by Paula Stokes
“Okay, never mind. Mom swears she doesn’t know who this guy is—it might all be a coincidence, not worth getting in trouble for.”
“Give me the plate just in case. There’s a guy who works at the gas station who might be able to run a search for me.”
I read Holden the letters and numbers.
“This guy hasn’t threatened you or anything, has he?” Holden asks. “Do you think he could be related to everything else that’s been going on?”
“I don’t see how,” I say. “But I guess we shouldn’t rule out the possibility. There’s a lot of stuff that’s not making much sense right now.”
December 20
The next day, I drive to school and pull my mom’s car into the student parking lot just as the sun is starting to rise. Sure enough, Julia’s Subaru is parked in one of the corner spots. My stomach feels like it’s full of bees. I blink back tears just thinking of what I’m about to do.
But then I think of that stack of bills on the arm of the sofa, that stamped letter with its ominous warning. Just get it over with.
It’s a frigid morning, but my hands are sweating and I nearly drop my mom’s keys as I remove them from the ignition. Swearing under my breath, I grab my backpack from the passenger seat and head into the school.
The hallways are mostly empty at this hour. I stop off at my locker to stash my backpack in there, but then realize I’m going to need something to hide Julia’s purse with. Slinging the backpack over my shoulder, I head off toward the girls’ locker room on the other side of the school. I breathe in deeply. You can do this.
My footsteps echo on the tile floor. I pass a couple of girls sitting on the ground, textbooks splayed out on their laps. One of them looks up at me—it’s one of the freshman girls who come into the coffee shop a lot. I give her a tight smile as I round the corner and head for the athletic wing.
As I approach the door to the locker room, it occurs to me I should probably have some reason for being there before school, just in case I run into someone I know. I decide I can tell people I was looking for Julia. Of course that excuse isn’t going to work if I run into Julia, but if that happens this whole plan is going to crash and burn, so I’d better get my ass in gear before she finishes her laps.
I duck into the locker room. The main area in front of the mirrors, where students blow-dry their hair and put on makeup, is empty. As I walk down the rows of lockers, I pass a couple of girls who are changing, but they both have their backs to me. To the left of me, the bathroom and shower area is also empty, but the steady patter of water on tile means at least one person is taking a shower.
Praying Julia hasn’t changed her routine in the last year and a half, I turn down the last aisle and look for her telltale sky-blue lock. It’s there, on locker 86. She picked this locker as a freshman because her birthday is August 6 and she said she’d never forget where her stuff was.
I glance furtively around and then take a seat on the bench in front of the locker. Dropping my own backpack to the floor, I unzip it so I’ll be able to quickly tuck Julia’s purse inside. I breathe in deeply and then exhale. I steady my shaking fingers against the lock and start to turn. 12-36-24. This was always one of the easiest combinations to remember. But when I pull down after the 24, nothing happens.
Shit. Sweat begins to bead up on my forehead. Maybe I forgot the extra turn in the middle of the combination. I start to dial the lock again. Behind me, the running shower goes silent. I hear the plastic curtain being pushed to the side, imagine a girl reaching out for her towel. Whoever that is will be finished soon, and if her stuff is in this row, I’m going to be busted.
With shaking hands, I pull down on Julia’s lock again. Success. With my breath whistling in my throat, I grab Julia’s purse and quickly tuck it into my backpack. Hurriedly I pull the zipper closed. I start to shut Julia’s locker and then decide it’d be best to leave it open, make it look like maybe she forgot to shut the lock or that someone went around pulling on them and got lucky with hers. I leave the door hanging half open and set the lock on the ground. Hopping up from the bench, I peek around the corner and am relieved to see that the common area is still empty. I head for the door to the locker room at high speed. A couple more girls are in the rows changing now, but it’s no one I really know. I keep my chin tucked, my hair forward obscuring my face as I hurry by.
I’m almost to the door when a voice from behind me asks, “Embry?”
