Suspicious Minds (Stranger Things Novels #1)(21)

“I don’t usually come over to this side of town,” she said. “I didn’t really think before I headed this way.”

“It’s fine here,” Terry said, understanding. “No one will bother about it.”

Bloomington wasn’t officially segregated these days, except in spots like country clubs and their golf courses. Unofficially, most people stuck to their own neighborhoods and racial lines. The campus was the site of major protests from black students fighting for equal treatment.

With a nod, Gloria glided across the sidewalk and into the diner behind Terry. She shook her head when she spotted Alice and Ken.

“I thought you were joking about them being here, too,” she said with a slight frown.

“They weren’t expecting each other,” Terry said. “At least I don’t think they were.”

“Or you,” Alice said. “What are we all doing here?”

“I think that’s my question,” Terry said. “Since I’m the only one who has a real reason to be here.”

Gloria joined Ken and Alice at their table, sitting beside Alice. Terry took another look around to confirm her boss was still in back waiting for fresh tickets, and sat down, too. “I’ll get your orders in a sec,” she said. “What’s up?”

Gloria was still frowning. “Did you get the notice from school?”

“Yes,” Terry said, not sure why Gloria seemed concerned about it.

“What notice?” Alice said. “Can we get some fries?” She paused and fidgeted, twisting her hands together like she was nervous. That was new. “Wait, are they good here?”

“They’re great,” Terry said, and got up. She scribbled the order on a ticket and tacked it into the kitchen. Seconds later, the fryer started up and the glorious smell of bubbling fat filled the air.

She went back to the table, but didn’t bother sitting down. The kitchen was fast. “Gloria and I are excused from our Thursday classes.”

“Me too,” Ken said.

“I didn’t know you were a student,” Gloria said, surprised.

Ken folded his hands together on the Formica. “You guys haven’t asked me much about myself.”

Alice rolled her eyes. “We’re afraid of what you’ll say.”

Ken wrinkled his nose at her.

Alice laughed.

Gloria put her hands on the table. “It’s not just that we get Thursdays off. I was told my academic future is now tied to this experiment.”

“They didn’t put it exactly like that when I asked,” Terry said. “Just said we have Thursdays off and, well, that we had to keep going…for our grades.” She paused. “Oh.”

“Yes, that’s the academic-future part.” Gloria shook her head. “I don’t like it.”

“But it’ll be okay, won’t it? We were going to go anyway—you already had to for your degree.”

“Too many strings means something.”

Terry understood that. “That what we’re doing is important.”

Gloria studied her nails. “Maybe.”

“Why are you here?” Terry asked Alice.

“You said you worked here,” Alice said, as if it was obvious. “Figured if you had this shift last week, you’d probably have it this week, too.”

“That’s why I came now, too.” Gloria’s lips quirked to one side. “But I think she means why are you here to see her. Coincidence on the timing, at least for me.”

“Not me,” Ken said.

The cook’s voice called out. “Order up!”

Terry darted over to get the fries and returned with the plate. Alice crammed a fistful into her face and winced at the nuclear heat. This was a high-maintenance table—Terry came back with waters for all three. She sat back down, picked up a fry, blew on it, then ate it.

Alice swallowed. “So they called your school, and they called my uncle. Told him they would be happy to compensate him when I’m needed at the lab, as long as he lets me go. He said yes, but he’s suspicious about it. He doesn’t like government types much.” She had another fry and then went on, “Do you guys think it’s weird? What we’re doing out there? My uncle wanted to know what it was and I told him it was ‘girl stuff’ so he’d stop asking. You can’t talk to anyone else about it because they’ll think you’ve blown a gasket loose in your brain…and we signed those papers. I thought I’d stop by here where we can discuss it.”

“I don’t like them going over our heads like this,” Gloria said. “Shouldn’t they tell us before they do this contacting business?”

Terry wondered if the others had the same experiences on the trips as she had. Before she could ask, the door jingled again and she was surprised to see Andrew.

“I’m popular today,” she said. “This is my boyfriend, Andrew.”

He stopped at the edge of the table, uncertainly. “Andrew, these are my friends from the lab,” she said. “Ken, Gloria, and Alice.”

“We’re having a private conversation,” Alice said.

Terry snorted a laugh. “It’s okay. You can trust him. He knows.”

“So much for the papers we signed.” Alice raised her eyebrows.