What Holly Heard Read online

  Miriam shivered.

  Noah stopped in front of them. He rubbed his unshaven chin as if sizing them up.

  “Noah?” Holly asked cautiously.

  “I guess you heard about Mei’s mom,” he murmured, his voice strained.

  They nodded.

  “We’re so sorry,” Miriam offered. What could she say to this … killer?

  Stop it, she told herself. You have no proof. So just stop.

  “Mei’s really wrecked,” Noah said. “I am, too. I came to school to get her work for the rest of the week.”

  He turned his eyes to Holly.

  Miriam swore she saw her friend shrink three inches.

  “I saw you at the game Saturday,” he said.

  Holly blinked. “You did?”

  “Yeah. In the parking lot. You were on your way to your car.”

  Miriam’s eyes were locked on Noah’s hands.

  Could those be the hands of a killer? Could they have pushed Mrs. Kamata down the stairs?

  “I gotta go,” Noah said, his eyes regaining their far-off glaze. “I’ll tell Mei you’re sorry about her mom.”

  Miriam gulped.

  “Thanks,” Holly mumbled. “We—we’ll call Mei later.”

  Noah moved off, down the hall and out of sight.

  They all collapsed against the lockers. Miriam wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the gooseflesh under her fingertips.

  Holly whirled on her. “Do you believe me now?”

  Miriam stared at her best friend. She didn’t know what to think.

  “Did you hear him?” Holly cried. “Did you hear what he said about Saturday night?”

  “Holly …”

  “Did you see the way he looked at me?”

  Miriam pictured Noah’s cold eyes.

  “They saw me, Miriam! They know I heard them plotting to kill Mei’s mom,” Holly’s voice was shrill.

  “They know—and now they’re going to kill me, too!”

  chapter 11

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Ruth said. “Noah is just upset. He wasn’t threatening you.”

  “No,” Holly moaned, shaking her head. “I could see it in his eyes. He knows.”

  “Holly,” Miriam said. “Think about what you’re saying. You’re talking about murder.”

  “I know. Don’t you think I know that?” Holly’s voice came out shrill and high.

  “Holly!” Miriam pleaded. “Noah didn’t mean anything by what he said. He didn’t kill anybody. He came over here to tell us about Mei’s mom.”

  “Be careful,” Ruth warned. “If you spread false rumors about them, they’ll be hurt. And furious. You don’t really believe they would kill someone.”

  “How can I not believe it, Ruth?” Holly shrieked. “You weren’t there. You didn’t hear how serious Noah was.”

  “Ruth is right,” Miriam said. “If you spread this rumor, Mei and Noah would be destroyed. Everyone will think they’re guilty just because you accused them.”

  “What if they are guilty?” Holly insisted.

  Miriam shrugged. “Then they’ll get caught. But not because of us. You can’t say anything, Holly. You just can’t.”

  Holly heaved a sigh. “Okay. I won’t say anything.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Miriam turned to Ruth. Ruth raised her eyebrows. “Don’t look at me like that. I don’t think they did it. Holly’s crazy.”

  “Thanks, Ruth,” Holly murmured. “Thanks for the support.”

  “I’m realistic,” she replied.

  “We all agree?” Miriam asked. “No one spreads nasty rumors?”

  Ruth and Holly nodded, but the air remained tense. Miriam could feel the tension pouring from Holly.

  Studying her best friend, Miriam knew Holly had no doubt that Mei and Noah were murderers. Holly thought they were coming for her next. She believed it down to her bones.

  The worst part about it, Miriam thought, is that I’m not completely sure Holly is wrong.

  Mei couldn’t do something like that, she insisted to herself. Holly is wrong.

  Miriam thought about Mei sitting at home, in shock, grieving, dealing with her mother’s sudden death. Holly’s melodrama had clouded over the real tragedy—the death of a friend’s mom.

  Miriam tried to imagine her own mother dying. She couldn’t. It was too painful, too terrifying.

  Ruth’s father had been dead for three years, and from time to time Miriam could still see the grief in her friend’s eyes. Ruth carried her father’s memory with her like a dark shadow.

