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“We see her at parties,” Ashley said. When Colt shot him a look, though, Ashley shrank down, face reddening. “Um,” Ashley added. “Like, good parties. Like good kids. Like—”
“Bruh,” Colt said.
Ashley shut his mouth.
Theo decided now was time for one of his favorite teaching tactics: wait.
Colt broke after fifteen seconds. “She, um, can get a little wild. With drinking and stuff. Not that we do. Drink, I mean. Or anything.”
Ashley was nodding enthusiastically.
Auggie was looking like he was trying not to burst out laughing.
“She doesn’t always seem happy.” Colt hiked his backpack up again. “But, I mean, we really don’t know her.”
Ashley checked his phone again.
“Do you need to go?” Auggie asked.
“Um, no,” Colt said, but he glanced at Ashley. “It’s ok.”
“They need to go,” Theo said. “Thank you, guys, for taking time to talk to us. If your coach is mad that you’re late, tell him I kept you after. He can chew me out instead of you.”
Relief blossomed in Ashley’s face. “Thanks, Mr. Stratford.”
“It’s Dr. Stratford, dumbass,” Colt said.
“I know! I just said mister by accident.”
“You should know he’s a doctor; you had his class all year.”
“Bruh, I said I know!”
They made their way to the door, which now involved a lot of shoving and laughing, but then Ashley stopped, warding off Colt’s hand, and looked back.
“If it’s, like, about Leon—” Ashley broke off, and he didn’t even seem to notice when Colt moved closer, his shoulder bumping Ashley’s. “Do you think somebody’s killing kids at school?”
“What do you mean?” Theo asked.
At the same moment, Auggie asked, “Who’s Leon?”
“Leon Purdue,” Ashley said. When Theo and Auggie didn’t react, he looked at Colt.
Colt said, “The boy who disappeared.”
Auggie glanced at Theo, and Theo shook his head.
“I thought—” Colt stopped, eyebrows knitting together. “Pops said you guys were working together on a video or something.”
“Yeah,” Auggie said slowly.
“That’s what she’s been doing,” Ashley said. “Everybody knows about it. She never stops talking about Leon. She’s doing all these interviews, recording everything.”
“What do you mean, he disappeared?” Theo asked. The name was vaguely familiar, although he didn’t think he’d had Leon in any classes.
“He’s gone,” Colt said.
“A trucker took him,” Ashley said.
