“Did something happen?” Emily’s voice rose in pitch. “Did you talk to Spencer? You’re not mad at me, are you? For knowing? For not saying anything? I didn’t know how to tell you, but I should have.”
Kelsey’s lips parted. A muscle in her cheek twitched violently. Even though it was chilly in the coat-check area, beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. Wordlessly, she turned and started out the door to the parking lot.
“Where are you going?” Emily followed after her.
“Anywhere but here.” Kelsey stopped at her car and unlocked it with two sharp bleats. She pointed to the passenger side. “If you want to come, get in.”
Emily let out a long, relieved breath. She glanced back toward the restaurant, wondering if she should tell Aria where she was going. But Aria was looking for Spencer, and Emily doubted Spencer would want to see her right now. Emily wasn’t sure she was ready to see Spencer, either.
“I’m coming,” Emily said. She wrenched the door open and slid into the bucket seat.
Kelsey gave Emily a quick, twitchy grin. “Good,” she whispered, and then pulled out into the dark night.
Chapter 32
NOT YOUR USUAL FLYER ON THE DASHBOARD
The clock on the dashboard of Hanna’s Prius said 9:08 when Hanna and Liam pulled into Otto for the Macbeth cast party. Hanna shifted into park, and Liam brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Are you sure you have to go in there?”
“I’m sure.” Hanna rubbed his neck. “It’s bad enough I didn’t go to the play. I’m going to have to lie and tell my dad I sat in the back or something. What do the witches do, anyway? Just in case my dad quizzes me.”
“They bring Macbeth a prophesy.” Liam traced his finger up Hanna’s bare arm. For their secret date tonight, she was wearing a brand-new silky minidress from Otter that showed off lots of skin. They’d gone to the college theater in Hollis and made out in the back seats. “They tell him he’s going to be king and give him all kinds of other creepy warnings,” Liam went on. “And they do a lot of cackling.”
Hanna touched the tip of his nose. “I love how sexy you sound when you talk about Shakespeare.”
“Well I love everything about you,” Liam answered, kissing her lips.
Hanna’s insides swirled. Had he just said he loved her?
After six more kisses good-bye, Hanna kicked Liam out of the car—he’d parked his own in the church lot across the street a few hours earlier. She watched him lope across Lancaster Avenue, shivering with pleasure. Then she climbed out of the Prius and crossed the parking lot toward the restaurant. A Toyota hatchback pulled out in front of her, seemingly not noticing she was there.
“Hey!” Hanna yelled at the vehicle, jumping out of the way. A familiar face stared at her from the passenger seat. “Emily?” Next to Emily was a red-haired girl Hanna knew she’d seen before, too. But where?
The car peeled out of the parking lot before Hanna could figure it out. Turning, she walked into the restaurant, which was filled with kids and smelled like roasted garlic and fresh bread. There were so many people jamming the door that Hanna nearly fell into someone on her way to the coatroom. “Watch it,” the person snapped when Hanna accidentally elbowed his back.
“Watch it yourself,” Hanna snapped. Then the figure turned. It was Mike.
Hanna stepped back. “Oh. Hey.”
“Hey.” Mike blinked hard, looking startled. This was the closest Hanna had been to him in weeks. He still smelled like the Kiehl’s cucumber hand lotion she’d bought him for Christmas. “How . . . are you?”
Hanna raised an eyebrow. “So you’re speaking to me again?”
Mike shifted awkwardly. “I’ve been kind of . . . stupid.” He glanced at her imploringly, then touched his hand to her wrist. “I miss you.”
Hanna stared at his long, thin fingers, suddenly annoyed. Why couldn’t Mike have come to this conclusion a week ago when Hanna was leaving him those messages? Was Mike only interested in Hanna again because her messages had stopped? That was so like guys.
She pulled her hand away. “Actually, Mike, I’m with someone.”
The light drained from Mike’s eyes. “Oh. Well. Good for you. I have a girlfriend, too.”
Hanna flinched. He did? “Good for you, too,” she said stiffly.
They eyed each other cagily. Then someone tugged Hanna’s arm. Hanna turned and saw Aria and Spencer standing next to her. Both of them looked frazzled and pale.
“We need to talk to you,” Aria said. They whisked her back into the parking lot once more. Hanna glanced over her shoulder at Mike, but he’d already turned toward Mason Byers and James Freed.
“You need to see this,” Spencer said when they got to a secluded spot at the corner of the lot. She pulled out her iPhone and waved it in Hanna’s face.
Hanna’s vision took a while to adjust. On the screen was a picture of a girl’s body lying in the sand. Blood pooled around her head. “Is this . . . ?” Hanna gasped, too afraid to even say Tabitha’s name.