  How would Mei cope?

  “I have to get to math,” Ruth said, bringing Miriam back to reality. It seemed strange to have to go to class after hearing such awful news.

  “Me, too,” mumbled Holly, still distant and brooding.

  “Holly?” Miriam asked.

  “What?”

  “This is probably a stupid time to ask, but can I get a ride home with you again? I don’t think I could take the bus after a day like today.”

  Holly appeared confused for a moment. She shook her head as if to clear the memory of Noah’s threatening eyes. “Sorry, I can’t today. I’m staying late to help decorate the gym for the victory rally.”

  “Who says we’re going to win?” Ruth demanded.

  “The varsity club advisers want to start hanging streamers and posters and stuff before the big game,” Holly explained. “That way we’ll be ready to have a rally the next day if the Tigers win. I said I’d help paint signs.”

  “Call me when you get home, Holly,” Miriam suggested. “Please?”

  Holly nodded. “I promise.”

  The phone rang at seven-thirty and Miriam jumped. She’d been deep in The Scarlet Letter for English class, and the shrill noise sent a shock through her.

  “Hello?”

  “Miriam, it’s me.”

  Miriam recognized Holly’s whisper.

  “Hey, Holl. How are you holding up?”

  “I’m still at school,” Holly answered, still whispering.

  “Why?” Miriam asked. “It’s seven-thirty.”

  “I was working late in the gym. Everyone’s gone.”

  Miriam felt a sudden chill. “What’s wrong? Why are you whispering?”

  “Nothing’s wrong,” Holly replied, a little louder now. She paused. “That’s not true. Everything’s wrong. Will you come down here and keep me company? I’m seeing shadows everywhere, Miriam. They all look like Mei.”

  “Just go home,” Miriam replied.

  “I can’t,” Holly moaned. “I promised I’d stay. Miriam, I won’t be long. Please come down?”

  “Holly,” Miriam said sternly. “Mei isn’t going to hurt you. You’re imagining things.”

  Holly ignored her. “If you won’t come down here for me, then come down because I have something important to tell you. About Jed.”

  Miriam sat up straight. “What about Jed?”

  “You have to come down to find out,” Holly told her. Then her voice grew fearful again. “Please, Miriam? I swear I’m telling the truth. I found out something about Jed. And I’m really scared.”

  Miriam eyed her coat. “Let me make sure I can get the car.” She covered the receiver with her hand. “Mom!”

  “What?” came the shouted reply from downstairs.

  “Can I borrow the car? Holly needs a ride from school.”

  Holly had her own car, of course, but this was urgent. Miriam needed the car!

  “Okay, dear. But come right back. It’s getting late.”

  Miriam uncovered the receiver. “Holl, it’s cool. I’ll be right there.”

  There was no reply.

  “Holly?”

  Silence.

  Miriam’s heart began to pound.

  “Holly?” she cried into the phone. “Holly, answer me!”

  chapter 12

  Fifteen minutes later Miriam pulled into the Shadyside High parking lot next to Holly’s Camaro. Clearly, h
er friend hadn’t left the school yet.

  So why did she leave the phone? Miriam wondered.

  The big double doors near the gym entrance were unlocked. They fell shut behind Miriam with a clank.

  The main hallway stood dark and empty. Miriam paused, listening for the sound of other kids working. In the auditorium. In the library down the hall. Anywhere.

  Silence.

  “Holly?” she called.

  She heard only her echo off the endless row of gray lockers.

  Miriam pulled open the gym door and peered into the massive room. The orange gymnasium lights were on, casting shadows onto the newly decorated walls. The floor was littered with pieces of crepe paper and freshly painted Shadyside Tigers signs.

  No one in the gym.

  Where was Holly?

  Miriam called her friend’s name again as she walked into the center of the gym.

  No answer.

  A heavy fear grew inside her. She suddenly wanted to run out of there as fast as she could. She thought about their conversation that morning—about murder and killers.

  What if Holly was right?

  No. Impossible.

