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into the hallway, but even that we all did solemnly, like we were practicing for a procession. I spent most of the morning waiting for my parents to call my cell. I don’t know why I needed to hear it from them. Obviously noone was going to find anything. But I still wanted the whole thing to be over.
    When no one called by sixth period study hall, I asked to be excused to call home. Everyone in the class looked around at one another as if they knew exactly what I was thinking. Whatever. I didn’t know what I was thinking.
    Mom picked up on the first ring. “Finn? You okay?” She sounded really worried, like she was already grabbing her keys and headed toward the door.
    “Yeah, yeah, but you said that you’d call…”
    “Oh, no, honey… I meant I’d call if there was a reason.”
    “Are they still there? The cops? At the lake?” I didn’t know why my voice was rising. It wasn’t like Chloe and I were serial killers who’d weighted down bodies and sank them down into the lake after sax ensemble rehearsal.
    “No, they’re just about done here. Nothing’s changed. Is everyone okay there? How are Kate and the rest of the girls?”
    “Fine—we’re all just waiting to hear something.”
    “Well, do me a favor and let someone else call and spread the news. I’m sure the police will issue a statement or something soon, but let’s not have it come from us. I’ll pick you up at three? Or are you going to get a ride with someone?”
    “I actually thought I’d go check on Nana’s house.”
    “Oh, Finn, I don’t think you need to worry about that.”
    “No!” And then I thought to myself, Slow down there, camper. I sounded a little too desperate to go to my grandmother’s house. I tried again. “I promised her I’d check on things.” And then I trotted out the trump card: “It might take my mind off all this.”
    “Can someone go along with you?”
    “I’ll bring…Regina.”
    “Regina Sklar?”
    “Yeah, her parents aren’t letting her go into the city for dance lessons.” If I didn’t feel my own mouth moving, it could have been some other voice inventing all of it on the spot like that.
    “Well, okay. That’s very sweet of you to be thinking of your grandmother. Please tell Regina to stop by the house sometime soon. I’m glad to hear you two are spending some time together.”
    “Yeah, I will. We’ll just go over and sort the mail and water the plants.” I sounded breathless. I tried to remind myself to slow down. “I’ll call you when I’m ready.”
    “Or, if Mrs. Sklar’s home—if it’s no trouble, see if maybe Regina’s mom could give you a ride home. Tell her I’d really appreciate it.”
    “Sure, okay.” It was actually one of my story’s more brilliant elements. My mom didn’t really know Mrs.Sklar. She was probably one of the few parents who wasn’t already programmed into Mom’s cell phone. So Mom wasn’t going to call her up and hear that she and her daughter were on their way into the city for dance class as usual.
    It was becoming so easy to lie.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    My grandmother is a lovely lady. She makes Chex mix from scratch and gets weirdly obsessed with reality show contestants. She also travels a lot, but the cruise she took that fall was the only time that I hid a missing girl in her basement.
    I made sure to get everything packed before eighth period so that when the dismissal bell rang, I didn’t even need to stop at my locker for books. I was out the back exit before Maddie could pronounce the phrase Daddy’s press conference .
    But someone had beaten out my speedy retreat. Dean West was already halfway across the parking lot, wearing the same red-checkered jacket he’d had for Saturday’s search party at our place. That night, he had helped me pass out sandwiches and fill up water bottles at our kitchen sink. My mom fawned all over him, but he just smiled weakly and nodded—he didn’t try to speak in front of so many people.
    Dean spotted me when