Luce was more dubious. "I don't get it. They just brought her back? Unharmed? When does that ever happen?"
And how long had it taken whoever they were to realize they had the wrong girl?
"It wasn't that simple," Miles admitted. "Steven was involved. He rescued her."
"From who?" Luce practically shouted.
Miles shrugged, rocking back on two legs of the chair. "Beats me. I'm sure Steven knows, but, uh, I'm not exactly his rst choice for pillow talk."
The idea made Shelby hoot. That Dawn had been found, unharmed, seemed to relax everyone except Luce. Her body was growing numb. She couldn't stop thinking: It should have been me.
She got out of bed and grabbed a T-shirt and jeans from her closet. She had to nd Dawn. Dawn was the only person who could answer her questions. And even though Dawn would never understand, Luce knew she owed her an apology.
"Steven did say that the people who took her won't be back anymore," Miles added, watching Luce worriedly.
"And you believe him?" Luce sco ed.
"Why shouldn't he?" a voice asked from the open doorway.
Francesca was leaning up against the threshold in a khaki trench coat. She was radiating calm, but she didn't seem exactly happy to see them. "Dawn is home now and she's safe."
"I want to see her," Luce said, feeling ridiculous standing there in the tattered T-shirt and running shorts she'd slept in.
Francesca pursed her lips. "Dawn's family picked her up an hour ago. She'll be back at Shoreline when the time is right."
"Why are you acting like nothing happened?" Luce threw up her arms. "Like Dawn wasn't kidnapped--"
"She wasn't kidnapped," Francesca corrected. "She was borrowed, and it turned out to be a mistake. Steven handled it."
"Um, is that supposed to make us feel better? She was borrowed? For what?"
Luce searched Francesca's features--and saw nothing but levelheaded calm. But then something in Francesca's blue eyes changed: They narrowed, then widened, and a silent plea passed from Francesca to Luce. Francesca wanted Luce not to show what she suspected in front of Miles or Shelby. Luce didn't know why, but she trusted Francesca.
"Steven and I expect that the rest of you will be quite shaken up," Francesca continued, widening her gaze to include Miles and Shelby. "Classes are canceled today, and we'll be in our o ces if you'd like to come by and talk." She smiled in that dazzling angelic way of hers, then turned on her high heels and clicked down the hallway.
Shelby got up and shut the door behind Francesca. "Can you believe she used the term `borrowed' to refer to a human being? Is Dawn a library book?" She balled her hands up. "We have to do something to take our minds o this. I mean I'm glad Dawn's safe, and I trust Steven--I think book?" She balled her hands up. "We have to do something to take our minds o this. I mean I'm glad Dawn's safe, and I trust Steven--I think --but I'm still thoroughly creeped out."
"You're right," said Luce, looking over at Miles. "We'll distract ourselves. We could go for a walk--"
"Too dangerous." Shelby's eyes darted from side to side.
"Or watch a movie--"
"Too inactive. My mind will drift."
"Eddie said something about a soccer game during lunch," Miles threw out.
Shelby clamped a hand over her forehead. "Need I remind you I am done with Shoreline boys?"
"How about a board game--"
Finally Shelby's eyes lit up. "How about the game of life? As in ... your past lives? We could do that thing where we track down your relatives again. I could help you."
Luce chewed on her lower lip. Punching through that Announcer yesterday had seriously rocked her foundation. She was still physically disoriented, emotionally exhausted, and that didn't even begin to address how it had made her feel about Daniel.
"I don't know," she said.
"You mean, more of what you were doing yesterday?" Miles asked.
Shelby cranked her head around and glared at Miles. "Are you still here?"
Miles picked up a pillow that had fallen on the oor and chucked it at her. She swatted it back at him, seeming impressed with her own re exes.
"Okay, ne. Miles can stay. Mascots are always handy. And we may need someone to throw under a bus. Right, Luce?"
Luce closed her eyes. Yes, she was dying to know more about her past, but what if it was as hard to swallow as it had been the day before? Even with Miles and Shelby at her side, she was scared to try again.