The first one cackles. "Ollie, dear. You know I’m just having a little fun. How’s Samuel? I guess my wedding invitation got lost in the mail."
My heart lurches into my throat, and my hand freezes midway to the toilet paper holder. Am I going to get the chance to ask Beth what all this nonsense is about? I spring into action, finishing what I came here to do, and exit the stall. The bathroom is empty—there’s not a soul in here.
"Olive?"
Silence.
"Olive?"
"Uh, yeah. I’m good. I’m here." There’s another flush, and she emerges to stand at the sink beside me. We wash our hands without saying a word. Did I imagine all that? Or did she hear it too?
"Did you—"
"Yes," Olive answers before I can finish, then spins to grab a paper towel to dry her hands. "Sadie, look." Her body freezes, all except her hand. She’s pointing at a key that’s dangling from the doorknob. It’s affixed to one of those vintage hotel keychains shaped like a diamond.
As we glance back at the mirror, it fogs over as if we’ve been running the hot water too long. Then, suddenly, words are revealed one letter at a time as if someone is drawing them with their finger.
Your future won’t wait forever. This will help you understand.
Olive clutches my arm, digging her fingers into my skin. "I’m calling, Sam. Grab the key and let’s go."
"Why do we need the key? It might not even be related…"
"You always take what they give you, Sadie." She smiles at me, but chews her lip nervously. "If I learned anything, it's that everything is a clue."
twenty-two
Max
Mary-Kate & Ashley
"Sadie? Are you here?"
Laughter rolls out from my brother’s living room, washing over me but not quite settling my anxiety. Rushing, I slip out of my tennis shoes and slide down the oiled wood entryway in my socks like I’m Tom Cruise inRisky Business—except with pants on.
Gliding to a stop halfway between the living room and kitchen, I see my friends. Sadie is perched near Olive on the couch, Howie’s slumped on the floor by the whitewashed stone fireplace, and Sam’s relaxing in his stuffed leather chair.
The only one who turns to acknowledge my entrance is the one I’m hoping to see most. Sadie’s holding her hands out in a slow clap, and when our eyes meet, I feel nothing but relief. I wasn’tsure what I was walking into. While my brother’s been down this road before, I didn’t find out until it was nearly over.
All I was aware of coming here is the vague message I got from Howie saying that Sadie and Olive had been confronted by Irina and Beth—that they were in trouble, and we were going to do something about it. What? I have no idea.
"Hey Maxie," Olive coos from her seat.
I nod, entering the room to slide up next to Sadie. Swiping the back of my hand over her cheek, I take my time checking for any injuries.
"Um, Max? What are you doing?" she asks, with a single brow raised and an amused grin on her face.
"What happened?" I continue my perusal. "Are you hurt?"
She laughs, tilting her head backward to rest on the cushions. "No. She wasn’t even there, not really anyway."
"I thought you said there was a confrontation?" I shoot daggers at Howie. It’s not that I’m mad about leaving my workout at the rink. It’s more that I almost had a heart attack trying to get here.
"There was," he spits back, crossing his arms over his chest. "A verbal one."
Sam and I look at each other, a silent conversation passing between us. He’s not happy Olive’s involved in this. He never wanted her to see Irina again after Ollie cracked her head open in the cemetery, and the last time she did was the night they broke up. His concern is completely valid.
"Okay, now that you’re all here. Let us just tell you what happened. Then we can decide if action is needed." Olive stands, pacing as she continues.
