Eight

The news that the police had found Paige’s car was everywhere by Monday evening. It was parked in the long-term garage at the County Regional Airport. More important, it was also clear that she hadn’t gone anywhere willingly. Instead of sleeping, I’d spent most of the night trolling around different social media sites looking at what everyone was saying. Theories were multiplying faster than I could keep up. People decided that a stalker had taken her, or she’d been sold into an underage prostitution ring, and a few were floating the idea that aliens had sucked her into a spaceship. It was easier to read about hypothetical Paige than lie there picturing her tied up, blood crusted on her forehead, her eyes wide with fear.

The next morning a group of Paige’s friends clustered together hugging and crying by her locker. No one knew any real details, but that didn’t stop anyone from speculating about what happened to her.

I paused by the bulletin board so I could listen in, faking an interest in the notices: a sign up for the senior party being organized by the Parent Action Committee, a flyer for a bake sale fundraiser for the band, and a reminder that if people didn’t order their cap and gown by the end of the week, they wouldn’t be allowed to participate in graduation.

“I heard the police are sure she was forced out of the car,” Lindsey whispered. “Someone took her.”

“What was she even doing at the airport?” Lucy shook her head as if she were annoyed.

“Like she told you everything?” Lindsey sniffed. No doubt Lindsey hated Lucy acting like she was the center of this drama, when as Paige’s official BFF, that role belonged to her.

“I’m just saying, I thought she was grounded, so she would have gone directly home after school,” Lucy explained.

“The kidnappers probably made her drive out there,” Lindsey said.

“Are the police totally sure she didn’t just take off?” Lucy asked.

Lindsey’s nose twitched in annoyance. “The police said there were signs of a struggle, and besides, if she’d taken a flight, there would be a record. No one gets on a plane without picture ID anymore. My mom said because of renovations to the parking lot, the surveillance cameras are disconnected, so there’s no way to see what happened.”

“How would someone know that?”

Lindsey shrugged. “Anyone who worked at the airport would know, or the construction guys, or even someone who flew a lot likely could have noticed.”

“Maybe your mom took her,” Dougie Winsor suggested. “Could be she was afraid Paige was going to steal your prom queen title, so she decided to take her out.”

His comments lay flat and dead between everyone. I shifted by the bulletin board, taking a step closer to them, not wanting to miss a word.

“That’s not remotely funny,” Lindsey finally spit, breaking the silence. “Paige is in serious danger, and you’re making lame jokes.” Her eyes filled with tears, and the other girls closed ranks around her, patting her back, shooting death stares at Dougie.

He held up a hand in surrender. “Hey, I was just trying to lighten shit up. Everyone’s so serious.”

“It is serious. Maybe you should keep your lame-ass jokes to yourself.” Lindsey crossed her arms over her chest. “I can’t believe you’d accuse me or my mom of something like that, even as a joke.”

“Look,” Greyson said, playing the peacemaker, “everyone has to know if something happened to Paige, it’s because of her dad.”

The crowd nodded. Paige’s dad was known as Hanging Bonnet for his harsh way of dealing with people who appeared before him. The judge made the national news for his “shame sentences,” where he would make criminals do embarrassing things in public to teach them a lesson. Now they were saying he was a possible Republican candidate for a Senate seat.

“Do you think someone he sent to jail is getting revenge?” Emily asked. She looked nervous, as if she expected a horde of criminals to rush down the hall toward her for merely being Paige’s friend. I pretended to copy down the information from a flyer so she wouldn’t notice me.

Greyson shrugged. He was on the football team. I could never remember what position he played, but he wasn’t exactly known for his problem-solving skills. “I don’t know, maybe. I bet her parents are freaking out. She disappeared last Thursday, and it wasn’t until yesterday that they found her car. That’s a long time for an evil dude to have someone.”

Everyone was silent, as if pondering just how many bad things could happen. “Did you see the public plea her family did on TV? Her dad told Paige to stay strong and know that he’ll come find her,” Lindsey said. Everyone nodded. Anyone who missed it live had seen the clip over and over online. “Her dad even cried. You could see he didn’t want to, but he totally teared up. I mean, seriously, her dad.”

“Whoa.”

Dougie snorted and shook his head. “I feel almost bad for the guys who took her. Can you imagine how pissed she must be? Paige can be a real bitch when she’s crossed.”

Lindsey and her friends glared at him, and he backed up a step. “Geez, all I’m saying is that she can take care of herself.”

I coughed, trying to bury a nervous laugh that was about to break free. Lucy spun around and glared at me.

“You have a problem?” she asked.

“No. No problem.”

“Then maybe you should move on.” Lucy’s hands were on her hips. I could picture her fifty years in the future yelling at kids to get off her lawn while wearing her perfectly matched floral Lands’ End outfit.

I’d heard everything I needed to know anyway. I might as well go to class.

“That girl creeps me out,” Emily said in a loud whisper.

I felt another laugh burbling up. She had no idea. I spun around and slammed right into Drew, making me drop my bag. She grabbed my elbow to keep me from stumbling.

“You okay?” She picked up my bag and handed it back. “What was that all about?”

“Nothing.”

Drew watched the group move down the hall. “Did you hear about Paige last night?”

“Um, yeah.”

“Weird, huh?” Drew shuddered. “You don’t think stuff like that will happen around here.”

That was an understatement. Our town was the very definition of boring. Big excitement around here was the opening of deer season. Anyone who was a criminal mastermind had moved on to more exciting pastures. Before this, the only crime in our town was people selling weed or breaking into someone’s garage to steal power tools.

I jerked my head at the retreating group of Paige’s friends. “Yeah, I overheard those guys saying that it’s most likely related to her dad. It’s not some random thing.” I nudged her with my elbow. “I don’t think you have to worry. They’ll find her.” The last thing I needed was Drew getting sucked into this story. She’d always been fascinated by Paige.

She smiled. “I know. I hope she comes home soon.”

I threw my bag back over my shoulder. “She will.”

“You sound so certain,” she said.

I crossed my fingers. “Call it a hunch.”