Page 76 of Diem

“I know, but we can’t wait. This is our opportunity to meet Charming Charlie.”

“What?” I say, dropping to the bed. “CharmingCharlie? I thought you said his name was Charlie?”

She shrugs and picks at her cuticles while I watch her, my stomach tied in knots. This leaves little room for doubt about Frank’s involvement. But how does he fit in?

Could it be that he’s the killer? It’s a shitty thing but I hope so because this means I don’t have to face the specter of turning in my own dad. I studiously ignore the ramifications for Diem though.

“Whatever. Charlie…Charming,” she waves her hand and I drop to my back on the mattress.

I know I’m set on proving my dad isn’t a killer, but I hoped I could do that from the safety of my home. This is next level shit.

“Dixie mentioned it in a message,” she says, her dark eyes shining. “I think she partied there.”

With Frank?

I can’t exactly explain my way out of this if Frank is there, can I? Exactly where is here, anyway?

But then a new worry surfaces, and I say, “Penny…you shouldn’t be talking to this freak.”

She waves her arm and my stomach sinks. “Don’t worry, I’m not using my real name.”

“Shit, Pen,” I mutter, pacing before the bed.

This is so bad. What if he somehow finds out?

“Look, you saw the notes. That means he was there after the police, right? This is next level shit.”

“That’s why we have to go. What if this is what Dixie was talking about?”

“Then we tell the police.”

When she looks away, I grab her arm. “You didn’t do anything with those letters, did you?”

Shaking me off, she says, “It’ll be fine. I promise but we have to go and scope it out.”

Eyeing her askance, I rub my forehead. “What are we going to do?”

“Just look around, see who’s there.” She blinks at me, and I bow my head.

I think she’s fucking crazy, but I can’t send her there alone. I guess I’m going to a damn party, with a potential serial killer.

Yay.

∞∞∞

“I’ll meet you down the block,” I say asPenny unlocks her car.

She nods but we both turn when my dad pulls into the drive. He exits the vehicle and hefts his bag over his shoulder before pausing on the way to the door.

“Mae,” he says, studying Penny curiously.

Penny waves and smiles while I sway on my feet. This should be a normal run of the mill interaction but the chill marching down my spine says otherwise.

“Hello, I don’t think I’ve met you,” Dad says.

“Hi, I’m Penny, D—“

“Dad, Penny came over to work on a project,” I interject, smiling weakly.

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