“Why would you think it was her boyfriend, then? What did he look like?”
A creaking echo comes from outside my door. Someone’s coming up the stairs.
“I just heard from the window. He was telling her he loves her, that he’s sorry for the way things were ending. I don’t remember the rest, okay? Lynda, I’m sorry I left you the other night when the police were there—”
I end the call and a knock comes at my door. I jump.
“Hold on,” I call out.
What can I use to defend myself? There’s nothing here.
The knocking continues until I open the door. Cline steps into my room, checking over his shoulder.
My palms sweat as he closes the door over behind him. “I heard your phone ring. Was that Taylor?”
I shake my head. “My mom. She’ll be home tonight.”
“Let me know if he calls.”
I nod and he looks me up and down in my raincoat. “What are you supposed to be?”
“Let’s go!” Stokes calls and I follow Cline downstairs.
I need a weapon. I can’t trust anyone but myself.
“Just have to let Stevie out,” I say and she follows me to the kitchen.
“…and the police just left their place,” Stokes says.
I turn the corner and stop to listen.
“What did they say?” Cline asks.
“They haven’t found anything yet, but they’re with Jamie now, questioning him about his contact in Nashville.”
Cline mutters something, sounding angry and I turn to the kitchen counter.
Something I can use… I toss a kitchen knife into my bag before I open the drawer and grab the thing I’d use with the most ease—a metal meat mallet—and tuck it into the back of my pants. The cold tipped metal presses against my back until I turn it sideways to the smooth side.
“I won’t be late, girl,” I tell Stevie as I walk down the hall to the guys and they stop whispering and walk out the door. I lock up and follow them down the path.
Why would Cline lie about seeing Pascha that night?
Because he fought with her… or because he took her somewhere else and something bad happened?
“You little bitch.”
I can’t tell where he is—but I recognize his voice and it sends a wave of nausea over me.
Alex.
Stokes drops his bag and stalks over to the Hilden’s driveway as Alex points to me from his porch.
“You wanna make up lies about me?” he asks and does a double-take as Stokes marches right up to his porch.
“Stokes!” I shout. Please don’t do something stupid. “Let’s go!”
“What’s going on?” Cline asks.
“Your little friend there’s a liar!” Alex shouts. “All we ever tried to do was help her, and she wants to accuse me of being some peeping-Tom? Watch out. She might accuse you of something next.”
Stokes reaches for their porch railing.
“Please!” I shout, tears in my eyes, barely able to choke out the word.
Stokes turns back to me and his face relaxes from rage and his clenched jaw slacks into a crestfallen expression.
Embarrassed, I run to the car and Cline follows after me, opening the passenger side door for me. I duck inside. My heart pounds in my ears and I struggle to catch my breath as Stokes shouts something at Alex and marches back toward us.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, buddy,” Alex all but screams before turning back to the house.
Stokes turns around and charges toward him. Cline runs after him, and up by the Hilden’s door, Alex glances behind him at Stokes. His eyes open wide and he turns back to the house and rushes inside.
Cline grabs hold of Stokes’s arm before he reaches the porch and pulls him away.
I cover my mouth with my hand and break down, pressing my fingers against my lips to stifle my cries, but they must hear me.
They talk for a moment and come back to the car, both avoiding eye contact with me.
I hang my head and take a deep breath, looking out my window as they get in to hide my face from them, wiping my cheeks as the tears fall.
Stokes clears his throat as he turns his key in the ignition and a ding follows. “I’m sorry, Lyn.”
A shuddering sigh escapes my lips and I nod.
I just want to get out of here.
Without having to tell him, Stokes peels out of the driveway.
Chapter 23
Did you think that you could have her for yourself?
Cline cracks open a beer and paces the room, casting a menacing glance at me once in a while as Lucie finishes Mika’s braids on the red couch. Royal puts on his Jason mask and turns to me.
“Scary?” he asks.
“Hey.” Jamie walks into the room. “I just met with the police.”
Cline stops and turns to him slowly. “Pascha?”
“They were asking me questions about her, when I last saw her. I think they’ll be calling you all next.”
“When did you last see her?” Cline asks.
Jamie presses his lips together and looks to the rest of the band. “Uh, when you guys did. When you… fought.”
Cline hangs his head, scanning the floor and pursing his lips.
“Is that the last time everyone here saw her?” I ask.
Lucie nods and Royal nods from behind his mask.
“Stokes?”
“Yeah,” he huffs.
“Cline?” I ask.
He raises his head and scowls at me. One of them is lying. If it’s not Cline, why would Stokes or Royal be telling her they love her and apologizing for how it ended? Maybe as a last effort to make her stay… but they didn’t know she was leaving the band at that point. Just Cline. From the note she left, that’s how they knew.
It doesn’t make sense… unless she did tell someone her plans.
“Listen,” Jamie says. “It’s important to just give them all the information we can. I gave them the number of my contact there to speak to, and there’s nothing more we can do tonight. We need to focus on having a good show, giving these people a Happy Halloween, and we’ll do whatever we can to help find Pascha after
