I keep an eye on my phone, but it stays silent. Marcus and I parted in such a hurry, I’m afraid he’ll move forward without me. And as the hours tick forward, I don’t feel any better about what to do. I actually catch myself wishing I could ask Gretchen for help. Every time I think of Kirsten, it’s like the earth falls away beneath my feet.
Dina reluctantly drives herself home around ten thirty, only because my mom’s already asleep on the couch and my bed’s a twin. I check on Felicia before dragging down the hall to my room, but when I turn on the light, there’s something on my bedspread.
It’s a small padded envelope with my name blazing up at me in red Sharpie. There’s no return address. My skin flares hot at the familiar writing. Kip swore he hadn’t done anything else for Kirsten, but he doesn’t exactly top my list of people to trust. I rip open the end of the envelope, and a silver object on a leather strap slides out with a small, folded piece of paper.
I pick up the bracelet, just like the one on my wrist, only the clasp is broken.
My mouth goes dry.
My hand trembles as I reach for the note.
Meet me on the playground, 11pm
My knees are ready to buckle, but I look at the clock on my phone and quickly change into my Penn hoodie, jeans, and big black boots. Maybe I can reason with Kirsten—work with her. Something. I want to run down the hall, take the stairs two at a time, but I force myself to creep over the floorboards on tiptoe. I can’t afford for my cousin or my mom to wake up and find me leaving.
I text Marcus as I slip out the security door into the alley.
Meeting with Kirsten, think I can figure this out.
A car rolls by as I peek out of the alley, but it isn’t the deputy on patrol and the road is dark as soon as it passes. I dart across the pavement and suddenly it’s like hundreds of spring nights, my boots crunching through pine needles and leaves as my feet find purchase on the path. I haven’t set foot in Hidden Falls Park at night for three weeks, but I could find my way to the little playground in my sleep. The air is warm tonight, carrying all the earthy plant and soil scents that go with spring. I race once more through the trees, only this time instead of clenching with terror, my stomach twists with anxious hope.
There’s a shadow sitting on the merry-go-round as I approach. It’s a creaking, rusted relic of our parents’ childhoods located between an equally aged jungle gym and a boring plastic slide the town put in to replace the good one. A castle of sorts stands in the middle with bridges and turrets to hide in. Black River Creek bubbles audibly beyond the play equipment, but it’s much quieter here than by the rush of falls downstream. There’s usually a light over the playground at night, but I guess no one thought to replace the bulb the last time it burned out. The merry-go-round squeaks softly, making a slow rotation until I near. The hooded figure puts their feet down, grinding the whole thing to a halt. They don’t move or speak at first and a flash of trepidation shoots through me, wondering if I should’ve told someone else, maybe Aisha or Haley, where I was going.
“Kirsten?”
The figure stands and the hood falls back, revealing Marcus frowning at me in the moonlight.
I cup my hand over my mouth, my heart racing. There’s only one reason Marcus would be here instead of Kirsten, and now I’m more terrified than I’ve been in weeks.
I scan the darkness, trying to decide if I should run, if I even could. But I’ve been here before and I know the woods can close in and swallow me just as easily as they could set me free. I clear my throat because I didn’t give up before and I’m not about to now.
“Thank God, you got my text.” My voice squeaks with false emotion. I force myself to pause, take a breath, before I throw my arms around him. He stiffens, but after a second he reaches a hesitant arm around me, resting his hand on my back. “You were right, she’s planning something. I got home and found this.” I pull away, digging the bracelet out of my pocket. “There was a note saying to meet her. She could be here any minute.”
Marcus doesn’t say anything, but takes the bracelet and looks at it.
“Gretchen got us each one for our birthdays. I lost mine the night she died.” I put my hands on his chest, showing him the other bracelet. “I don’t know what to do.”
He traces his thumb over the infinity symbol, then clasps it inside his fist, his eyebrows drawn together. “I don’t either.”
My pulse surges. I touch his hand, glancing again into the dark. I just need to get out of these woods. “Maybe we can figure it out, but we should go.”
He looks down at me for the first time and there’s something wounded and sad that I’ve never seen in his eyes before.
“Come on.” My voice quavers.
“The video of me.” He takes a step back. “Were you going to show it to the sheriff?”
“What?”
“You could’ve done it by now. Why haven’t you?”
“Marcus, we should really go.” I touch the zipper of his hoodie, but he takes another step away.
“Real evidence—that’s what you said we needed to tie Kirsten to the murder. Is that what you were looking for?”