  Taking a deep breath, Miriam strode across the gym toward the boys’ locker room. She peered around the corner into the short hallway filled with random pieces of athletic equipment. The locker room door was closed.

  No Holly.

  Turning back to the gym, Miriam looked toward the girls’ locker room entrance. She could see a pile of art supplies just within the hallway leading to the door.

  Taking a deep breath, Miriam made her way toward that hallway. As she approached, she could make out a GO, TIGERS! sign. A half-finished Shadyside tiger was painted on the plywood. She saw a tarp spread on the floor in front of it. She spied two dishes of paint and a brush as well—still wet, as if waiting for someone to return.

  “Holly?” she called one more time.

  The last time, she vowed. She wanted to get out of the gym as fast as possible. Her temples pounded. Her mouth had gone dry as cotton.

  Still no answer.

  As Miriam turned to leave, she noticed the orange light falling on something behind the hand-painted sign, partially hidden from view.

  A strip of bright blue snaked across the floor.

  Miriam’s breath hitched.

  Holly’s scarf.

  A chill ran down Miriam’s back.

  Holly never went anywhere without that scarf.

  Miriam felt dizzy. She wanted to back away, run across the gym, out the doors, escape from there for good.

  But she couldn’t. She had to look behind the sign. She had to examine Holly’s scarf.

  She took a timid step forward, careful of the paint cans.

  When she peered around the sign, she let out a gasp of horror.

  Holly. Sprawled on the floor, her curls spread around her face.

  A trickle of dark blood ran from her nose into her ear. The scarf lay twisted around her neck, its flesh an angry purple.

  Was Holly breathing?

  No.

  Her hands were flung out to her sides, curved into rigid claws as if fighting off an attack.

  And then Miriam saw what would haunt her nightmares—Holly’s eyes.

  Her beautiful green eyes.

  No longer green.

  They had rolled back into her head. Like two egg whites, they stared up blankly, lifelessly at Miriam.

  And Miriam opened her mouth in a long, high scream of horror.

  chapter 13

  Miriam had never truly screamed before.

  Screamed in terror.

  Screamed for her life.

  The sound burst out of her, a frantic animal cry. So loud she found herself holding her own ears.

  She stumbled away from Holly’s corpse, slipping on the tarp. A can of paint spilled, pouring thick red liquid all over her sneakers and the floor.

  She fell hard.

  Miriam felt no pain. All she could think about was the sickening gray-whites of Holly’s eyes, the claws of her hands. She had to get away.

  Holly’s dead! How can she be dead?

  Miriam scrambled on her hands and knees, slipping in the paint, trying desperately to regain her footing.

  When she finally struggled to her feet, Miriam stood still for a moment, ignoring the whimpering sound that escaped her throat.

  Tears blurred her vision, and she turned and ran blindly for the doors.

  Someone grabbed her.

  Held her hard. Someone tall and very strong.

  “No!” she wailed, struggling like a trapped animal, pounding her fists against the chest and arms that reeled her in.

  I’m going to die, Miriam thought.

  Holly’s killer is going to strangle me, too.

  “Miriam!”

  “No!”

  “Miriam! It’s me! It’s Jed!”

  “Jed?” Miriam stared up into the shadowed face. It was him! “Oh, Jed.”

  She clamped her arms around him and held tight, wanting him to make it all go away.

  “What is it?” he asked. “Why are you screaming?”

  “Holly,” she sobbed. “Holly’s by the locker room. Dead. She’s dead.”

  Jed’s fingers dug into the flesh of Miriam’s arms. “What?”

  She managed to meet his eyes.

  “Yes!” she screamed. “Go look. Look for yourself.”

  Slowly Jed released her and moved toward the locker room door. He cautiously avoided the spilled paint. He leaned to peer around the sign. In her mind, Miriam saw what Jed was looking at—Holly’s horrible, purple face and neck. Holly’s corpse.

  Miriam sank to the floor, gripping her hands together tightly.

  How could this happen? She didn’t understand. She couldn’t think.

  Jed thundered across the gym floor. He scooped her up by the arm. “Come on. We’re getting out of here.”

