All the Pretty Dead Girls Part 13

"I thought of that. Mom's always been a little nuts about the Church stuff-you've been to our house, you've seen all the saints and the candles." Mike gave another harsh laugh. "Lately, Bernie's been kind of that way, too."

"Maybe she's telling the truth."

Mike frowned. "Don't even say that, man, even as a joke."

"I'm not joking." Billy shrugged. Religion for him was more perfunctory than anything else, a part of his weekly routine. The Honeycutts were Methodists, and every Sunday morning the family got up, put on nice clothes, and headed over to the church. His mom especially liked going to church, because afterward she got to talk with everybody outside, hearing all the latest gossip. They never prayed at home, didn't read the Bible, never really talked about religion much. But his mother always told them that being Christian meant they had the "keys to the kingdom," whatever that meant. "Everybody else has to wait in line to be saved," she'd tried to explain. "We get into heaven through the fast lane."

Billy shrugged. "I mean, you got to keep an open mind, dude."

"I don't know." Mike sipped at his lemonade. "These are my choices. I either believe my sister is some kind of visionary, a saint, or that she's insane."

He leaned back against the booth as Marjorie slid their plates of food in front of them. She looked from one face to the other.

"You boys all right?" she asked, raising one of her penciled eyebrows.

"Fine." Billy gave her a weak smile. "Wow, this looks good."

She winked. "Well, if you need anything else, just give me a holler."

"You can't tell anyone," Mike hissed from across the table.

"I won't, I swear." Billy raised his hand. "Besides, who would I tell?"

"Heidi. You'd tell Heidi."

"I won't tell Heidi." Billy shook his head. "I don't tell her everything just because she's my girlfriend. What do you want me to do, swear a blood oath?"

"I mean it, man."

"Okay!"

They ate their food in silence. When they were finished, Mike pulled a ten out of his wallet. "Man, I got to get going. Dad's going to be home from the hospital at any minute, and I got to be at work at seven." Mike worked as a stock boy three nights a week at the A&P. He slapped the money down on the table. "Not a word to anyone, you understand?"

"Dude...I told you."

"Okay. See you at school tomorrow."

Billy's eyes followed Mike as he walked out of the diner, sidestepping to avoid a young woman who was just walking in as he was going out.

Now that is one hot babe, Billy thought. Billy thought.

She wasn't conventionally pretty like Heidi. Her nose had a little b.u.mp in it, and her face was a little narrow, but she had a great a.s.s, showcased in a pair of tight black jeans. Her ash blond hair hung down to her shoulders. Billy watched as she took a seat at the counter and leaned forward to get a menu. Her sweater crept up a bit, showing smooth white skin just above the waistband of her jeans. d.a.m.n.

He didn't recognize her from Lebanon High, which could only mean one thing. She's one of the Wilbourne girls. She's one of the Wilbourne girls. Billy popped a french fry into his mouth as she glanced over at him. He smiled at her. She gave him a half smile in return and opened her menu. Billy popped a french fry into his mouth as she glanced over at him. He smiled at her. She gave him a half smile in return and opened her menu.

He tossed a ten down on the table, finished his c.o.ke, wiped his mouth, and stood up. One quick glance in the mirror on the wall confirmed his hair looked good and no ketchup smeared his chin. He strutted over to the counter.

Marjorie was watching him and gave him a crooked grin. She'd seen Billy make his moves before.

"Hey," he said, sliding onto the stool next to the knockout chick. "I'm Billy."

"Hi," the girl replied, not looking at him, keeping her eyes on her menu.

"Billy Honeycutt." He put his hand out. "And I don't recognize you, so my mental calculations tell me you must be a Wilbourne student."

Finally, the girl looked up at him. She didn't take his hand right away.

"Well," she said, "with all that mental calculation going on in your head, you might be a little exhausted. Why don't you have a seat?"

"I think I will, thank you." He grinned. "I suppose I should have asked first if it was all right to sit down.'

"And here I supposed all you country boys were perfectly mannered." Finally, she accepted his outstretched hand and shook it. "I'm Sue Barlow."

"h.e.l.lo, Sue Barlow," Billy said. "And am I correct about you being a Wilbournian?"

"Your calculations were indeed correct. And where do you go?"

"L-High. I'm a senior-but don't hold it against me."

"Why would I do that?" Sue shrugged, raising her shoulders a bit and then dropping them, which briefly deepened the cleavage slightly exposed by the V-neck of the sweater. A gold heart with a solitary diamond hung there on a chain of gold links. A rich girl, A rich girl, Billy thought. Most Wilbournians were. "I'm a freshmen, so we're probably close to the same age," she said. Billy thought. Most Wilbournians were. "I'm a freshmen, so we're probably close to the same age," she said.

"I'll be eighteen in December." Billy tried to keep his eyes away from her cleavage. "But most college girls won't have anything to do with a high school boy."

"I just turned eighteen in June." Sue smiled, lighting up her entire face. "So there's really not that big of an age difference between us, is there?"

"Not at all, not at all." He waved Marjorie down. "Another supersize for me, please, and the lady here will have..."

Sue ordered a grilled cheese and a cup of coffee. Marjorie shook her head at Billy. He'd have to remember to get her to swear not to say anything about this to Heidi.

"So, Sue," he asked, sitting up as tall as he could on his stool, "how do you like it here in our quaint little burg so far?" He could smell her perfume. It was driving him nuts.

