There was rushed talking, and then several sets of footsteps racing toward me.
“Bailey!” My mother’s voice cracked on the word, causing something inside me to unwind. “Thank God you’re okay.”
“Mom, help!” I didn’t glance up as she swept to my side. I was wholly focused on the way Wes’s body continued to shudder and twitch.
“Oh my God, Wes,” my mother said, bending over him, her hands pressing against the blood seeping from his head. “Tripp, have you called his parents yet, or—”
“You have to move.” My father’s voice was as strong as I’d always remembered, but something beneath the surface gave way, and I knew he was just as scared as I was. “Both of you need to back away.”
“Wes needs a medic.” Tripp squeezed both of my shoulders. “One followed me in, okay, B?”
I glanced up and saw the panic in Tripp’s eyes, the tremble of his lips as he repeated himself. “Wes needs a medic.”
She was there, pushing her way past Tripp, around my mother, kneeling down at Wes’s side, a picture of calm as she murmured a string of sentences to her partner. I caught something about a blow to the head and a rating of nine on the GCS scale. The partner shouted for fluids and a backboard to carry Wes out.
My mother put a finger under my chin, tipping my head back and looking me over. “You okay?”
“Yes,” I said. “Fine, but—”
“How long has he been seizing?” the medic asked, her eyes and hands fluttering over Wes as she waited for an answer.
“Two minutes,” Hannah said. “Maybe less.”
“Hannah,” my father said, tears glistening in his eyes as he reached out and pulled her against his side. “Thank God. When Tripp called us, we didn’t know what to tell your mom. She’ll be here any minute now.”
But none of that mattered. Nothing mattered, except for Wes.
I leaned down and kissed him on the forehead.
“You can’t leave me,” I whispered. “Not now.”
The medic shouted something about finding a tool to break the shackles off Wes’s legs, that they needed to prepare him for transport now.
Wes’s body shuddered a few more times, then fell still, his head lolling to the side. The medics continued to speak rapidly to each other as an officer kneeled behind them using bolt cutters to cut the shackles from Wes’s ankles. Hannah and I were freed next. All the while, my parents stared at the shackles, horrified, but that was a blur. The only clarity I had was Wes lying there, as still as all of the bodies we’d found during the hunt.
“He’s going to be okay, right?” I asked the medics, my voice hoarse, shaky. “You have to make him okay.”
But no one answered me.
“Dad?” I said, tears dripping down my cheeks, watching as Wes was swept away on the backboard, his eyes closed, one hand dangling free as they squeezed him through the doorway and out into the deep night.
My father tugged me from the floor and folded me against him. The frantic pulse of his heart betrayed his words as he told me that everything was going to be okay, just fine, that there was nothing to worry about.
“Wes is strong.” Tripp planted his hand firmly on my back. “He’ll pull through this.”
“You called the police.” My words were muffled by my father’s shirt.
“He did the right thing,” my mom said, her voice soft. “What you should have done from the very start.”
“You’re right,” I said, twisting away from my dad’s arms. “But I didn’t know who to trust.”
My mom’s eyes were red and glossy. Tears streaked down her cheeks. Hannah was by her side, wrapped up in her arms. Mom sighed, glancing from me to Tripp and back again. “It was an impossible situation. You all did the best you could.”
“I started talking to Tiny the night we found Becca at Timber Park,” Tripp said. “I knew he wasn’t the one, and you guys wouldn’t trust me, so I just had to. He’s seen pictures of all of the clues. Followed behind us almost every step of the way. Which means they knew that Suze and Emily were still alive—I guess those two bolted right after we left that set-up in the cave—but I had no idea or I swear, I wouldn’t have sent you out here. After I left you at Cold Stone, Tiny brought Mom and Dad in and told us all what they thought was going on. By then, it was too late to warn you, so we just bolted out here.” Tripp looked at me, his eyebrows raised. “Sorry I went behind your back. I had to do it.”
Hannah pulled Tripp to her and my mother, a tangle of arms sweeping him in. “No apologies. You saved us.”
“But what about Wes?” I asked. “We have to follow them to the hospital. We have to make sure they save him, too.”
CHAPTER 36
11:30 PM
I stood in front of the fire, watching the flames dance as people circled around me. Music pumped from an iPod dock somewhere nearby. Someone tossed a log into the flames and hundreds of glowing sparks floated up to the night sky. The fire hissed and crackled, popping loudly and making me jump.
“You okay?” Hannah asked, bumping me with her shoulder.
