them. No one can ever know we did this. It’s our word against his. We came from school to hang out like we usually do and heard something around the corner. We walked around the corner there and saw a guy running down the alley and this guy lying like this. We don’t know it’s Clarence Carter till we get to the hospital. The police will want to ask us a few questions and take us down there. I swear anyone goes against me and you will deal with me. Are we all agreed on the story? They all nod in agreement. Steve tells Judy to go and call 911.

The police arrive and an ambulance takes Clarence away. The police officer looks at Steve and asks what happened. We were coming from school to hang out like we do every day and we heard something from around the corner. We came around to look and found this guy lying here.

You don’t know who it is? The officer asks? Steve says he can’t recognize who it is. The officer asks them, Any of you recognize who that kid was? All of them shake there heads no. It’s a good thing you kids came when they did or else that boy may have died. Good thinking you all dialing 911. Steve wants to know what is going to happen now. The officer lets Steve know that a detective will go down to the hospital and question the victim. Steve tells the officer, I hope you catch who did this.

At the hospital Clarence is placed on life support and put in a medically induced coma. He has a broken left arm, multiple broke ribs, and his jaw and cheek bones are shattered. He has blood coming from his ear due to swelling of the brain. His mother is frantic. Clarence never did anything to anybody to deserve this. He is a simple boy with simple needs. Why would someone do this? An investigator with the police department, Detective Ford, is with her and assures her they will get who ever did this and get to the bottom of what happened. The police officer on the scene with the kids has brought them to the hospital. Clarence’s mother thanks them for what they did and want to know if they know Clarence or if they got a look at the person responsible. They all have a look of shock when they are told it is Clarence. They tell her that they know him and he