Page 38 of Paper Ghosts

Bailey leaned her head against the back of her seat, tears forming in her eyes. “You wouldn’t understand,” she said in a wet, faraway voice.

“Try me.”

“Because,” Bailey said, then wiped at her eyes again. “Because my relationship with her is a house of cards. One wrong move, and I’m afraid it will all collapse.”

She was wrong. That, Tasha did understand. All too well. She got out her phone.

“What are you doing?” Bailey asked, as if afraid Tasha might be calling the police.

Tasha punched a button and put her phone to her ear, staring at Bailey defiantly.

“Tasha, you’re the only person in the entire school who got into an Ivy League. Do you really want to get caught up in a mess I made and to have to stay?”

“Hi, Mom,” Tasha said when she answered, and Bailey looked visibly relieved. “I got a ride home. I wasn’t feeling well. No, you don’t have to come home yet. No, it’s okay. Mom—” Tasha lowered the phone and hung up.

“I’ll take you home.”

“There’s no way you should be driving right now. Your hands are still shaking. Call someone to come pick you up.” Tasha grabbed Bailey’s keys and got out. She couldn’t have prevented Bailey from hitting Clutch, but she could keep her from doing any more damage tonight.

Bailey immediately followed her as she crossed the parking lot. “What are you doing?”

“I want you to remember this. Right now, I’m ten times a better friend to you than you ever pretended to be to me.” Tasha threw the keys into the wooded picnic area beside the church, then brushed past Bailey, adding, “And that’s the last favor I’m ever doing for you.”

There were always pay phones in movies, but there was never one in real life when you needed one.

All the way home, Tasha tried to figure out how to call 911 anonymously. She wouldn’t say anything about Bailey, but if Clutch needed help, she couldn’t just leave him there. Maybe she could get her mother’s keys to the insurance office and call from that phone. No, the office had cameras. Then she remembered there was still a prepaid phone somewhere in the house, from when Pam forgot to pay the mobile phone bill years ago and had to get an emergency one. Tasha could use that one.

She’d very nearly made it home when she saw her mother’s Jeep turn at the corner ahead. Oh, hell. What was she doing here? Pam stopped and rolled down the window. “Darling! Why are you out walking?”

“Just getting some air,” Tasha said. “The smoke of the bonfire was giving me a headache. I’m better now. You should get back to the party.”

“Oh, it’s fine,” Pam said, waving her hand. “The other parents were so nice when they found out you were sick. They said they would stay to make sure the fire was put out when people decided to leave. But everyone was having so much fun, so that could be hours! I’ve always said that property was great, haven’t I? Get in. I’ll drive you the rest of the way home.”

Tasha was so tired. If her mother wanted to drive her around the corner home, she would let her. She crossed to the passenger side and started to open the door, but her mother called, “No, you’ll have to get in the back. I offered this boy a ride home first.”

Of course she did.

“Do you two know each other?” Pam asked as Tasha got into the back seat. “He says he goes to Hen Town High, too.”

Tasha leaned forward to see who it was. She sat back and tried to keep her voice steady as she said, “Oh. Hi, Clutch.”

Tasha’s fingernails were cutting into her palms as Pam kept turning down streets. Clutch’s directions seemed so random, as if he was purposely trying to throw them off. All Tasha could smell was the intense black licorice scent of dread. Eventually he said, “Here’s fine, thanks.” They were on a street lined with townhomes. Who did Clutch know here? Clutch lived with his grandfather off the highway, near the commercial greenhouse.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Pam asked.

“Oh, I will be,” he said as he got out with a wince. “I have a plan. Don’t worry about me.” Before closing the door, he reached in and took something from the floorboard. He didn’t even glance at Tasha.

As Pam took off, Tasha turned and watched him disappear from sight. She couldn’t make out what he was carrying, but he looked terrible. He had scratches and bruises on every part of skin Tasha could see, and his jeans were ripped. But at least he was alive.

Whatever had happened tonight was done. It wasn’t Tasha’s responsibility anymore.

“Where did you pick him up?” she asked her mother.

“He was walking on the dirt road from the bonfire. I’m glad he didn’t stay. He would’ve changed the mood of the whole party. And everyone is having such a good time!”

Tasha was so preoccupied that she didn’t notice Pam wasn’t driving home. She was approaching the neighborhood where the Wester House was located, instead. When she finally looked up and around, she said, “Where are we going?”

“This will be just like old times,” Pam said, obviously having fonder memories than Tasha of staring at old houses in rich neighborhoods. “When you leave, I won’t have anyone to do this with.”