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    The Night She Disappeared
    The Night She Disappeared
    The Night She Disappeared
    Ebook227 pages3 hours

    The Night She Disappeared

    By April Henry

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Gabie drives a Mini Cooper. She also works part time as a delivery girl at Pete's Pizza. One night, Kayla—another delivery girl—goes missing. To her horror, Gabie learns that the supposed kidnapper had asked if the girl in the Mini Cooper was working that night. Gabie can't move beyond the fact that Kayla's fate was really meant for her, and she becomes obsessed with finding Kayla. She teams up with Drew, who also works at Pete's. Together, they set out to prove that Kayla isn't dead—and to find her before she is.

    This title has Common Core connections.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateMar 13, 2012
    ISBN9781429942454
    Author

    April Henry

    April Henry is the New York Times bestselling author of many acclaimed mysteries for adults and young adults, including the YA novels Girl, Stolen; The Girl I Used to Be, which was nominated for an Edgar Award; The Night She Disappeared; and Body in the Woods and Blood Will Tell, Books One and Two in the Point Last Seen series. She lives in Oregon.

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    Reviews for The Night She Disappeared

    4/5

    34 ratings27 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Gabie, Kayla, and Drew work in a pizza store. One night Kayla and Gabie switch shifts and Kayla disappears while delivering an order of pizzas. We know who kidnapped her and that she is being held but since Kayla's car was found by the rive, it is assumed that she was attacked and dumped in the rushing water. This is not a who-dun-it but a will-she-be-rescued-in-time story. The chapters change point of view between the teens and the kidnapper as the police are stumped and Kayla's parents resort to the services of a psychic.Drew and Gabie are the only ones who realize that Gabie was the intended target which no one believes because Kayla is the beauty and Gabie is a smart but plain girl, not the typical kidnapping victim. Gabie has a deep feeling, however, that Kayla is not dead and she teams up with Drew to try and discover where she is. Will they find her in time or will the kidnapper get Gabie first?There are no surprises in this story except for what happens to Kayla's ex boyfriend, an event that cements the police's decision on her fate. The alternating chapters interspersed with notes, newspaper articles, and other ephemera help to create a suspense filled story.
    • 3/5
      Kayla is kidnapped one night delivering pizzas, but it should have been Gabie. At least that's who the kidnapper asked for when he called to place his order. But Kayla and Gabie had traded shifts. Now Gabie feels responsible, as does Drew, who took the pizza order. Told from the perspectives of each teen, as Kayla recounts her experiences at the hands of the kidnappers and Drew and Gabie try to figure out who took her.
    • 4/5
      Pros:
      * Multiple POV done well
      * Interesting format
      * Good mystery
      * Reminiscent of old school Christopher Pike

