I nod. I’m lucky Rose could ask her dad for help. What would happen to someone who didn’t have a city official to call?

“That’s why I have to ask, are you sure you don’t still have the paper you found, Merriel?” He leans toward me. “There is a chance something about the paper could help us track them down.”

“Dad, she said she tore it up and threw it away,” Rose answers.

Part of me considers going to fetch the note where I stashed it after we arrived at the house. Rose went to the bathroom and I shoved it in the back of the freezer under a box of frozen peas that have been in there as long as I can remember. But Rose’s defense had taken away any chance of my turning the note over. I wasn’t about to make her look foolish while at the same time turning myself into a liar. Not when Mr. Webster was going to make all of this go away. “I’m sorry, Mr. Webster. I’d like to help, but I don’t have it anymore.”

My heart beats hard, and I force myself not to wipe my palms on my uniform. He stares at me like he knows I am not telling the truth and is waiting for me to admit it. Finally, he slaps his hands on his legs and says, “Well then, that’s that. I will call your principal on the way back to my office, and if you want me to, Merriel, I can call your father later and let him know that this has all been cleared up.”

“It’s probably better if he hears about it from me,” I say. Which means he won’t hear about it at all.

“Very well.” He stands and walks to the door. Turning, he adds, “In the future, I advise you both to come directly to me if you run across anything you have questions about. No matter how insignificant you think it might be.”

Rose nods. “Of course we will, right, Meri?”

“Right,” I agree automatically.

“Good.” He smiles again, then turns to Rose. “I’ll drop you at home on my way back to the office. Your mother told me you have some details for your summer job that you have to see to.”

Rose leaps for her bag as her father heads to the door without a backward glance.

“I totally forgot!” Rose shoots me an apologetic look. “Do you want to come with? My mom would love to see you. I showed her some of your recent work and she really wants you to take a crack at the new logo. Maybe after Mom and I finish our stuff, you could—”

“You go on without me.” I want to make sure I destroy the paper I hid in the freezer before anyone can find it. The sooner it’s gone, the sooner I can put all of this behind me. “I’m good,” I insist as Rose gets that fighting look in her eyes. “Thanks for helping today. I’m not sure what I would do without you.” My voice cracks.