Just another day at school. The halls were crowded with kids hanging out or rushing to classes, and Josh met me at my locker. I smiled as he launched into a funny story about his dog “Horse.” Josh was so easy to be around and I loved his sense of humor—something that Dominic clearly did not have.

Thinking of Dominic knotted my stomach. Trouble was closing in fast—at school and home. At least at school, I could pretend everything was okay. No one had connected the paint handprints to me, the janitor remained in the hospital, and Danielle was still skipping school.

By the afternoon, my fake smile was ready to crack. I was tired of talking about everything except what was really on my mind. And I was no closer to solving the crime. I mean, what did I know about investigation? Nothing. I needed help, only there was no one to turn to. Penny-Love was a great friend, but she was an even greater gossip. Josh could be trusted—but would he still trust me if he knew what I’d been hiding? And the one person who had guessed my secret was the last person I’d confide in.

To my surprise, help came from an unexpected source.

Since I was in no hurry to go home, I told Josh I had extra work to do for the newspaper. I went into the computer lab and found the staff sports reporter, Yvette, sorting through photographs with Manny. Yvette was a tall, sharp-faced sophomore with a keen eye for detail and an ever-present camera strapped over her shoulder. She and Manny had a difference of opinion over the front-page photo, but after a heated discussion, they compromised by using two pictures. Then Yvette grabbed her stuff and left.

Manny shut down his computer, turned as if to leave, but stopped when he noticed me. “Sabine, what are you doing here?”

“Uh, work.”

“What work?” He looked at my desk. “I didn’t assign you anything new.”

“I know, it’s not really that—it’s something else.” My head ached. “I just needed to be alone.”

“Tough day?” His tone softened as he pulled up a chair beside me. “Pour it all out to Mystic Manny.”

“Mystic!” My laugh was bitter. “You have no idea. If you did, you’d never let anyone call you that again.”

“Maybe I don’t really know the future, but I’m not blind. And I can tell that you’re upset. Is there trouble in Josh-Land?”

“No. He’s great.”

“So what’s the problem?”

I sighed. “Me.”

“Not possible.” The barbed wire in his braids jingled as he shook his head firmly. “I don’t believe that for a minute. You’re the hardest worker on the paper, always ready to help, and the only one who doesn’t ever complain. If I were the pope, I’d grant you sainthood.”

“Or burn me as a witch,” I murmured.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing.” I jumped up. “I better go.”

“Not this time, Sabine.” He gently eased me back in my chair. “You never explained about the dragonfly tattoo and why you freaked out last week. And don’t think I haven’t noticed other things.”

My heart jumped. “What things?”

“How you never talk about your family or your last school. So I did a little checking—you understand, just building skills for my future as an investigative journalist—and I uncovered some interesting information.”

I drummed my fingernails on the desktop, not meeting his gaze. Fighting the urge to cover my hands over my ears, I forced myself to act calm.

“Nice, quiet Sabine turns out to be—and I quote: ‘Disruptive and dangerous to other students.’ That was from the principal at your last school.”

“You can’t believe anything he said. He was a moron.”

“You were also accused of being delusional and ordered to see a shrink.”

“I only went once. She was a moron, too.”

“A group of students petitioned to have you expelled.”

“So what?” I shrugged. “I can’t expect everyone to like me.”

“Well, I like you.” Manny chuckled. “Even more now that I know you have a dark side.”

“Really?” I asked in a quiet voice, not really believing him. When friends found out you were different, they were afraid, they turned away.

But Manny wasn’t going anywhere. “You’re one twisted chick.” His grin widened. “How did you manage to turn an entire school against you? I’d love to hear that story.”

“You couldn’t handle it.”

“Beany, I can handle anything—and anyone.”

I stared at him, a wild idea popping into my head. He really did have a talent for investigating. Sure, he was stuck on himself and strutted around with an ego ten times the size of the football field. But underneath it all was resourcefulness and friendship. He had the skills to help me find out who vandalized the school before suspicion fell on me. And looking for vandals would help keep my mind off my other problems.