Sixteen
I SPIN AROUND SLOWLY. Frannie is standing in front of the mirror, a towel wrapped around her body. Wet hair dangles down over her pale, freckled shoulders.
“I thought that was you,” she says. “I didn’t know you worked out before class.”
“I don’t,” I say quickly. “I mean, not usually, anyway. I came to school early to work on a project in the computer lab and just ducked in here to go to the bathroom.” There’s at least one bathroom closer to our school computer lab than this one, but hopefully she won’t think about it too hard.
“Oh. Cool.” Frannie tucks a strand of hair behind her left ear. “Well, good luck on your project. I should probably stop dripping all over the floor and get dressed.” She angles her head toward the rows of lockers.
“See you later,” I say. I watch her retreating form and breathe a sigh of relief when she turns down the middle row of lockers. Hopefully she’ll be out of the locker room before Julia notices her purse is missing.
I slip into the hallway and head for the front of the school. There’s still about forty minutes before class starts, but the first buses will be arriving in the next ten minutes so kids have time to eat breakfast. When I reach the front lobby, a couple of guys I don’t know—freshmen or sophomores, maybe—are sitting on one of the benches in front of the building, in plain view of the trash can. Throwing away a fancy purple purse without them noticing is probably going to be tough.
I tap one foot repeatedly as I try to figure out what to do. I sneak a peek at my phone. I’m running out of time. I start walking toward the trash can. Maybe if I get close I’ll be able to figure out a way to dump the purse without anyone noticing.
I pull out my phone as I stroll past the guys, pretending that I’m making a call. I walk to the edge of the school property, continuing my fake phone call. I glance around for Holden, but I don’t see him anywhere. If he’s here already, he’s doing a good job of staying out of sight.
I turn back to the school, the phone still up to my ear. One of the guys on the bench points toward the street. They both hop up and head toward a black pickup truck that’s turning into the lot. I walk back toward the school at a fast clip, inching down the zipper on my backpack as I approach the trash can. I rest my backpack on the top of the can like I’m looking for something in it. Glancing around one more time, I grab Julia’s purse in one hand. Wrapping the leather strap around the middle, I slip the whole thing into the can, forcing it down beneath some greasy fast-food paper bags.
Then I head for the glass doors leading into the school, my heart pounding two or three times for every step I take. I force myself to slow down, to stroll, to look like any other kid dreading a long day of classes. I duck back into the building just as the first buses pull into the parking lot.
Made it, I think. But now it’s Unknown’s turn, and God only knows what they’re going to do next.
I stop off at the nearest girls’ room, where I lock myself in a stall and lean up against the metal, my heart galloping in my chest. I think back through every move I made this morning, trying to decide if I might get found out.
It’s possible Julia might suspect me just because I know her locker combination, but she’s more likely to be suspicious of someone who changes clothes next to her that she doesn’t like. If she somehow hears from Frannie that I was in the locker room, that’s probably game over for me, but I’m not really expecting that to happen. Julia and Frannie don’t talk that much outside of swim practice and official meets. Plus, it’s not like my using
the locker room bathroom should be grounds for a big discussion.
Probably everything will be fine.
Well, no, everything is really screwed up, but at least maybe this purse thing will be fine.
My stomach rumbles, reminding me that I haven’t eaten anything in over twelve hours. I wash my hands and then head into the cafeteria, where I pick up my breakfast tray. I grab a seat at our usual table, even though Julia never joins me for breakfast. In between nibbling on my sausage biscuit and slightly crispy scrambled eggs, I swipe at my phone and send Holden a message:
Me: Are you here?
Holden: Yep.
Me: Did you see me?
Holden: Yeah. Nice fake conversation on your phone.
Me: How did you know it was fake?
Holden: Because I’m smart ;)
Me: Do you think anyone else saw me?
Holden: No. I mean, there are probably security cameras that cover the front of the school, but someone throwing something away isn’t exactly going to be a red flag.
Me: Have you seen anyone scoping out the trash can yet?
