“Um…I don’t actually know his name.” I winced when the officer frowned. “See, the thing is…” I glanced over to my mom and her stark white face. Her eyes met mine, and they slightly widened, as if she knew exactly what I wanted—and needed—to say. She glanced at my step-dad and gave an imperceptible shake of her head. But I had no choice but to give a version of the truth. “It was a guy I met when I went out dancing last night for my birthday. I guess you could say I was...intrigued by him. So, when he showed up at the theatre with three of his friends, I wanted to talk to him since we hadn’t exchanged numbers….ornames.”
“I see.” The officer sounded skeptical, but I couldn’t blame him. It soundedridiculous.
The police officers asked me a few more questions, and then finally stood togo.
“Thanks for your cooperation, but we’ll likely need to speak to you again,” Deputy Franklin said as the two of them hovered by the door. “It would be for the best if you didn’t leave town until we’ve wrapped up thecase.”
I’d binge-watched enough police procedural shows that I knew exactly what that meant. I was a suspect. Maybe their main suspect. And if I tried to get the hell out of dodge, they’d probably arrestme.
When the door shut behind the cops, I had the sudden urge to fling it back open and beg them to take me into the station. Because I could justfeelthe piercing gaze of my step-dad on the back of myhead.
Swallowing hard, I spun on my feet to face him. His eyes were so dark that my body shuddered in response. I took a step back, pressing up against the door, the metal knob digging into myskin.
“I don’t even know where to start.” He was using that strange eerie calm voice again, the one that caused tremors to engulf my entire body. “First, you outright lied to your mother and me about why you were so late getting home today. And then I find out you went to a club last night?” His jaw rippled from where he clenched his teeth so tight that I could hear a grinding sound coming from his mouth. “That’s why your mother grounded you, isn’t it? I should have known it wasn’t for slacking off on yourchores.”
“It’s not her fault,” I said quickly. “I asked her to lie to you. I knew you’d be pissed if you foundout.”
“Damn right I’d be pissed. Here I am, paying your way and you’re out partying all night. Probably drinking and doing drugs. Although that doesn’t fucking compare to being a suspect for murder, now doesit?”
A suspect formurder.
The words sounded alien to my ears even though I’d understood the truth of the officers’ visit myself. Swallowing hard, I took a step back, only to find I had nowhere to go. The doorknob dug deeper into my skin, the cool steel of it pressing through my thin t-shirt.
“Well?” He stalked closer, so close that I could smell the hint of paprika on his breath. “What do you have to say foryourself?”
“Look, I’m sorry,” I said, heart thundering. “I shouldn’t have lied, I guess, but I was worried you’d overreact. Sometimes…” I took a deep breath and plowed forward. “Sometimes you can be a little intimidating when something goeswrong.”
“Oh yeah?” He let out a chuckle. “Intimidating likethis?”
He pulled back his fist, and I squeezed shut my eyes. This was it. The moment he lost it and finally broke abone.
His fist slammed into the wall beside me, cracking through plaster and knocking right into the bricks underneath. The yell that erupted from his throat was so loud that my entire body began to shake. He’d punched the wall himself, but I knew what that yell meant. He was going to blame me for his ownwound.
He stumbled back, and blood poured from hisknuckles.
“Norah.” My mother rushed into the entry way and shoved her old suitcase into my shaking hands. “Go. Get out ofhere.”
Tears sprung into my eyes, and I shook my head. “No. I’m not going to leave you here alone withhim.”
“I’ll be fine.” She jerked her head over her shoulder to stare at my step-dad, who was now wrapping his hand with one of my scarves on the coat rack. In an instant, my mother was close, and her breath was barely a whisper. She pressed a necklace into my hands, the one she’d worn almost every day of her life. “Take this and wear it always. Go to Bree’s apartment. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to comeback.”
She yanked open the door and gave me a push. I stumbled out into the hallway, my heart split in two. I wanted nothing more in the world than to get the hell out of here and never look back, but the look of hopelessness on my mom’s face kept my feet rooted to thespot.
Until I heard my step-dad’s voice through the thin door. “That kid is trouble, and she needs to be shown it. If she ever steps back through that door, I swear to god I won’t hold back again. Don’t ever let her comeback.”
Chapter Five
Bree wasn’t home.So, I snuck inside. She lived on the second-floor of a walk-up apartment building, and there was a fire escape ladder in the alley just behind it. For as long as I could remember, we kept a leaded rope hidden behind one of the dumpsters in case ofemergency.
This was an emergency if there ever wasone.
Once inside, I dropped the suitcase on the floor and plopped onto her tiny twin bed covered inFrozensheets. Bree was a bit of a Disney fan, to say the least. I thought it was because she liked to imagine that she was a princess, though one of the ones who saved the day for themselves, not the kind who neededrescuing.
No, it seemed thatIwas the kind who needed rescuing. I wished it wasn’tso.
I must have fallen asleep like that because the next thing I knew, the overhead light was shining right in my eyes and Bree’s face hovered in front of me. A hand reached out, gently, and shookme.
“Norah, what the hell is going on?” Her face blurred in before me as I blinked the sleep out of my eyes. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy to see you, but you have to admit it’s kind of strange that you’re in mybed.”
