by Matt Juhl
Traci caressed Harper’s silky hair. “I’m just looking out for you.”
She immediately shrugged her off. “I know what I’m doin’, and I know how I feel about him. I’m sorry, but you’ve got the wrong idea about you and me.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Then why are you talkin’ about me bein’ on your arm?”
“It’s an expression. I meant that you’d be by my side for support. This gala isn’t just an opportunity to hob-knob and sip champagne. It’s to commemorate the livelihood and spirit of my mother. These are people, including myself, who’ve mourned her long before her death. Don’t you remember? Mother ran off before she died.”
“No…”
“I’m sure I told you. Maybe you’d have remembered if you’d ever cared enough to pay attention.” Traci threw her hands in the air in disgust.
Harper released the tension in her weary face. “I care, but you’ve never told me that. What do you mean she ‘disappeared’?”
“Mother just took off one day and never looked back. She told me she found her soul mate. It was embarrassing how much of a spectacle she’d made of herself, leading a double-life.”
“Why are you so ashamed of her?”
“Because,” she hissed. Traci put her finger to her quivering lip and closed her eyes. “You know what? Forget it. I don’t wanna talk about this anymore. I just want you to look your best and be supportive. Is that so much to ask?” Tears swelled beneath her eyelids as she began gathering dresses. “I’m sorry for making you do this.”
“You don’t need to be so sensitive, Traci. I wasn’t tryin’ to upset you.”
“I don’t want to talk about Mother anymore.”
“You’re the one who brought her up, not me.” Harper reminded her. “Look, can we just agree on a dress and get outta here?”
“All right, put this one on.”
“Let’s just pick one I’ve already been in.”
“You act like I’m pointing a gun at the back of your head. Most girls would jump at the opportunity to skip an entire day of school and go on a shopping spree. I don’t understand why you’re so upset. I thought we were having a good time.”
“It’d be fun if you weren’t so fussy.”
“I am not fussy. Now c’mon, one more.”
“Traci—”
“Last one, I promise.”
Harper snatched the dress out of her hands and brushed passed her into the fitting room.
Traci fell to the ground and desperately continued hunting the entire shop for Harper’s sterling silver necklace. While scavenging the floor, she tried retracing her footsteps during the course of the day, but couldn’t pinpoint a specific moment where she recalled having it on. She began to wonder how long it’d been missing.
In bitter silence, Harper reluctantly pulled the garment up her tight frame. She’d never pictured herself in a designer boutique, being faced with such inconsequential decisions. In the grand scheme of things, it seemed thoughtless. Never would she have been afforded such extravagance with her mom or her aunt. Being there without them made her feel heartless, especially since Mindi was still alive, somewhere.
“All right, what do you think?” Harper emerged from the dressing room, only to find she was alone. “Where’d you go?”
She walked away from the fitting rooms and found Traci scouring the floor. “What the hell are you doin’?”
“I lost one of my contacts,” she lied. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Well?” Harper asked, motioning to the gown. “Let me guess, you don’t like it?”
“No, I love it.” Traci’s eyes gleamed. “It’s perfect.”
“You really think so?”
“Are you kidding me? Look how it hugs you in all the right places—and the way it makes your eyes sparkle. You’re a raving beauty.”
Harper sauntered over to a full-length mirror, admiring the flattering cut of the short, tight dress.
“What do you think, sweetie?”
She squinted, trying to see it in the same light as Traci. “I guess it’s fine.”
“Do you love it?”
“Yeah,” she lied. “This is the one.”
“I knew with a shrewd eye and a little patience we’d find something perfect. This is definitely it.”
Traci’s leering gaze was the closest thing to a visual rape that Harper had ever encountered. She felt uneasy by the weight of Traci’s stare.
“I’m gonna change so we can bag this up and go home.”
“Wait just a minute.” Traci put her hands on her hips. “We still need to accessorize your shoes, clutch, earrings, necklace, makeup—”
“Can’t we do that later?” Harper begged.
“Of course not. The party is this weekend.”
“But we’ve been here forever. I’m ready to go.”
“What’s the big rush?”
“I’m meeting up with Nik in a lil’ while.”
“But you saw him last night.”
“So?”
“So?” Traci’s mouth dropped in utter disbelief. “You’re just gonna rush off on me?”
“I ain’t rushin’ off. We picked a dress. We’re done.”
“No we’re not. Your look’s not nearly complete.”
“I already told you I can take care of that stuff later.”
Traci held her breath, desperately trying to maintain her decorum. “You don’t get it. I just wanted us to bond and forget about everyone else. I’ve been put on the backburner too many times for Nik Roberts and enough is enough. You’ve been seeing too much of each other. It’s beginning to interfere with your other obligations.”
“What obligations? He’s my boyfriend.”
“What about our friendship and your schoolwork? I want you to call him right now and cancel your plans. Today is supposed to be about us. I’ll be damned if I’m robbed of that.”
“Traci—”
“Please don’t test my patience any more than you already have. I’m still very emotional about the significance of this event and I don’t want to relive that all over again. I need your total cooperation. Just do as I say, Harper. Please.”