Holden: No one besides you.
I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. It’s Julia. She’s headed toward the table and she looks furious.
Me: Keep me posted.
Julia pulls out the chair across from me with a vicious yank. “You are not going to believe what happened!” Her eyes are flashing and her nostrils are flared in anger.
“Hair dryer broken?” I ask, my eyes focused on the dark blond bun on the top of her head. A trickle of water is running down her left temple.
She kicks at the chair next to her. “No, I’m just too pissed to dry it today. Apparently I left my gym locker unlocked and someone broke in and stole my purse.”
“Your new purse?” I ask, my voice rising in pitch. No, Embry. Some other purse. I probably should have worked out what I was going to say during this conversation ahead of time.
“Yes.” Julia flops down in the chair. “Can you believe it?”
“Ugh. That sucks so bad. Did they take anything else?”
She shakes her head. “No, but it’s not like these clothes are worth all that much.”
Her jeans are Diesel brand, with artfully ripped knees and spatters of bleach. They’re probably worth at least a hundred and fifty dollars.
“God, that would have been an even worse nightmare,” she continues. “Imagine having to go to class in your swimsuit!”
“I’m sure someone would have lent you some clothes,” I say. “I think the nurse has a box of stuff in case students throw up or bleed on their clothes.”
Julia shudders. “I’d rather wear my swimsuit.” She swears under her breath. “I’m totally screwed for lunch now—my school ID and all my cash were in my purse.”
I want to ask her how much cash she had, because I’m curious if maybe that was the motivation—someone knew Julia had hundreds of dollars floating around in her purse—but there’s no way to ask that without sounding kind of sketchy. Instead I say, “I can buy you lunch.”
“Seriously?” Her frown starts to thaw. “You’re the best.”
My stomach twists. I am not the best. I’m the worst. The worst friend, possibly the worst person. For a fleeting instant I want to spew the whole truth right there at the lunch table. My mouth gapes like a fish as I try to spit out the words. But all that comes out is, “It’s no problem.” I clear my throat. “Did you report the theft to the principal?”
“Not yet,” Julia says. “I guess I’d better, huh? I don’t think she’s going to do a full locker search or anything, and it’s not like there are cameras in the locker room, so chances are it’s gone for good. But I guess I should at least tell her it’s missing, just in case anyone finds it and turns it in.”
“Hopefully it’ll turn up,” I say lamely. I suppose it’s possible it might turn up, since I don’t know why Unknown wanted me to steal it.
“Yeah, maybe,” Julia says. “They can keep the purse if they want. I just don’t want to go through the hassle or replacing all the stuff that was inside it.” She sighs. “I’m going to drop by the office right now so I can fill out a report and get a temporary ID before first hour. I’ll see you later.”
“Sure,” I say. And then, “Hey. Do you need to borrow anything else?”
Julia spins around. “Like what?”
“I don’t know.” I try to imagine what kind of stuff Julia had in her purse. “Pens or gum or anything?”
“Nah.” Julia starts to turn around again but then stops. “I don’t suppose you have any eyeliner or lip gloss on you, do you?”
“I have eyeliner, but it’s nothing fancy.” Julia buys most of her makeup online from Sephora. My makeup comes from the drugstore in Tillamook.
“I can roll with whatever,” Julia says. “I feel like a ghost without makeup.”
I find a Maybelline eyeliner pencil in the zippered pocket of my purse and hand it across the table to Julia.
“Thanks!” She blows me a kiss. “See you in Spanish.”
I struggle not to flinch. Every time Julia says something nice to me, another knot forms in my gut. It’s almost like she knows exactly which words will hurt me the most.
I head to first period, where we get the entire hour to work on our websites again. I flip through the tabs at the top of the page, but I can’t really concentrate. My stomach is still churning, my blood coursing with adrenaline. I sneak a peek at my phone, but Holden hasn’t texted me. Pressing my fingertips to my temples, I try to channel my mom’s quiet strength.
