Page 84 of The Sleeping Girls
June backhanded her tears and shook her head. That would only make things worse. Then she’d look like a big fat baby.
Her grandmother kissed her hair. “I’ll be right here to pick you up when school is over, and so will that deputy. After the bell rings, wait inside until you see my car.”
June nodded and slid from the car, her legs wobbling. She slowly walked up the steps, her breakfast threatening to come up. When she finally reached the landing, she turned and saw her grandmother watching.
And the cop. A reminder that Detective Reeves thought the man who killed Kelsey and took Ruby might come after her.
She scanned the parking lot. The teacher’s lot was full. Other kids piled out of their cars, students slinging their backpacks over their shoulder as they met in groups. A black car turned in to the student lot and seemed to slow. A chill went through June. The tinted windows hid the face of the driver.
What if he’d followed her here? Was he watching her now, just biding his time until he took her?
NINETY-FOUR
RED CLAY MOUNTAIN HIGH
Bianca had been dreaming about Homecoming Week ever since the first day of school. She’d made a vision board of the decorations and added a picture of her in her dress and shoes, then cut out a picture of Mitch and placed it beside her own.
As head of the Homecoming Dance committee, she and her tribe ofitgirls had chosen the best theme ever. Barbie Dreamland!
Last week the students couldn’t talk about anything else. Girls were gushing all over the place at the decorations they’d bought. With the hot pink and black retro theme, the pictures would be fabulous. No doubt she’d be crowned Homecoming Queen. Even the teachers supervising the committee, Ms. Otton, the art teacher, and old Mrs. Wallaby, who was so ancient she probably grew up in the era ofThe Jetsons, blathered on that they wished their dance had been as lit as the one she was planning.
Not that either one of them actually used the word lit. Mrs. Wallaby said “far out” like she was one of the original hippies. Which… Bianca had to admit was kind of cool in itself. Talk about a retro vibe!
Whispers rumbled through the room and some classmates stopped and stared at her as she walked to her homeroom, but not with the admiring smiles they’d had last week when Homecoming talk was all the rage.
“Can you believe Kelsey Tiller was murdered?” one girl said.
“My mom thinks Ruby’s dead, too,” another girl whispered.
“My dad says some maniac probably targeted them because of those posts,” another girl said as she gave Bianca an evil eye.
The reactions kept coming.
“My mom’s so freaked she almost didn’t let me come to school today.”
“My father said I can’t go to Homecoming or anywhere but school until this psycho is caught.”
“Mine wants them to cancel the football game and dance.”
“How can we celebrate when two of our students may have just been murdered?”
“Kelsey helped me with my English Lit paper.”
“I feel sorry for Ruby. She lives in a trailer and her mama’s a drunk and someone says she’s a hoarder, that she probably has rats crawling in her bed.”
Their voices quieted as June Larson walked into the room. June lifted her head and glared at Bianca.
Bianca dug her fingernails into her palms in frustration. This was not turning out the way she’d expected.
Even two of her cheerleading friends huddled close together, whispering and staring at her as if she’d grown three heads overnight.
All talk of Homecoming had been shoved onto the backburner because kidnapping and murder were hotter topics.
June slid into her desk and a girl named Tamika leaned over and whispered, “It’s Bianca’s fault.”
Bianca huffed and claimed a seat on the opposite side of the room in the back. Pissed, she tossed her backpack onto the floor by her desk. June and Ruby and Kelsey were ruining everything!
The sound of static of the intercom burst into the room, followed by the assistant-principal’s voice. “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.”