“I have no idea,” Olivia replied with scorn. “We had an agreement. We weren’t schoolgirls sharing details about our latest crushes.”
“Did he know about your relationship with Jeremy Van de Sant?”
“Maybe, but I don’t think so. We’ve been discreet.” Olivia thought briefly of that odd student, Glinda, who saw her coming out of Jeremy’s office. She surely suspected something, but she wouldn’t have told William. “Detectives, I don’t want to tell you how to do your job, but you should be focusing on finding Mason and Kaylee. I want my daughter home safely.”
“We’re doing everything we can, ma’am,” the older detective assured her.
“What does that mean? Do you have any leads? Any suspects?”
The detectives let the last question hang in the air. Olivia immediately knew what they were thinking.
“Any real suspects?” she clarified. “Other than Mason and Kaylee?”
“We’re considering all evidence.”
“Do you have fingerprints? Have you checked the car?”
“The car was wiped clean.”
“That’s unfortunate.” Olivia’s voice dripped sincerity. No fingerprints on the car—that certainly made the case more difficult for them to solve.
Anne smiled, thinking about the look on her mother’s face when Anne told the police about her affair. She was shocked and offended. Anne didn’t know if her mother didn’t realize her daughter knew, or if she thought she’d keep it a secret. Secrets were so important in their family. Her mother probably took it for granted that Anne wouldn’t talk. She never thought she’d say or do anything controversial. What was she always calling her? Oatmeal? “So bland it’s practically inedible.” Kaylee had snapped at Olivia the last time she insulted Anne like that. She’d be so pleased that Anne outed their mother to the cops. She was always telling Anne to fight back.
Olivia had insisted to the police she couldn’t answer any questions about her relationship with Jeremy Van de Sant in front of Anne. She was just a child, after all. “She’s had enough to deal with for one day.”
Anne was excused from the questioning. She quietly snuck into Kaylee’s bedroom. A giant Navajo-print K hung over the bed. The rest of the room was not much different from Anne’s. Olivia had hired a designer a few years ago to redo the house and had insisted the two bedrooms have a unified look. Kaylee and Anne were annoyed, but in the end, they had similar tastes so it wasn’t that big of a deal. They did insist on personalizing them despite Olivia’s protests. She wanted something magazine-spread ready. The rooms were at first, until Kaylee added some of her favorite photos in little frames on the wall and scattered colorful pillows about. Anne took down some of the art the designer had chosen in her room. The woman had gone for a French theme and had framed photographs of Parisian landmarks hung in perfect symmetry on the walls. It felt kind of, well, oatmealy. Kaylee would laugh at that.
Anne knew her sister wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye. It just wasn’t like her. She checked under Kaylee’s bed. She had a box where she kept her favorite mementos. Anne smiled as she sorted through them—ticket stubs from a boy-band concert they’d gone to years ago, a dog-eared copy of To Kill a Mockingbird, several spent glow sticks. Kaylee went through a glow-stick phase a while back, largely for Anne’s entertainment. She would make them into various shapes like some people make balloon animals.
But no note. No message. Think, she told herself. If Kaylee were going to leave something for you, where would she leave it?
The answer hit her. She got up and went to Kaylee’s bathroom and opened one of the drawers and pulled out a box of tampons. When she and Kaylee wanted to keep things from their dad, they’d always put them inside. It was the one place he would never look.
She took the box and dumped it on the bed. Sticking out of the pile of tampons was a note. Score!
ANNA BANANA.
IF YOU’RE READING THIS, IT MEANS I’M GONE. I’M SURE YOU KNOW WHY I HAD TO LEAVE. I’M SORRY. I’LL BE BACK FOR YOU. BE READY.
LOVE, K.
26. BALLS LIKE AN ELEPHANT
Mason waited as William Abernathy got the extra money from the safe. He heard his own heart pumping in his ears. He was furious that the prick was trying to break up him and Kaylee, but pleased at how he’d managed to turn the situation to his own advantage. He thought back to the night he found out Kaylee’s father was cheating on his wife. It was after he won the community award. The crowd had cleared and Mason was loading folding chairs into a truck out back. He heard something get knocked over and noticed a couple practically humping each other behind the building. That in itself wasn’t anything noteworthy, but then he saw the statue on the ground. A crystal spiky thing. He couldn’t see the man’s face, but he knew the award belonged to Kaylee’s father.
Mason moved closer. Kaylee had gone home with her mother, so whoever the respected Danbury citizen was urgently grinding into wasn’t his wife. Of course Mason wanted to see who it was. He assumed it would be one of the area’s huge pool of bored wives and mothers, affluent women who needed to create drama to escape the hollow repetitiveness of days spent shopping and lunching. Mason hoped it was Jared Slater’s mom. That would upend that asshat’s world.
It felt almost wrong to watch two people going at it so passionately, but it was worth the wait. When Abernathy came up for air, Mason immediately recognized her. She was definitely someone known to the Danbury community, but she was not an aging socialite. Kaylee’s dad was screwing around with a student at Danbury. Mason thought about Kaylee and how she would react if she knew and immediately decided not to tell her.
