Lovely Girls(27)

Kate turned to look at Alex. “What?”

“Now will you please get us out of here?”

Kate put the car in reverse and pulled out of her parking spot.

“What happened?” Kate asked once they stopped at the first traffic light out of the school parking lot.

“They found the article,” Alex said.

“Who did?”

“Who do you think? The bitch queens. Your new best friends’ daughters. There was a copy of the article about the accident on my desk in history class today.”

“What? Why would they do that?”

Alex laughed without humor.

“Maybe because they’re evil?”

Kate put on her turn signal and glanced over her shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“Going back to your school. We have to tell someone what happened. Talk to the principal.”

“Mom, no! God!”

“We can’t let them bully you. This needs to stop. Now.”

“Mom, seriously! No! It will just make everything worse.”

Kate looked at Alex. Her expression was pinched, her eyes round with worry.

“Can we please just go home?” Alex begged. “Please?”

Kate hesitated but finally nodded. She switched off her turn signal and drove forward.

“How do you think they found the article?” Kate asked quietly. “Ed Turner is a common name.”

“You must have said something.”

“Alex. I would never have . . . ,” Kate started to say and then abruptly stopped.

“But you did. You told them something.”

“I just said your father was in an accident. I didn’t get into the details.”

“Well, someone went looking for that article. And they found it. And now everyone at school knows. What was the point of moving here? What was the point of our having a fresh start, if you were just going to tell them what happened?”

It began to rain. Not a light sprinkle but a sudden, violent storm. Rain pelted loudly against the car, and a crack of thunder sounded. Kate turned on the wipers, which clicked rhythmically back and forth.

“I’m so sorry, Alex,” Kate said quietly.





CHAPTER SIXTEEN




* * *





KATE

The next morning, Emma and I walked the bridge that stretched over the Intracoastal Waterway. It was early enough that the heat of the day was still a few hours off, and a pleasant wind blew up off the river. Cars whizzed past us, leaving the smell of gasoline lingering in the air.

I hadn’t been able to sleep the night before. I was so upset at Alex’s story that her classmates had left a copy of the article about her father’s accident on her desk that I’d spent the night staring into the darkness. Now, my limbs felt heavy, and my eyes were scratchy from the lack of sleep. The only thing propelling me forward was caffeine and anger. Had one of my new friends told her daughter about Ed’s death? And why?

Emma was swinging her arms, her hands fisted. “Just think how many calories we’re burning.”

“I have to ask you something,” I said.

Emma glanced at me. She was wearing a bright-pink racerback tank top over black leggings and mirrored aviator sunglasses. Her long dark hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun. “What’s up?”

“Alex told me yesterday that someone left the news story about her father’s death on her desk.”

Emma looked confused. “Why would anyone do that?”

Why indeed, I thought.

“I’m not entirely sure,” I said. “But I think to upset her.”

“That’s terrible! God, kids can be so mean. I thought middle school was the worst age for that crap, but I think it’s actually worse now that the kids are older. Or maybe it’s just that the gossip is uglier.”

“Here’s the thing.” I drew in a deep breath. What I had to say next was going to be deeply uncomfortable, but there was no getting around it. “You, Genevieve, and Ingrid are the only ones who know that Ed died. I haven’t told anyone else.”

Emma slowed and glanced at me, but I couldn’t read her expression behind the mirrored sunglasses. “Could Alex have told someone? Maybe one of the girls on the team?”

I shook my head. “I don’t think she’s made any friends here yet.”

“Well.” Emma began picking up her pace. “I didn’t tell anyone. Not even Mark, not that I see much of him these days. And Ingrid is always discreet. But Genevieve . . .”

“Yes?”

“I love her like a sister, but Genevieve is the opposite of discreet. I wouldn’t be surprised if she told Daphne. I know they bicker a lot, but they’re actually really close.”

“I don’t know Daphne very well.” I didn’t add that I hadn’t liked what I did know of her. “Do you think she’s capable of doing something like that?”

Emma didn’t even hesitate. “Yes. Daphne is more than capable of doing that.” She sighed and shook her head. “You have to understand, I’ve known Daphne since she was born. Shae grew up with her. Of course I’m extremely fond of her. However—”

Emma abruptly stopped speaking. I wondered whether she was going to continue, but we walked in silence for a few moments until we reached the top of the bridge. There, the wind was stronger, whistling by us. An osprey perched on the railing, looking intently down at the water below. When we got close, he suddenly spread his wings and took off, circling away.