  “Jed—what about—”

  “She’s dead. We have to get to a phone. Call the police.”

  Blindly Miriam nodded.

  Moving side by side, they slammed through the doors and ran down the hall to the phones near the gym entrance. Jed frantically fished in his pockets for a quarter.

  “You don’t need it!” Miriam yelled. “Just dial!”

  Jed grunted and punched the numbers. Miriam hardly heard him speaking into the receiver. She couldn’t make her mind focus on anything. Nervously she wandered away from the phone, toward the double doors leading outside.

  “Miriam,” Jed called. “Stay close.”

  Her ears barely recorded the order. All she could hear was the echo of her own scream. Once again she saw Holly’s sprawled corpse, the blue scarf pulled so tight around her throat. She imagined Holly struggling, clawing at her attacker.

  Her attacker.

  Miriam froze. Who did this?

  Mei? Noah? Could it really be true?

  Distantly Miriam heard Jed hang up the phone. Then he was next to her again, holding her close.

  “Come on,” he whispered. They moved to the double doors and stepped outside.

  The cold, clean air swirled around Miriam. She saw everything around her so clearly now—Jed’s grip, her paint-smeared sneakers on the sidewalk, the tears freezing on her cheeks.

  Jed sat her down on the curb near Holly’s Camaro. She could picture Holly behind the wheel, happily dishing out the latest rumors flying around school. Holly driving her to Jed’s basketball games. Holly wearing her favorite scarf. Holly’s attacker pulling the scarf tight, strangling her.

  Holly.

  Miriam couldn’t believe she was really gone.

  Murdered, she reminded herself. Someone murdered Holly.

  “Are you going to be all right?” Jed asked softly.

  Miriam shook her head. She reached into her pocket and found a tattered tissue. She blew her nose loudly.

  “I’ll never be all right,” she murmured.

  She tossed the tissue aside. Jed pulled her closer an
d told her everything would be okay.

  “I don’t want to be comforted, Jed,” she whispered coldly. “I want to know who killed her.”

  “Whoever it is, they’re long gone by now.”

  Maybe, Miriam thought. But I think I know their exact address.

  “Part of my brain keeps telling me this is all a dream,” Miriam mumbled. “That Holly is still alive.” She gazed up at Jed. “But I know she’s dead. I saw her lying there. I saw her.” Miriam covered her face and sobbed into her hands.

  Jed jumped to his feet and paced back and forth. “Where are the cops?” he growled. “Why is it taking so long?”

  Miriam glanced up at her boyfriend. His eyes were cold. He seemed to have forgotten she was there.

  Jed threw himself at Holly’s Camaro.

  Miriam stared in astonishment as Jed smashed his fists against the hood of the car. He kicked the tires, the door. But not a sound escaped his lips.

  Oh, no, Miriam thought. He’s really lost it this time.

  She choked back a sob. “Jed?”

  “What?”

  “Will you stop that? Please?” Miriam gazed at him with desperate eyes. “Will you hold me?”

  He stared at her for a moment. Then he took a deep breath, nodded, and returned to his seat. He slipped his arms around Miriam, and she buried her face in his shoulder. “I’m so glad you were here,” she whispered.

  Surprised by her own words, Miriam glanced up at Jed’s face. He had been there all along. In a dark, deserted school by himself.

  Miriam sat up straight. She felt a chill of fear.

  Jed. All alone in the gym. So late.

  “Why were you here?” she asked in a trembling voice.

  She suddenly didn’t want to know the answer. But she had to ask.

  “Jed—why were you here?”

  chapter 14

  “I was working out,” he mumbled absently. “I was putting in a late set in the weight room. Gary left about ten minutes ago.” Jed stiffened. “Oh, man. Gary. When he hears about Holly …”

  “Oh, Jed,” Miriam moaned. “He’ll be devastated.”

  Jed nodded.

  Miriam could feel her breathing grow slower. Her thinking cleared. “You guys were here,” she said. “Did you hear anything?”

  Jed shook his head. “Not a thing. We had Gary’s tape player really loud.”