“I’m really good.” Sue passed Kerri a cup of coffee, and they moved to a table. “I didn’t want to talk about it at the reunion, but the last time you saw me, I’d just finished my final round of chemo.”

“Oh no. I’m sorry to hear that. I had no idea.” Kerri held on to her coffee but didn’t drink. She’d already had four cups today.

“Only my family and work friends knew. It made things easier that way.” She stirred creamer into her coffee. “I’m certain people mean well, but all the questions can be difficult. I found it easier if I just did what I had to do and didn’t dwell on the situation.”

“I can understand,” Kerri said. “Sometimes, it’s far less stressful not to be reminded over and over about things. When Nick and I divorced, it was so much simpler not to talk about it. The questions.” She shook her head. “It’s amazing how many people will blatantly ask what happened. I didn’t want to dwell on the reasons. I just wanted to move on with my life.”

“Exactly,” Sue agreed. “You can’t believe how many people asked me if I was optimistic about my survival chances.” She made a sound of disbelief. “I did understand they meant well, but really? Was it necessary for them to know if I didn’t bring it up? Bless their hearts. It was just so awkward.”

“The worst,” Kerri said, “were the ones who couldn’t stop saying how sorry they were, like I was pathetic and needed their sympathy.”

“Yes! I swear, I hope I never catch myself doing that.” Sue’s expression turned sad. “I am sorry, though, about your divorce.”

They laughed together; then Sue sipped her coffee.

“I’m not here about the reunion,” Kerri admitted.

“I know. It’s too early. I just said that so Gwen wouldn’t think the police were investigating me.”

“I didn’t think of that,” Kerri said. “I don’t want to cause any trouble for you.”

Sue waved a hand. “I adore the woman, but she does love to gossip.”

“I wanted to ask you about what happened with those two students who attempted suicide last fall.”

Sue’s eyes rounded. “Are they reopening the case?” She leaned forward. “I always thought there was more to the story, but no one wanted the ugly details to end up on the news.”

“I’m not aware of the case being reopened,” Kerri clarified. “It’s more about one of the students who was involved.”

Sue glanced around the room and then toward the door. “The two who did the suicide pact seem to be fine now. No one talks about it. There was some chatter at first, but Mr. Billings didn’t budge on the matter. If a student was caught discussing it, there were consequences. I’ve never seen an incident locked down and closed into a dark room so fast. Really, I think the kids understood.” She shrugged. “The school has doubled the number of counselors on staff. Every effort is being made not to miss anything like that again. I believe Mr. Billings took it personally that it happened on his watch, you know? Like he’d failed the kids somehow.”

“I can see how he might feel that way. I always feel as if I failed somehow if I can’t close a case the way I believe it should go,” Kerri said. “I’m glad to hear the students involved are doing better. But what about the other student, the one who transferred to a different school?”

“Alice Cortez.” Sue nodded. “Now there’s a story.”

Kerri’s instincts sharpened. “Do you think she was involved somehow? I’m sure you saw her in the library from time to time.”

“Oh, I saw her all right. By the time the incident happened, she was the star pupil here at Walker. The two girls who tried to hurt themselves once held that place. Two of our brightest shining stars. It’s a terrible thing to say.” Sue sighed. “But it’s like Alice arrived and decided she wanted to be those girls, and it happened.”

“Do you believe she took steps to make that happen?” The two students who had attempted to take their lives were both in the same grade as Tori. If they were as bright as Sue had suggested, how had they been taken down so low?

“That’s the truly bizarre part. Alice was nice to everyone. Everyone loved her.” Sue leaned forward again. “The rumor was that she lured the girls into some secret club, but I can’t be sure. The one student who mentioned this idea to me begged me never to tell. She was afraid, and I don’t blame her.”

Rather than demand the student’s name as she so wanted, Kerri said, “It’s a miracle she told anyone.”

“You know, I’m like a bartender; I hear all sorts of things from the kids. But this was a little more bizarre than usual. This student,” she said with a pointed look at Kerri, “said she and Alice, along with the two girls from the incident, would meet in the woods after school and do these strange rituals.”

“The two students involved in the suicide attempts,” Kerri ventured, restraining her need to reach across the table and shake more information out of the woman, “never mentioned any of this?”

“Not a word.” Sue moistened her lips and shot another glance at the door. “When it was clear they weren’t going to tell, I told the girl who came to me that we couldn’t not share this with Mr. Billings. It had to be done.”

“But you didn’t tell him the girl’s name.” Kerri held her breath.

“No, I couldn’t break her confidence. We put our heads together and found another way. I used the book Alice had checked out of the library to back up my concerns.”

Kerri stilled. Book? “Will you tell me about the book?”

Sue inhaled a deep breath. “It was a book about Santeria. It’s a religion, cult—whichever you prefer to call it—that originated in West Africa and eventually spread through Latin America. Like any other religion, some take it to extremes with rituals and animal sacrifices. Alice seemed to be obsessed with the darker side of Santeria.”

Something cold crept through Kerri. “Obsessed in what way?”

“I can’t show you because I gave the book to Billings when I spoke to him, but Alice had made notes and drawn images in the book. I don’t think she intended to return it, but the girl who came to me took it from her locker after what happened as a sort of insurance policy to protect herself. When she finally came to me, she’d been holding on to it for a while.”