“Yeah,” I said, my mind locking on the fact that I was fine. I still had to remind myself of that sometimes, running through a quick mental check to assess my surroundings and myself. It had started the night the police whisked me away from the cabin, and settled in during the hours I’d spent sitting with my parents in the stark, white hospital, waiting for news about JJ. And Wes. Refusing to leave, convinced that I needed to be there, that both of their lives depended on me sticking close. As each passing day took me further away from the terror of the hunt, it was getting easier to trust that I was safe.
“I can’t believe we’re out of here in three days,” Hannah said. “You deserve this, B.”
My mother had said the same thing the morning of graduation, her perfume spiraling around me as she pinned my cap in place, its tassel swinging back and forth as she told me that she was proud of me for agreeing to go to the ceremony. Of course, she also added that as proud as she was, Tripp and I were still grounded for the rest of the summer. Like, can’t-leave-the-property-without-supervision grounded. I was lucky to have talked my way out of the house for this party, luckier still that she understood how important tonight was for me.
“We deserve this,” I said. “No way I’d be here without you, Han.”
Hannah tipped her blue Solo cup against mind and said, “Cheers to that!”
People stirred behind us, shifting to make room for Jonesy, who swooped in holding a camping chair above his head.
“Make room,” he said, opening the chair and planting it on the pavers surrounding the fire pit.
The girls swept through the crowd, moving as one, Kelsey and Carrie on one side, Summer and Beth on the other, while Amy and Brittany brought up the rear. Centered among them all was a weak, but recovering, JJ Hamilton.
“You guys are treating me like I’m going to break,” JJ said.
“No,” Beth said. “We’re treating you like you were shot in the shoulder and lost so much blood you almost died.”
“That was over two months ago.”
“Barely,” Kelsey said. “And this is the first night your mom has let you out. We promised we wouldn’t let you push too hard.”
“She’s overreacting,” JJ said. “And so are all of you.”
“You earned this.” Jonesy handed JJ a Jell-O shot and gave her a kiss on each cheek. “Enjoy the evening.”
“I would have sneaked out if I’d had to,” JJ said, taking the shot and sitting in the waiting chair. She found me in the crowd, flashing a huge smile. “Missing Jonesy’s end-of-summer bash? Not an option.”
“Agreed,” I said, walking to her side. “How’ve you been feeling?”
“Little pain here and there,” JJ said. “Nothing I can’t handle. PT ends soon. But I’m sticking around town for the year. I’ll take a few classes and transfer later.”
I caught a glimpse of Sylvie as she made her way through the crowd, the glow of
the fire sparking off her curls.
“Girls,” Sylvie said, joining the group with a little twirl. “I can’t believe we’re all here!”
“The odds certainly were against you,” Hannah said.
“You’re one of us now, you know?” Sylvie wrapped her arm around Hannah’s shoulders, pulling her in. “An honorary member of The Bakersville Dozen.”
“You’re drunk,” Hannah said.
“Maybe a little.” Sylvie giggled. “But I meant what I said.”
“Well, thanks for the formal induction to the group.” Hannah tried to spin away from Sylvie’s reach, but Sylvie spun with her, and the two became a tangle of arms and legs. We all started laughing then, softly at first, and then a full-on release. It was the perfect moment to share during our last night together.
Sylvie released Hannah and turned back to the group. “Have you guys heard the latest?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Tiny stopped by earlier today and said the news would break soon. Turley was getting clues, too.”
“Which explains why he went to the locker room right after the tiara was taken,” Hannah said. “They set him up over and over, threatening to take him out with fake evidence, and it worked every time.”
“You guys haven’t had enough of each other yet?” a deep voice called. I swiveled to find Owen O’Brien walking our way. He swept Sylvie off her feet and twirled her in a circle. They were both smiling, laughing, but the vision made me feel dizzy and a little ill.
It made me think of Jude—the feel of his arms around my waist as he would pick me up and swing me around. Things between us had always felt so right.
I squeezed my eyes closed, reminding myself that Jude was sitting in a jail cell, awaiting news on his trial. The police had piled one charge on top of another.
Emily was in a different jail, in a different cell, awaiting trial, as well.
I wasn’t sure if Suze, who had been pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital, was the least fortunate or if she’d gotten off the easiest.
But none of that mattered.
It was over now.
Most importantly, I was okay. The rest of the girls were okay. And they would never be able to reach us again.
I took a deep breath and opened my eyes, searching the crowd.
