“You don’t need to explain,” Josh said moodily. “I wouldn’t want to go to the dance with a murder suspect either.”
Rosa shook her head. “It isn’t that at all.”
“Then what? You don’t trust me because of Elena and the other girls?”
“Please, Josh, just shut up for a minute!” Rosa exclaimed. “I’m trying to tell you, but you keep interrupting me and its making me nervous. What I have to say is really hard for me to admit. I never told anyone before, until today when I was talking to Elena.”
“I’m sorry,” Josh told her, and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I didn’t mean to be rude. Go ahead, I’m listening.”
Rosa refused to look him in the eye. “This wasn’t about you at all. It’s about me and my dysfunctional family. I didn’t want you to know about it. I mean, your parents are these amazing doctors, and my father is . . . well, let’s just as say he’s not going to win any father of the year awards anytime soon. I thought you would lose respect for me if you knew this, but he’s . . . he’s an alcoholic.”
“Never,” Josh assured her. “If anyone knows that people aren’t clones of their parents, it’s me.”
“I know, but this is different than an overbearing dad,” Rosa went on. “He can be really awful, you know. He’s between jobs right now and he’s running out of money. I wouldn’t even think about asking him for anything. I had saved up about a hundred dollars from babysitting jobs that I was going to use to get a dress for the dance. When I got home yesterday, the money was gone, but my father’s liquor cabinet was freshly stocked.” She paused to wipe away a tear. “I don’t have anything nice to wear to a semi-formal dance, and I didn’t want you to know what really happened. That’s why I told you I couldn’t go to the dance with you.”
“Rosa, I had no idea you had so much to deal with,” Josh whispered. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “I was ashamed. I probably wouldn’t have told you at all if it wasn’t for Elena. She tracked me down and forced the truth out of me. Then she told me it wasn’t a problem. She has dozens of dresses, and since we’re about the same size, I can borrow one. So you see,” Rosa told him. “Elena’s not so bad after all. So couldn’t you forgive her? For me?”
“For you I’d do just about anything.” He relented. “Even forgive Elena.”
“And you’ll still help Bryan with the investigation? You know he needs you.”
Josh nodded. “Of course. I wouldn’t have really ditched him. I want to find this guy just as much as Bryan does.”
Rosa grinned and gave him a hug. That seemed to be the queue for Bryan and Elena to join them. Within seconds, Josh saw the new couple sauntering across the cafeteria.
“Are we a team again?” Bryan asked.
Josh reached out to shake his head. “We never stopped being a team.”
Chapter 29
The gymnasium of Clearview High seemed to have undergone a complete metamorphosis. The bleachers had been folded up into the corners, basketball nets were covered with streamers, and the flashing strobe lights cast the room in an almost eerie glow. The court had been freshly polished and droves of teenagers were stomping their feet to the beat of the techno music blaring from the speakers.
In one corner of the large gym, the homecoming planning committee had set up an elaborate stage, complete with five thrones. The smaller thrones were just everyday wooden chairs with blue cushions and cardboard backings decorated to make them look like they were from a little girl’s play castle. The center seat, reserved for the future queen, was much more elaborate. It was left over from the stage props of the drama department’s production of The King and I, and it looked pretty authentic. It was decorated with delicate engravings of elephants and flowers. The cushioned seat was a royal red that matched the robe which would be placed upon the shoulders of the queen. It was an annual ritual—one that Josh had already seen and photographed several times before.
The thrones had been arranged in the shape of an isosceles triangle, with the largest at the tip of the stage. Behind the seats, the disc jockey had his equipment set up, and what seemed like hundreds of wires snaked out across the stage, leading to everything from spotlights to mixing tables. Above the stage, three silver crystalline balls sent circles of light cascading down around the dance floor, bathing the room in a dazzling, romantic glow.
