Through the sliding glass door, I could see her approach Professor DuPont in the living room. “Hey, you guys want to come outside? We’re going to do a toast.”
Sweat beaded at my hairline as I made my way to the kitchen, where I’d hidden the vial of GHB. My head spun and I regretted drinking so much so quickly.
Okay, breathe. It’s only a prank. All I have to do is slip the stuff in his drink.I glanced into the living room at the bouquet of flowers over the fireplace and could make out a sliver of the camera hidden behind the vase.
“What are you doing?” a voice startled me. It was Marta again. How the woman seemed to appear out of nowhere, I would never understand.
I closed my eyes for a moment and then gave her what I hoped was an innocent smile. “Nothing, I was looking for the shot glasses.” Her eyes dropped down to the counter, where the shot glasses were lined up in a row.
My cheeks warmed, and I couldn’t stop my eyes from glancing past her at the hidden camera once more. Was it fully hidden? A silver edge was sticking out from behind the flower arrangement, and that was when I noticed something strange—the red light wasn’t on. It wasn’t recording.
Marta frowned and looked over her shoulder in the direction ofthe mantel—and the camera behind it. I held my breath and prayed she wouldn’t notice.
“I have to go—they’re waiting for me,” I said, fumbling with a bottle of tequila. I felt the alcohol numbing my limbs, making me clumsy.
“All right, I don’t think you guys are drunk enough,” I heard Cecily say from outside. “How about a round of shots?” That was my cue.
Marta began cleaning up around the kitchen, clearly suspicious of me.Please leave me alone.“Hey, Marta? Do you know if there are any extra towels somewhere? I couldn’t find any.”
“I washed some this morning,” she said with a nod, and took off in the direction of the laundry room. Okay. That should buy me some time.
Hands shaking, I prepared the shots. Grabbing my purse, I dug around until my fingers located the smooth amber bottle. I had no idea how much to add.What the hell,I thought.He’s an abusive creep, might as well hit him hard with the stuff.
I was dispensing another eyedropper full when I heard the wood floor creak behind me. I whipped around, hiding the vial behind my back.
“Here you are, dear.” Marta had returned, holding a stack of fresh towels.
“Thanks, Marta.” I smiled, but she didn’t move. She was still holding the stack of towels. I set the vial down behind me and quickly grabbed them from her.
“This is a bad idea,” Marta said in a low voice, concern filling her eyes. At first I thought she’d somehow become aware of our plan, but she added, “She shouldn’t be here.” And I realized she’d been talking about Lila. I remembered how Marta had confronted me in the library, shown me what Professor DuPont had been hiding from us. The files, the photos…the start of all of this.
I nodded, keeping my back tight against the counter, unease tight in my throat. Looking her in the eye, I said, “I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.”
Marta gave me one last look before pressing her lips into a line and walking away, shaking her head as she disappeared behind a corner.
“Maya?” Cecily called my name from outside. But first I had to fix the camera.
Leaving the shot glasses on the counter, I moved quickly to the living room. After turning on the camera, I carefully tucked it back in place and adjusted the vase in front of it, so the red light was concealed. There.
But when I returned to the kitchen for the shot glasses a moment later, they were gone. My heart skipped.Oh god.
I ran outside to the back deck to find everyone with a shot glass and beer raised in the air.
“I brought them out,” one of Matthew’s friends said casually as I approached. Shit. This wasn’t good. Anyone could have the shot.
I glanced around at the party. Theodore’s arm was wrapped around Cecily, his eyes red from the chlorine; Daisy’s eyes were drooping. Professor DuPont stood near the hot tub with two of his friends, each clutching a shot glass.
Panic shot through me. What would happen if someone else got it? Would they get sick? I didn’t want some innocent person to get sick for no reason. This was a disaster.
“Come on, Maya. Get in,” Cecily shouted, waving me over.
I slipped into the hot tub next to Cecily and leaned close. “I don’t know which one it is.”
She brushed me off. “Don’t worry, it’s fine.”
“Are you sure?” I whispered. “I put like half the bottle in there.”
Cecily brushed me off. “Don’tworry.” My frustration only rose.How is this at all fine?
