Page 91 of The Debutantes
“Yeah,” I echo, weirdly soothed by her anger.
“After Marty left, your little friend tried to help me get out, but I told him I was fine.”
So Jason kept his word, at least. Not that it really redeems him.
“I went off with the Rougarou, let him pull me into one of those rooms in the hallway. He seemed freaked out, like he just wanted to get out of there. Hide. Anyway, we were in there alone, so I got an idea. I acted like I wanted to help, you know… calm him down.”
Instantly, I pick up on the implication. “You didn’t.”
“Obviously, I didn’tactually,but… I may or may not have gotten close enough to take his mask off.”
My jaw drops, a mix of panic and pure admiration.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” I tell her. “Gone off alone with him. You could’ve…”
My throat closes up around what I mean to say.You could’ve ended up like Margot.
“Hey.” Renee reaches across the driver’s seat and cups my chin lightly in her hand. I freeze at her touch, briefly worried I might catch fire from the inside. “I’m fine. I’m here. Soon as I saw his face, I kneed him in the balls and got out of there. And I love that you’re worried, but I’m in the middle of areallygood story, so maybe you let me finish bragging about my badass detecting skills?”
God, this girl is even cooler than I thought.
“Okay,” I manage, in a voice that sounds a whole lot squeakier than I’d like it to.
She smiles, dropping her hand. As soon as the warmth of her fingers is gone, I snap back to reality with a cold, creeping dread.
“Did you recognize him?” I ask.
She shakes her head, and I deflate.
“But you’re good at faces, right?” She points to my camera. “Seems like part of the whole thing. If I describe him, maybe you’ll recognize him, right?”
“I guess so,” I say. “Maybe. But—”
“Great.” A grin spreads on her lips. “Then it’s time to play the most high-stakes game ofGuess Who?of our lives.”
33VIVIAN
JANUARY 2, 11:00P.M.
It takes me a second too long to place his voice, maybe because he called me Vivian and not Atkins, but when Coach steps close enough for me to see him, I’m so relieved I could almost collapse.
“You okay?” he asks. “What—”
“I need a ride,” I tell him quickly. “My phone’s dead, and someone’s following me. Could you…?”
“Of course. Yeah, get in.”
I glance back one more time, but I don’t see Marty. It doesn’t make me rush into the car any less quickly.
“Thank you,” I breathe, once Coach is back in the driver’s seat. “Thank you so much.”
He gives me a concerned look and then reaches to grab the water bottle sitting in the cupholder.
“Here,” Coach says, handing it over. “You look a little green.”
Just the sight of it makes me realize how dry my throat is, and I take a long grateful sip.
“Where should I bring you?” he asks.
