Page 204 of Bitter’s Sweet

“Mercy?”

She grabs it. “Yeah?”

The voice sounds like Junie’s brother from one of the festival crews.

At least, I think it does.

“Petal fell by the back steps.”

Every head in the room turns toward Petal.

She raises both hands. “I continue to be aggressively upright.”

Mercy’s mouth goes hard.

The radio crackles again.

“Mercy, you there?”

She does not answer.

Another voice cuts in, different and panicked.

“Need a medic by the cider booth. Woman cut bad.”

Crypt is outside. Hyde is outside. The entire property is being tugged in five directions.

Razor does not need everyone fooled.

He needs everybody occupied.

Mercy looks at me.

“We stay.”

“Yes.”

I mean it.

I do.

Then her phone rings.

She checks the screen. “Hyde.”

She answers. “What?”

Her face changes.

“Where?”

A pause.

“What do you mean the apartment is empty?”

My skin goes cold.

Mercy looks at me.