      Cons:
      * Meant for the young end of YA
      * Quick, quick read
    • 4/5
      Imagine that someone you work with vanishes without a trace, and then you find out that the person who took her really was targeting you instead!That's what happens to high school student Gabie, who works part time at a pizza place. Another girl who works there, Kayla, asked if Gabie would switch shifts with her, and so Kayla was working on the night that John Robertson orders three Meat Monsters using a fictitious name, address and phone number. Kayla never comes back from delivering the pizzas, so now Gabie and Drew, another pizza place employee, are doing their best to figure out who took Kayla. The story is told from multiple perspectives, including Gabie, Drew, Kayla and John's viewpoints. You know who is narrating the story because they get their own chapter, and the chapter heading contains their name.Good thriller without being too disturbing.
    • 4/5
      After their coworker Kayla never comes back from a pizza delivery order, Drew and Gabie are drawn together by common guilt (Drew was the only other one working that night, and Gabie traded nights with Kayla) and confusion. Alongside their budding relationship, a police investigation ensues, unfolding in the pages via interviews, newspaper clippings, and other assorted pieces that make the text more interesting. The plot races to its somewhat unbelievable but satisfying conclusion. If you liked the Face on the Milk Carton series (Caroline B. Cooney) or Jaycee Dugard's autobiography, A Stolen Life, try The Night She Disappeared.
    • 5/5
      April Henry's novels are, in a word, addicting. The mystery and foreshadowing are so well done that it's near impossible for the reader to walk away... even for a few hours. Henry is one of those rare authors that keep the reader guessing and add just the right amount of creepiness and fear that you can't help but stare, transfixed. I enjoyed Henry's last offering, Girl, Stolen, but, to me, it was nothing compared to the intensity of The Night She Disappeared. Everyone knows to be wary of strangers, but I sometimes forget that working in customer service puts you directly in front of strangers every day. I'm a hostess and, honestly, after reading this book, I now look at customers in a whole different light. That's what's so powerful about The Night She Disappeared... the events in the novel don't seem all that far-fetched. In my opinion, the aspect of this novel that makes it most unique is the fact that the story isn't from the kidnapped girl's point of view, but Gabie's - the girl who got away. Gabie's fear was palpable and her unease reached from the pages and gripped me as I read. I was, admittedly, a bit jumpy. When would the creep be back for Gabie?Also present in the novel is a small romantic plot line. It may seem out of place, considering the seriousness of the novel, but Henry integrated it well. For me, it didn't seem misplaced, as traumatic, high-stress events often cause people to come together in unexpected ways. Thankfully, Gabie's romance didn't seem false or forced.Readers looking for a high-intensity mystery at a fast pace should consider April Henry's The Night She Disappeared - you won't be disappointed!
    • 4/5
      Using police interviews, letters and newspaper clippings along with multiple points of view April Henry delivers a first rate thriller. When Kayla Cutler is abducted while making a pizza delivery everyone fears the worst except for her coworkers, Gabie and Drew, who work together to prove she is still alive. This story was well written packing a solid punch in under 300 pages. The only cons to the story were that that its length didn't allow for more character building. The reader only gets a brief snapshot of all the people involved. I liked most of the main characters but thought Gabie was overly whiny at times. I thought she and Drew were a good team though and would like to see more of these characters in the future. I would recommend this book to fans of The Forensic Mystery Series or anyone looking for a good thriller.
    • 4/5
      Kayla needs Friday night off, so she switched pizza delivery shifts with Gabie--which means Kayla was the one delivering pizza when the man called. Kayla didn't come back, but she wasn't the one the killer wanted. Gabie knows it should have been her, and she and their coworker Drew are the only ones who still believe that Kayla might be alive.

      A murder mystery where we see the killer periodically, along with some other people along the way. Could have used fewer POV characters, but still creepy and compulsively readable.
    • 3/5
      This was a fast, if not always easy, read. The shifting perspectives were a bit jarring at times, since I rarely pay attention to chapter headings.

      The characters were a little flat but that seems to happen a lot with multi-perspective first person novels.
    • 5/5
      Very fast paced and full of action and suspense.
    • 3/5
      This is a great quick read that I think any 9th grader and above would enjoy. This story has very real subject matter that involves teenagers, high schoolers, and I would not want to introduce such subject matter to students under 9th grade. I think they would focus to much on the language and reality of drug use among high school students. But to not take away from the story, it was different on how the perspective of one event is seen through several different character's eyes. It reminded me of "EVERY SOUL A STAR" in its depiction of different first person story telling. Great ending, but it had as much "gusto" as the slow interrogation scenes.3/5
    • 3/5
      The NIght She Disappeared by April Henry is a fast-paced mystery thriller, told through several characters’ points of view, but mainly focusing on the first person narratives of coworkers and fellow students Gabie, Kayla and Drew. The book is peppered with notes and transcripts from the investigation that add a real sense of immediacy to the plot, as do the chapter headings which keep a running tally on how long Kayla’s been missing.

      Gabie’s fear that she was the intended victim is sparked by Drew, who tells Gabie that the caller had asked for her. Guilt, and an intuitive sense that Kayla is still alive, spurs Gabie to obsession. Guilt also haunts Drew, but it is Gabie’s fear and conviction that keep him involved in the case, along with some romantic feelings.

