Dad doesn’t have time for me, but hemakestime. No amount of long hours could keep him from me.
But Mom always has her head in her stupid insurance paperwork. And when she doesn’t, she’s staring off in the distance, sighing sadly. Or saying how happy she is that we’re back in her childhood town.
I honestly have no idea why Dad gave in and allowed us to move here. Even the cheapest, smallest house in Astley is way out of our budget. All he managed to get was a janitor job. Why did we have to give up our nice comfortable place on the West Coast to come all the way here? We stick out like a sore thumb in Astley.
But everything feels a lot better today as I grab a granola bar and a glass of orange juice and sit down at the table next to Mom.
“I made a friend today,” I say brightly, unwrapping my granola bar.
“Great,” she smiles. “Sorry, honey. Just give me a minute. I’m reading something very important.”
I munch thoughtfully on my bar. I don’t know why this boy–Quill–makes me feel so happy. He barely spoke to me, and when he did, it was because he couldn’t help it. He defended me, but I shouldn’t be thankful to him forthat. I should be angry at all the others who didn’t say a word.
Maybefriendis a big word. But after a whole day where not a single person spoke to me or even looked at me, Quill sure feels like a friend right now.
I wish I was back with my friends out west. Everyone liked me at my old school. Here, they all look at me like I’m dirty. Like something is very wrong with me.
Except for Quill. He barely looked at me at all.
But I can’t get that boy out of my mind. Suddenly, going back to school tomorrow feels exciting.
“His name is Quill,” I volunteer, finishing my granola bar.
My mom scribbles something down on a form. “That’s nice, honey,” she says.
3
Piper
Present Day
Isit on the stoop of the house numbly, a blanket around my shoulders, as police officers drift back and forth, talking loudly, trading private jokes and joshing each other as my father’s body lies, still warm, on the floor, and my mother’s corpse remains on the toilet. They don’t even move her. They can’t, yet, they told me. Not until all the specialists come to the scene and make notes of the entrance wounds, of the blood spatter, and collect all the DNA.
Yeah, right. I can just imagine them all jeering, laughing at the embarrassing way nutty Laura Day found her demise. Everyone’s always thought Mom was crazy. Never working, always lying in bed with one made-up ailment after another. Until their laughter really did make her crazy. A depressed, hysterical mess.
Even behind their medical masks, I recognize each one of the people who come into the house, pretending to act sad in front of me before going back to being their cruel, uncaring selves. I recognize them, because Astley is a small, insular community, populated by rich assholes, where everyone knows each other.
“Piper,” says a quiet voice, and I raise my head to stare at the Astley police chief. Jeffrey Jones looks down at me with a condescending little smile that makes me want to claw out his eyeballs. “Ready to come with me? I have a few questions to ask you.”
I shrug and force myself up. My entire body feels heavy andnumb. I barely know how I manage to keep it moving, following him into his car.
He turns on the engine then drives to the center of Astley, to the police station, and tries to help me out. But I ignore his extended hand, and follow him coldly inside to his office.
“Can you tell me what happened?” he asks over a cup of coffee and a donut. “When did you find your parents?”
“Couple minutes before I called you,” I manage, my voice thick.
“Right,” he says, making a note. “Noticed anything else when you entered? Anything that seemed off in the house?”
I shake my head.
“Anything missing?”
“No.”
“Did you touch anything?”
“Of course not.”
