Page 87 of Dead Girls Don’t Forget

We made small talk for a few minutes: Janet’s new business, classes, the meet. Blake lingered nearby the whole time. Eventually he stepped forward.

“It was nice seeing you, Harper. I’ll message you soon.” His gaze flicked once to Jackson before he walked off.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Janet cleared her throat, eyes sparkling. “So, Jackson, how long have you and Harper been a thing?”

Jackson glanced at me. “It’s a recent development.”

“Yeah. Very recent. Like just-now recent,” I said, deadpan.

Janet laughed. “Do you go to the same school?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m a senior as well.”

“Well, it’s wonderful to see Harper with someone who clearly cares for her.”

Jackson looked at me. His gray eyes softened in a way that made something inside me shift. My armor slid down half an inch. I looked away first.

Brian had gone quiet. He tilted his head. “Jackson. I didn’t catch your last name.”

“Black, sir.”

There was a half-beat of silence before Brian’s eyes shifted to me.

I stared at the toe of my running shoe.

“Black,” Janet said brightly. “Like the family that owns half the county? Goodness.” Her hand touched Brian’s forearm. “Well, Jackson, you’ll have to visit sometime. We make Harper visit twice a year and she still acts like it’s an inconvenience.”

“I do not.”

“You do, baby.” Janet reached into her purse. “Speaking of visiting. Hold out your hands.”

I did.

She placed a small terracotta pot in them. A round fat cactus sat in the center, one yellow flower blooming on top.

“Even if you forget to water it, this one won’t die.”

A voice called Jackson’s name from across the field. He looked over his shoulder. “One second.”

His hand gave my hip a quick squeeze before he stepped away.

“Walk us to the car,” Brian said.

We started across the parking lot. The noise from the meet faded behind us as we walked. For a while nobody spoke.

Then Brian did. “Thomas Black’s kid.”

It wasn’t a question.

Brian exhaled through his nose. “How long?”

“A few weeks.”

His stare said he thought that was bullshit.

Silence stretched between us.

“You getting close to him because of the list?”