There’s nothing I can do right now except try not to lose my mind while I wait for Holden to report in. I take slow, steady breaths and try to concentrate on my project.
I flip through the different sections of the web page again. My mom is really going to be surprised by this. Ever since I was little, she’s told me that homemade Christmas gifts are the best, but this is the first year I’m making her something that is actually helpful and functional.
I sneak peeks at my phone throughout class, but there’s no text from Holden. When I haven’t heard from him by lunch, I duck into the bathroom on the way to the cafeteria and tap out a message.
Me: Well?
Holden: A few people have thrown away trash, but no one has taken anything out of the can.
Me: You’re sure?
Holden: Yes, unless they’re some sort of magician.
Me: Can you keep watching?
Holden: I can at least until my mom wakes up and calls me and starts screaming.
Me: Okay, thanks.
I slip my phone back into my purse, and it hits me that maybe Unknown was after Julia’s phone for some reason. She didn’t mention whether it was stolen this morning.
Flushing the toilet, I exit the stall and wash my hands. Then I head for the cafeteria.
Julia is waiting for me right inside the main entrance. She turns toward the hot-food line and I get in line behind her.
“Any word on your purse?” I ask.
“No. The principal was really upset. She said there hadn’t been a locker break-in all year. She wanted me to call the police and have an officer come take an official statement, but that seemed a bit extreme. I ended up just emailing them a description of my purse and wallet.”
“Did they get your phone too?” I reach under the plastic guard and help myself to a hamburger with fries.
“Thankfully no.” Julia grabs a Styrofoam plate of rice and grilled chicken. She wrinkles up her nose at it. “I bring my phone into the pool area when I swim laps so I can use it as a stopwatch and also check messages.”
I select a green apple from the fruit section of the line and then take a tiny chocolate brownie from the dessert section. Julia grabs a bowl of cut-up cantaloupe and a container of green Jell-O for dessert. As we head for the cashier, she eyes my brownie enviously.
“What, exactly, are you planning on wearing for New Year’s Eve again that is the reason you are torturing yo
urself with creepy diet drinks and school Jell-O?”
Julia sighs. “It’s this extremely formfitting dress with a big slit up the front. And like I said, I bought one size too small. I still need to lose another inch off my hips or I’m not going to be able to sit down without the risk of a big slit up the back too.”
“I sincerely hope this is the party of the century.” I pull a five-dollar bill out of my purse and give it to Julia. “And that you meet the guy of your dreams and he appreciates all your suffering.”
“Let’s not get crazy,” she says, as she hands me back my change. “I’m not looking to meet anyone. I just love the dress. I want to feel beautiful in it. Powerful. That means actually being able to move.”
“I get it. Well, I expect to see some pictures.” I hold my badge out for the cashier to scan and then Julia and I both head for our usual table.
“Of course,” Julia says. “Even better, you should come over sometime and see the real dress. You could try it on for me so I can how it’s really supposed to look.”
“Whatever.” I roll my eyes at her.
We cross the cafeteria and take our usual seats. Bending down, Julia pulls her phone and her water bottle out of her backpack. She shakes up her bottle as I take a big bite into my hamburger. Flicking through a few screens on her phone, she checks Twitter and Instagram. Julia has over two hundred followers on both, many of whom she got during her internship this summer.
I check my own phone to see if I have any new messages. Nope. I wonder if Holden is still outside somewhere, keeping an eye on the trash can in front of the school.
While Julia flips through her social media feeds, my eyes rove across the nearest tables. Several girls are wearing red and green in anticipation of the holidays. I can’t believe it’s almost the end of the year. It seems like just yesterday it was summer, my mom was sick, and Holden and I were both fighting our attraction to each other.
I scan the far corners of the room, looking for anything that seems off. If Unknown is in this cafeteria, I feel like I should sense it. I mean, how can someone be the type of person who threatens to hurt innocent people and not give off some sort of creepy vibe?