"I don't know. "Sue shrugged, gratefully accepting the cup of coffee from Marjorie and taking a sip. Billy noted she was drinking it black. "I mean, Lebanon seems like a nice place, but in truth this is my first trip off campus." She rolled her eyes. "I snuck out. Thought I'd take a drive and look around. Curfew will be on us soon, and I felt the need to get out for a while."

"They must be cracking down since that girl disappeared."

Sue nodded. "Yes. Though I was pretty good getting past the gate. Put on a cap so I'd look like a driver for some big shot." She winked. "I drive a Lexus."

Billy laughed.

"The quiet was getting to me today. I mean, I grew up in Manhattan, and so-"

"Manhattan?" Billy asked. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Sue laughed, a light musical sound like tinkling chimes. "So, it's a little different here."

"I've never been to Manhattan," Billy confessed.

"Never?" Sue's eyes widened.

"No. I've always wanted to, though." He smirked. "Maybe you could show me around there sometime."

"Are you asking me for a date?" Sue grinned, tilting her head to one side.

"Yeah, I guess I am"

"Well." Sue fell silent, sipping her coffee, seeming to think about it. "I would enjoy getting off campus more. It's been feeling...confining."

"Well, cool."

"How about this Sat.u.r.day then?" Sue asked. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small notepad. Billy watched her. She was moving fast-faster than he expected. How had a flirtation evolved into a date-on Sat.u.r.day night yet? What would he tell Heidi? That's what happened, he supposed, when you hit on college girls.

Sue was scribbling something down on a piece of paper, then tore it out of the pad and handed it to him.

"That's my cell number," she said. "If I don't hear from you by Thursday, I'll a.s.sume you chickened out." She flashed a smile at him. "Like a high school boy."

"Oh, I'll call." Billy folded the paper and put it in his wallet, not wanting her to see that his hands had started to tremble a little. "I'll definitely call."

"Hey, Romeo," Marjorie said. "Your mother just called. She wants you home."

Sue smiled, looking down at her coffee. Billy felt his face burn.

Marjorie loomed over him. "She said p.r.o.nto. She sounded pretty worked up. So skeedaddle. The c.o.ke's on the house."

"Thanks," he muttered, sliding off the stool.

"Nice meeting you, Billy," Sue said.

"Yeah, you, too." He composed himself. "I will will call." call."

She just smiled.

Billy dashed out of the cafe. How embarra.s.sing was that that? But he knew when his mother was "worked up," it meant he had better get there fast-or risk some major drama from her later.

He sped home, stepping on the brake when he saw Perry Holland sitting in his cruiser near the intersection of Elm and East Main. Billy waved a cheery h.e.l.lo, and Perry gave him a "slow down" sign with his hands. But as soon as he'd pa.s.sed Perry, Billy's foot was again on the gas.

His mother was waiting for him in the living room.

"What's so urgent?" he asked. "Me and Mike were just hanging out..."

"Sit down, Billy," Gayle Honeycutt said in her no-nonsense voice. "That's precisely what I want to talk to you about." She gestured for him to sit on the couch.

Billy obeyed. "We didn't do anything. I swear. We were just at the Bird having a cheeseburger and-"

"Did I say you had?" His mother sat opposite him in a chair and crossed her legs and leaned forward. "I want to talk to you about Bernadette deSalis. I want you to tell me everything you know. And don't you dare lie to me, or I'll ground you for the rest of the school year."

Billy gulped.

22.

Joelle Bartlett had come looking for Sue Barlow, but Malika told her she'd gone for a drive.

"Poor kid," Malika said. "She's from New York, you know? And I think all this confinement on campus has left her a bit stir-crazy. She went into town."

Joelle nodded. "Yeah. I wouldn't mind getting away from here for a while myself."

She'd headed back upstairs. Tish was gone, too-who knows where Tish was, probably off smoking some weed somewhere-and Joelle had really wanted to talk with someone.

Someone who'd understand.

Someone who'd believe.

Because, for the first time, Joelle had heard the screams Tish and Sue had talked about coming from Room 323.

At first, she wasn't even sure if it was a scream. Maybe some girls were just carrying on. But it was dinnertime-most of the girls on the floor were over at the caf-and Joelle had poked her head out into the hallway to listen.

A scream.

A scream of terror.

And from right across the hall.

She'd gone up to the door and pressed her ear to it. Yes, a scream-and it was coming from inside. The heavy door m.u.f.fled it, but it was a scream.

Except Joelle knew that no one was inside that room.

She was about to step off the elevator onto the third floor when another idea came to her. She hit the CLOSE DOOR CLOSE DOOR b.u.t.ton and then pressed 1. The elevator made a jerking movement, then began descending again. Joelle prayed Mrs. Oosterhouse was in her rooms. b.u.t.ton and then pressed 1. The elevator made a jerking movement, then began descending again. Joelle prayed Mrs. Oosterhouse was in her rooms.

She was. "Oostie!" Joelle called out in relief when the short, squat woman opened her door.

"I've told you girls not to call me that," Mrs. Oosterhouse said. "It shows a lack of respect."

"Oh, I respect you, I really do. I'm just so glad you're here."

For the first time, Joelle admitted to herself that she was frightened. Mrs. Oosterhouse seemed to notice. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Have you let anyone into Bonnie's room?"

"n.o.body but the police."

"There's someone in there. Right now."

Oostie made a face, squinting up her eyes into her pudgy cheeks. "n.o.body can get in there. I have the only key."