I text Miss Granger again. Why won’t you answer me? I need your hel—
“You won’t be needing that where we’re going,” Ali says as she slips in behind me, turning off my phone. “No cell service.”
I’m not sure if she saw the text or not, but as I follow her back to Tyler’s car, it feels like a death march.
I get in the backseat—Tammy on one side, Ali on the other. Tyler’s driving, Ben’s riding shotgun.
As we pull out of the lot onto Main Street, I can’t help wondering if this is it. If this is the last anyone will ever see of me, or if I’ll come back different … branded.
29
TYLER SLOWS down as we near the Preservation Society. All I can think about is the secret room. The real one Ali told me about before we found Jess and Jimmy in the cell. Is that where they’re taking me? I lean back in my seat, running my sweaty palms down the front of my jeans. Tyler smirks at me in the rearview mirror, like he knows exactly what I’m thinking, and then revs the engine, racing down Main Street, toward the outskirts of town.
I have no idea where we’re going, but for the first time in my life I’m thankful for Tyler’s stupid techno music. It’s covering up my rapid breathing.
When we pull onto the axis road, out by the old silos, I finally figure out where we’re headed—the fairgrounds. Tyler and I used to do Junior Rodeo out here, but I haven’t been here in years. He whips into the dirt lot next to the ring and cuts the engine. As soon as Tyler opens his door, I spring from the car, inhaling the manure-filled air.
“What are we doing out here?”
“Thought this would be a good place to talk,” Tyler says as he goes to the back of his car and opens the trunk, pulling out a big black duffel bag. “Maybe blow off a little steam.”
I don’t know what’s in that bag, but it can’t be good.
Tyler eyes me. “Sure are nervous, Tate.”
I pull my damp hair back from my face and scan the grounds. I’m looking around for a witness, but it’s deserted. I wonder if they’d ever find my body out here. “You know, everyone saw me leave school with you.”
“Yeah … I made sure of that,” Tyler says as he dumps the duffel at his feet with a dull thud.
“Seriously, Tate.” Ben stands next to Tyler, crossing his arms over his chest. “We’re the ones who should be scared of you.”
“Me?” I balk.
Tammy and Ali close ranks and that’s when it dawns on me—they think I had something to do with Jimmy’s death.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I exhale. “Is that what this is all about? You seriously think I did that?”
“No.” Ben wrinkles up his nose. “But someone must’ve made him do it. Someone he was scared shitless of.”
“And you think that was me?”
“All I know is it took five of us to pull you off him.”
“We all wanted to kill him,” I say, in my defense.
“Then where were you that night?” Tyler steps toward me. “’Cause we know you didn’t go home.”
“Oh yeah?” I square my shoulders. “And how would you know that?”
Tammy nudges Ali.
“I went to your place after the Harvest Festival,” Ali says, her voice soft, her eyes full of sympathy. “I waited for you all night.”
“Just to talk,” Tyler adds through gritted teeth.
“And Nick, up at Merritt’s?” Ben clears his throat. “He said you came in all agitated. Said you were bustin’ his balls over some girl and then took off into the woods, left your truck there till morning.”
“Look.” I let out a deep sigh. “I didn’t want to say anything, but I had a run-in with the Wiggins kid.”
They all look at each other, an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air.
“I’m not a meth head, if that’s what you’re thinking. It’s personal—has to do with Jess. He was waiting for me when I came out of Merritt’s. Hit me in the back of the head with a two-by-four, knocked me out cold.” I bend my head down so they can look.
Tammy steps forward to inspect. “There’s nothing there,” she whispers.
“What?” I lurch to Tyler’s car, tilting the side mirror. “It must’ve already healed,” I say as I run my fingers over the base of my skull.
“Or it never happened.” Tyler stares me down.
“You think I’m lying?” I advance on Tyler and Ali steps between us.
“Clay, we know about what you thought you saw at the breeding barn,” Ali says. “We know about the calf. We know you’ve been seeing things.”
“I can’t believe this is happening,” I say as I pace the dirt.
“When Sheriff came to talk to us—”
“Wait … did you tell him I wasn’t home?”
“Hell no.” Ben juts his head back. “We didn’t tell him jack shit.”
“That’s what we’re trying to tell you,” Ali says. “You can trust us.”
“We’ve got your back.” Ben slams his hand on my shoulder. “You’re one of us now.”
“You don’t understand.” I pull away from him and continue pacing the lot. “There’s a lot more going on here.”
“Like what?” Tammy asks.