“I don’t know,” she says, slowing down so we’re side by side on the shoulder of the road. “It’s not like he’s offering them tome.”
“Right.” I pause. “So, you think Billy was into drugs?”
Millie sighs. “Frankie, how many times do I have to tell you? I don’t know. Come on, we’re almost there.”
We turn onto Pelican Island Road, but as we bike toward our house, Mom rushes out the front door and starts waving her hands. “Girls!” she calls. “There you are!”
“We’re fine, Mom.” I brake to stop and let my bike drop onto the lawn as Mom reaches for both of us, wrapping us in her arms. “We’refine,” I repeat.
Behind me, Lucy’s car pulls into the driveway and she steps out, shielding her eyes from the setting sun. “Let’s go next door,” she says, her voice clipped. “The boys are all there.”
“Noweveryone’s interested in the investigation!” I say, throwing my hands up. “But whenIwas trying to figure out what happened, no one cared.”
Mom snaps her attention to me. “You were trying towhat?”
Lucy makes big eyes at me and runs her pointer finger across her neck, telling me to cut it out. “Nothing,” I say.
Mom hurries us across the driveway and as we walk, it’s like she’s trying to keep her hands on all three of us at once, like letting any of her daughters go might cause one of us to spontaneously combust. My first instinct is to elbow her away, but I can’t deny thatit’s nice to have her attention, even though I’m sharing it with Millie and Lucy.
We head around to the side door, and Mom knocks on the glass so Paula can let us in, the alarm beeping behind her as we file inside.
“Oh good, you’re all together,” she says, kissing each one of us on the forehead. “We ordered Chinese for everyone.”
“Thanks, Paula,” Lucy says, pressing her lips together. “Can I help with anything?”
Paula’s face softens, and she shakes her head. “No, dear. I can’t believe you heard first.”
Lucy winces. “Perks of working at the Mayor’s office, I guess. I thought it was weird when I saw him in the station yesterday, but never did I think…” She shudders and Paula pats her shoulder gently.
“Why don’t you keep Ethan company, okay?” Lucy nods and trots off, but Paula looks at Mom and drops her head. “Have you talked to Deirdre?”
“No,” Mom says, her voice a hiss. “What would I even say to her?Did your son really murder Sally’s boy?” Mom shivers. “No doubt they’ve brought in that criminal attorney friend of theirs from the city.”
Mom and Paula keep talking, but I push through to the couches, where everyone is sprawled out. I once calculated that I have spent at least four months of my life sitting on the Silver family living room couch, sunk into the corner of its L shape, feet tucked under Alex’s butt to keep warm. So much of my life has existed in this room—so much of my sisters’ lives. I know which throw pillows are frayed at the corners and which blankets still smell like their old cockapoo, Oona, who passed away last year. I know that whilesitting on the couch, I can throw my hand up over my shoulder without looking and reach directly into a bowl that holds chocolate Kisses, the wrapper colors changing with the seasons. Today’s are red, white, and blue, in honor of the upcoming Fourth of July parade.
Ethan’s hands are steepled in front of his face, so I can only see his eyes. Trevor clutches a pillow in front of his stomach, leaning so far forward his back is hunched. Only Alex gets up to greet us.
“You guys want anything to drink?”
We all shake our heads no and I watch Lucy plop down on the couch next to Ethan, his arm snaking around her shoulder.
“I can’t believe it,” Ethan says. “Justin’s supposed to go to Trinity in the fall.”
“Not if he killed Billy.” I reach behind me and grab a handful of Kisses.
“Have sometact, Frankie.” Lucy flicks my shoulder. “Besides. He wasn’t arrested for murder.”
“What was it, drugs?”
All around me, I can feel eyes boring into me like I said something wrong, like I shouldn’t have mentioned anything about that. Mom and Paula’s conversation stills.
“Drugs?” Mom asks. “What aboutdrugs? Deirdre’s son dealsdrugs?”
Thankfully, Ethan pipes up. “We don’t know anything yet. Just stay calm.”
Lucy nudges me with her foot. “I’m pretty sure they arrested him for assaulting an officer,” she says. “Yesterday, hebitHampton at the station. That’s all they have.”
“For now,” I say, which earns me a glare from her.
