Chapter
Twenty-Six
I’m screaming the word no over and over again. I’m as hysterical as Courtney is, the both of us screaming and crying and yelling and sobbing. More people run up the stairs and Cass tries his best to block their path, but they all barrel past him, coming to a stop when they see Courtney and Dani.
“Dude! What the fuck!”
“Is this for real?”
“Is that Dani?”
“Holy shit, Courtney killed her!”
“Someone needs to call the cops!”
“Call 911!”
They are all screaming and yelling and pointing fingers and making accusations. Most of them run away. A few of them whip out their phones and actually take photos, maybe even video. If someone Snapchats or Instagrams this or worse—slaps a video up on YouTube of Courtney and Dani covered in blood—I will freaking lose it.
Crap, I’m already losing it.
Cass turns us away from the hall where Courtney is at, his body shielding my view. He holds me close in his arms, and I press my face against the front of his soft, warm hoodie. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and calmly calls 911, reciting Courtney’s address and reporting that there’s been a murder.
“They’ll be here soon,” he reassures me when he ends the call. He tightens his arms around me and murmurs words of comfort that I’m not really hearing. All I can think about is Courtney covered in blood, holding Dani close to her. Dani’s throat ripped open, the cut jagged and vicious, the blood everywhere.
Everywhere.
It’s all I can see, the blood. I squeeze my eyes closed and bury my face against Cass’s chest, crying uncontrollably. He runs his hand over my hair but stops talking, thank goodness. The words are useless. Meaningless. My best friend is dead. Two other girls are dead, too. All girls I know. Only Courtney and I are left.
And I think Courtney might’ve done it. I think she killed those girls.
I lift my head away from Cass’s chest and stand on my tiptoes, trying to see over his shoulder. Courtney is still in the hall with Dani in her arms, but people are surrounding them, trying to offer help while others are saying don’t move and they shouldn’t disturb the crime scene.
The cops show up in less than two minutes, Detectives Spalding and Hughes leading the way. Spalding stops in front of us, his expression somber. “I thought we told you not to come to this party.”
Cass just glares at him as I start to cry even harder.
“You two stay right here. We need to talk to you.”
“How’d you get here so fast?” Cass asks.
“Surveillance. We’ve been watching the house since the party started,” Spalding explains.
“Big help you were,” Cass mutters.
“Who found them first?” Hughes yells as he jogs over to where Courtney and Dani are.
Cass sighs, and I can tell he’s reluctant to answer. “We did.”
“Uh-huh.” Spalding shakes his head and whips out his trusty notepad. “And briefly, tell me what exactly did you see?”
“Courtney in the hall, cradling Dani in her arms. There was…blood everywhere.” Cass’s voice hitches and he clears his throat. “Dani was already gone. I couldn’t tell if Courtney was hurt.”
Spalding scribbles furiously on his notepad before stashing it inside his front coat pocket. “Don’t leave the premises. You understand me? I’ll need a statement from the both of you before you go.”
“Yes sir,” Cass says with a little salute.
Spalding glares at him for a long moment and then he’s gone.
It’s total chaos after that. A fleet of cops enters the house, and they guide us all back downstairs as they secure the initial crime scene upstairs. EMTs arrive, running a stretcher up the stairs, another team just behind them with another stretcher.
I can’t help but wonder where the body bag is. And that starts me crying all over again.
Because I know I’m going to be in a world of shit if I don’t tell them the truth, I text my mom and dad and sister to let them know what happened and that I’m all right. My parents want to come to Court’s house and get me, but I tell them I can’t leave and they essentially have a total meltdown moment, calling me and demanding that I come home as they practically scream into the phone. They’re so mad that I came in the first place.
All I can do is sob and blubber incoherently, so Cass takes the phone away from me and eventually calms my parents down. Then he calls his grandma and reassures her that he’s fine, that someone was hurt at the party but we’re going to be okay. I even hear her yell at him over the phone, “You better take care of that sweet pumpkin Penelope! She’s a good girl! Protect her, Cass!”
Any other time I might’ve laughed. At the very least I would’ve smiled.
Now I just cry.
We’re all downstairs crowded in the living room and kitchen, the cops watching over us, guarding the doors so no one can slip through and escape. Cass and I are sitting on a couch and I’m leaning forward and perched on the edge of the seat, Cass continuously rubbing my back, trying to comfort me. It’s like I can’t even feel it, though. I’m completely numb, my throat raw from all the crying, my eyes stinging from the continuous tears. I sniff every once in a while and glance around the room—and I swear I can feel them all staring at me. Watching me. Wondering if I know what happened.