      I found the story to be enjoyable and thought provoking. As a slim book with a quick moving plot, the character development is surprisingly rich, revealing more of Gabie, Kayla and Drew through their actions. In addition, by including reactions from a wide variety of people--Kayla’s family and friends, the rescuers attempting to find her, and the strangers drawn in by the crime--the book clearly shows how a single incident can so vastly affect so many people in entirely different ways.

      As a mystery thriller, The Night She Disappeared had a great sense of urgency and felt very realistically portrayed. I especially liked the additions--the found notes, the missing girl poster, the 911 transcripts--that heightened the drama. I also appreciated how methodically the investigation played out. With the hook at the beginning, I was quickly drawn in by the story’s suspense and raced through this book in one night.

      **SPOILER ALERT!** My only quibble would be that Kayla and Gabie are not close friends and Gabie’s almost psychic ability to sense that Kayla is still alive was a bit of a stretch for me.
    • 4/5
      Gabbie’s co-worker, Kayla, goes missing one night on a pizza delivery. From what the cops say, it looks like Kayla knew her abductor. From what Drew (a co-worker) says, Kayla’s abductor asked for the delivery girl who drives the Mini Cooper but Kayla doesn’t own a Mini Cooper, Gabbie does. With Kayla missing and Gabbie knowing that she was supposed to be making that delivery that night, Gabbie’s world starts to crumble down. Why did Kayla ask Gabbie to switch shifts? Why does this person want Kayla? Why did this person originally intend to abduct Gabbie? But most importantly, is Kayla still alive?I was excited to start this book. From the review I read before starting it, it was pretty well like and they weren’t wrong. “The Night She Disappeared” takes off running on the first page and doesn’t stop until the very last. It felt like I just started the book and in seconds I was finished with it. Also, it was a complete mystery to me who the abductor was which kept me intrigued until the very last page.I liked how the author writes each chapter from another person’s point of view but does it so well to where the story doesn’t get muddled. Instead of being introduced to a character from the main character’s perspective, you get to know each character that plays a main role in the plot and what they are thinking and how they feel. Check the book out and I really think you won’t be disappointed. 
    • 4/5
      The Night She Disappeared by April Henry is a mystery but not a mystery. Kayla works for Pete's Pizza, behind the counter and making deliveries. One night she goes out on a delivery and doesn't return.In chapters told from various characters' points of view, the story unfolds. Drew and Gabie are her co-workers and most of the chapters revolve around them. Drew took the order. Gabie switched shifts at Kayla's request; otherwise she would have been making deliveries.There are also chapters devoted to Kayla and her kidnapper and Kayla's parents.I say it's a mystery and it's not a mystery because, obviously we all wonder what will happen to Kayla. But it's more than that. Henry has weaved a story of hope and fear, certainty and uncertainty. Kayla's parents hire a psychic in hopes that she can solve the puzzle. Drew and Gabie fear the unknown, the being alone both at work and at home. Gabie is certain that Kayla's alive, yet everyone else is uncertain.I like the way April Henry writes. It's direct. You'll know how each person feels, how they cope with their world, what's going on in their heads. I can swear I've read other books by Ms. Henry, I can't for the life of me recall which ones. But now she's on my radar and I'll be looking forward her future stories.
    • 3/5
      GoodReads Synopsis: Gabie drives a Mini Cooper. She also works part time as a delivery girl at Pete’s Pizza. One night, Kayla—another delivery girl—goes missing. To her horror, Gabie learns that the supposed kidnapper had asked if the girl in the Mini Cooper was working that night. Gabie can’t move beyond the fact that Kayla’s fate was really meant for her, and she becomes obsessed with finding Kayla. She teams up with Drew, who also works at Pete’s. Together, they set out to prove that Kayla isn’t dead—and to find her before she is.My Thoughts: This one really grabbed me, right from the first chapter. In the first chapter we are hearing Drew’s version of the events leading up to Kayla’s disappearance. The delivery order that was called in, and Drew’s call to 911 to report Kayla missing. The story progresses from there. It read like a very detailed time line. The story included transcripts from interviews, news reports, missing posters, including viewpoints from Drew, Gabie, Kayla, and the kidnapper. There wasn’t a ton of character development because we are reading a snapshot in time, which was very different. But what we did learn about Drew and Gabie was realistic to today’s teens. There wasn’t any instant love although the circumstances did seem to draw Drew and Gabie together…but this was not a romance novel.The pace of the story is fast. You feel the urgency in the race against time in the hopes that Kayla can be found in time. I did read it in one sitting because I had to find out if Kayla was going to be found and if so, would she still be alive.
    • 5/5
