Page 177 of Happily Never After

Two hours later, she stood in a field in front of a movie screen. The West Haven Drive-In Movie Theater looked exactly as she remembered it. The grass had been freshly cut. The ruts made by car tires were noticeable but didn’t wreck her vision.

She glanced behind her, across the highway at her favorite state park. A mountain rose sharply above a lake, and just about halfway up was the small overlook where Claire and her mom used to watch the movies with binoculars. Her heart warmed. Who knew all these years later that she would be planning a premiere at the same location for her grumpy yet thoughtful boyfriend?

“Okay.” Mindy appeared at her shoulder with a clipboard. “Edison bulbs are strung over the beer garden and all are confirmed functional. Bluetooth speakers playing Luke’s favorite tracks—at least the ones that won’t give anyone’s grandmother a heart attack—are set up and ready to go.”

“Great,” Claire said, making a mental note. “Where are we at with food trucks?”

“I made contact with all of them,” Heather piped up, lugging a stack of chairs behind her. She had volunteered to help with the premiere. “Everyone’s confirmed. They’re also sending a bonus gourmet whoopie pie truck. I know you said Luke doesn’t like cake, but it’s not really the same thing.”

“Good enough,” Claire said, sweeping her gaze over the space. “We didn’t hear back from Victoria?”

Victoria was Barney’s fiancée. Claire had planned a stunning flash mob proposal for them before Barney had turned out to be a huge dick.

Mindy shook her head. “Not that I blame her. She did agree to marry the man who killed all these women.” She gestured to the right side of the screen, where a technician was installing uplighting beneath poster-sized pictures and descriptions of the victims.

Claire’s heart sank. “She was a victim too.” Maybe Victoria would have dinner with her sometime.

“So,” she said, refocusing, “the bar is getting set up along the western tree line.” She jabbed one manicured finger that direction. “The signature drink is ‘The Luke’—Jack and Coke.”

“Classic,” Mindy said, nodding and making a note. “The press is already buzzing about tonight. All three major newspapers mentioned the premiere and the documentary. Marnie had a sound bite too.”

Claire smiled and clasped a hand to her heart. “I’m just so proud of him. He worked really hard on this.”

“So did you,” Mindy said, nudging her. “I assume we’re not playing your episode tonight?”

Claire shuddered. “No. I haven’t even seen it. I don’t ever want to see it. He’s showing Ariel’s episode. She was the first victim. Well, apart from his dad, I guess.”

“And Luke is bringing the thumb drive directly here?”

Claire nodded. “He wouldn’t let me take it. So annoying. If he gets here and forgot it at home, I’m going to murder him.”

“Well, we shouldn’t be surprised. He’s always been super secretive about his projects.”

“True.” Claire glanced at her watch. “Oh, Mom and Roy’s flight will be landing soon. I’m going to head to the airport, and I’ll be back by three. Will you help me decide what to wear then?”

“Obviously. We’ll stay here for a bit and make sure everything’s getting set up correctly. Cocktail tables should be here any minute.”

“Thank you so much.”

Details buzzed through Claire’s mind like a vacuum cleaner full of glitter during her short ride to the airport. As she idled outside of baggage claim, she made a few notes.

Someone rapped on her window, and Claire nearly lobbed her phone in self-defense. Alice waved and smiled. Her hair was Florida-big and she wore a violently pink power suit. Claire jumped out of the car and ran to hug her.

“Mija,” Roy said as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Thank you for getting on a plane for me. Again. I know you hate it.”

“Oh no,” Roy said, casting some side eye at Alice. “The hypnotist your mom took me to really helped.”

“I bet.” Claire took their bags and heaved them into the hatch of her car.

“Well,” Alice said as soon as the car was in motion, “I had a gift for you, but those idiots at the TSA confiscated it.”

“What was it?” It wouldn’t have been the first time Alice tried to sneak an economy-sized bottle of sunscreen through security.

“Some fresh sage and rosemary bundles. They thought they wereillicit drugs,” she said, dropping her voice to a whisper.

“Well, thank you for thinking of me anyway. Where would you like to go for lunch? There are a couple stores downtown that might carry sage bundles. I’m sure we could find a restaurant nearby.” She could already tell her afternoon was going to be spent on a wild goose chase for herbs. When Alice had something in her mind, she held fast to it like a toddler with a spatula covered in brownie batter.

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