Copyright © 2009 Vicki Grant
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Grant, Vicki
Nine doors / written by Vicki Grant.
(Orca currents)
ISBN 978-1-55469-073-2 (pbk.).--ISBN 978-1-55469-074-9 (bound)
I. Title. II. Series: Orca currents
PS8613.R367N55 2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â jC813â.6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â C2009-900017-2
Summary: The game of Nicky Nicky Nine Doors seemed harmless enough when they started, but Emery and Richard discover there are serious consequences to scaring your neighbors.
First published in the United States, 2009
Library of Congress Control Number: 2008943721
Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program and the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.
Cover design by Teresa Bubela
Cover photography by Firstlight
Orca Book Publishers                             Orca Book Publishers
PO Box 5626, Station BÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PO Box 468Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Victoria, BC Canada                                  Custer, WA USA  Â
  V8R 6S4                                                98240-0468Â
www.orcabook.com
Printed and bound in Canada.
Printed on 100% PCW recycled paper.
12  11  10  09  â¢Â  4  3  2  1
This book is dedicated to my much older brother, Robert G. Grant, QC, in belated thanks forâamong many, many other thingsâmaking sure I never lost my retainer.
prologue
Despite what my math teacher might think, Iâm not stupid.
Iâm not mean either. At least I try not to be.
So thatâs not how I got into this mess.
I got into it because I was bored.
I know thatâs a dumb excuse, but I bet Iâm not the first person to use it. My guess is boredomâs the reason lots of people get into trouble. It can drive you nuts. It can make you do stuff youâd never do in a million years.
For me, that meant hanging out with Richard.
That sounds cruel, but what can I say? If you knew the guy, youâd probably feel the same way.
Thereâs nothing wrong with himâat least, not really. In fact, itâs almost the opposite. Spend more than a couple of minutes with Richard and you end up feeling like thereâs something wrong with
you
.
I donât know how he does it. He just stands there all innocent and smiling, but somehow he makes you feel like garbage. Itâs as if the guyâs a pickpocket, only he doesnât take your wallet or your cell phone or anything easy like that. He takes your brain. When heâs done messing with you, you canât even think straight anymore.
That probably doesnât make any sense. Itâs kind of hard to explain, but hereâs an example. Maybe that will help.
My nameâs Emery. I canât say I love it, but thatâs my name. Usually, I donât think too much about it one way or the other. It just is.
So one day I ran into
Yenthu Wentz
Aneesa Price
Suzanne Weyn
Mary Marks
Craig Johnson
Patrice Michelle
Kate McMullan
Sherryl Woods
Steven Savile
Hallie Swanson