After Anna(59)

‘Really?’ Maggie leaned over to see the note. ‘I recognize Anna’s handwriting from the Harry Potter book. It’s the second line.’

‘The one with smaller print.’ Kathy nodded, and they read together:

Please God make it stop

It won’t be on the midterm anyway

She’s the worst teacher in the history of teachers

Boogie alert – check her left nostril

OMG too funny

She’s literally wearing mucus

What a hag! She could be a Wiccan

LOL guaranteed

Maggie smiled. ‘I remember when we used to make fun of teachers.’

‘Now I’m the teacher, and kids are making fun of me. Meanwhile, do I have a boogie in my left nostril?’

Maggie laughed, returning her attention to the note. ‘I wonder if this is between Anna and her friend Jamie, who left school.’

‘Left school? That’s too bad for Anna.’ Kathy replaced the note, flipped through the other pages, and pulled out another note. ‘Oh look, here’s a second.’

Maggie looked over. ‘This time, the first line is Anna.’

She spits when she talks

That’s part of her charm

I bet she chews with her mouth open

I know she does

How

High tea on parents weekend, remember? She ate a raspberry scone. You can’t unsee that.

I wasn’t there

Oh right sry

So there are advantages to having no parents

Take mine



Maggie felt a wave of guilt. ‘The poor kid. How much does it suck to be on Parents’ Weekend with no parents? I should’ve been there for her.’

‘You can’t own everything. Sometimes people are working against you, and Florian did that, and he won.’ Kathy put the book back, and another note fell to the rug.

Maggie bent down to pick it up.

I’m so over this place and my family. I’m leaving

For real?

Yes

When

Tomorrow night after dinner. PG and Connie are getting me a bus ticket. My parents would know if I put it on the amex.

Don’t go

I have to. I’ll be happier. PG agrees.

Don’t. You’re my one and only friend

I’ll stay in touch

Promise

I promise



‘Oh no,’ Maggie said, taken aback. ‘This must have been between Anna and Jamie, and it looks like Jamie ran away. I didn’t get that impression from Anna when we talked about it.’

‘Maybe she didn’t want you to know?’ Kathy arched an eyebrow.

‘I wonder if Jamie has been in touch with Anna since she ran away.’

‘She might have lied.’ Kathy pursed her lips.

‘I hate to think that.’

Kathy shrugged. ‘It happens. Jamie was her only friend from school, right?’

‘Yes, but she said they weren’t that close.’

‘They look close from these notes.’ Kathy shot Maggie a knowing look. ‘Maybe Anna lied to you about that too.’

‘Right.’ Maggie had to admit it made sense. ‘We don’t know if Jamie got in touch with Anna after she left.’

‘But she promised to. That matters with kids.’

Maggie mulled it over. ‘If Anna knows where Jamie is, we should tell Jamie’s parents.’

‘Agree. Also, Connie or PG, whoever they are, might know where Jamie is, since they bought the bus ticket for Jamie.’

‘Right. They’re probably on the poetry magazine. That was the circle of friends. PG has to be initials, doesn’t it? Unless it’s a nickname.’

‘We can look for the Congreve Poetry Club on Facebook. Maybe they have a page.’ Kathy slid her phone from her pocket.

‘They might not. The school keeps the privacy settings high. Anna’s therapist said they discourage social media.’

‘What’s the name of the poetry magazine?’ Kathy scrolled through her phone to Facebook.

‘The Zephyr.’

‘The Zephyr? Gimme a break. Do these people lack a shit detector?’ Kathy typed in the search function, and no organization appeared, only a list of people with their profile pictures. ‘There’s no page for The Zephyr at Congreve, so you were right. Meanwhile, people are actually named Zephyr? Who names their kid Zephyr?’

‘Gwyneth Paltrow?’

Kathy looked up. ‘Hater.’

‘Maybe there are other notes?’ Maggie reached for another textbook.





Chapter Thirty-nine


Noah, After

TRIAL, DAY 5

‘That was a mess-up,’ Noah said, when Thomas entered the attorney’s conference room.

‘Which mess-up are you talking about? There were so many.’ Thomas sat down. His skin looked shiny in the fluorescent lights overhead.

‘I’m trying.’

‘I know but she’s scoring off you.’ Thomas sighed heavily. ‘I stalled to slow her down, break her rhythm. It’s like basketball. She had a hot hand.’

‘I had no idea.’ Noah would never get over the gamesmanship in a courtroom. ‘What should I do while you guys are talking with the judge?’