Josh, Bryan, Elena, and Rosa stood amongst a large crowd of enthusiastic dance goers. Their football team had crushed the opposition in a 4-0 victory, and the high level of school spirit had not yet diminished. The two couples seemed to be the only people there who were unconcerned with the whole affair. Elena was especially apprehensive, since she was one of the people on the killer’s hit list. Nevertheless, she wasn’t nervous enough to stay home. Josh could see that a part of her was still looking forward to the possibility of being crowned queen. After all, she had been waiting four years for this moment.
Josh was studying Elena curiously as she chatted with Rosa. She definitely looked sexy in her chic fringe dress, with her long blonde hair lying straight on her shoulders. The sweetheart neckline and spaghetti straps showed just enough skin without being inappropriate, and her long tanned legs seemed to go on forever.
Even when Josh had picked the girls up at Elena’s house, he had the feeling something was out of place. He was sure he had seen Elena’s dress somewhere before. It wasn’t until they were standing under the glow of the flashing disco lights that he finally realized why it was so familiar. If he didn’t have the trained eye of a photographer, he probably wouldn’t have noticed. It was hard for him to forget small details after hours of editing pictures for the yearbook. The dress Elena was wearing was the exact same dress she had worn the year before. Josh had only to look at Rosa to realize why.
Rosa had never looked more enchanting. She might have stepped from the pages of a storybook, with her exotic hair hanging in delicate curls so long they very nearly touched the floor. The dress she wore was white with sparkling silver embroidery along the hemline and a silver sash that came together in an empire waistline. She looked divine, like an angel on earth and it was all thanks to Elena.
“It’s a really nice thing you did for Rosa,” Josh whispered when Rosa had excused herself to freshen up.
Elena shrugged nonchalantly. “I just lent her an old dress. It was just sitting in my closet gathering dust.”
“It isn’t an old dress,” Josh told her, and her mouth fell open. “I know, you didn’t think anyone would notice, least of all a self-involved jerk like me…”
“I never said that,” Elena argued.
“You don’t have to say it. It’s okay. I know I was jerk. But I’m working on getting better, and obviously you are too. I really appreciate what you did tonight. It means a lot to Rosa. I just have to tell you that in my eyes, you’ve never looked more beautiful than you do right now.”
Even as he spoke, Josh took his hand out of the pocket of his khakis, lifted his camera, and snapped a photo of her. Elena flashed her brightest smile, but it wasn’t entirely genuine. She was still feeling self-conscious about the bruises that marred her skin. While they had faded somewhat, it was obvious someone had hit her. Most of the people staring at her were looking at that just as much as they were admiring her dress.
“Don’t tell Rosa, okay?” Elena said. “She wouldn’t have taken the dress if she realized. But I knew it was perfect for her. I mean, who I am kidding thinking I can pull off white anyway?” She smirked a little. “Black is much more suited to my personality. Rosa really does look amazing in that dress. It’s like kismet or something. She was just destined to wear it.”
“I know what you mean,” Josh agreed, again thinking that Rosa looked like she had stepped out of a fairytale. “And don’t worry. I’ll keep your secret.”
“Did I miss something?” Bryan asked. He adjusted his tie for what must have been the hundredth time. Obviously he was uncomfortable in dress
clothes, and it was even more awkward with his arm still in a sling.
“It isn’t important.” Elena waved her hand in dismissal. “What is important is trying to make the most out of this night. It would be nice if we could have at least a little fun.”
Josh couldn’t help but agree. When Rosa returned a few minutes later, he grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the dance floor. Van Morrison’s tune, Brown Eyed Girl, was erupting from the speakers. It was one of those songs that could get any crowd of any age moving. In seconds, the throng of dancers had doubled. Josh and Bryan didn’t have the best dance moves, especially in comparison to the girls, but they made a valiant effort. Josh was surprised that he was actually starting to have a good time.
Before long, Andrea and Jim pushed their way through the crowd to join them, completing their small posse. The girls took a few minutes to exclaim over each other’s wardrobe choices. Andrea had decided on a golden one-shoulder dress adorned with shimmering sequins that ruffled out at the hemline. Her frizzy red hair had been pulled back in an elegant up do, but a few pesky tufts refused to stay in place no matter how much hairspray she used.
