Chapter Three
Chelsey
After they left, I went upstairs and slipped into a pair of blue jeans, with a thin, cream-colored V-neck sweater. It was near the end of October and the nights were getting frosty. I didn’t mind, though, I loved winter and couldn’t wait for the first big snowfall to hit. My parents owned snowmobiles, and there was nothing better than whipping across freshly powdered fields at night, with the stars twinkling above your helmet. It was such a blast that I’d already decided school wasn’t going to deter me from going out this year. Even if I had to stay up both Friday and Saturday nights, cramming and studying, I’d make time for our Sunday snowmobile excursions. I wouldn’t miss them for anything.
I took out my ponytail, and straightened it with a flat iron. When I was finished, my hair hung just past my shoulders and looked almost as silky as the models did in those hair commercials. Nodding in approval, I grabbed a tube of mascara just as my cell phone rang.
“Hi,” said Susan. “You almost ready?”
“Yeah. What movie should we see?” I asked, holding the phone against my shoulder as I applied the ebony color to my eyelashes.
“I was thinking about that new superhero one. That guy is so hot.”
“The blonde guy with the hammer?” I asked, thinking that he could definitely get my mind off of Melody.
“Hell yeah.”
I laughed. “What time is the movie showing?”
“Seven-twenty. You don’t mind driving over here, do you? My brakes are acting up. I’m going to bring it in tomorrow morning before work and see what’s wrong.”
Susan was my age and used to live across the street. She’d moved to Shore Lake in the eleventh grade, which was about twenty miles from Beaver Creek, but we’d remained good friends. “That’s fine,” I answered, making a mental note to check my gas situation.
“Cool.” She sighed. “I’m just so glad someone switched with me tonight. I really didn’t feel like working three late shifts in a row.”
Susan was a waitress at Ruth’s Diner. I’d only been there a handful of times, but the food was great and the portions were monstrous. Needless to say, they were always busy. “Hmm… I wonder if I should try and get a job there,” I said. “I could really use the money. Maybe even a couple of hours a week?”
“I could talk to Rosie,” she replied. “I’m sure she’d hire you.”
“Wait, didn’t she just hire that girl, Nikki, recently?” I asked, biting off a hangnail. “I suppose she’s not looking for anyone else, if that’s the case.”
“She was hired during the summer, but I’m telling you, we could still use the help. She’s always short-staffed.”
“That would be really cool. I’d only need a few hours a week and… we’d get to see each other more.”
“Exactly.”
So, what’s Nikki like?” I asked. “She nice?”
“Very, and her brother, Nathan, he’s kind of a spaz, but adorable.”
I raised my eyebrows. “I didn’t know you had a thing for her brother.”
“Actually, I forgot to mention it, but we went out a couple of times during the summer. It didn’t really go anywhere. He works so many hours at that marina across the street. Anyway, I heard he’s been hanging out with that girl, Celeste.”
An image of a redhead with perfect skin, a perfect smile, and a perfect body flashed through my head. From what Susan had told me last year, she was also a perfect bitch. “Isn’t her dad the town’s sheriff?”
“Yes. You know, he and Celeste are both kind of weird. She’s actually friends with those guys who used to come in at night and just stare at the other customers, creeping them out. Remember I told you about them? The guys who Amy had said were vampires.”
I chuckled. “Vampires?”
“Don’t laugh,” she said, sounding serious. “Amy’s ex, Ethan, was part of that group. God, he freaked the hell out of me. I’m just happy he hasn’t been coming around lately.”
“I still can’t believe that Amy killed herself.”
“Well, you know how I feel about all of that,” she replied.
I did. Amy Kreger had supposedly committed suicide, but Susan, on the other hand, thought that Ethan had something to do with it. “I know. Let’s hope you’re wrong, and that she really did just kill herself. Didn’t you go out with one of Ethan’s friends?”
“Yeah, Drake. The guy from Australia.” She sighed. “I still don’t know what happened to him. He just kind of vanished, too.”
“Hmm… he didn’t call you or anything?”
“Nope.”
I’d never met Drake, but had heard about what a hottie he’d been.
“Oh, and get this… before Ethan disappeared, he started hitting on Nikki.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“What did she do?”
“Well, Nikki was seeing this other guy, Duncan, and I think she blew off Ethan. They’re not together anymore though, either.”
