Several minutes passed and then, as if getting a signal that Emmie couldn’t see or hear, Max opened the door. A blast of arctic air rushed into the cab, and Emmie pulled her hat down around her ears. Max slammed his door, then opened the back, taking out a sparkly plastic heart about the size of a dinner plate, mounted on a long stake. Emmie watched as Max walked to Jade’s grave. He pushed the stake into the crusty snow, the red heart just breaking the crest.
He bowed his head and crossed himself. Emmie could see his lips moving. She could only imagine what Max was saying. Probably a lot of everything, lamenting how life could be cut so short. So wastefully. She’d thought for a second that she should have gotten out of the truck with Max, but now she was glad she hadn’t. He needed this private moment to make his apology. To say goodbye.
After a bit, Max glanced over at Emmie. The questions and vulnerability in his expression were too much for her to bear. It broke her heart to see him in such obvious pain, and she quickly turned her head so he wouldn’t see her cry.
When Max came back to the jeep, Emmie kept her head bowed, but she reached out her hand to hold his. Max drew in a deep, shattering breath, but didn’t say a word. Emmie wondered if that was because he was still having his silent conversation with his girlfriend.
“I love you,” Emmie whispered, not looking at him, until his silence caused her to finally turn her head. “And that’s the cold, hard truth.”
A small smile spread across his face. “I don’t mind that,” he said. “Not one bit.” Then Max leaned over and kissed Emmie, and neither of them was cold anymore.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This novel arose from my years as a juvenile public defender in Minnesota, so I must thank all the kids who shared so much of their lives with me (the good, the bad, and sometimes the very, very ugly). I hope you are all out there—somewhere—living beautifully triumphant lives now. Thank you for the inspiration. Thanks must also go to my literary agent (and favorite hockey mom), Jacquie Flynn of Joelle Delbourgo Associates, and to my editor, Wendy McClure, who led and prompted me through several rounds of edits and reimaginings. And finally, to my son, who didn’t freak when catching me transcribing his gaming commentaries (seriously, my imagination has its limits). To the readers: thank you for reading my books and thereby letting me keep doing this weird thing that I love. It means the world.
READ GIRL LAST SEEN BY HEATHER ANASTASIU AND ANNE GREENWOOD BROWN
Kadence Mulligan’s star was rising. She and her best friend, Lauren DeSanto, watched their songs go viral on YouTube, then she launched a solo career when a nasty throat infection paralyzed Lauren’s vocal chords. Everyone knows Lauren and Kadence had a major falling-out over Kady’s boyfriend. But Lauren knows how deceptive Kadence could be sometimes. And nobody believes Lauren when she claims she had nothing to do with the disappearance. Or the blood evidence…As the town and local media condemns Lauren, she realizes the only way to clear her name is to discover the truth herself. Lauren slowly unravels the twisted life of Kadence Mulligan and sees that there was more to her than she ever knew. But will she realize she’s unknowingly playing a part in an elaborate game to cover up a crime before it’s too late?
PRAISE
“Endlessly twisty, this deliberate head trip will keep readers guessing until the very end. The kind of dark, wild ride that begs to read in a single sitting.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Intriguing from the start…A sexy, fascinating, fast-paced, and darkly dynamic mystery for teens.”—School Library Journal
“Exhilarating and filled with twists and turns, the mystery lasts until the final page.”—Booklist
“Bold, intriguing, and full of surprises. It’s the kind of book that haunts you long after you put it down.”—Kristen Simmons, author of Article 5 series and The Glass Arrow
“Everyone has a secret and no one can be trusted. Don’t even think about starting Girl Last Seen unless you’ve got a few hours to spare: it’ll keep you flipping pages into the wee hours of the night. Dark, fun, captivating.”—Paula Stokes, author of Liars, Inc. and This Is How It Happened
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anne Greenwood Brown has written several novels for young adults, including the Lies Beneath trilogy and Girl Last Seen, which she cowrote with Heather Anastasiu. As an attorney, Anne worked as a juvenile public defender. She is a graduate of St. Olaf College and lives in Minnesota with her family. Visit her online at annegreenwoodbrown.com.
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