      April Henry's young adult thriller is exciting and will have you sitting at the edge of your seat until the very last page!Gabie, Drew and Kayla all work together at a pizzeria. When Kayla goes missing one night, Drew tells Gabie that the kidnapper let it slip that Gabie was his first choice and her world is turned upside down. While the rest of the town thinks that Kayla is dead, Drew and Gabie fight to find clues to prove that she is still alive. This book had me hooked from the opening line. The plot was rather straight forward but it moved at a rapid pace with clues and revelations happening in almost every chapter. Nothing ever dragged, it seems that April Henry has perfected the art of giving the readers just enough information to have them begging for more. All of the characters were central to the plot. The book follows the perspective of a different character each chapter so it's easy to get into his or her head and follow how this character can aid in Kayla's recovery. Drew, the last person to see Kayla before her disappearance, was an admirable character and Gabie's loyalty to Kayla was touching. I loved all of the characters, their interactions, and how they played a role in the plot. Henry also adds tidbits of information to make the characters more interesting, like the scuba diver explains his process and his history as a diver, and Drew explains how pizzas are made and what the ingredients are like. Little things like that made the novel seem more real and inviting. The writing style is what made me give this book such a high rating, not only is writing absolutely flawless, the style captures the reader's attention. Like I stated earlier, each chapter follows the actions or thoughts of another central character which makes the novel more interesting than just following one character throughout the novel. Also, Henry includes fun tidbits like Kayla's latest fortune cookie, transcripts between the police and suspects, and evidence lists. Henry's ability to play with the format of the book and how she revealed some information made the book more fun to read!The Night She Disappeared is extremely fun novel that will keep you on your toes until the mystery is solved. I dare you to NOT devour this book in one sitting!Recommended: I recommend this book for fans of thriller mystery novels told from various perspectives.
    • 4/5
      Reminded me a bit of Wish You Were Dead. This page-turning thriller hooked me in. Kayla is kidnapped during a pizza delivery and her coworkers, Drew and Gabie, are trying to make sense of her loss while both feeling guilty. The reader has insight into the big picture, and it is just a matter of getting on the wild, enjoyable ride to see what will happen as the main players make their decisions. The chapters alternate narrators and documents are incorporated throughout the text as well.
    • 5/5
      Excellent. I enjoyed the way that Henry added the newspaper clippings, question and answer sections, and pictures. It really added to the story. I must admit I thought I knew who took her, but I was wrong. This novel had just the right amount of suspense, mystery, and a little love thrown in. I would certainly read more by April Henry.
    • 4/5
      This is another book I've read this week that really caught me off guard. It was so entertaining from the first page.What I like most about this book is the plot line. Super engaging and easy to get into, Ms. Henry write an amazing plot line. I really enjoyed the point of view switches between the main characters. It flowed nicely between chapters and really gave the reader a much better insight on what is happening from all sides. I like the mystery that is behind the whole disappearance. Even see the angle from the kidnappers point of view raised the hair on my neck!The characters of this book are what really glue this book together. I liked seeing them struggle with "What if" questions and going through, "Who is it?" mode. I like that both characters are from two different sides of the street. Reading about them coming together to save their friend and their selves, is very gripping. There was a bit of romance that really caught me off guard. I always enjoy that peace the characters can get from each other when some thing really bad is happening. The love interest gives the right balance for the book.The Night She Disappeared is a tense and thrilling story. Your eyes will be glued to the book with many unexpected plot twist and turns. Excitingly suspenseful, The Night She Disappeared is incredible!
    • 3/5
      I really enjoyed this book. It’s an engrossing mystery that I easily tore through in a few hours. I really enjoyed the writing style. The story isn’t just straight narrative from a single point of view. Viewpoints alternate between multiple characters, most from the first-person perspective, and spattered between the chapters are 9-1-1 calls, police reports and other transcripts which help illustrate the story.While the story does switch viewpoints, the main focus is on Gabie and Drew. Gabie is obsessed with finding Kayla, even though the authorities are convinced she’s dead. She feels partly responsible for Kayla’s disappearance. The kidnapper obviously wanted Gabie, and she’s terrified that he’s going to come for her next unless they can find Kayla and, hopefully, catch him before he strikes again. She enlists the help of Drew, a co-worker, to help her. I loved both of these characters. They were both very different and very likable.Ms. Henry’s writing style is brisk and fluid — she definitely knows how to pace a good thriller. She gets straight to the point, tells her story and lets you go without wasting any of your time. While the book is well-written and I did enjoy it, it didn’t offer any real surprises. I guess I was holding out for a twist at the end, and that just didn’t come. Still, it’s a great read, and if you like a good thriller, I would recommend checking this one out.(Review based on an Advanced Reader’s Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley)
