After group got out, Emmaline drove to an upscale development on the west side of town. Come to think of it, this area had had a series of break-ins not too long ago. Josh Deiner himself had been the culprit, but being a juvie, only got community service.

She knocked on the door of 67 Barn Circle Road and waited. No cars in the driveway, no lights on inside except for one room upstairs. She knocked again.

After another long minute, she heard feet thumping on stairs, and the door opened. “What?”

“Alyssa?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m Officer Neal. Manningsport Police.” She pointed to her badge. “Everything’s okay, but I was wondering if I could talk to you.”

“Are my parents all right?”

“Yep. I’m here to talk to you. Is it okay if I come in?”

The girls eyes were swollen from crying, and her brown hair was lank and flat. She wore pajama pants and a Manningsport High sweatshirt several sizes too big—Josh’s, Em would bet.

Alyssa opened the door and padded into the living room, sat down and drew her knees to her chest.

“Are you here alone, honey?” Em asked.

“Yeah. My brother’s in college. Did the school send you?”

“No, no. I just wanted to check in with you. You’re Josh’s girlfriend, aren’t you?”

She burst into tears. Nodded.

Em wished she’d brought Sarge. He was good for this sort of thing. “It must be really hard,” she murmured.

“I can’t visit him anymore,” Alyssa sobbed. “I just can’t stand seeing him like that. I wish his mother would just pull the plug and let him die already.”

Emmaline nodded. She grabbed a box of tissues from the end table and handed it to the girl, who snatched a tissue. Her nails were bitten past the quick. “Have you been going to school?” she asked. “Maybe it would help to be around some other friends.”

Alyssa shook her head. “Everyone stares at me like I’m a freak. I just feel wrong all the time. My parents never liked him, and they’re, like, relieved or something. I mean, they didn’t say that, but I think they worried that Josh was going to turn me into a drug addict.”

“You must feel really lonely.”

Alyssa gave her a surprised look, as if she’d expected Emmaline to stick up for her parents. “I am. I miss him so much.”

“Of course you do. I heard you guys were really in love.”

“We were. Everyone thinks he was such a jerk, and, you know, he had his moments. He wasn’t the easiest person in the world. But he could be so...so...” Her face crumpled again, and she grabbed another tissue.

“He had some nice qualities, too,” Emmaline said.

Alyssa looked up, her eyes huge and wet. “Yeah. He did. Like, he never let me pay for anything. And I know it was his parents’ money, but it was nice anyway. It felt really grown-up, having a boyfriend who didn’t have to scrape around for change just to buy you coffee.”

“Sure,” Em said.

“And he was sweet. He really didn’t mind hanging out and just doing nothing.” She started to sob again. “I loved him. My mom says I have to get over this, but I can’t.”

“I had a boyfriend in high school,” Em said, stretching the timeline just a bit. “When he moved away, I felt like I’d never be happy again, and my mom was not sympathetic. Not that it’s the same situation for you. But I remember the feelings.”

Alyssa nodded.

“Do you have any pictures of Josh?” she asked.

“Um, yeah. Of course. Want to see them?”

“I’d love to,” Em said.

They went up the curving staircase to the girl’s bedroom, which was unusually neat, the bed made, nothing on the bureaus except four gift bags, each tied with a different colored ribbon.

The buzzing in Em’s knees intensified. “Is it your birthday?” she asked Alyssa.

“No. Um, I’m just clearing out some of my stuff. Figured I’d give some jewelry away.” She bit her nail, then stopped.

There was, however, a framed eight-by-ten picture of her and Josh in the middle of the desk, as well as a single sheet of notepaper.

Hot pink notepaper.

Alyssa slid that into a drawer, then handed her the photo.

Josh Deiner grinned out at her, blond and handsome, his arm around Alyssa. From the sound of it, he was a spoiled, entitled bully...but that wasn’t really his fault. And now he’d never have the chance to be anything else. “You guys are gorgeous together,” Em said.

“Were gorgeous,” Alyssa corrected dully.

“This is a really pretty room. Do you have your own bathroom?”

“Um...yes?”

“Can I see it?” Because that tingling was getting stronger. The room was too neat, and those gift bags...

“No! Um, it’s kind of messy.”

“Oh, I don’t care. Through here?” She put her hand on the doorknob, and Alyssa jumped.

“Please don’t go in there,” she said, covering Em’s hand with her own.

Em looked at the girl. “Sweetheart, are you planning to hurt yourself?”

Alyssa bit her lip hard. Her eyes filled with tears once more. “I—yes.”

Emmaline put her arms around her. “Oh, honey,” she said. “Please don’t. I know you feel alone right now, but you’re not. I’ll help you however I can.”

Alyssa shook with sobs. “I’m just so tired of being sad.” She wept. “I can’t do it anymore.”

“I know it feels that way. I really do. But it’s not always going to be this bad.” She kissed the top of the girl’s head. “I promise.”

* * *

TURNED OUT ALYSSA had swiped some sleeping pills from her aunt and was planning to swallow them that night. The pills were lined up on the bathroom counter, along with a bottle of wine. The pink paper on the desk was a note to her parents, and the gift bags on the bureau were her favorite pieces of jewelry for her two best friends and two cousins.

Em called Alyssa’s parents and told them their daughter was safe, then explained the situation. Both of them screeched into the driveway within seconds of each other, raced through the door and hugged their daughter against them. Lots of tears. Alyssa had been seeing a psychologist, though she’d skipped her last two appointments, and because she was eighteen, the doctor hadn’t been able to tell Mr. and Mrs. Pierson. They called the doctor and put Alyssa on with her, watching and wringing their hands. But the girl promised not to hurt herself and made an appointment to see her first thing in the morning. Her dad called Jeremy Lyon to see if he could prescribe an antidepressant.

By the time Em was preparing to go, Alyssa looked relieved, if exhausted, bundled up on the couch, sipping a cup of cocoa.

Mrs. Pierson walked her to the front door. “I can’t thank you enough,” she said, her hands still shaking. “We knew she was struggling, but we didn’t know how bad it was.”

“I’m glad she’s getting help. It’s not easy to get through something like this on your own.”

“Officer Neal?” Alyssa said, appearing in the foyer.

“Honey, go sit down,” her mother said. “You look as weak as a newborn kitten.”