What Holly Heard (6 page)

He kept his eyes on the floor. “Miriam?”

She stopped. “What?”

“Can I call you?”

Miriam smiled. “I don't know. Can you?”

Jed gave her a wide, relieved grin in return. “Yeah, I can.”

“Then, okay.”

The February night was frigid, and most of the cars had left the school parking lot. Miriam spotted Holly standing next to her car, breathing clouds and jumping up and down to keep warm. When she caught sight of Miriam, she waved frantically.

“Get over here!” she yelled.

Miriam ran to the car. The engine was running. Holly appeared tense … and very scared.

“Get in!” she ordered. She slid into the driver's seat.

Miriam quickly slid in next to her and slammed the door. The heater was blasting, thankfully.

“What is it? What's wrong, Holly?”

“I … I just heard something…”

Miriam groaned. “Holly, the last thing I want to hear is more gossip—”

“No!” Holly cried. “This is different, Miriam. I heard this myself.”

“Heard what?”

“On my way to the car, I was digging through my purse for the keys. I wasn't watching where I was going. And I passed Mei and Noah standing by Mei's car. I wouldn't have even seen them, but I thought I heard Noah's voice.” Holly paused and took a deep breath.

“And?”

“They were talking. But it sounded more like fighting. So I stopped and hid between two cars where they couldn't see me. I listened to them.”

“Holly, I don't
believe
you!”

“Can you just shut up for thirty seconds and listen to me?” Holly snapped.

Her anger stunned Miriam into silence.

“They were talking about the night of the party, about how Mei's mother won't let them see each other. Mei and her mom have been fighting a lot worse than we know, Miriam. It's scary. I never heard Mei talk that way before.”

Holly paused for a breath.

Miriam felt nervous now. Jed's problems faded into the background as she concentrated on her friend's words, on her friend's
fear.

“What did they say, Holly?”

“I was only a few feet away, Miriam. I swear I heard them say it. I swear.”

Miriam wanted to take Holly by the shoulders and shake the information out of her. “Say what?” she demanded.

Holly took a deep breath and leaned closer to her friend.

“I heard them say they were going to kill Mei's mother!”

“N
o way,” Miriam insisted. “That's crazy.”

“I swear, Miriam,
I heard it myself!”

“Okay, okay, I believe you!” Miriam soothed her friend.

Holly seemed almost hysterical. Miriam had never seen her like this—truly scared.

But Miriam didn't believe that Mei wanted to kill her mother. It was totally insane.

“Holly, tell me exactly what you heard.”

Holly took a deep breath.

“At first I heard them talking about the party, about what idiots Noah's friends were for crashing it. Noah said he warned them to stay away if they were going to drink. He said he was sorry he had gotten Mei into
trouble. Then Noah shouted something like ‘There's no way your mother can keep us from seeing each other.'”

Miriam nodded. It sounded normal so far.

“Then I think they hugged, because they were quiet for a minute. I couldn't see them, so I don't know. And then … and then I heard Mei.” Holly's voice shook. “Mei yelled, ‘I'll kill my mother for this.'”

Miriam almost laughed out loud. “That's
it?”

Holly glared at her. “What do you mean, that's it? I heard her say it, Miriam, and she sounded like she meant it!”

Miriam rolled her eyes. “I've heard Mei say that exact thing a thousand times, whenever she and her mother had a blowout.
Everybody
says it! Everybody wants to kill their parents when they're angry.”

“Yeah, but everybody doesn't have Noah for a boyfriend!” Holly cried. “You should've heard him, Miriam! When Mei said she wanted to kill her mom, Noah took her seriously. He said it was a good idea. He told her he'd be willing to do
whatever it took
to make sure he could keep seeing her.
Whatever it took,
Miriam! Even murder!”

Miriam thought about that for a moment. “It still doesn't mean anything, Holl,” she decided. “Noah was just being dramatic—as usual. Mei would never do something like that. No one would.”

Holly stared at Miriam, clearly not knowing what to believe. “Are you sure?”

“Everyone says stuff like that, Holly,” Miriam insisted.

Holly blinked. “Really?”

“Really.”

Holly let out her breath. “Okay.”

Miriam shook her head. “Let's go before we freeze to death.”

Holly slowly pulled out of the student parking lot, and they drove toward Fear Street in silence. Miriam stared out her foggy window, trying to imagine what she would do if her parents told her she couldn't see Jed.

“Oh, Miriam, I forgot!” Holly cried a moment later. “What happened with Jed?”

The night came back to Miriam in a rush—Jed punching and choking the Waynesbridge player, getting thrown out of the game—and nearly breaking her hand.

She told Holly the whole story. Holly didn't say a word until Miriam finished.

“Are you okay?” Holly asked quietly.

“My fingers are sore, but that's no big deal.”

“No, Miriam, it is a big deal. Jed tried to hurt you. What is his
problem?”

Miriam could see the anger on her friend's face.

“It's the pressure, Holly. He's so scared of losing the playoffs and the scholarship that he's self-destructing.”

Holly scowled. “Don't defend him. Any guy who will hurt you like that isn't worth it.”

“He'll be okay,” Miriam replied. “He just needs a little time, that's all. I'm
not
defending him.”

“Yes, you are. Listen to yourself.”