“All right,” she surrendered and turned back to the mirror. “Accessorize me.”
She grinned from ear to ear and shouted, “Thank you!”
Traci’s mood swings were unprecedented—and drove Harper crazy.
“Wait here. I’ll be back in a moment.” Traci rushed across the shop to peruse the jewelry counter.
“Well look at you, glamor puss…”
Harper glanced over her shoulder and saw her tormentor, Daisy Holloway, waiting with her arms folded.
They’d seen each other several times since school started, but hadn’t come face to face since the summer—when Harper yanked Daisy’s hair in self-defense.
“What’d you call me?”
“I called you glamor puss, ‘cause you look so fancy.” She snickered. “You’ve stepped it up a few notches in the fashion department, probably ‘cause you’re living with a sugar mama now. At least that’s what everyone’s been saying...”
“Traci’s just a friend.”
“That’s right, you don’t like chicks. I’d say I almost forgot, but Nik won’t leave your side. He’s just like a little lost puppy…kinda pathetic if you ask me.”
“No one’s askin’ you anything. I haven’t given a shit about one thing you’ve said since the day we met.”
Ignoring her, Daisy ran the palm of her hand down her silky-brown mane and grinned. “So what are you getting all dolled up for? Are you actually taking Nik to the school dance on Saturday? You know, you’ll be the only straights there. It’d be pretty embarrassing for you guys.”
“We ain’t goin’ to that lame dance. Besides, Traci’s hostin’ a party at her house that night.”
“Good, I was afraid you’d make a spectacle of yourself in front of the entire senior class.”
Harper uncharacteristically restrained
herself from pouncing on Daisy and breaking her porcelain face. “Why do you gotta be such a bitch?”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re a total bitch! Since I moved here, you’ve done nothin’ but make life a livin’ hell for us. Are you so insecure about your crappy life that you have to make everyone else miserable?”
Daisy fluffed the oversized neckline of her chartreuse sweater and giggled. “You’re getting way too worked up. I’m just looking out for you, Harper.”
“By bullyin’ Nik and me? That makes a lot of sense.”
“Don’t you realize people aren’t comfortable with you two being together?”
“I stopped carin’ what other people think of us, especially you.”
Daisy shrugged nonchalantly. “Most of the things I say come from a place of concern.”
“I highly doubt that.” Harper crossed her arms and scowled. “All you do is take pleasure in makin’ other people feel like shit. Well I’ve got news, honey, you ain’t better than anyone else. I don’t need your ‘concern’. And just so you know, people don’t worship you like you think. They’re either afraid of you or they pity you. That’s it.”
“People don’t pity me.”
“’Course they do. You’re a low-life, piece of trash who only cares about herself. It’s the end of October. Senior year’s gonna go by real quick. It’s time to open your eyes and see yourself for who you really are. Otherwise you’re gonna be all alone.”
“No I won’t. I have tons of friends.”
“You really think they’ll care about you after graduation, you know, when no one’s around? When people stop watchin’ you?”
Daisy glared at her. “Well that was certainly a mouthful, especially for someone who doesn’t have any friends.”
“I don’t need anyone besides Nik.”
“If you say so.”
“Look, we’ve never done anything to you. Just leave us alone, okay? Bye.”
Daisy pouted. “Okay, wait a second. We need to talk.”
“Just go away.”
“But there’s something I’m supposed to tell you.”
“Yeah, right.”
“No, really, there is.”
“So you decided you’d verbally attack me first? And let me guess, somehow you magically knew I’d be here?”
“Kinda, yeah. That’s why I came.”
Suddenly Traci stormed towards the girls and separated them, pulling Daisy away by her underarm. “Excuse me, who the hell are you?”
“Daisy Holloway. Harper and I go to school together.”
“Why are you harassing her?”
“I’m not. We’re talking.”
“I heard you getting loud,” Traci snipped. “What’s going on?”
“Harper and I were just having a conversation.”
“Yeah, right.”
Although she despised Daisy, Harper was intrigued to learn what someone so vapid could possibly have to say. “It’s fine. We’re just talkin’.”
Traci ignored her. “You ought to go.”
“Just a second—I wanna finish our conversation first.”
“No, she can leave now.”
“Oh my God, go away! All I’m askin’ for is a couple frickin’ minutes.” Harper pursed her lips.
Traci gasped in annoyance. “You’ve got two minutes and that’s all.” Without another word of opposition, she stormed away dramatically.
“Your sugar mama has a crazy temper.”
“Daisy, stop wastin’ my time. What the hell do you want?”
“Someone asked me to give you a message…and they told me you’d be here.”
“Who, Nik?”
“No.”
“Then you’re lyin’. Nik’s the only person who knows I’m here.”
“Last night I was visiting my aunt. She’s been sick the last few days, so I’ve been stopping by to take care of her.”
“Are you wantin’ me to feel sorry ‘cause you’ve got a sick aunt? Mine was murdered and her house was burnt down, but you haven’t even acknowledged that.”
