Nice Girls(13)

At home, Dad and I watched the news over dinner, waiting for updates on Olivia’s case. Each day the volunteers and the police returned to Littlewood Park Reserve. The crowds shrank, but there was talk of the FBI coming in.

The police reportedly received hundreds of tips about Olivia, but the twenty-five-thousand-dollar reward remained undisbursed. It seemed as if the investigation was going nowhere.

On Friday morning, I arrived early at work. The light was turned on in Dwayne’s office. Through the glass, Jim was laughing, and he put a hand on Dwayne’s shoulder.

I spent the morning with a box cart, restocking chips and snacks. At the candy display, I heard Dwayne’s voice. Down the aisle, he was speaking to a tiny old woman. He handed her a bag of chocolates from the top shelf.

“I’m shocked, Pam. I thought you were prepared for Halloween. But the week before?”

“Oh, shush,” she said, tapping his arm. “I’m busy.”

“I’m sure you are,” Dwayne teased.

The woman giggled. After she wheeled her cart away, Dwayne came over.

“How’s it going, Ivy League?” he asked, grinning, a dimple in his cheek.

I straightened up.

“Things are going.”

“How’s your first week? Jim treating you okay?”

“It’s been fine,” I said, but I sounded insincere. “Still getting used to it. It’s not like—”

“School?” Dwayne finished, his voice soft. “Yeah, you get used to that.”

I found myself nodding. He understood. We were in the same predicament. Dwayne and I were meant to be somewhere else—him on the football field, me in Ithaca. We had tests to take and parties to attend and people to meet. Things to achieve. But here we were, two workers at a grocery store.

“Are you feeling better?” I asked.

“Yeah. I had a bout of the stomach flu. Not contagious anymore,” he said, raising his hands.

I wrinkled my nose.

“Glad you’re alive,” I joked, then stopped. The words seemed to hang heavy in the air. I went back to stocking some veggie straws. Dwayne helped me.

“Olivia’s gone missing,” he said softly. “It’s scary, isn’t it?”

“It’s strange. We knew her. And she was your friend, so that must be even scarier.”

“We used to be friends,” Dwayne said. He sounded wistful. “Olivia was cool. We used to party a lot in high school. But after graduation, we didn’t talk as much, you know? We got busy. She had Instagram, college. I had . . . this.” He gestured around him.

“That’s kind of sad.”

“It was a mutual thing,” he said, shrugging. “Happens a lot. Your high school friends were people who just happened to be there. Not really people you liked that much.”

I had a feeling that he was no longer talking about Olivia.

“But I would’ve gone looking for her if I could,” he added. “Did you go?”

I shook my head.

“My dad said they had too many people,” I said quickly. “I didn’t want to get in the way.”

“Makes sense. I just hope she’s okay.”

“You never know. Maybe she’s on a beach out there,” I said.

Dwayne gave me an odd look, but he nodded.

We fell quiet after that.



After my shift, I collected my things from the locker bank. Dwayne joined me. He had a black duffel bag slung over one shoulder. He pulled out a crumpled receipt from his pants pocket and launched it over my head. Without turning, I heard it land in the trash behind me.

“Show-off.”

“Come on, Mary, it’s the weekend,” said Dwayne, grinning. “Speaking of which—”

The door opened. Ron stalked in. He looked at Dwayne, then me, his eyes roving between us. Ron silently went to his locker and took out his skateboard, headphones, backpack, and coat. After an eternity, he left.

“I always get the feeling that Ron doesn’t like me,” Dwayne said after the door shut.

“I wish he’d feel that way about me.”

Dwayne raised an eyebrow, but I shrugged. Ron made me uncomfortable. He hadn’t done anything wrong—but there was a tension around him. He would hover, but he wouldn’t speak. It bothered me.

“You have plans tonight?”

“No. Why? Are you joining the search?” I asked quickly.

Dwayne looked confused.

“I’m going later this weekend. I know the situation with Olivia looks serious, but I really can’t tonight. It’s my cousin’s birthday party. I promised him we’d celebrate. You’re welcome to join us,” he added.

I perked up immediately.

“Where’s the party?”

“My cousin’s friend’s place here in Liberty Lake. I can give you a ride.”

I nodded. I hadn’t relaxed once since I’d been home. Every day it was either work or despair.

But a party was better. I needed booze, music, dancing. I needed to lose myself in a crowd. I needed to be normal again, like every other twenty-two-year-old who went out. I could pretend at least.

Dwayne and I exchanged cell phone numbers. He said he’d pick me up at half past ten.

As he headed out, Dwayne called after me.