Kelsey stared at the crumpled paper on the nightstand where she’d tossed it, and Justin’s words rang again and again in her head—“Beth was always leaving little surprises around for everybody…”

Of course it was a joke.

Except Beth was missing, and it wasn’t funny.

Kelsey jumped as a door slammed downstairs. She heard Justin in the hallway and just managed to grab the note as he came into the room.

“I’m supposed to tell you to get some sleep,” he said softly, smiling. “I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”

“Thanks, but if you have stuff to do, go ahead.”

“No, I’ll be downstairs,” he said again. “I’m not going anywhere.”

What else could he do, Kelsey thought sadly, but wait. After he’d left, she pulled the note out again, studying the handwriting. At first glance it had looked the same as the other notes, but now she could see that it wasn’t quite so neat—as if this note had been written in a great hurry.

What should I do? Everyone was so upset already, so convinced that Beth’s disappearance was an accident. And hadn’t Justin said how Beth loved going off alone to dream? If Kelsey presented this note now, a whole new set of horrible possibilities would open up. And for what? One piece of paper that might only be some fantasy in Beth’s mind… “Half the time you never knew if what she said was real or imaginary.” Just a story, probably. But why was the note addressed to me?

Suddenly Kelsey had an idea. She’d call Jenny. Jenny would know what to do.

Jamming the note into the pocket of her robe, Kelsey let herself out into the hall. Downstairs the TV blared and cupboard doors slammed, so she figured Justin was occupied, at least for a while. She wished she could just go down and ask him where the phone was, but if it was in the same room with him then he’d be able to hear everything she was saying. No, better to find an extension.

Kelsey made a futile search of the upstairs. Frustrated, she started back into her room to go take a shower, when she heard the phone ring from below. Well, at least it existed somewhere—now if only she could get to it tomorrow without anyone hearing…

When she finally stepped out of the shower, the house was silent. Kelsey buttoned her nightgown and opened the bathroom door.

Funny…I could have sworn I left the light on…

Kelsey froze in the unexpected blackness. She ran her palms over the wall, searching for a light switch, then took several steps forward, groping with outstretched hands through the darkness. Suppose Justin had gone out and left her there, and that note—that note—still hidden in her robe, and Beth’s bed so empty beside her own…

Suppose Beth had come back.

Suppose Beth was even now curled up in her bed…in the dark…watching her…

“Oh, God—” Kelsey pitched forward onto a mattress, and in a terror-filled instant, clawed for the lamp, filling the room with soft, safe light.