They probably think I’m cursed, and I can’t help but think I’m cursed, too. That I’m next. I have to be. Thank God they found Courtney before she could kill someone else. Maybe I’m making assumptions, but she looks guilty as hell. Why else would she be holding Dani like that, covered in blood? She hated Gretchen. She hated Lex, too. She has motive. I didn’t think Courtney could be a murderer but I guess she proved me wrong.
And Dani. Poor, innocent Dani. I left her alone with stupid Brogan who abandoned her. If I’d stayed with her, she’d still be alive. Instead I was locked in a closet with Cass, kissing him.
I’m a terrible, selfish human being.
“What are you thinking?” I glance over my shoulder to stare at Cass. I need to focus on something else or I’m going to lose it.
“What do you mean?”
I lean back so I’m closer to him and lower my voice. “About Courtney. Do you think…”
He frowns. “What? That she did it? I don’t know. I’m starting to change my mind again.”
“Are you serious?” I ask incredulously. “No. You can’t backtrack now. What if she did do it, Cass? What if you’re right after all? It makes total sense.”
“Come on. We don’t know if she was hurt, too. I couldn’t tell. There was so much blood…” He looks away, his jaw tight, his mouth firm. “Maybe they were both attacked. Maybe she got away just in time.”
“Courtney told me she didn’t do it. She literally said my name and screamed at me that she didn’t do it.” Cass’s gaze meets mine and I continue. “That’s weird. Why would she say that?”
“I don’t know.” He shakes his head.
“Because she’s guilty.” I say the words firmly and Cass flinches. “She did it. She killed Gretchen. And then she killed Lex. Now she’s killed Dani. My best friend.”
Cue the tears again. I had no idea crying this much could be so exhausting.
Cass says nothing and that tells me he doesn’t necessarily agree with my assessment, but I don’t care. My mind is made up. I think she did it. I think she killed all of them and if she hadn’t been caught, I would’ve been next on her list.
A shiver moves down my spine at the thought.
I remember earlier, when we first got there and Cass left me alone for a few minutes. It wasn’t for long, but what if something had happened to me? I can’t be alone anymore. It’s too risky, too dangerous.
And I can’t take any more risks. Not now.
Commotion comes from upstairs and we all glance up to see two EMTs bringing a stretcher down with Courtney on it. Most of the blood has been cleaned up. Her eyes are closed, her face is so pale, and a white sheet has been pulled up to her chin, covering her entire body. She almost looks…
Dead.
A hush falls over all of us as we watch in silent horror. One of the cops guarding the front door opens it for the EMTs and they sweep Courtney out of the house, the door closing quietly behind them.
“Killer!” yells a girl’s shrill voice. “Glad she’s gone!”
“She didn’t do it,” someone yells back.
I close my eyes and sag against Cass. I can’t take this anymore. I just want to go home.
It goes on like this for a few minutes, people becoming angrier and angrier, throwing out accusations at one another. Until finally the cops step in, telling everyone to get it together and stop arguing. It feels like I’m in a movie or a TV show. None of this should be happening. I wonder if I’m having an out-of-body experience. I swear I’m not actually me anymore, I’m just observing everything happening around me.
Suddenly there’s an incessant pounding on the front door, making me jump. The cop assigned to guarding the door scowls at all of us before he turns and peeks through the peephole. “If you’re media, get the hell out of here,” the cop yells. “This is a crime scene.”
“My daughter is in there.” Oh crap, that sounds like my dad. “I demand to see her right now!”
The cop slowly opens the door, blocking anyone from walking inside. My dad is standing on the doorstep, an unfamiliar man with him. “Where is she? I want to see her now!” Dad shouts, making everyone turn to look at him.
I want to die of embarrassment. Just melt away into this couch and never be seen again.
“Who’s your daughter, sir?” the cop asks wearily. He’d better get prepared. I have a feeling lots of parents are going to start showing up soon.
“Penelope Malone.”
All heads turn to look at me again.
“I am here with her attorney. She’s not allowed to talk to the police without him present,” Dad says to the cop, loudly enough for everyone to hear him.
Way to make me look guilty, Dad. Thanks.
The officer opens the door wider and lets them in. Dad scans the room, his gaze alighting on me, and he comes toward me, grim determination etched across his features.
I hop to my feet and he wraps me in his arms, murmuring against my hair. “You all right, sweetheart?”
