All of our heads turned in that direction. Adam grabbed my hand so I stayed put. Partygoers were no longer smiling or laughing. Some ran to the nearest temporary trash can and tossed their cups in them. Others ran toward the front. A few ran to the side of the house and disappeared into the yard next door. It all happened fast, but my attention was everywhere. Will walked over to us, mask off, and cloak down, looking bewildered.
“What the hell?”
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Adam said.
“Second time this weekend.” Will shook his head, frowning as he looked toward the side of the house, where Detective Barry and a couple of police officers appeared. They were walking over in our direction.
“Second time they’ve been here? What did they want the first time?” I asked, ears roaring.
“They never say anymore. We assume it’s protocol after what happened last year.” Will shrugged and focused on the officer approaching. “Evening, Officer.”
“We heard there was a party.” The police officer’s gaze swept over the yard. “Not many people here.”
“Hey, Riley,” Adam said, letting go of my hand. “Did someone call it in?”
“Someone called,” Detective Barry said. “Would you mind taking off the mask?”
I reached up and took it off. I hadn’t realized it was still on my face.
“What’s your name?” He flashed a light in my face, making me squint.
“Stella.” My eyes darted from him to Adam to Will and back. “Stella Thompson.”
“We received a call from Stella Thompson.” That was the officer beside him, the man Adam called Riley. “Are you in danger?”
“No.” I shook my head quickly, hoping the cloak was still able to hide my shivers.
I felt like I was under a microscope with Adam and Will looking at me in disbelief and Detective Barry seemingly trying to figure out who I was. My chest started to pound harder.
“You called them?” Will asked unnecessarily. “How are you in danger?”
“I didn’t call,” I argued. “I’m fine.”
“We should bring her with us,” Officer Riley suggested.
“On what basis?” Adam asked. “She just said she didn’t call.”
“Did you call us?” the third officer, a woman, asked.
“No. I didn’t. I don’t even have my phone on me.”
“Do you mind if we take a look around?” Detective Barry asked.
“Go right ahead. It’s not your first rodeo.” Adam signaled toward the house.
Detective Barry went inside with Officer Riley. The woman in front of me stayed put. Adam and Will followed Detective Barry inside.
“You sure you’re fine?” she asked.
“I’m fine.” I looked inside quickly and back at her. “She said her name was Stella Thompson?”
“Yes.”
“And she gave you this address?”
“I was on patrol. Drove right over and called it in.” She squinted out into the distance. There must have been at least an acre of land between us and the area where the woods started, but somewhere far into the distance there was a dim light. “What’s out there?”
“I have no idea. I just got here today.”
“And you didn’t call us?” She looked at me again.
“I swear I didn’t call.”
The doors behind us opened again and Detective Barry stepped out with Officer Riley and Will and Adam following closely behind.
“She says she didn’t call,” the officer beside me said.
“Do you believe her?” Detective Barry kept his eyes on me.
“I do.”
“Well, then, I guess it was a false alarm.” Detective Barry walked in the direction they’d come from. “We’ll just have to keep coming back until we find something.”
“As long as I’m here, I guarantee your searches will be futile,” Adam said. “There’s nothing to find.”
“We’ll see about that, Mr. Astor.” Detective Barry glanced over at me. “Good night, Miss Thompson.”
I waved a hand and walked inside. The burn of Will and Adam’s gazes followed me as they stepped in behind me. Will said good night and went deeper into the house. Adam and I stood in the hall, in front of the piano room where I’d first seen him earlier. Gone was the palpable connection between us, replaced by hesitation and wariness. I wished I could say I welcomed it, but I didn’t. For some crazy, strange reason, I liked Adam. Maybe it was like he said, beyond reason.
“You lied to them,” he said after a moment.
“About what?”
“You had your phone on you. You stepped out of the party after you got a call or text.”
“I didn’t call.” I searched his eyes. “You don’t believe me.”
“I don’t, but I guess that doesn’t matter yet.”
“Yet?”
“By the end of the initiation, I’m going to know everything about you, whether you like it or not.”
“What if you don’t? What if I don’t tell you everything?”
“You will.”
“What if I do and you still don’t believe me?”
“For your sake, you better hope that’s not the case.”
It was with those words that he left me standing there. He went inside the piano room and even though he didn’t shut the door between us, I didn’t dare step inside. I just stood there, in the hall, listening to the haunting melody he played, and thinking about how apt it was for all of this.