I found him in an instant, just like always. He was talking to Jonesy’s oldest brother, Brennan. A small city of tents fluttered in the night breeze behind them. My heart flipped to triple-speed as our eyes locked. He smiled at me, then said something to Brennan, holding out a fist, which Brennan bumped with his own. And then he was walking toward me.
“Hey,” he said when he reached my side.
The corners of my lips curved up in a smile. “Hey.”
“You having fun?”
“It’s surreal,” I said. “This whole scene. It’s amazing to be here, totally free, without any worries in the world.”
“No worries?” Wes asked, tilting his head up. The glow of the fire flashed across the skin above his left eye, still tender after thirteen stitches.
“Maybe one,” I said, glancing at the fire.
“What’s that?” Wes asked.
“I’m not sure all of the stuff my mom bought will actually fit in my dorm room.” I sighed. “Combined with everything Hannah has, we could be in trouble.”
“I think you’ll figure it out,” Wes said. “If you can’t, you can always call me for help.”
“You’d do that?” I asked.
“Of course,” Wes said. “I’m always here for you. And with both of us at Ohio State, I’ll be living, what, three minutes from your dorm?”
Behind us, JJ said something and the rest of the girls started laughing. It was good to hear them happy. To be part of this night. I caught a flash of Tripp weaving his way through the crowd, following the slope of the grass to where Wes and I were standing.
“Glad you found us,” Wes said. “I have a question.”
“You need a ride home?” Tripp asked. “I thought you were allowed to drive now. Or did the concussion make you forget you’d gotten your driving privileges back?”
“Very funny. I’ve remembered almost everything, by the way. Except for some of the stuff that happened out at Laurel Falls—that part is still pretty fuzzy.”
“Did I hear someone say Laurel Falls?” Hannah asked, swiveling from the circle of girls to face the three of us. “I think we should declare that place a forbidden topic. At least for tonight.”
Tripp turned to Wes and clapped him on the shoulder. “What’d you want to ask me, man?”
“It’s not so much a question as something I need to say.” Wes took a deep breath, looking from Tripp to me and back again. “I have a thing for your sister. I kind of always have.”
Tripp and Hannah locked eyes, pausing for a moment before they began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Wes said. “This is serious.”
“As if we didn’t already know you two have been pining away for each other for, like, ever?” Hannah asked. “This was basically all Tripp and I talked about last summer, when you two were trying to hide your little fling.”
“And you didn’t say anything?” I asked, looking at them both. “Why didn’t you—”
“It was obvious you wanted to keep it private,” Tripp said with a shrug. “Besides, if you guys knew that I knew and then he broke your heart, I’d have to kick his ass. Would have challenged a lifelong friendship. But I think he’s proven himself.”
“I should hope so,” Wes said.
“Just to be clear, I’ll still kick your ass if you hurt her.”
Wes wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “You won’t have to.”
“Good. The last guy who fucked with her is looking at life behind bars.” Tripp winked at me and then held his cup in the air. “I’m empty. See you guys in a bit.”
“I need one, too,” Hannah said, grabbing Tripp’s arm as she navigated the grassy ground outside of the fire’s glow.
Wes sucked in a deep breath and swiped his fingers through his hair. I caught another glimpse of the scar healing just beyond his hairline, pink and swollen, a permanent reminder that he had been so close to losing everything. That I had been so close to losing him.
“We’re heading out in three days,” Wes said. “College life is crazy busy, what with classes and homework, not to mention football. OSU games are epic, you know.”
“Oh, I know,” I said.
“So, I was wondering . . .” Wes looked up at me, his eyes glimmering in the light of the fire. “Would you like to go out with me?”
“On a date?” I asked. “Like, a real, official date? Out in public and everything?”
“That’s the idea.” Wes laughed. “I was thinking Flying Pizza. Maybe a movie.”
I looked at Wes, feeling a swell of gratitude to have him there in front of me—his eyes bright, chest rising and falling, hands shaking.
“We can go fancier if you want. That steak place in the center of town is always—”
“No,” I said.
Wes’s eyes creased with confusion.
“I don’t need anything fancy.” I placed my hand on his heart, feeling the steady beat beneath the palm of my hand. “But I would love to go out with you.”
I stepped forward then, the heat from the fire mixing in with the heat of Wes until I wasn’t sure where one ended and the other began.
He drew me into a hug, his breath warm against my neck.
“I love you, B,” he whispered. “Always have.”
And then I said it, the one thing I regretted never being brave enough to say when I’d had the chance.
“I love you, too, Wesley Green.”
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The Bakersville Dozen Page 22