Charlotte looped an arm around Emma’s shoulders. “Are you having a good time?”
“It’s certainly beautiful here,” Emma answered, eyeing Sutton’s mother and father. They were now standing in front of a big table full of gifts. Mr. Mercer was shaking his head, a please-don’t-tell-me-these-are-all-for-me look on his face.
“Where’s Laurel?” Madeline scanned the crowd. Before anyone could answer, Madeline shrugged and disappeared, saying something about finding her. By the piqued look on her face, Emma could tell she was afraid Laurel was with her brother.
Gabby sank into one hip, watching Madeline go, too. “Whoa. Hover much? She’s tracking him like an ankle bracelet.”
“I bet it’s because of their dad.” Lili gestured across the patio. Mr. Vega was now standing with his wife, picking at a plate full of strawberries dipped in chocolate.
“You know what I heard?” Gabby whispered, her fingers still flying on her iPhone. “Mads’s dad is putting all kinds of pressure on Thayer to get caught up in school. Plus, he’s, like, grounded for life for putting them through hell when he disappeared.” She widened her eyes. “Why do you think Thayer vanished, anyway? Mads isn’t talking. Do you think he was the leader of a p**n ring?”
“No!” Emma exclaimed before she could stop herself.
Charlotte looked curious. “Do you know where Thayer was?”
Emma clamped her mouth shut. “Of course not,” she said stiffly. “But he wasn’t doing that.”
Then, through the slowly melting ice sculptures, Emma noticed a boy in dark trousers and a light blue button-down shirt appear at the patio door. Her heart soared. “Ethan!” she called, waving him over.
Ethan looked back and forth before locating Emma. A broad grin crossed his face, and he advanced straight for her, not tempted by the waitresses with their trays of food or drinks.
“Hey,” he said, looking her up and down. “You look amazing.”
Emma kissed him on the cheek, feeling her stomach flip. “You look great, too.” She ran her hands through his still-damp hair. His skin smelled like Ivory soap.
Ethan said hello to Charlotte and the Twitter Twins, who greeted him like he was an old friend, then scanned the food spread, which now included a chocolate waterfall and at least ten different types of pies. He let out a low whistle. “This is pretty incredible.”
“They went all out,” Emma said proudly.
“I didn’t know so many people from Hollier would be here,” Ethan observed.
It was only then that Emma noticed many of her classmates peppering the crowd. There were girls from the tennis team and their parents, including Nisha, who looked radiant in a short, white dress, and her dad. A girl from German class was hanging out near the bar with a couple of guys from the tennis team, and a bunch of girls Emma recognized from Sutton’s birthday party were giggling near the string quartet. Quite a few of them were staring at Emma and Ethan like they were the new “It” couple.
Emma took a glass of seltzer water from a passing waitress and shrugged. “I think Mrs. Mercer is on the PTA. Maybe she’s gotten friendly with other parents over the years.”
Ethan looked down. “Yeah, my parents were never really into that sort of thing.”
Emma squeezed his arm and gave him a quick kiss before pulling him into a quiet corner.
“I found something in Laurel’s room,” she said. Then she took a deep breath. “I think it was the murder weapon.”
Ethan’s eyes widened as Emma told him about the tennis racket. “Did you steal it?”
“No. I was worried she’d notice it was gone. And now it has my fingerprints on it.”
Ethan turned toward the crowd for a moment, watching as a waiter passed with a tray full of fruit tortes. “This could be your proof,” he went on, his voice urgent.
“I know, but how?” Emma urged. “If only we could test that strand of hair, or some of the blood…but that would require telling the cops that Sutton is dead.” She bit her lip and thought for a moment. “I guess I could write an anonymous note telling the cops everything, and then leave town immediately. That way if they try to pin it on me, I’ll already be gone. And I’ve gotten pretty good at starting over under a new name.” Emma let out a rueful laugh.
Ethan looked horrified by the suggestion. “But whoever killed Sutton might come after you for leaving—or for announcing to the world that she’s dead. And more than that, where would you go, what would you do? Your life is here. And it’s amazing.”
“Sutton’s life is amazing,” Emma corrected. But then her shoulders slumped. “You’re right, though. I have no idea what I’d do. I don’t have a life anymore. I don’t have anything anymore.”
She turned and looked at the view, taking in the low lights of the wading pool, the tranquil rocks, and the dazzling sunset. Melodic notes from the string quartet filled the air. She allowed herself one moment to actually savor this, to wish that this was her life.
Ethan leaned closer. “You have me,” he reminded her.
Emma wrapped her arms around him. “Thank goodness for that.”
When they pulled apart, Emma felt someone staring at her from across the patio. It was Laurel, who was talking to Madeline and standing much closer to Thayer than Mr. Mercer would have liked, though Emma didn’t see Mr. Mercer anyway. Laurel was staring menacingly at Emma, and a pang of fear gripped Emma.
Ethan noticed Laurel, too, and pulled Emma tight against him. But even Ethan’s protective grasp didn’t make her feel better. In fact, being around so many people was beginning to suffocate her. She placed a hand on Ethan’s arm. “I need to splash cold water on my face. I’ll be right back.”