They shrugged.

The rest of the students on Lia’s list wandered in right before the tardy bell, Suzanna out of breath and Sam cracking a smile as he skidded into class just as it rang. He caught sight of Abby’s and Georgia’s empty seats and winced. Faith patted his arm as he passed.

“She’s just at home,” she said. “No reason not to focus on school.”

Hannah nodded. “She’ll be fine.”

Faith hummed, and Sam dropped his backpack next to his desk, collapsing into his seat. God, they were all falling apart one by one. The killer had screwed up everything.

Class went by far more slowly than it ever had. They didn’t study biology so much as write down what they might need for the final once school was back in session, and most of the class was devoted to talking about the cancellation. Faith was terrified the cancellation would affect college admissions, and Hannah was afraid no one would get to walk at graduation. No one seemed to have heard about Lia’s failed chase at least. At the end of class, once everyone else had left and Ms. Christie was about to stand, Devon cleared his throat.

“Ms. Christie?” Devon asked, approaching her desk. “Is there any way we could stay here during lunch?” He gestured to Lia and Gem at the back of the room. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but lunch is when people keep asking questions.”

Devon’s voice wavered a touch, and Lia’s fingers tensed. She had tried so hard not to think about the empty spaces around them or the questions Devon and Gem might have faced when she wasn’t at school.

“It’s just a lot, you know?” Gem said from next to Lia. “And your class is near our third block class.”

Ms. Christie took a deep breath. “If I let you stay in here, you have to clean up after yourselves.”

“Of course,” Devon said. “Yes, thank you. Thank you so much.”

By the time lunch had arrived, the school halls were buzzing with news of Georgia’s absence and bets on if the school would shut down for the rest of the semester. Devon wrapped one arm around Lia’s waist to stop her from tackling Sam, whose bet had involved one more death.

“If it’s not him,” she whispered to Devon, “I’m still punching him.”

He squeezed her and let go. “Let me buy you some brass knuckles first.”

“Now,” Ms. Christie said once they reached her room and the other students had dropped off their bags in their chairs and left. “You three sit in your normal seats and relax and I will be back in five minutes.”

She vanished out the door with her lunch tote.

“See?” Gem said, heading for the bags. “Ask and you shall receive.”

They went down the rows methodically, going through the students’ bags, searching for something, anything, that would connect to the crimes.

Two minutes in and none of them had found anything useful.