“So,” Andrea had to shout to be heard over the music. “What do you think of the decorations? It took so long to get it all set up that I barely had time to get dressed. Being head of the homecoming committee is a tough job.”
“Andrea is especially proud of her throne room,” Jim told them. “It took her hours to get it just right. Probably because she knows she’s going to be the one sitting on that throne.”
“Seriously, Andy,” Josh said. “Everything looks perfect. You did a great job, as usual.”
“Except for those stupid wires,” she complained. “I don’t know why the DJ had to bring so much equipment. He’s not even using half of it, and I’m sure someone is going to trip on their way up to the stage. Probably me. Not to mention the fact that it’s ruining the effect.”
“My girlfriend the perfectionist,” Jim said, shaking his head.
“Well, I just want this night to be special. I’ve been planning for it all year,” Andrea admitted, then pulled her cell phone from her little hand bag to check the time. “Elena, we should get over to the stage. Marvin is going to be making the announcement soon.”
“All right,” Elena agreed, but with a lot less enthusiasm. She gave Bryan a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you in a bit, okay?”
Bryan pulled her close and whispered, “Be careful,” before he let her go. She nodded and followed Andrea into the crowd. Along the way, Andrea stopped and tapped Nadine and the two junior candidates on the shoulders. Soon all five of them had disappeared behind the stage. Jim left the group as well, using the excuse that he wanted to grab a soda. He had been acting differently since the party, and Josh realized it was another one of those things he was going to have to get used to.
Josh decided to forget about Jim and fiddled with his camera while he waited. As the time of the crowning grew nearer, Josh felt his panic grow more pronounced. Was the killer really going to make their move tonight? Even as he thought it, he saw a familiar face on the other side of the gymnasium.
Josh tapped Bryan on the shoulder. “Take a look over there. Our killer may have just walked in the door.”
“Oh my God, it’s Kevin!” Rosa exclaimed.
He was hard to miss with his jeans, varsity jacket, and bruised face. One of them had definitely broken his nose because it was swollen and his eyes were both black and blue. He hadn’t even tried to dress up, which only made him that much easier to pick out of the crowd.
Bryan was furious. Already his chest puffed out and he rolled his good hand into a fist. “What the hell is he doing here? Isn’t he supposed to be suspended? I thought you couldn’t get into the dances if you were suspended.”
“Knowing Kevin, he probably bribed the student council rep at the door.”
“Well, we need to get him out of here before Elena sees him!” Bryan ordered. “She’ll be hysterical if she notices him in the audience.”
Josh nodded his agreement. “Let’s go see just what his deal is.”
Despite Rosa’s adamant arguments that they should avoid any fights and concentrate on keeping the girls safe, Josh and Bryan left her alone on the dance floor and strutted over to their adversary. Kevin saw them coming, which was apparent by his sudden tense posture. He didn’t make any attempts to run away from them or to start a fight. He stood his ground and faced them as though he were completely innocent.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Kevin said, as soon as they got within hearing distance.
“If you knew what I was thinking, you wouldn’t still be standing there,” Bryan told him through clenched teeth.
“Man, I have just as much right to be here as either of you!”
“How do you figure that?” Josh asked. “Doesn’t Elena have a restraining order? I bet the cops would love to know you’re breaking the law. Again.”
“Give me a break, will ya?” Kevin raised his arms in defense though no one had moved toward him. “I didn’t come here to start a fight.”
“Why exactly are you here?” Bryan demanded. “Did you come to finish the job on Elena? I guess you’re not very happy that she lived to talk about what you did to her.”
Kevin didn’t reply and Bryan was justifiably furious. They were getting some strange looks. Josh was sure no one could hear them over the deafening music and Kevin didn’t seem to care who was listening. He huffed for a minute, looked down at his shoes, and finally turned to face them.
