She was right. We couldn’t bust into some party filled with addicts— where Keith may or may not be— and just hope for the best. We had no idea what they were capable of. Look at what we were capable of.
“Yeah, the morning is a good idea,” I said, pulling out my phone and starting to type an update to Stephanie before starting the car.
“Who are you texting?” she asked.
“Jonathan and Stephanie. We should tell them where we are.”
“Oh, I just did a second ago. They texted that they were still dealing with the contractors. Said they might be a while.”
Was I a little glad about the extra time alone with Maeve? Yes. Definitely.
“Thank you again for coming with me,” I said, still not starting the car. “I mean it.”
I put a quick hand over Maeve’s for emphasis, but then I didn’t let go. Couldn’t bring myself to. Maeve was quiet as she stared down at our overlapping hands. And she didn’t pull hers away. Finally, she turned toward the window. “Derrick, what did you mean before, when you said you saw what happened on the roof?”
I had upset her, hadn’t I? That was the opposite of what I’d intended. “I saw that guy grab you. That’s what I meant. He was fixated on you all night. We all noticed. I didn’t hear what either of you said, but I saw him put his hands on you, and you— you just reacted. Like anybody would. It was an accident. I just wanted to make sure that you didn’t— I don’t know— blame yourself for what happened that night.”
Maeve nodded, but kept her eyes on the window. “Is that why you sent that email?”
“What email?” I asked.
“The one about the roof,” she said. “ ‘I know what you did.’ ”
“Me? That was Alice’s mom, wasn’t it?” I asked. “I was going to ask if anyone else got one, but then I thought we were all just agreeing not to talk about it because of Keith.”
“Oh, right,” Maeve said quietly, still looking at the window. She didn’t sound like she believed me.
“Maeve, I would never send you an email about that night. Never. That’s my whole point. I would never tell anybody. I’ll take it to my grave.”
When she finally turned to look at me, she smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate that.” I thought she believed me now, but I wasn’t sure. “I think we should drive a little farther down that way just to check for Keith before we go back.” She pointed into the night. “Maybe he got turned around and is, I don’t know, walking around lost or something.”
“That’s probably a good idea,” I said. And Keith had threatened that exact thing— walking on the road. I could easily imagine him getting hit by a car.
I pulled out of the dirt track behind the Farm. We drove on, scanning the dark woods, for another ten minutes. But it was impossible to see anything except trees.
“Wait, stop,” Maeve said suddenly, her arm going to my chest. “I think I just saw something. Somebody in the woods. I swear to God it was Keith, and there was somebody behind him, in a hat. A red hat, like the contractors.”
I swung the car to the side of the road. “Where?”
I rolled down the window, looking where Maeve had pointed for movement, listening for sounds. But the night was still. I didn’t see anyone, anywhere.
“Where?” I asked again.
“I don’t know— I thought I saw someone. But it’s so dark. Maybe I just want to find Keith so badly I’m imagining things.” Maeve reached over and put her hand on my knee. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Derrick.”
“That’s okay. It’s no problem. It’s impossible to see.”
“No, I mean: I’m sorry that I haven’t been completely honest with you,” she said, staring down.
“About what?” My heart had picked up speed.
“I, um, have feelings for you, too. I think I didn’t realize it until this weekend. And it’s just . . . complicated.”
Keep. Calm.
“Bates?” I asked, trying not to sound overeager.
“I don’t even know. I thought I knew what I wanted.” When she looked at me finally, her eyes were gentle, searching. “But I don’t feel sure about anything anymore.”
Maeve reached out then and put her other hand on my cheek. A second later we were kissing, her fingers twisted in my hair as she moved toward me in the driver’s seat, her soft mouth over mine. When she tried to move closer, the steering wheel was in the way. And I wanted nothing more than the feel of her on me. We moved over in an awkward passing of body over body. But soon she was on top of me in the passenger’s seat, her thighs straddling mine, my hands on the curve of her waist as she kissed my neck.