Mason looked up as Abernathy returned to the living room with a bigger pile of money. He slid it across the table at Mason. The man was so cocky. He viewed people like objects he could buy and sell. He didn’t follow rules himself, but he expected others to obey the ones he set.
“I expect you’ll break up with her tonight. Tomorrow at the latest.”
Mason shook his head as he took the money and fanned it. He’d never seen that much cash. “Here’s the thing. I’m not breaking up with Kaylee.”
“If you don’t break up with Kaylee, I will report that you stole that money. I didn’t have to offer you anything.”
“Add generous to all those great things people think about you.”
“You don’t seem to understand the power I have in this town.” Abernathy was fighting to maintain his composure.
“You have balls like an elephant, I’ll give you that,” Mason told him. “To lecture me about how I’m not good enough for your little girl when you’re fucking one of her friends. Her underage friend.”
Abernathy stayed perfectly still as Mason continued. “I know about you and Lily.” He thought back to the night of the award. When Abernathy and his macking partner came up for air, Mason could see he’d had Lily Mars pinned against the wall. Lily had pulled him back to her, wanting more.
Mason grinned across the table at Abernathy. He enjoyed seeing this snob try to figure out how to regain the upper hand knowing full well that he couldn’t. It wasn’t often Mason could use his words and still feel like he was winning a fight. “I don’t know much about the law, but I’m guessing it’s one of those crimes you go to jail for. You think you’d like jail? You think your connections would help you inside? Maybe get you cigarettes or some extra time in the yard?”
“You have no proof of anything.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. But I’m betting proof exists somewhere. Phone records. Text messages. Love notes.” Abernathy paled. He’d covered his tracks, but apparently not that well. How did this little shit know? He wondered if Lily had bragged to someone. Mason didn’t stop. “Just the accusation would do serious damage. What would your wife do? Your kids? You think people want to do business with an accused pedophile?”
“She’s not a child.”
“So you’re admitting it.”
Abernathy couldn’t believe how badly things had turned. He
thought he was buying off a problem, and here he was getting extorted. “What do you want?”
Mason rose and pocketed the pile of cash. His wish was very simple.
“I love your daughter. I’m going to be with her. Don’t try and stop me again.”
Jared thought of the image he saw on his laptop, of Lily Mars and his mentor, William Abernathy, going at it in the bathroom. He felt sick to his stomach, not only because the man had shown himself to be so immoral, but because Jared realized there was a much greater implication, one that could provide an entirely new light on the murder.
But first he told the detectives about Lily.
“I believe Mr. Abernathy was involved with one of the students here. Lily Mars.”
It was the first time the detectives visibly reacted to anything he’d said.
“You have proof?”
“No, but I know I’m right.” Of course he couldn’t tell them he was secretly recording people throughout the school. He thought it might be illegal, and at the very least, he worried about jeopardizing the elaborate system he had in place. The detectives prodded him, trying to get him to reveal his source. But Jared held fast. He needed to explain to them that Mr. Abernathy sleeping with Lily wasn’t even the biggest shock.
Lily stared at the detectives, unflinching and unapologetic.
“He loved me.”
Lily was grieving. She had something special with Will. They both knew people wouldn’t understand. They would frown on the age difference. Ordinary people couldn’t see what Will did, that Lily was unusually mature for her age. She was an old soul in a young body. They could talk for hours about everything. When she was with him, Lily felt unbelievably light.
She fought back tears as she thought of when they first discovered their feelings for each other. It was over a year ago. Lily was stretched out by the Abernathy pool one day after school. She soaking up the sun in a retro, ’70s-style bikini with a giant O ring at the cleavage. Kaylee had gone inside to use the bathroom or who knows what. William Abernathy came outside from his bedroom. The house was U-shaped and several rooms opened out onto the pool. He nodded hello at Lily and continued past her to the kitchen. When he came back, he was holding some sort of green juice. Again, he walked by her, but something made him stop. “I don’t want to be rude, but do I know you?” Lily smiled.
“I’ve only been here like a million times.” He still looked perplexed. Lily took off her sunglasses. “It’s Lily. Lily Mars.”
“Lily Mars is a little girl who wants to be a princess when she grows up.”
“I can’t believe you remembered that. That was like, ten years ago.”
“You don’t want to be a princess anymore?”
“Maybe I already am a princess.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. You clearly have way too many smarts to settle for that.”
“So what will I be then?”
“I have a pretty strong feeling you can be whatever you want.”
He’d continued to his room then. Lily watched him go, a bit surprised. Boys of any age rarely would leave her alone, particularly when she was in a bikini. But he seemed unimpressed by her body. At least at first. That afternoon was the start of something. Lily made it a point to hang out with Kaylee more often so she could “accidentally” bump into her father. It didn’t take long for her to “accidentally” show up at the house when Kaylee wasn’t there.
She knew the detectives were judging him harshly because of their relationship. People would. It was why they were waiting until Lily turned eighteen to go public. At that point, Will would leave Olivia and marry her. Kaylee and Anne would have a hard time accepting it, but they didn’t care. Love knew no bounds.
And now he was dead. She had no future and never felt so alone in her life.
“Where were you last night between nine and midnight?” The older detective didn’t care about her pain.
