Hold up, though.… It’s Thursday. I dropped her off at tutoring at 3:30. Sometimes she walks home alone. It’s only five blocks. But she’d have been home hours ago.

Already got my cell in my hand, like always. Dial Shae’s momma.

It rings on into nothing.

Gotta get closer. I can’t see past the people. Too short. Think thin. It’s not so hard to slide to the front when you’re small. Crane my neck, but there are too many police cars. The block is lit. Uniforms wandering this way and that. Milling.

The body on the sidewalk. Black coat. Pink shoes—

No. No. God, no.

The wail comes out loud. My green gloves tug at the yellow tape. POLICE LINE—DO NOT CROSS.

I will cross anyway. But strangers put their hands on me.

Shae.

No way to go forward, no way to go back. There’s a crowd, thick behind me, everyone crying and cursing and fussing. Rows and layers of people. More witnesses than anyone would know what to do with. They hopping. They shivering. How many of us got a really good winter coat? Naw, you mostly bundle and scurry. Like Shae was.

I can picture it. I can picture her going and going. Headphones in, like she always had.

Shae.

TINA

Shae wore headphones

for courage.

The sound of voices

in her ear made her feel

less alone in a big scary world.

JENNICA

The bell above the door jangles. Customer! It rings out the news way too cheerfully. I’m tired of smiling today.

I’m pouring coffee for the old guy already at the counter. He’s a regular. Not a chatty one, just likes to watch the news. We have a rhythm.

When I turn around, my stomach shifts.

Oh. It’s only Brick. I’m relieved and stirred all at once.

“Hey, Jen.”

He calls me Jen here, because that’s what’s on my name tag. He’s respectful like that.

Brick perches on one of the counter seats. “How you doing?”

“I’m good.” I slip him a menu. Sometimes he orders. Either way he always leaves money on the counter. Hard to argue with that.

“Just good? But I’m here now.” He smiles and winks.

I don’t know what he’s playing at. He likes me, but not like that. At least, he’s never tried to grab me or nothing. If he’s after me for sex, he’s going about it different than any King I’ve known. Sometimes I get a glimmer off him, but it always tucks back away.

I’m mainly glad he comes alone. He’s not trying to run game to get me back with Noodle. And Noodle’s his main man, so maybe that’s why he doesn’t try to get fresh with me himself. Respect. Not that Noodle deserves it.