Miriam realized Holly was right. “I can't help it, Holl,” she answered softly. “I care about him. I really do.”

“I know.” Holly put a hand on Miriam's arm. “But if he tries something like that again, you have to do something. I saw him drop that guy on the court. Jed just totally lost it. He's messed up.”

The words echoed in Miriam's ears as she massaged her sore fingers. All she could do was hope Holly was wrong.

Monday morning at school Miriam met Ruth by her locker. Ruth had gone away with her mother on Sunday, so Miriam couldn't phone her. Miriam wanted to tell Ruth all the news from Saturday night.

Ruth was happy to hear that Shadyside had won the game. But her mood darkened when Miriam told her about Jed.

“That's really scary,” she said in a shocked whisper. “Maybe you should try to get him some help.”

“No, he'll be all right. As I told Holly, he just needs some time. He'll be okay.”

“I hope so,” Ruth murmured. “For your sake.”

Miriam nodded. Jed
would
be all right. She was sure of it. After he got his scholarship, he'd go back to his old, lovable self.

Miriam was sick of her friends being worried about Jed. She decided to change the subject.

“Wait till you hear
this.”
She giggled. “I almost forgot.”

She told Ruth about Holly and how she had eavesdropped
on Mei and Noah. How she heard that Mei was plotting to kill her mother so she could be with Noah. “It scared Holly to death,” Miriam confided.

Ruth laughed, for the first time in ages. “Serves her right! It's about time gossip got Holly in trouble.”

Miriam felt a little guilty for laughing at Holly behind her back. Holly had been genuinely frightened.

But since Ruth's father died, her laughter was rare. Any humor, however twisted, was probably a good thing, Miriam decided.

“Mei plotting to kill her mother,” Ruth said, shaking her head. “Yeah,
right.
Mei wouldn't risk breaking a nail.”

“You're so mean,” Miriam scolded.

“What weapon would Mei use?” asked Ruth. “An eye pencil? Nail polish fumes?”

“Ruth! Stop it.”

“No, wait, I've got it. Death by blow-dryer!”

Miriam couldn't stop herself from laughing. She had forgotten how funny Ruth could be. She leaned against her locker for support, laughing as she pictured Mei chasing her mother with a can of hair spray.

She opened her eyes to find Holly standing in front of them.

“Hey, Holl!” she greeted cheerfully.

Holly didn't reply. Her lower lip trembled, and her hands were clenched into fists.

“Guess w-what I just heard,” she stammered.

Miriam's heart skipped a beat. “What?”

“Mei's mother is dead.”

D
ead.

The word exploded in Miriam's head. For a moment everything went white.

Dead. Dead.

The word repeated, until it had no meaning.

“That's not funny!” Ruth gasped.

Holly shook her head. “I'm serious. They found her last night. At the bottom of the front staircase. You know. The spiral one.” Holly swallowed hard. “Her neck was broken.”

Miriam struggled to breathe. She opened her mouth, but couldn't speak.

Dead.

She couldn't believe it.

They'd just been
joking
about it!

Wait!
Miriam thought suddenly, her mind racing. This is only gossip! It's something Holly heard. It didn't really happen.

Did it?

Miriam stared at her friend. Holly hadn't moved. Her eyes were frozen wide and she absently bit her bottom lip. Her color was bleach-white.

“She did it, Miriam,” Holly whispered. “Mei killed her mother.”

“No!” Miriam choked out. She didn't want to believe it. “Mei could never do that. Never.”

“Then explain what happened,” Holly growled. “How did her mother die?”

Miriam tried to make herself think. “I don't
know!
Maybe she had an accident. People fall down the stairs all the time.”

“You don't really believe that, do you?” Ruth demanded.

Miriam had to turn away. She didn't know what she believed.

“Of course she doesn't!” Holly cried. “She knows what we all know. That Mei or Noah pushed Mei's mother.”

“It's crazy,” Miriam insisted. “I know Mei! She wouldn't do it! No way!”

“Yeah, but you know Noah,” Ruth said pointedly.

Miriam didn't reply. She hadn't thought about Noah. She had no idea what he would do for Mei.

He hung out with a bad crowd. Miriam knew he sometimes drank, and he bragged about doing dangerous things.

But was he capable of murder?

“Come on,” Miriam said. “People don't kill their parents just because they can't date each other!”

“Keep your voice down!” Holly snapped. “Do you want the whole school to hear?”

“What should we do?” Miriam asked.

Holly nervously tugged at her blue scarf. “I think we should go to the police.”

“No!” Miriam protested.

If they told the police, it would be like admitting that she thought Mei had murdered her mother. Miriam didn't want to believe that.

Holly turned to Ruth. “Help me convince her, Ruth. You know Mei did it.”

Miriam saw Ruth's eyes grow icy. She had been quiet since hearing Holly's news, perhaps shocked into silence, Miriam thought. News of a dead parent probably made Ruth think of her father's death.

“Are you okay?” Miriam asked her friend.

“Yeah,” Ruth replied, expressionless. “I don't know what to believe. Why would anyone want to watch their parent die?”

No one replied. Miriam couldn't imagine herself even
considering
killing her parents.

The bell for homeroom exploded in Miriam's ears, making her jump nearly out of her skin.