“Nikki and Duncan?”
“Right. She told me that they weren’t even on speaking terms. You know, now that I think about it, their breakup may have had something to do with Ethan.” She paused. “Damn, I want to ask her, but I don’t want to look too nosy.”
I snorted. “Susan, admit it, you are nosy and it’s going to kill you if you don’t find out.”
She laughed.
“Just ask her. If she doesn’t want to tell you, she won’t,” I answered, walking down the hallway towards my bedroom.
“True. God, it’s like one big soap opera.”
“Speaking of soap operas,” I said. “My cousin Melody is missing.”
“What?!”
I reached into my dresser drawer and pulled out a new pair of white socks. “Yeah, I guess she went to Club Nightshade last night to see some band play.”
“Ah… Venom. I’d heard they were playing last night.”
“Venom?” I’d never even heard of the band.
“They’re from Europe, and are really getting popular. That gal who owns Club Nightshade must have spent a fortune to get those guys to play in Shore Lake. I’ll bet the tickets were outrageous.”
“Huh,” I replied, pulling my socks on. “Well, that’s who Melody went to go see last night. Nobody has heard from her since.”
“Wow. Hey, I heard the main singer, Slade, is a total hunk. I’ve heard him on the radio. If he’s as sexy as that voice of his, I wouldn’t doubt if every girl in town was trying to get in to see him last night.”
“That’s not good,” I replied. “I’m sure a popular band like Venom would attract some real weirdoes.” I sighed. “Great, now I’m worried about Melody.”
“She’s really missing?”
“Well, she never came home last night. I guess I don’t really know.”
“Maybe she’s been partying or something. You told me before that Melody likes to drink.”
“Yeah. That’s what I hope is happening. My aunt is freaking out, though. She says that Melody hasn’t returned her texts or phone calls.”
“Is that normal?”
“She usually returns her texts, I guess.”
“Crap, that’s not a good sign.”
“I know.”
“Hey, do you want to go to the club and find out if anyone knows anything? I’d like to check the place out anyway. I still haven’t been there.”
I raised my eyebrows. “How would we even get in to that place? Tuesdays are Teen-Nights, right? It’s Friday.”
“You forget - I have a fake I.D.”
I grunted. “You know, I think everyone has one of those but me.”
“Eh… it’s not like I use it very much. Curt Hammer made it for me last summer, after he forgot his credit card at home and couldn’t pay for his meal.”
“So, you have a fake I.D. How am I supposed to get in?”
She sucked in her breath. “I know… I know… you can use Katie’s! I still have hers because she’s
been too damn chicken to use it. Hold on, I have it in my nightstand, somewhere,” she said. “I talked Curt into making one for her, too. Yep, here it is. Wow, seriously, now that I look at the picture, I just know you could pass for her. No problem.”
Katie was a girl that Susan had graduated with last year, one I’d never met. I bit my lower lip. “I don’t know if this is such a good idea.”
She groaned. “Come on, it’ll be fun. We don’t even have to drink anything; we’ll just ask questions. See if anyone remembers her. You’re the one who’s going to school to become a Private Investigator, right?”
“A Forensic Investigator.”
“Whatever. You know what I mean. Come on, Chelsey, let’s do it! The movie can wait.”
I had to admit, it was an intriguing idea. “Well, maybe we can just stop in for a little while.”
“Yes!” she said. “Like I said, I’ve been meaning to check the place out, but couldn’t find anyone to go with me.”
“Great, now I know the real reason you suggested it.”
“Chelsey! It’s not just that. I want to make sure Melody is okay, too,” she protested. “You know me.”
“I know,” I replied, although I also knew that she and Melody had never really gotten along. But Susan was my friend and had a good heart.
“Oh, I have to find something else to wear. I don’t want to look like a slob. I’m sure there will be some totally hot guys in that place.”
“I’m not dressing up,” I said, looking down at my jeans and sweater. “Just so you know.”
“That’s fine. You know what… I’m not dressing up either. Screw it.”
“What time should I pick you up?”
“Seven. I’m sure there will be a line to get in.”
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll see you then.”
“Cool. I can’t wait to check that place out. Who knows, maybe Melody will be back there.”
“Maybe,” I said, although there was a knot in my stomach telling me otherwise.
Dark Dreams Page 5
