Excerpt from Eye Contact by Cammie McGovern, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

“Would he have gone if, say, he heard voices?”

“No,” she whispers because she can’t bear the fact that she isn’t sure. Adam is her life, her constant companion, the boy she gave up any other life for, but there is a truth to what Margot says: in the last few years, he has been changing. There is a new bravery to him at times, old fears mysteriously dropped. Even in this brief school year, there have been occasions when she warned the teacher needlessly—Adam can’t handle fire drills, Adam won’t do well in regular PE—both times she’s been wrong, has underestimated her son.

Suddenly there is a flurry out in the hallway; two secretaries stand up at once. Through the glass window of the principal’s office, Cara can see one of them look directly at her and then away. When the door handle turns and the woman leans in, Cara doesn’t look up. “They’ve found him, Cara. Adam is all right. They’re bringing him out now.”

Cara exhales, her relief so huge she cannot speak.

“Where was he?”

“In the woods, so he may have some scratches.”

“And the girl? Did they find her, too?”

“Yes.”

“Is she okay?”

“No.”

“What happened?”

“They found her body.”

Excerpt from EYE CONTACT by Cammie McGovern. Reprinted by arrangement with Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., from EYE CONTACT Copyright (c) Cammie McGovern, 2006