When Bailey ended the call, I suggested we try contacting Brian. She hit the number and put the phone to her ear. I could hear it go to voice mail. “Hi, you’ve reached Brian, leave me a message, I’ll getcha back. Beep.”
Bailey left a message telling him to call.
“So maybe they did run off together?” I asked.
Bailey frowned. “It’d be nice, wouldn’t it? I mean, not nice, necessarily-”
“No, but shaking down your own father is a lot nicer than being kidnapped, assaulted, and maybe killed.” Everything’s relative.
Bailey picked up her cell again. “I’m calling in boyfriend Brian’s info, see what we can get on him.”
While she did that, I considered my impression of Hayley. I shared it when Bailey ended her call. “I know it’s a little soon, but I get the feeling that Hayley’s a decent sort.”
Bailey gave me a sidelong glance. “Why? Because she deigned to be nice to Scholarship Girl?”
“And Mackenzie has a job-something none of those kids seems to have…or need.”
“Makes her an unusual choice for a bestie in that crowd-”
“Especially for a major leaguer like Hayley Antonovich,” I said. Bailey nodded. “No, I got to admit, Hayley’s definitely not the spoiled rich kid I expected.”
At least not so far. My ruminations on Hayley were interrupted by the thumping bass of a car stereo that was getting louder and louder. It hit full blast as the car pulled in a few spaces away. The vehicle was a brand-new red Mercedes black-top convertible, and the driver, a boy with Justin Bieber hair who couldn’t have been more than sixteen years old, was rocking out and talking on his iPhone. The song ended and he cut the engine and got out, still talking. “Yo, dude, check it out, you can come with me.” He hit the remote to lock the car and continued as he walked away. “The folks got a house in Virgin Gorda, man. Infinity pool, seven bedrooms, bring the sex box.”
“Gag,” Bailey said.
“Xbox. It’s a video gaming thing.”
Bailey watched him saunter to class. “I know. And I meant gag.”
At that moment the principal came out and headed toward the faculty parking lot. I noticed that lot was filled with Hondas, Toyotas, and Fords. Not a Mercedes or BMW to be found. “Want to hit up a few other friends while we’re here?” I asked.
“Sure. Maybe get some more information on our buddy Brian.”
I got out of the car and called out to the principal. “Mr. Vogel!”
He gave us his blessing to go and talk to any of Hayley’s friends we could find and escorted us back into the school.