I’m so thankful he’s not acting angry at me for being here when I said I wouldn’t go, I start to cry all over again and shake my head. “D-Dani’s d-dead. I saw her, Dad. I saw her.”
“This is so awful. I’m so sorry you had to see that, sweetie.” He kisses my forehead, and I can feel Cass suddenly standing behind me. Dad goes stiff and lifts his head. “Penelope. Who is this with you?”
Pulling out of Dad’s arms, I look over my shoulder at Cass. “He’s my friend, Dad. We came to the party together. Cass Vincenti, this is my dad.”
“Mr. Malone.” Cass steps beside me and holds out his hand, Dad taking it so they can shake. “Wish I could say nice to meet you, but I don’t think that’s appropriate under these circumstances.”
“Totally understand, son.” Dad squints in that way he gets when he’s really examining someone. “You’re the one who brought my little girl to this party, huh? When she wasn’t supposed to come?”
“Dad,” I protest, but my voice is weak.
Cass sends me a questioning look. I never did tell him I was supposed to be at the movies with Dani instead of here with him. “I did, sir. And I’m sorry. Didn’t think it would turn out like this.”
The understatement of the year.
We should’ve known something bad would happen. Didn’t Courtney say she was hoping to draw the killer out? Maybe she drew her own self out, right? Which makes no sense. But I’m not feeling the most rational at the moment, so I think I’m allowed to think outside the box.
“You should’ve stayed home.” Dad casts a stern look in my direction. “You lied to us, Penelope.”
I swallow hard, unable to speak. My apology won’t do me much good. After all of this settles down, I guarantee I’ll be in big trouble.
“You’re right, sir,” Cass says firmly. “I should’ve stayed home, too. Just know that while we were here, I never left her side.”
Well. That’s sort of a lie. He did leave me for a few minutes earlier in the evening, but I won’t bring that up. Besides, it wasn’t long before Alyssa and Maggie found me. So I never really was alone.
“Good to know.” Dad dismisses him in an instant and looks at me. “Let’s go, Penny.”
“I can’t leave. I still need to give my statement. The cops said so.”
“You’re leaving. Now. If they want a statement from you, they can wait until tomorrow morning. You’re in my custody and you’re my responsibility, so if they have a problem, they can take it up with me,” Dad explains.
“I don’t want to leave Cass,” I whisper, grabbing hold of my dad’s arm. “Please, Daddy. He shouldn’t be alone right now. Who knows how long any of this is going to take? How long they’ll want to keep us here? It could go on all night.”
“I doubt that.” Dad’s face turns red, and I know he’s upset. He doesn’t like being put on the spot, and that’s exactly what I’m doing to him. “Why won’t his parents come get him?”
“His grandma lives all alone, and she’s—she’s homebound.” I send him an imploring look. “Please, Daddy. Maybe can we get him to leave with us? If you call his grandma and maybe the lawyer can say he’s representing Cass, too?”
Dad pulls me aside, putting some distance between Cass and us. “Are you good friends with this boy, Penny?” he asks, his voice low, almost a whisper. “Can you trust him? This is important, so be honest.”
I glance over at Cass, who’s making small talk with the lawyer—whose name I don’t even know. Cass’s face is pale and he looks exhausted, but he’s still keeping it up, keeping watch over me. He took care of me the best he could tonight. And I appreciate that. Even when we got in that minor argument, when we searched Courtney’s room, when we kissed in the closet and finally found Courtney—he stood by me throughout it all. “I trust him, Dad. I want to help him. It’s the least I can do after everything tonight.”
Dad sighs and scrubs a hand over his face. “Fine. Tell Cass to get his grandmother on the phone and we’ll see what we can do.”
“Thank you, Daddy.” I kiss his cheek and hug him close, savoring the familiar smell of his cologne. I rarely see him, since he’s always working, and being with him right now, during one of the worst moments of my life, makes me feel better.
Dad calls the lawyer over and introduces me to him. “This is Mel Grossman, Penelope.”
“Hi,” I say as we shake hands.
“Let us chat for a bit before we work on getting you and your friend out of here,” Dad explains before he guides Mel a few feet away from where I stand. They both start talking in low whispers, looking over at me every few seconds.
It’s disconcerting. Worse, the detectives are questioning Cass, so I have no one to talk to. Dani’s gone. Everyone’s gone.
The tears come, and I cover my face with my hands, turning away so I’m facing the wall. I don’t want anyone to see me.
But I can feel their eyes on me anyway.