So I gave him exactly what he wanted.

The truth.

* * *

Instead of looking at me like I was crazy, Manny hugged me. “You’re a miracle! I’ve been wishing for you my whole life.”

“I hope that’s not a pick-up line, because it really sucks,” I tried to joke. But my pulse was racing.

“That’s not what I mean.” His dark eyes shone as he stared off toward a window. “The Mystic Manny column is only the beginning. Then it’s on to fame, fortune, and a Pulitzer Prize. With your talent and my brains, anything is possible.”

“Hold it right there.” I put out my hand. “What I told you is confidential.”

“But you said you wanted to work together.”

“Yes, only it’s a secret. No one finds out I’m—I’m different. I’ll give you real predictions for your column if you help me find out who vandalized the school.”

“Don’t you just know?” he asked.

“I only know what I’m allowed to know.” I read the confusion on his face and tried to explain. “I can’t tell when I’m going to get a vision and then the images are confusing. Like I saw a bloody dragonfly, and had no idea what it meant until I met Danielle and saw her tattoo. Then another vision led me to the school. I think I did what I was supposed to, but I’m never sure.”

“Are visions the only way you get psychic messages?”

“No. Sometimes I’m contacted by ghosts or spirits.”

“Aren’t they the same thing?”

I shook my head. “Ghosts are confused—usually afraid to leave Earth to go on to the other side. Spirits are already on the other side, but they can come back to visit. Some are guides, like my spirit guide, Opal.”

“Does she watch over you like an angel?”

“Oh, she’s watching all right—but she’s far from angelic. She has this major attitude and says I have to learn from my mistakes, yet she won’t give me any hints about my own future. I know she loves me, I just wish she weren’t so bossy and critical.”

“Sounds like my dad.” He laughed as he pulled a chair over to sit across from me. “I’m glad I don’t have a spirit guide.”

“Oh, you do.” I closed my eyes and concentrated. I couldn’t control my visions, but I could usually get a sense of spirit guides. “His name is William.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“No, I’m serious. He has a dark beard and a mole on his nose. He used to be a farmer until he took a vow of celibacy and became a monk.”

“Celibacy? You mean, none—not ever?”

“Yeah.”

“Poor guy.” Manny looked up into the air. “Willy, if you’re listening, just know that I really feel for you.”

I laughed. Manny may be shallow, but he was so honest about it, you couldn’t help but like him.

“How do we start investigating?” I asked, clasping my hands in my lap.

“Talk to people, search online, examine the crime scene.” He pulled out a small notebook and pen from his pocket. “Keep track of everything you learn in a notebook. Dig around for holes.”

“Holes?”

“Yeah,” he said seriously. “It’s not so much the facts you’re looking for, but the gaping questions that nag you.”

“Like why did the school get vandalized after I left?”

“Exactly. Is that a coincidence or a clue?”

I shrugged. “Don’t know.”

“So we’ll find out. I’ll check out the crime scene and talk to that neighbor who witnessed someone running away—”

“Me.” I sighed. “She saw me.”

“You don’t know that for sure. Anymore than you can be sure about Danielle. Sneaking into the supply room seems highly suspicious.”

“I won’t break my promise to Danielle, but she told me why she was there. It wasn’t honest, just not a major crime. She didn’t break windows or paint graffiti. And she definitely didn’t attack the janitor.”

“The janitor.” Manny made a notation in his notebook. “I’ll check him out, too.”

“But he’s the victim. You can’t possibly suspect him?”

“Not really. But he chewed me out once for spitting, and I’ve never liked him.”

“He is a jerk. And a thief, too, if what Opal told me is true. She said his car trunk was full of stolen school supplies—probably some of the stuff they think the vandals took.”

“I’ll look into that, too,” Manny said. “And there’s something you should do, even if you don’t want to.”

I eyed him cautiously. “What?”

“There isn’t much point in having a gift if you don’t unwrap it.” He wagged his pencil at me. “Use your powers.”