Ruthless

Chapter 32 NOT YOUR USUAL FLYER ON THE DASHBOARD

The clock on the dashboard of Hanna’s Prius said 9:08 when Hanna and Liam pulled into Otto for the Macbeth cast party. Hanna shifted into park, and Liam brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Are you sure you have to go in there?”

“I’m sure.” Hanna rubbed his neck. “It’s bad enough I didn’t go to the play. I’m going to have to lie and tell my dad I sat in the back or something. What do the witches do, anyway? Just in case my dad quizzes me.”

“They bring Macbeth a prophesy.” Liam traced his finger up Hanna’s bare arm. For their secret date tonight, she was wearing a brand-new silky minidress from Otter that showed off lots of skin. They’d gone to the college theater in Hollis and made out in the back seats. “They tell him he’s going to be king and give him all kinds of other creepy warnings,” Liam went on. “And they do a lot of cackling.”

Hanna touched the tip of his nose. “I love how sexy you sound when you talk about Shakespeare.”

“Well I love everything about you,” Liam answered, kissing her lips.

Hanna’s insides swirled. Had he just said he loved her?

After six more kisses good-bye, Hanna kicked Liam out of the car—he’d parked his own in the church lot across the street a few hours earlier. She watched him lope across Lancaster Avenue, shivering with pleasure. Then she climbed out of the Prius and crossed the parking lot toward the restaurant. A Toyota hatchback pulled out in front of her, seemingly not noticing she was there.

“Hey!” Hanna yelled at the vehicle, jumping out of the way. A familiar face stared at her from the passenger seat. “Emily?” Next to Emily was a red-haired girl Hanna knew she’d seen before, too. But where?

The car peeled out of the parking lot before Hanna could figure it out. Turning, she walked into the restaurant, which was filled with kids and smelled like roasted garlic and fresh bread. There were so many people jamming the door that Hanna nearly fell into someone on her way to the coatroom. “Watch it,” the person snapped when Hanna accidentally elbowed his back.

“Watch it yourself,” Hanna snapped. Then the figure turned. It was Mike.

Hanna stepped back. “Oh. Hey.”

“Hey.” Mike blinked hard, looking startled. This was the closest Hanna had been to him in weeks. He still smelled like the Kiehl’s cucumber hand lotion she’d bought him for Christmas. “How . . . are you?”

Hanna raised an eyebrow. “So you’re speaking to me again?”

Mike shifted awkwardly. “I’ve been kind of . . . stupid.” He glanced at her imploringly, then touched his hand to her wrist. “I miss you.”

Hanna stared at his long, thin fingers, suddenly annoyed. Why couldn’t Mike have come to this conclusion a week ago when Hanna was leaving him those messages? Was Mike only interested in Hanna again because her messages had stopped? That was so like guys.

She pulled her hand away. “Actually, Mike, I’m with someone.”

The light drained from Mike’s eyes. “Oh. Well. Good for you. I have a girlfriend, too.”

Hanna flinched. He did? “Good for you, too,” she said stiffly.

They eyed each other cagily. Then someone tugged Hanna’s arm. Hanna turned and saw Aria and Spencer standing next to her. Both of them looked frazzled and pale.

“We need to talk to you,” Aria said. They whisked her back into the parking lot once more. Hanna glanced over her shoulder at Mike, but he’d already turned toward Mason Byers and James Freed.

“You need to see this,” Spencer said when they got to a secluded spot at the corner of the lot. She pulled out her iPhone and waved it in Hanna’s face.

Hanna’s vision took a while to adjust. On the screen was a picture of a girl’s body lying in the sand. Blood pooled around her head. “Is this . . . ?” Hanna gasped, too afraid to even say Tabitha’s name.

“Yes. It’s from A. From Kelsey.”

Spencer told Hanna how Kelsey had marched up to her and asked if she’d received her text—this text. “She knows what we did,” she said. “She knows everything. She came after me, and I tried to protect myself, but people pulled me off her saying I attacked her. And then, when it was all over, Kelsey looked at me one more time and mouthed You’re dead.”

Hanna gasped. “Are you sure?”

Spencer nodded. “We have to find her and stop her before she does something terrible. But I have no idea where she’s gone. I can’t find her anywhere.”

An engine sputtered on the road, reminding Hanna of the car that had almost sideswiped her moments before. Suddenly, synapses connected in her brain. She gasped. “I think I just saw Kelsey. But I didn’t realize it was her.”

“Where?” Aria shrieked.

Hanna swallowed hard and gestured to the restaurant’s exit. “In her car. Leaving. And, guys, she wasn’t alone.”

Spencer widened her eyes. “She was with Emily, wasn’t she?”

Aria reached into her bag for her car keys. “We have to find them. Now.”

She started across the parking lot, and Hanna followed. But after a few paces, Hanna turned and noticed that Spencer had remained on the sidewalk, shifting from one foot to the other. “What is it?” Hanna asked.

Spencer chewed on her bottom lip. “I . . . I had a fight with Emily in the restaurant. I said some pretty horrible stuff to her. She might not want to see me.”

“Yes, she will.” Hanna grabbed Spencer’s arm. “It’s Emily—and she’s in danger. We’re all in this together, right?”

Spencer nodded, zipped up her coat, and stepped off the curb toward Aria’s car. Aria hit the UNLOCK button on her keychain, and they all climbed in. Just as Aria was revving the engine, Hanna pointed to a piece of paper skewered through the antenna on the hood. “What’s that?”

Spencer jumped out of the car and ripped the paper free. She climbed back inside and spread it out on her lap. Everyone gathered around to look. Collectively, they let out a long, nervous gasp.

Hurry, girls! Before it’s too late! —A