    • 4/5
      I feel like the mystery genre in YA is kind of lacking. In fact, I don't remember the last time that I read a true crime mystery in YA. I'm not saying that there isn't any around, but not many. And that's exactly what The Night She Disappeared is: a crime mystery. It unfolds like a poisonous flower, and little by little we get to know more about Kayla's kidnapper. Let's just say he isn't the nicest guy around.The characters in this are amazing. Drew is probably my favorite; he has had really hard time and doesn't try to pretend it hasn't affected him, but he tries to be a good person in spite of what he's been through. He is so muti-layered. It's amazing. And he's gorgeous.Gabie is going through so much through the course of this novel, I'm not surprised with the emotional conflicts that come up. It's all very believable. She isn't the heroine that shows no fear; she's the one who shows it but still manages to push through it. That makes her even more enviable in my eyes.As for the plot of the mystery, not much is left to be desired. Henry weaves a great story that I know I will want to read again and again, even if I do now know who the criminal is.My only complaint (the thing that caused this to be a four star review instead of a five star) is the length of the book. It's just little short for me. I feel like the story could have built up a little more tension before the resolution. Or maybe that's just me wanting more of these characters. Who knows.
    • 5/5
      I liked this book by April Henry because I have recently read a couple of books by her and I like all of them. I also like this book because it is full of action and suspense. As well as just waiting for the next event to happen. It also is a good fast paced book. The Night she disappeared is a thrilling novel because of the books good mystery. It also has very good format for the way it was written from every character's perspective. It was also a very easy book to read. It was not easy to predict what was coming next, which is a good thing because I like to read it before think it.
    • 5/5
      On an average Wednesday night, at Pete's Pizza a guy called in to order three meat monsters. He asked for the girl in the mini cooper. Drew the guywho was taking orders that night and ignored his guestion and sent KAyla out to deliver the pizzas. At closing time she did not return and was not at home. She was not at school the next day either. They found her car next to the river with her purse still in it and not touched at all. Her hat and along with the pizza boxes were on the ground. Over the course of the disappearence, Gabie the one who really drives the mini cooper and Drew's realationship grew much stronger. Eventually Drew was driving in Gabie's mini cooper and the guy who was on the phone and who kinapped Kayla rammed into the mini cooper. After that asumption the guy got back into his truck and drove off. Drew knew it was him by his voice. Then he called Gabie and told her the address of where he was and she came and also called the police to let them know where they were. They folowed him into the basement. When he was about to shoot Kayla they stoopped him. He grabbed Gabie and took a screwdriver and stabbed her in the neck but not enough to kill her. Then the guy directed Drew to get the gun and give it to him or he would shove the screwdriver into Gabie's neck even farther. But instead Drew shot the guy and killed him. A few minutes later the police showed up and brought Kayla, Gabie, and Drew to the hospital. A few months later Gabie and Drew got a medal for the bravery and honor.
    • 4/5
      Action packed, funny, harmful, and different is how I would describe this book. It truly has the mindset of a teenager. I enjoyed this book greatly. A real page turner. I finished this book in one sitting for a total of 9 hours!!!
    • 4/5
      Kayla disappears while delivering pizzas. She had switched shifts with Gabie, and Gabie thinks it should have been her. As the days go slowly on, police searches and interviews lead them to one suspect. But Gabie and another co-worker, Drew, are deeply involved in the case as well, and they aren’t convinced the police are right. The novel covers a period of two weeks, and with each passing day, tension build and the suspense grows. The story is told from the viewpoint of different characters, and also included are inserts of police reports, news articles, interviews, and more, all of which add to the horror of the situation. This is a well-written YA novel, plenty thrilling without being over-the-top too scary.
    • 3/5
      This is a great quick read that I think any 9th grader and above would enjoy. This story has very real subject matter that involves teenagers, high schoolers, and I would not want to introduce such subject matter to students under 9th grade. I think they would focus to much on the language and reality of drug use among high school students. But to not take away from the story, it was different on how the perspective of one event is seen through several different character's eyes. It reminded me of "EVERY SOUL A STAR" in its depiction of different first person story telling. Great ending, but it had as much "gusto" as the slow interrogation scenes.3/5
    • 3/5
      Although this kept me interested enough to keep reading, it wasn't anything special. I liked how the story was told from multiple perspective, although I never really connected with the characters. I also liked the extra information scattered throughout the book which included 911 transcripts, media articles and police interviews. However, I found the police investigation the weakest part of this story and the ending was rushed.

