Page 35 of The Note

“Yes, we miss you!” Kelsey managed to say witha chip in her mouth. “Come back here right now. It’s boring without you.”

“You’re clearly having a miserable time,” May said dryly. She paused, and Lauren could picture her pulling at the ends of her hair, the way she always did when she felt anxious. “Absolutely suffering. I don’t even know how to say this, but the police are probably going to call you. Both of you.”

“What? How would they even know about us?”

“They came to my apartment. They asked who I was with. I didn’t have a choice. They have your names. And your phone numbers.”

“How?” Lauren asked. “Were there cameras or something?”

“No, it was because of me. I’m so sorry.”

“We talked about this,” Lauren said. “I thought we all agreed.”

“I know, and we did. But I messed up. I’m so sorry.”

“So you called them?” Lauren asked. “Without telling us? After you promised we were on the same page?”

“No, I didn’t call anyone. But I went back to the American Hotel.”

“You did what now?” Lauren said.

“On my way home. I only wanted to see if there might have been surveillance cameras that got Kelsey on video. I didn’t tell them anythingexcept that I’d seen the missing-person flyer and thought it was possible I saw him in front of the restaurant. I asked if anyone else recognized him, but no one did. Then I asked if maybe it was on camera, but they said there weren’t any. But then the police were canvassing the neighborhood and the staff at the American Hotel mentioned I had been in. They found my name from our bill.”

Next to her, Kelsey was shaking her head, mouthing silently,Un-fucking-believable.

This was just like May, or at least just like the annoying goody-two-shoes part of her. Granted, back at Wildwood, Lauren would have taken a hundred nerds like May over the entitled brats who would disobey all the counselors, confident that their rich parents would never allow them to be disciplined. But she also recognized that May was in sore need of a bad-influence friend like Kelsey. May helped Kelsey make better decisions and to be a little more aware of her privilege, while Kelsey taught May to lighten up and have a little fun.

May’s connection to confident, vivacious Kelsey—with the good clothes and rich father—helped earnest, provincial May fit in without having to conform by pretending she was someone other than her earnest, provincial self. But as much as Lauren joked with May about being the rule-following sheriff, she knew that part of May resented the responsibility.

She remembered May breaking down that summer after college graduation when she had to work as a counselor, seeking out Lauren in her cabin after check-in one night. As they sat together on the floor, leaning against Lauren’s bed, May admitted between sobs that she had applied to law school just so she wouldn’t have to take a crappy job or stay unemployed while waiting for the economy to bounce back. Lauren had hugged her, promising that everyone her age was in the same boat. She should only go to law school if she wanted to, Lauren said, and there was nothing to be ashamed of if it took a while to find a good job. Her assurances only made May cry harder. Lauren still remembered her exact words as she rolled herself into a ball on Lauren’s lap like a cat.

“You don’t understand. It’s my mother. Her culture. Her whole reason for having a daughter in America. All the sacrifices she made—I’m the outcome. I can’t be bad. I can’t fail. I can’t just be average. It’s not fucking fair.” In that moment, May didn’t sound sad or insecure or worried. She sounded angry. She soundedpissed.

It was a familiar feeling that Lauren had been ingrained to hide from an early age. She hadn’t gotten to where she was by showing her anger. And there was no question in Lauren’s mind that May’s anger had always been there, simmering beneath the perfect, polite surface. If she had to follow the rules, so should everyone else.

“So the police just showed up at your apartment?” Lauren asked.

“They didn’t have my number. I guess they googled me and realized someone at the DA’s Office would be able to reach me. They sent an investigator I know.”

Kelsey sobered up quickly. “So they must know about the note, right? Otherwise, they wouldn’t send someone to your fricking house?”

“No, I really don’t think so. I told them I saw a couple arguing in Sag Harbor, but that I wasn’t sure if it was the same guy or not. And I said I didn’t even know whether either of you had noticed. We just have to make sure we don’t contradict each other.”

Lauren resisted the urge to remind her that one way for them to be completely consistent would have been not to draw the attention of the police in the first place. “Okay, he hasn’t called us yet, so Kelsey and I will figure out what to say and make sure we stick to that story.”

“I think I should come back,” May said. “If something did happen to this David Smith guy, the police might find the note in his car. They could check the nearby restaurants and figure out the American Hotel uses those kinds of napkins. I should be there, just to make sure we’re all on the same page. But I know Nate’s there and there’s no extra room now.”

Lauren knew exactly what was actually goingon. May wanted to be here to have some sense of control over the situation, because May could not handle uncertainty of any kind. But May was also a really good lawyer. If everything did go to shit, she should be here. “We’ll figure it out when you get here,” Lauren said.

“Of course,” Kelsey added. “We never wanted you to leave in the first place.”

“Okay, I’ll tell Josh I’ve got major FOMO and want to go back.”

Lauren was relieved to hear that May hadn’t told Josh anything. She’d only met the guy a couple of times, but if she had to guess, he’d disapprove of their behavior and try to convince May to blame it all on her friends. “If the police call in the meantime, just make sure to tell the truth about where we were. Pretty much the only way we could end up screwed is if we get caught in a lie. And stay calm if they call, okay? You’re tourists who don’t recognize the guy and don’t remember seeing a couple argue.”

As far as Lauren was concerned, it was the truth. Lauren had years of practice picking a story and sticking with it.

20

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