Inside, I find household rubbish bags and know I’ll have to contact the council once again because of it. This isn’t the first time someone has used our bin for their own personal use.
I slide my bag to the floor and hang over the side, shoving away a bin bag I know hasn’t come from the library to move on to the next. I pull open the top, finding rubbish from the café.
Come on.
I shuffle further in, my legs dangling in the air.
“Where are you?” I mutter, searching for the blue bag with yellow daisies on that we use for the small bins around the library.
My phone begins to blast Cardi B’s WAP. It’s the ringtone the girls programmed to play if one of them call me.
I try to shuffle back but my shirt gets caught on the clip on the bin. The metal begins to dig into my skin the more I tug backward, so I try to move forward instead.
My phone begins to blare again.
“She’s round the back,” I hear shouted, just as I catch sight of the daisy bag.
“Yes!” I yell, the tips of my fingers struggling to reach the bag.
“What are you doing?” Emily asks, sounding disgusted.
I scream as I topple over into the bin. No, no, no. I gag as I straighten myself, glancing up to see three heads popping over the side of the bin.
“Do we need to ask?” Harriet asks, her fingers pinching her nose.
It really does stink in here.
“It’s a long story,” I assure them, grabbing the daisy bag. I quickly open it, rifling through the contents.
“We can stop off at a McDonald’s drive through. You don’t need to go to extremes.”
I ignore them, sifting through the papers until I find the card. I hold it up, grinning. “Got it.”
My name is written in bold, black writing.
“What is that?” Harriet asks, pointing to the note. “And why are you still sitting there?”
I get up, and together, they help me down.
“Ouch, you’ll need to disinfect that,” Emily points out.
I glance down to my torn shirt, wincing when I see blood staining it. “I’m okay.”
“What was worth going through all of that for?” Olivia asks, scrunching her nose up.
“Something that came with poisonous cupcakes.”
Olivia shares a look with Emily before turning back to me, her expression filled with pity. “Did you bake again?”
“Not mine,” I whisper, my attention returning to the envelope.
I pull the card out, my heart racing.
Happiness is only a cupcake away.
My brows pull together and I turn it over, my heart stopping when I see the poem.
Your sweetness is a lie.
Deception is your game.
Truth rots your soul.
And only you are to blame.
“What the fuck?” Harriet whispers.
I tuck the card into my back pocket, my eyes burning with unshed tears. “Do we have time for me to get changed?”
Harriet watches me closely before nodding. “Of course.”
Olivia’s shoulders sag. “Good, because the smell is rotten.”
I force a smile. “It really is.”
“We’ll meet you back at the car.”
While they head over to the car, I go back to my place, my mind on the card burning a hole through my pocket. I was sort of supporting Madison’s notion that this isn’t a male, but after this one, I think it may be Scott sending them.
Is he worried I’m telling lies about him? It’s something he threatened me about before I left.
I know I should call mum, or someone, but I need a minute to figure out what it means without having them all yell at me. I also know I need to go to the police with the new information.
First, I want to get answers. Hopefully after today, I’ll have them.
*** *** ***
“Is this the place?” Emily asks from the driver’s seat. She leans forward to look up at the flat above the Chinese restaurant.
“It is,” Harriet assures her, checking her phone from the passenger seat.
The area looks sketchy. People are in groups hanging outside the shops, and I swear that when we drove down the road, we saw at least two drug deals happening.
The shops don’t look better. Most have their silver shutters down, and the rest have paint peeling along their fronts, as well as broken signs and graffiti all over the windows and brick walls.
“Are you sure this is the place?” Olivia asks from next to me. “Doesn’t seem like the place Amber would stay. I’m scared to get out.”
I’m with Olivia. I don’t mean to judge— I feel terrible for it— but I can’t help but look around and wonder if some chick is going to steal my shoes. I’ve read stories about it happening. My uncle Liam had a client who lived around here and they made him search for the culprit who pinched their underwear. I know once I get home, I’ll want another shower.
“It’s probably all she could afford. Let’s not judge her for that,” Harriet comments, giving Olivia a pointed look.
Did I say that out loud?
Emily turns to Harriet. “But I can worry the wheels on my car are going to be stolen, right?”
Gabby snorts from the other side of me. “It would be doing the car a favour. At least you could claim on your insurance and get a new one.”
“It got us here, didn’t it?”
“Let’s not argue,” I softly warn them. “We’re here for Amber.”
Harriet’s the first to get out of the car. Gabby follows and I slide out behind her. I pull my hood up when a droplet of rain lands on my cheek.
“Hurry, it took me hours to get this hair straight,” Olivia calls out, racing toward the building.
Someone is coming out as we reach the door, so we let ourselves in, piling inside to get out of the rain. We turn back at the sound of rain hammering down on the road outside.
“Shit!” Harriet whispers. “I’ve got fucking clothes out drying.”
“Bit late now,” Gabby replies.
Emily nudges my shoulder. “You okay? You’ve been quiet since the bin incident.”
I’m processing. I have no idea who could be doing this other than Scott. I have no conflict with any other person. I make it a mission to be kind to everyone, even to those who aren’t very nice to me. I’m also scared because I have no idea what any of it means. Were they sent to scare me? Was it in preparation for something? I have no idea, but I’ve watched enough thrillers and horrors to know it does mean something and I shouldn’t keep ignoring it.
“I’m good. I just have a lot on my mind,” I assure her softly.
“It’s this one,” Harriet announces, sharing a wide-eyed look with us when we find the front door is open a little.
Which isn’t the safest thing an area like this.
“Hello?” Gabby calls out, pushing open the door.
I groan when she steps inside. “You never go inside,” I hiss. “This isn’t good.”
“Hello?” she calls out again.
Emily takes my arm as we follow Gabby and Harriet. Olivia stays outside and I turn. “You coming?”
“Do I look fucking stupid?”
Emily snorts, but suddenly, Gabby screams. The shriek coming out of nowhere surprises us all, and we end up screaming along with her. I grip Emily as both of us try to shoulder our way out of the door.