    Book preview

    The Night She Disappeared - April Henry

    The Day It Happened

    Drew

    IT WAS ME who took the order. It could have been anyone. I don’t know why I feel guilty. But it was me.

    Pete’s Pizza. This is Drew, I said, and winked at Kayla. She blew the black bangs out of her blue eyes and smiled. Even in that stupid white baseball cap Pete makes us wear, she looked hot. I wondered if she knew that. Probably. Then Kayla picked up a handful of pepperoni. She weighed it on the small silver scale and started laying the circles out on the pizza skin. She had already put down the sauce and cheese.

    Yeah, a man said. I’d like to order some pizzas to be delivered. There was nothing special about his voice. The cops have asked me over and over. Did he have an accent? Did he sound drunk? Calm? Angry? Was he old? Young? Did he sound like a smoker? Did I recognize his voice?

    For each question, I have the same answer. I don’t know.

    I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know. I haven’t been able to tell them anything useful.

    Each time I say that, they sigh or shake their heads and then ask me another question. Like if they ask it enough times in enough ways, I’ll remember something important.

    But I never do.

    I pulled an order form toward me and grabbed a pen. Okay. What kind do you want?

    Three larges. Hey, is the girl in the Mini Cooper making deliveries tonight?

    He meant Gabie. Kayla had traded with Gabie so Kayla could get Friday off. Kayla and I were the only two on. Miguel had clocked out at seven thirty, after the dinner rush was over.

    Kayla was on delivery because I don’t have a car. She had only gone out once that night. It was a Wednesday, so it was slow. And it was already eight. We close at ten.

    Pete’s Pizza is in a little strip mall. On one side is a florist and a Starbucks and a Blockbuster. On the other is a Baskin-Robbins and a Subway. Kayla used to work at the Subway. But Pete pays fifty cents more an hour, plus extra for deliveries. And then there’s tips. Kayla always got a lot of them. She always said she liked to make deliveries.

    Says. She always says she likes. I shouldn’t use the past tense.

    Kayla says.

