Of the Trees(51)

“Where are we going?”

“A burger place I know,” Cassie answered. Rebecca let it drop, resting her head on the window again. Ryan had introduced her to the restaurant. They ate there during the summer. It was a popular destination for hikers, and several times they had run into men who were taking a break from working on their thru-hike. They were unshaven and sweating, but grinning like madmen. Cassie remembered the thrill that coursed through her, wondering what Ryan would look like bearded, thinking that she’d like to see it.

It was empty today, only two cars in the lot. Cassie thought they likely belonged to the cook and servers. Their waitress waved about in airy disinterest, indicating that they could take any seat they wanted. Cassie and Rebecca slid into a booth, sitting opposite each other. They both ordered a burger, not bothering to look at the menu, and sat in silence while they waited. A radio played in the kitchen, the soft twang of country music drifted toward the front of the restaurant.

“Were you with her at all?” Rebecca asked. “You know, that night?” She was staring out the window, her fingers spinning a dented metal spoon in circles on the red checkered tabletop. She glanced briefly across the table. Cassie nodded.

“She said she was getting a ride home with you,” Rebecca continued. Cassie stiffened.

“She said the same to me,” Cassie said softly. “Pretty much told me to screw off and that she’d find you.” They both allowed themselves a small, sad smile at just how much like Jessica that was, playing friends off each other so that neither would worry about her and she would be left alone to do what she wanted. She wasn’t a bad person. She just liked to have her fun.

“This just sucks,” Rebecca said. Her voice cracked, and she released a hysterical little laugh. The waitress looked up from behind the counter, eyeing the girls before returning to her magazine. Cassie had no answer, other than the obvious “Yeah, it does,” so she kept silent, allowing the other girl a moment to grieve, to anger, to feel without the constant scrutiny she must have been facing.

Their burgers arrived, the waitress dumping their plates on the table with loud clanks. Both had a pile of fries almost covering the plate. Cassie pulled a fry out, nibbling on its end. She wasn’t really hungry. Rebecca pushed her plate away entirely, looking queasy.

“Thanks for before,” Rebecca said. She put her elbows on the table and leaned forward, her head in her hands. “In the bathroom.”

Cassie shrugged, throwing her half-eaten fry back on her plate. The grease from the burger was pooling around the bun, saturating it. She felt her stomach roil in discomfort and sat back in the booth.

“Are you going—” Cassie started and then stopped. Rebecca looked up at her in question. “I mean, it’s gonna be soon, isn’t it?”

“The wake?” Rebecca supplied. Cassie sucked in a quick breath and nodded. “Yeah, it’s Friday night. They needed extra time for the autopsy.” She sighed and sat back. Cassie grimaced.

“I’ll go with you,” she said. “If you want. Drive over with you and your family, I mean.”

“I’d like that, thanks,” Rebecca murmured. She tore a piece off her burger and popped it in her mouth. It looked like she chewed with difficulty. Cassie could sympathize. Every bite felt like it was going down like concrete.

The waitress came over to check on them, frowning when she saw neither girl was really eating. Cassie forced a grin, and she retreated back behind the counter. The bell over the door chimed, and two men came in; Cassie recognized them immediately as hikers, their bags overstuffed and dirty. They left them propped by the door and immediately ordered enough food for four, laughing as they collapsed into a booth.

Rebecca seemed oblivious to their entrance, blinking back into realization when one of them swore after knocking over his glass of water.

“I heard you talked to the cops,” Rebecca said, picking at her food again. Cassie nodded, chewing slowly through a fry.

“Yeah, you?” Cassie answered. Rebecca nodded. “I thought I should. I was with her. And there’s Jude.”

“Who?”

“That big guy,” Cassie started, but Rebecca interrupted.

“From St. Paul’s? Jess said his name was Judoc.” She must have noticed Cassie’s confused expression because she shrugged. “I know, I thought it was a weird name, too. That’s why I remember it. She said she wanted to hang out with Judoc, that she’d met him before, and that she’d make sure she caught a ride home from you and Laney.”

“Laney called him Jude. We met them at the carnival. Him and Corey and a few of the others, I think.” Cassie frowned at the table top. “I didn’t recognize him at first, at the dance I mean.”

Rebecca didn’t seem fazed by this; her gaze was back to the window. “Well, everyone was in masks.”

“I guess,” Cassie said. “I don’t think they go to St. Paul’s,” she said, almost as an afterthought. The thought had been buzzing around in her brain for a while. She couldn’t understand why Laney would say that they did. Well, no, she could. If Cassie had known from the beginning that they were the carnies from a few weeks ago, she would have kicked up a huge fit about Laney making out with one of them in her yard. The innocuous Corey, a student Laney happened to bump into in their friendly, neighborhood, haunted cemetery, caused little to no speculation. Cassie felt both idiotic and used.