“I’m not asking for your pity.”
“Good ‘cause you ain’t gettin’ any from me.”
“Look, all jokes and insults aside, I’m sorry about your aunt.” She watched Harper a moment. “Really, I am, okay?”
“Fine.”
“And I’m sorry I haven’t been very sensitive to what you must be going through. I can’t even imagine what that’s like.”
“It’s been hell.”
“I probably haven’t made things any easier for you.”
“Oh no,” she said sarcastically. “There’s nothin’ like bein’ kicked while you’re down.”
Daisy paused a moment. “I wasn’t always a bad person, Harper. This is just who I’ve become.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, attention, I guess. People notice me.”
“That’s stupid.”
“Not really, well, maybe a little…”
“Why don’t you try growin’ up, or at least start actin’ like a good person?”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“’Cause everyone knows I’m bad.”
“Can’t be all bad.”
“How do you figure?”
“Don’t make me say it,” Harper begged. “You obviously care enough about your aunt to take care of her while she’s sick. That has to mean something.”
“But that’s family—what they think doesn’t matter.”
“I didn’t realize it before, but their opinion matters most of all. I don’t think you’re really this bad girl you want people to see.”
“Don’t act like you know me. I don’t need to be fixed.”
“Damn, sorry for trying to help.”
“Well don’t!”
“Fine, then cut to the chase—what do you want?”
Daisy put a hand on Harper’s shoulder and turned her away from Traci’s protective stare. “While I was sitting by my aunt’s side, holding her hand as she stomached the hot chicken noodle soup I made, she suddenly sat straight up. It was very strange ‘cause she hasn’t been able to move since she was hit with the flu.”
“Go on.”
“She turned her head and began whispering. Since she was so sleep-deprived, I wasn’t paying close attention to the words she was muttering. Then she started calling my name like she couldn’t see me. I tried getting her to sit back, but she wouldn’t budge. I even tried brushing her hair, but she swatted my hand away. It was odd.”
Feeling intrigued, Harper leaned in closer.
“Then without warning, she grabbed my chin. I thought she’d gone mad. I’d never seen her like that, at least not unless she was working. She told me I needed to talk to the red-haired girl with ‘waves of flaxen sunshine’. When I asked for her name, she whispered ‘Harper’.”
“Right, very funny. She must’ve read about my family in the paper, or you’re pullin’ my leg.”
“She said you’ve met before.”
“But I’ve never met your aunt.”
“She said you came to her in August, just before your birthday.”
“Madame Brielle? You’re kiddin’ me. The psychic’s your aunt?”
“It’s not something I like to admit ‘cause everyone think she’s loony, but yeah, she’s my aunt.”
“You’re right, she’s full of shit. She kept tellin’ me ‘bout these ‘dark forces’ that she couldn’t quite explain and a bunch of other garbage. The woman was so phony.”
“Aunt Brie said you ran out before she could finish your reading.”
“Yeah, well I knew she was a fraud.”
“I know I’m not a person you want to trust, but believe me, her gift is very real, so real that she asked me to bring you a message.”
Harper scoffed. “I don’t believe that for a second.”
“How else do you think I was able to find you?”
“Okay, assuming you ain’t full of shit, what
does she want?”
“Aunt Brie had a vision she said concerns you deeply. It may be a piece to the puzzle to help solve your Aunt Faye’s murder.”
“Oh yeah?” Harper said sarcastically.
“Deep in the Dark Woods, there’s a pond known as Whispy Creek.”
“I’ve heard of it.”
“She’s insistent that somewhere around the water there’s a clue that will help the police in their investigation.”
“What clue?”
“They’ll find a black box with red-faded markings splashed along the edges. She said it would help point them in the right direction.”
“You don’t say…”
“Yeah, I believe it’s something worth looking into.”
Harper pondered the statement in silence.
“Okay, well I’m going now.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
Harper burst out in laughter.
“What?”
“Nothin’.”
“You don’t believe me, do you?”
She folded her arms. “Does it really matter what I think?”
“I thought you’d take whatever help you could get.”
“How do I know this ain’t some sick game y’all are playin’?”
“What reason would I have to lie to you?”
“Do you really need one? You don’t have any reason to pick on me and Nik, but that hasn’t stopped you yet.”
Daisy coaxingly placed her perfectly manicured hand on Harper’s arm. “If my aunt believes something is in the creek, then I truly think you ought to check it out. She certainly knew about your whereabouts, right?”
Harper turned her head. “If she’s serious, I’m gonna take it to the cops. I ain’t goin’ there by myself to be set up by you.”
“It’s not a set up. I swear.”
Harper immediately questioned the solemn expression on her adversary’s face. Out of everyone, Daisy was the last person she wanted to trust. “We’ll just see about that…”
NINETEEN
It wasn’t exactly her palatial estate in Silver Shores, certainly a bit understated for Andrea Galva’s lavish taste. The secluded home was devoid of the glimmer and shine she had grown accustomed to. However, it had a picturesque view of ravishing Lake Michigan and vast, private beachfront property.