Pitch Madness SJ-10: CRUSHING

Genre: YA contemporary

Word Count: 75,000

Pitch: Lindy’s killed all her ex-boyfriends but, this time, she’s found the One. Meanwhile, her detective daddy closes in on a killer of teenage girls – Lindy’s new boyfriend.

Excerpt:

We’re going to break up, so I’ve brought my gun with me. It’s been in arm’s reach since I saw him with Jenna at the mall on Wednesday. When he blew me off that night – homework, lame excuse – I went home and loaded it.

Three bullets. Two for him, one spare. Just in case.

He called me ten minutes ago, as usual. Must have nearly chickened out this time, though: the first text came through just before midnight. He hoped I’d be asleep. Should have known I wouldn’t be. My market value is sky-high on Friday nights. I jumped straight out of bed and put on the dress he likes. Easy but not cheap. I hope.

When I see him, I know it’s hopeless. Our eyes lock and his face drops. Barely a second, but enough. It’s over.

I sit on his bed while he fusses. He slams a drawer shut – his finger with it – and swears. Pretend casual: “What’re you doing?”

“Nothing.” He turns towards me then quickly away. I don’t blame him. The dress is cut high and low in the wrong places. Very distracting. “Getting ready for tomorrow.”

“Today.” I gesture at the clock. Tick tock. “Coach said early night.”

He smiles. Smirks. “You know me.”

“Yeah. I do.” I cross my legs. The dress is rebelling in every direction, and there’s no cosmetic way to adjust it. “I was surprised to hear from you.”

Playing dumb: “You were?”

I smile sweetly. Playing, too. “I missed you."

CLUE: Mr. Boddy is found in the kitchen, his throat neatly slit, a pool of blood formed beneath his body. Grasped in his fingers is a class ring from Harvard.