    I thought the guy must have flirted with Gabie the last time she delivered a pizza to him. Jealousy pinched me. It wasn’t like I was dating Gabie. We just worked together. I wasn’t dating anyone. But this guy, this guy felt confident enough to flirt with the pizza delivery girl. He could probably stand behind a cute girl in a movie line and when he got to the window he’d be buying tickets for them both.

    I didn’t answer him directly when he asked about Gabie. Instead I just said, One of our staff members will deliver your order in forty-five minutes.

    The fact that he asked about Gabie is the only thing I’ve been able to tell the cops, but it doesn’t help. Gabie hasn’t been able to tell them anything either.

    So what kind do you want? I asked.

    Three Meat Monsters.

    Meat Monsters are gross. They have sausage, pepperoni, ground beef, and linguica. After you eat a slice, your lips feel slick. And if you look in the mirror later, you’ll find an orange ring around your mouth. Even if you use a napkin.

    He told me his name was John Robertson. He gave me his phone number and his address. I told him it would cost $35.97 and hung up the phone.

    Order in! I joked, like it was a busy night. Then I grabbed three pizza skins from the cooler. Kayla and I got to work. We stood hip to hip, not working fast, but not slow, either. Just a steady, comfortable rhythm. We’ve worked together enough that we didn’t have to say much about who was going to do what. At one point we both reached for the Alpo—otherwise known as sausage—and our hands touched. We looked at each other and kind of smiled. Then I pulled my hand back and let her go first.

    I think about that a lot now.

    Was I the last friendly, normal person to touch her?

    Transcript of 911 Call

    911 Operator: 911. Police, fire, or medical?

    Drew Lyle: Um, police.

    911 Operator: What seems to be the problem?

    Drew Lyle: I, uh, I work at Pete’s Pizza. And my coworker went to deliver some pizzas, and she hasn’t come back, and she doesn’t answer her cell.

    911 Operator: What time did she leave?

    Drew Lyle: Around 8:45.

    911 Operator: This evening?

    Drew Lyle: Yeah. Only, she hasn’t come back. She should have been back here at least an hour ago.

    911 Operator: Okay, sir, we’re dispatching an officer to your location.

    The Second Day

    Gabie

    BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS Thursday, Drew comes up to my locker, which is weird. We both go to Wilson. We get along okay at work, but we’re not really friends at school.

    Gabie, he says, and then for a minute he doesn’t say anything else. He looks terrible. His eyes are like two bruises, and his sun-streaked hair is even messier than usual. I wonder if he’s been out partying and never went to bed. Finally, he says, Did you hear about what happened to Kayla last night?

    It sounds bad. No. What? Kayla asked to switch nights with me. Maybe she cut herself slicing Canadian bacon on the Hobart. Pete’s always after us to cut the meat thinner so we can weigh it out to the microgram. Three ounces on a small, no more, no less. Pete doesn’t cheat anyone, but he doesn’t give anything away, either. And when you use the Hobart, you have more control if you don’t use the metal pusher part. The part that protects your fingers.

    Kayla went to deliver a pizza, and she never came back. He bites his lip and looks up at the ceiling. His gray eyes fill with tears. It surprises me so much that for a minute I don’t take in what he said. Drew Lyle. Crying. I didn’t think he really cared about anything.

    And then it sinks in. Kayla didn’t come back? Pressure fills my chest, making it hard to breathe. What did you do?

    After close, I kept waiting for her. You know, Kayla doesn’t even have a key, and her backpack was in the break room. I called her cell a bunch, but no one answered.

    I imagine Kayla running a red light or a drunk driver plowing into her. So she was in an accident?

    Drew shakes his head. No. I mean, I don’t know. Right now, nobody knows. She never came back. She just disappeared.

    Could Kayla have run away? For about one second, I consider the idea. But Kayla has a lot going for her, probably more than most people. This fall, she’ll be heading to Oregon State on a softball scholarship. Even before she broke up with her boyfriend, Brock, lots of guys would come in and buy a slice just so they could talk to her. So I figure it’s not like she’s lonely. She didn’t tell me why she wanted Friday night off, but I thought maybe there was a new boyfriend.

