Nice Girls(99)

After a while, I deleted the walls of text. I drafted a new one. I sent one text to Dwayne, one to Madison, one to Charice, and one to Jayden. Each text carried the same message.

I didn’t expect to get a reply back. They owed me nothing. I only wanted a clean slate and a clean conscience. I wouldn’t get that, but I liked the illusion that I could.

I put the phone back in my jacket pocket and slipped on my gloves. I wrapped my arms around myself as the wind picked up. More clouds were setting in, blocking out the slivers of light. Several of the beachgoers had left.

But despite the weather, the lake was beautiful, the water dark and unending, the trees standing guard around it. The lake had outlived the first people who’d settled here and then the people after that. It would outlive everyone.

My phone vibrated in my jacket pocket, but I left it alone. I closed my eyes, breathing in the brisk air.

And I saw everything.

I saw myself getting arrested. I saw myself at school, working in a library. I saw myself in a cubicle, typing on a computer. I saw myself wandering the streets of Paris and Tokyo, a backpack across my shoulders. I saw myself in bed, neither asleep nor awake. I saw myself with a nice enough boy from town, the two of us settling down with a child of our own. I saw a million different things that could happen in a million different ways.

But for now, I was at the lake.





Acknowledgments




Writing is hard, but publishing is harder. I never would have had this book in my hands without the efforts of so many lovely people.

First thanks go to my agent, Eve Attermann, for her sharp insight, patience, and endless support. She saw something in this book, even when it was in its early, brambly mess. Thank you for believing in me! I also want to acknowledge the kind efforts of Sam Birmingham, Haley Heidemann, and everyone at William Morris Endeavor’s literary department.

Equally big thanks go to my editor, Emily Krump. She’s been lovely to work with, the perfect mix of cheerleader and drill sergeant. Thank you for encouraging me, putting up with my bouts of writerly neuroticism, and always challenging me to dig deeper, go farther. I couldn’t have asked for a better editor. From one Minnesotan to another, thank you!

Much gratitude goes to my publisher, Liate Stehlik, and associate publisher, Jennifer Hart, for giving this book a chance. Additional thanks go to the lovely team at William Morrow: Julia Elliott, Kaitie Leary, Brittani Hilles, Stephanie Vallejo, and Greg Villepique. I’d also like to thank Elsie Lyons for designing a beautifully grim cover.

Additional thanks go to Rawles Lumumba at Lucidity Editorial for her sharp, valuable insight into the world and its characters.

In my personal life, I’d like to thank Ana Rossi and Amelia Somlath, for the sheer chaos and laughter. You two are the best buds I could have asked for.

To my COVID season writing group, who keeps me accountable (sometimes) but mostly provides a lot of fun: Rtusha Kulkarni, Eden Palmer, and Annie Thompson. Big thanks to Julia Marshall for also reading the manuscript and providing feedback early on.

To Katie Gabrick, a dear friend who just “gets” it.

To Jim Cihlar, a friend who tried to help me out when I was down. I still remember.

Of course, I will always thank my mom and dad, Nhung Ho and Thinh Dang. Most Vietnamese parents would be uncomfortable if their kid wanted to write about suburban murder. But not mine! My dad is an endless well of jokes and optimism. My mom is a terrific cook, and she’s equal parts sweet and snark. I get my terrible sense of humor from the both of them.

I could write an entire page on my sister Teresa, but I’ll keep it short. She’s an inspiration and my best friend. Thank you for always being there.

And finally, to Andrea Blatt. Thank you for pulling me out of the slush pile. You started it all.





About the Author




CATHERINE DANG is a former legal assistant based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. This is her first novel.

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