“I was at the party at Keesha’s house. Everybody saw me.”
27. THE PARTY
Every window in Keesha Washington’s modern house glowed brightly as the party gained momentum. People spilled from room to room. The wide second-floor balcony was filled with Danbury students sipping from red cups. Keesha had decided to go old school for the evening and was pushing gin and tonics with a twist of lime. Her favorite band, Trick Knee, was playing over the home’s audio system. It was loud enough to hear, but not so loud that it was impossible to have a conversation. Keesha was very aware it was her duty as hostess to make sure all guests were having a good time, and all the guests were being respectful of her home.
Her parents were in Turks and Caicos celebrating their twentieth wedding anniversary. They’d trusted Keesha to stay by herself and even told her she could have a get-together if she wanted. They knew they could trust their daughter. What they didn’t realize was that their daughter was, at that moment, standing outside near the curb of the house waiting for her dealer to show up. Still, pills or not, she would make sure no one damaged anything during the party.
Keesha was standing there when Kaylee arrived. “Have you seen Mason?” No “Hello” or anything resembling a friendly greeting. Keesha tried not to be hurt. “Didn’t he bring you?” Mason always brought Kaylee. They were inseparable.
“He was supposed to, but he never showed. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m worried about him.”
Keesha nodded sympathetically. “Why don’t you go look inside?”
Kaylee nodded and left without another word. Nice, Keesha thought. But honestly, she wanted her gone. She needed to be alone.
Kaylee headed through the throngs of people, scanning the crowd. People were dancing, groping, and generally having a good time. She felt so apart from it all. She spotted Trevor hitting on an older guy, probably a college kid. When she approached, he hugged her hello. “Have you seen Lily? She’s already half past gone.” Trevor gestured to the dance floor, where Lily was working her best moves but looking like an awkward marionette. “Some people get drunk and make unfortunate moves on other people. Lily gets drunk and makes unfortunate moves on the dance floor.” Trevor waited for Kaylee to laugh, but she wasn’t even listening.
“Have you seen Mason?” Trevor shook his head. “Didn’t you come with him?”
But she left without answering. Trevor turned his attention back to the delicious-looking frat boy he’d been hitting on, but he was gone now too. Just his luck.
Kaylee made her way through the throngs. She nearly ran straight into Jared. He smiled warmly when he saw her. “Kaylee. I was hoping to see you here.” He took a step forward, but she held up a hand to keep him at bay. “I’m sorry, Jared, but not now.”
She spotted Mason across the room, around the Ping-Pong table doing shots with a few other people. He looked right at her but didn’t smile or acknowledge her in any way. She turned and headed outside, not sure what to do next. She couldn’t stay here with him ignoring her. She headed down the back way toward the street when Mason grabbed her arm. She smiled at him instinctively, but the angry look in his eyes made her pull back. “Where were you? Why didn’t you pick me up?”
Mason seemed almost too angry to speak. He took her by the arm and guided her away from the partiers. He somehow managed to make a whisper sound menacing. “I know you cheated on me.”
“What? That’s crazy.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not lying.”
“Who was it?”
“I didn’t cheat with anybody.”
“Just tell me, okay? Tell me who it was. Was it that prick Jared?”
“No! Of course not. What is this about? I never cheated on you.”
“My dick says otherwise.”
Kaylee paused for the slightest second, but Mason saw. “I knew it,” he said.
“No. Stop. It’s not what you think.” Kaylee was getting louder and louder, unable to keep her emotions in check. “I did not cheat on you.”
“You had to. I’ve never cheated on
you. Not once. I don’t even look at anybody else. What’s that phrase? I only had eyes for you. And look what it got me.”
“You don’t understand what’s been happening.”
“I know exactly what’s been happening, and what’s going to happen. We’re through.”
“No! You have to believe me.”
“I’ll believe you when you tell me who you slept with.”
“I didn’t.”
“I don’t ever want to see you again.”
Mason started walking back toward the house. Kaylee followed. She caught him by the arm, and he shook her off so roughly she flinched.
“We’re done here. Do not follow me.” He kept walking and Kaylee took another step toward him as he turned. “If you follow me, I swear to God I’ll kill you.” With that, Mason headed inside. As he was walking, he almost ran into Glinda.
Once again Kaylee started to go after him, but Trevor had been watching and stepped in to block her. “No, sweetie. It’s not a good idea.”
“I can’t believe this is happening.” Kaylee was sobbing. “What am I going to do?”
“Wait. He’ll calm down.”
“And then what? Tell him the truth? What will happen then?”
“What exactly is the truth?”
“You know.”
“I think. But I don’t know. If I knew I’d have to do something about it.”
“You can’t.”
“I want to help you.”
“Nobody can help me. Nobody would believe me.”
“That’s not true.”
“It would follow me forever. I’d be that girl. You know, ‘the one who.’” Kaylee was worried that she would get a reputation if people knew where she really got it. It wasn’t her fault, but that didn’t matter. She didn’t want any story about her sex life following her.
“Come with me. We can figure something out.” He led her toward the street.
“I know what I want to do.”
“I know what I want to do too.”
Runaways Page 3
