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Brooke put the phone on speaker and set it down on the nightstand, then crawled up on the bed next to me. I put my hand on her knee and squeezed it gently as she leaned into my side.

‘Hey,’ Brooke said.

‘Jesus Christ, you have some nerve. You’re going to justheyme right now?’

‘What do you want me to say?’

‘I want you to say, “Julianne, I’m turning my sorry ass around right now and driving back home.”’

I couldn’t help but think I would like Julianne Summer, if I ever had the chance to meet her. Right now, she was terrifying.

‘I’m not going home, Jules,’ Brooke said. ‘I’m fine, though, if that was what you wanted to know.’

‘Oh good, I’m delighted to hear it.’

She didn’t sound delighted. She sounded mad as hell.

‘Brooke. Where are you?’

Brooke glanced at me. I shrugged. ‘Des Moines,’ she said.

‘Liar,’ Julianne snapped.

‘Does it matter?’ Brooke said with a heavy sigh.

‘Yeah, Brooke, it matters.’ Julianne’s voice softened. ‘Where you are and what you’re doing and who you’re with. It all matters.’

Brooke rubbed her fingertips over her eyelids, like she was trying to dislodge the stress building behind them.

‘Brooke?’ Julianne said again.

‘I don’t know who I’m talking to right now,’ Brooke said. ‘I don’t know if you’re calling because Mom andDad told you to, or if you’re doing it because you care about me.’

‘I’ve always cared about you,’ Julianne replied, sounding hurt.

‘I know.’

‘Dad called me,’ she admitted. ‘He’s worried.’

Brooke glanced at me. ‘So they don’t know where I am?’

‘No, Brooke,’ Julianne said. ‘But there’s a girl missing. From your school. Do you know anything about that?’

I shook my head frantically. Brooke might trust her sister, but I didn’t. If Julianne knew about me, then she probably knew about the Creep, and I couldn’t risk her telling Brooke. Not now. We’d come so far already.

‘Who?’ Brooke asked.

‘Her name is Jessie. Jessie Swift.’

She clenched her jaw. ‘I have no idea. She’s not with me.’

‘Are you sure?’ Julianne pressed.

‘Yes,’ Brooke said, sounding annoyed. ‘Seriously, Jules, don’t call me again. I’m fine. I’ll be home soon.’

‘Okay, Brooke,’ Julianne said with a sigh. ‘So long as you’re all right. I love you.’

‘I’m all right,’ Brooke echoed. ‘I love you. Bye.’