Everyone does it is not a defense!

Wrong.

If everyone did it, that made it normal, right? And after Chance did the research he knew he did nothing wrong.

Googling high school cheating because writing an essay was part of the punishment.

Finding out four out of five high school students--that's eighty frickin' percent--did it.

Majority rules. Just like that thing on his Social Action study sheet...social norms.

Social norms are the cement that holds societies together.

There you go, he was being a big help to society!

When he tried to joke about that with the parental units, they didn't laugh.

Same as when he told them it was civil rights, no way could the school force him to do community service outside the school property. That was against the Constitution. Time to call the ACLU.

That got Dad's eyes all squinty. Chance turned to Mom but she made sure not to give him any eye contact.

"The ACLU?" Big wet Dad throat clear, like after too many cigars. "Because we make a significant monetary contribution to the ACLU?" Starting to breathe hard. "Every goddamn year. That's what you're saying?"

Chance didn't answer.

"Cute, extremely cute. That's your point? Well let me tell you something: You cheated. Period. That is not the kind of thing the ACLU gives half a shit about."

"Language, Steve--" Mom broke in.

"Don't start, Susan. We've got a goddamn fucking serious problem here and I seem to be the only one who fucking gets it."

Mom got all tight- mouthed, started plucking at her nails. Turned her back on both of them and did something with dishes on the kitchen counter.

"It's his problem, Susan, not ours and unless he owns up to it, we can kiss Occidental--or any other halfway decent college--fucking good- bye."

Chance said, "I'll own up to it, Dad." Working on what Sarabeth called his Mr. Sincere look.

Laughing as she undid her bra. Everyone buys Mr. Sincere but me, Chancy. I know it's Mr. Bogus.

Dad stared at him.

"Hey," said Chance, "at least give me credit for hand-eye coordination."

Dad let out a stream of curses and stomped out of the kitchen.

Mom said, "He'll get over it," but she left, too.

Chance waited to make sure neither of them was coming back before he smiled.

Feeling good because his hand-eye had been cool.

Setting his Razr on vibrate and positioning it perfectly in a side pocket of his loosest cargo pants, the phone resting on a bunch of shit he'd stuffed in there to make kind of a little table.

Sarabeth three rows up, texting him the answers to the test. Chance being cool about it, knowing he'd never get caught because Shapiro was a nearsighted loser who stayed at his desk and missed everything.

Who'd figure Barclay would come in to tell Shapiro something, look clear to the back of the room, and spot Chance peeking into his pocket?

The whole class doing the same exact thing, everyone's pockets vibing. Everyone cracking up the moment the test started because Shapiro was such a clueless loser, the whole semester had been like this, the asshole would've missed Paris Hilton walking in nude and spreading.

Everyone does it is not a defense!

Rumley looking down his big nose and talking all sad like at a funeral. What Chance wanted to say was, Then it frickin' should be, dude.

Instead, he sat in Rumley's office, squeezed between his parents, his head all down, trying to look all sorry and thinking about the shape of Sarabeth's ass in her thong while Rumley went on forever about honor and ethics and the history of Windward Prep and how if the school so chose...

 

"A genuine page-turner . . . The comfortable banter that has helped make Delaware and Sturgis such durable crime-story heroes is as rapid-fire, keen, and wryly funny as ever, and the mystery they aim to solve is certainly not routine."

 

"Jonathan Kellerman's novels are an obsession; once started it is hard to quit."

 

"The characters are rich, the story's well-plotted and you won't stop reading."

 

"The denouement accelerates to breathtaking, heart-pounding speed."

 

"Sharply written and well-paced."

 

"[An] adrenaline-fueled read."

 

Jonathan Kellerman is one of the world’s most popular authors. He has brought his expertise as a clinical psychologist to more than two dozen bestselling crime novels, including the Alex Delaware series, The Butcher’s Theater, Billy Straight, The Conspiracy Club, and Twisted. With his wife, the novelist Faye Kellerman, he co-authored the bestsellers Double Homicide and Capital Crimes. He is the author of numerous essays, short stories, scientific articles, two children’s books, and three volumes of psychology, including Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children. He has won the Goldwyn, Edgar, and Anthony awards, and has been nominated for a Shamus Award. Jonathan and Faye Kellerman live in California and New Mexico. Their four children include the novelist Jesse Kellerman.


From the Hardcover edition.

 

Bones by Jonathan Kellerman
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