The Perlin High boys let out a booming parody of the Bentley cheer from the other side of the diner: “Bison Turd!” The residents of Bentley, refusing to indulge them, intensified their polite discussion of the weather.

Kimbra studied Joel before giving a little shrug, sipping her iced tea.

“The cops should be looking at those Perlin guys,” she said in a low voice once she and Joel were alone. “The Stallions haven’t won a Stable Shootout since your brother made quarterback.”

Suddenly the presence of the blue-jacketed boys made sense: the game against the Perlin Stallions was the event of the season. They always came around town to stir shit the week before—it was as much a tradition as the smack-talking soap signs (WE MAKE GLUE W/ STALLIONS) Joel had started seeing in car windows this morning.

“I’m sure the cops have their own priorities. I was wondering if you’d heard from your boyfriend.”

“Didn’t we have this conversation on Sunday?”

“We did. Boys seem to evaporate in this town.”

“You’re telling me.” Kimbra frowned. He had the distinct impression she was sizing him up for some private purpose. “Have you ever been to Los Angeles?”

“Unfortunately yes.”

“People say California’s beautiful.”

He smiled. “You want to be in the movies?”

“I want to be somewhere people want to be.”

“Are you and KT getting out of here together?”

She froze, her straw between her fingers. “How did you know that?”

Joel smiled wider, trying to calm the panic he saw in her eye. “Because I used to live here.”

Kimbra lapsed into silence. Her eyes were swollen and weighed down with bags. She hadn’t straightened her hair in several days, Joel saw. Frizzy split ends tickled her neck.

“KT and I are leaving in the spring, the day after Finals,” Kimbra said. “Just get in a car. Head west. We’ve been talking about it since we were kids.”

Joel nodded, waited.

“Do you think he’s okay?” she said.

“I really don’t know. He hasn’t spoken to you?”

“No. Nobody’s seen him since school on Monday.” She paused. Her voice cracked. “You don’t think he might have been—it’s just, he wouldn’t know anything to get killed over. He’s stupid. Really. I love him but he’s not very smart.”

“Maybe he got spooked,” Joel said. “Needs a chance to calm down.”

“I heard Dylan sent you a text saying the same thing.” She bit her straw.

Joel felt the Adderall ticking in his brain. He played with a fork. “Is it true that KT got in some trouble over the summer?”

“Trouble?” Her surprise looked genuine. “What trouble?”

“I don’t know. With the cops? At home?”

“His mom’s always trouble,” Kimbra said. “But summer was mellow.”

Joel readied himself to go. It had been worth a shot. He pulled a card from his pocket and slipped it across the table. “Listen, if KT gets in touch with you, maybe I can help.”

“Help how?”

“Depends on the situation.”

Kimbra gave him a last long look, pulled a little notebook from her backpack and jotted down a number. Her eyes shot around the diner before she passed it to Joel.