Ghost Time

seat on the chair, across from the couch, and I have to say, I was pretty pleased we managed to pull it off in time, just like, damn we’re good. Then Rain Man looked over and he goes, S’up Theadorie? And I hate it when he says S’up , and I really hate it when he calls me Theadorie. I said, Not much, Ray. What’s up with you? He goes, Hanging in there. Great, I said, staring at the TV, and then, fortunately, my mom came right back, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and I have to say, she looks really good for her age. All right, then, Mom said, putting on her jacket. Shall we? she says, smiling at Ray, and he says, See you, and holds out his hand to Cam, who does a hand slap with him. Have a good night, Cam said, smiling at my mom, and I said, Bye, giving a little wave.
    I waited a second, after the door closed, and then I breathed this huge sigh of relief, and I almost bust out laughing. Good thing I didn’t, because like a second later, Mom opened the door again and stuck her head in, and I’m just like, What now? Mom smiles and goes, Oh, one other thing. You might want to turn your shirt around, the right way, before you take it off again, and then she closed the door. Cam waited to be sure she was gone—both of us just held our breath, waiting to hear her open the car door, and then, after we heard her shut her door, Cam started laughing at me. Shush! I said, but I couldn’t help laughing, either, I was so busted. Because she knew: ohmygod, the whole time, my mom knew exactly what was going on, but she still left us alone. Well, I have to say, she has her moments. Not many, but some.

FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2011
    (FOUR DAYS LATER)
    2:59 PM
    But you can’t keep anything secret in school. So right away, by the end of the week, all these rumors started flying around. People were saying Cam had run away, that he’d joined a cult, that he was a drug dealer, all sorts of crazy shit, and the thing is, what could I say? And I’m not being paranoid, everyone was looking at me, whispering in the halls when I walked by. People thought I knew where he was, and I was like, Trust me, I have no clue where Cam is, or I’d find him myself. And strangle him.
    Detective Knox called again, Friday morning. He asked if he could speak to me; he had a few more questions, and I was like, Wait. I thought you were off the case, and he goes, What gave you that idea? And I go, Agent Foley told me, and he goes, No. FBI’s in charge, but I’m still on the case. And I was just like, Good, because I’d so rather deal with Knox than Foley, so I said I could meet him at three, if he could give me a ride home. God, I hatethe bus— I hate it, hate it —and Knox said that would be fine.
    After school, I saw him, two blocks away, standing, leaning on his car, and I walked over, and he opened the door for me. So I got in his car, and I thought we’d have to make small talk: How was school, Thea? Fine, thank you. How was your day, Knox? But no. Right away, soon as he pulls out, he goes, Thea, you didn’t tell me you and Cam missed last period Monday afternoon, and I was so busted, I started giggling. I didn’t mean to be a smart-ass, really, but right away, I said, Honestly, Knox, I didn’t miss last period at all, and he smiled for a second, biting the inside of his lip. Then he goes, What did you do? And I said, We went to my house. Is that a crime? He goes, You were at your house that entire time? And I said, Yes, and he said, And nothing unusual? Nothing Cam said that struck you as odd? I go, Everything Cam says strikes me as odd: that’s what I love about him.
    So you said you two have been dating since September, he said, pulling out on the highway. And I said, No, we started dating in October, we met in September. September 23, 2010, 3:00 p.m. And then Knox whistled and he goes, Wow. You remember the date and the time, and I actually started blushing. Then, thankfully, his phone rang, and Knox goes, Sorry, one second, and he pulled out his phone. He even answered like you always see them on the TV shows. He goes, Yeah, Knox here—that’s exactly what he said. And then I heard a woman’s voice, and she sounded upset, and then Knox goes, I’ll be right over. He looks at me, and he says, I’m sorry to do this, Thea, but our sitter has to pick her son up from preschool. So I need to stop by myhouse, before I take you home, and I was just like, Oh, no, what happened to her son?
    Knox pulls a U-turn, heading back to town. To be