“I came to apologize to Elena, okay.” Kevin stared down at his sneakers and refused to meet their eyes. “I didn’t know what I was doing that night. I was drunk.”
“Do you think that’s some kind of excuse?” Bryan fumed, and Josh placed a hand on his shoulder to keep him from attacking. “Are we all supposed to feel sorry for poor misunderstood Kevin? Saying you’re sorry isn’t going to make this go away. I don’t care what kind of lame-ass excuses you give us. You still did it and you’re going to pay.”
“Man, what do you want from me?” Kevin shouted back. “How many times can I say I’m sorry? I’m already paying for it. I’m off the wrestling team, suspended from school, and I’ll never get into a good college now that I have a record. I screwed up my whole life in that one night.”
“Poor baby,” Josh scoffed. “You’re bringing tears to my eyes.”
“Forget this!” Kevin said, and threw up his arms in defeat. “I don’t know why I even bothered. I’m outta of here.”
“You should never have shown your face here at all!” Bryan shouted to Kevin’s retreating back. If he heard him over the music, he didn’t give any indication. Once he was gone, Bryan turned back to Josh, with his nostrils still flaring. “That jerk has a lot of nerve. Does he honestly expect Elena to just forgive and forget? He’s crazy!”
“Well, he’s gone now,” Josh said. “Let’s just hope he stays away from Elena. And seriously, if Kevin showing up is the worst thing that happens tonight, I’m happy.”
Bryan nodded, though he hardly seemed to calm down. The two of them walked back over to Rosa, who stood nervously chewing her lower lip as she waited for them. “Guys, the election is about to start,” she told them. “I’m worried. Maybe it’s just Kevin being here or maybe its women’s intuition, but I just feel like something terrible is going to happen tonight.”
Josh barely had a moment to comfort her before the music was turned down to a whisper. The disco lights didn’t go out, but the larger lights over the little stage burst to life and illuminated the makeshift throne room. Marvin Applegate climbed the three small steps to the stage, and jogged over to the DJ who provided him with a microphone. The crowd hushed as they turned expectedly to their student body president.
“The time has come,” Marvin declared. “To announce which lucky lady will have the esteemed honor and privilege of being this year’s homecoming queen! Our five lovely contestants are waiting, quite impatient
ly, behind the curtain. They will come out as I call their names. Be sure to let them know just how much we love them!”
There were excited hoots and hollers as the five members of the court made their appearance on the stage. They lined up at the front of the platform, all smiling nervously. After a little prompting from Marvin, the girls waved and the crowd cheered even louder.
“Don’t they look beautiful?” Marvin queried into his microphone. The response was more thunderous applause. “All right, all right! That’s enough for now. Quiet down!”
Immediately, the room fell into an almost eerie silence. The only sound was the soft buzz of the microphone as the audience waited. Marvin walked over to the girls, microphone in hand, and looked them over appraisingly. As he paced in front of them, he wickedly waved a white envelope in front of their anxious faces. Inside that envelope were the final results of the online ballot he had set up. The lopsided grin he wore made it obvious that he already knew the results. He was just enjoying torturing the girls and dragging out the anticipation of the other students.
Marvin walked over to Nadine first and admired her sparkling gown. It was definitely unique. The top was covered in dark purple sequins, and the tulle, animal print skirt flared out at the knees. The dress was strapless, but she certainly wasn’t having any trouble holding it up. Her long black hair was pulled back on the sides with curls dangling down in ringlets along her back. She was smoking hot, and judging by the whistles and obscene hand gestures, the raging sea of hormones in the audience agreed. As Marvin moved closer, her normally dull eyes brightened with excitement.
“Miss Morris, can you tell us your dreams and ambitions?” Marvin asked her in his most mockingly serious tone. “Do you want to help old people or join the humane society?”
“Sure,” Nadine replied with a giggle. “I’d do just about anything to win.”
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