    Besides, if you were going to run away from your life, wouldn’t you just call in sick to work and then drive off into the sunset? Why go through all the trouble of pretending to make a pizza delivery?

    So what happened to her? Then I remember a news story from a few years back. Maybe she swerved or something and rolled the car down a steep hill like that one girl did up in Washington a couple of years ago, I tell Drew. You know, like maybe Kayla’s in a ditch, but no one can see her car from the road.

    Drew blinks, and a single tear runs down his face. This can’t be real. I can’t be watching Drew Lyle cry. By now, it’s like we’re in a little bubble. I no longer see the kids hurrying past us or spinning their locker combinations and reaching in to yank out their books. I only have eyes for Drew, his long nose that bends to the right at the tip, his teeth that press into his lower lip, and his silver eyes welling up with tears.

    The police don’t think so. The phone number the guy called from, it turned out, was really a pay phone miles from where he said he wanted the pizzas delivered. Drew makes a sound like a laugh. He must have found the last pay phone in Portland. And the address he gave me—there’s a real street called that, but the houses are like a mile apart, and none of them have that number. He takes a deep, shuddering breath. The police think Kayla might have been kidnapped. Or worse.

    Does he mean, like, dead? I try to picture it, but something inside me just says no way. Kayla’s always goofing around, laughing, dancing, bumping hips with whoever’s working next to her, taking up more space in the kitchen area than I ever will. Her last name’s Cutler, but she looks like it should be O’Shaugnnessy—black hair, huge blue eyes, skin as pale as milk. She’s pretty, so pretty she could be a model. Everybody always says so.

    Maybe that’s why they took her. I’m suddenly glad for my dirty blond hair and my face that still breaks out even though I’m seventeen.

    So have they asked for a ransom? I ask.

    Drew shakes his head again. No. Pete stayed there all night in case they called. But nobody did. And the kidnapper hasn’t contacted her parents either. While I’m still taking all this in, he touches my shoulder. There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about before the police did.

    What? I wonder if he wants me to lie for him. Not tell about him and Kayla smoking weed in the cooler that one time.

    They asked for you first, Drew says, interrupting my thoughts. The guy who called asked if the girl in the Mini Cooper was delivering.

    When Your Child Is Missing: A Family Survival Guide

    U.S. Department of Justice

    One of the most critical aspects in the search for a missing child is the gathering of evidence that may hold clues about a child’s disappearance or whereabouts. The mishandling of evidence can adversely affect an investigation. Similarly, the collection and preservation of evidence are key to finding a missing child. Parents play a vital role by protecting evidence in and around the home, and by gathering information about persons or situations that might hold clues. Following are some tips on what you should do to help law enforcement conduct a thorough and complete investigation.

    Secure your child’s room. Even though your child may have disappeared from outside the home, your child’s room should be searched thoroughly by law enforcement for clues and evidence. Don’t clean the child’s room, wash your child’s clothes, or pick up your house. Don’t allow well-meaning family members or friends to disturb anything. Even a trash bin or a computer may contain clues that lead to the recovery of the child.

    Do not touch or remove anything from your child’s room or from your home that might have your child’s fingerprints, DNA, or scent on it. This includes your child’s hairbrush, bed linens, worn clothing, pencil with bite marks, diary, or address book. With a good set of fingerprints or a sample of DNA from hair, law enforcement may be able to tell whether your child has been in a particular car or house. With good scent material, tracking dogs may be able to find your child.

    The Second Day

    Todd and Jeremy

    IT’S SO STUPID, but you can’t buy fireworks in Oregon, or even have them in your possession. At least, nothing that’s any good. Nothing that goes more than six feet along the ground or twelve inches into the air. Which pretty much leaves those black tablets that grow into ash snakes after you light them.

    Oh, and sparklers. Lame-o.

    Say you still want showers of sparks, cascades of shimmering color, bottle rockets and M-80s, Monkeys Violating Heaven, Assault Choppers, Alien Abductions, or Barracuda Fountains. Then you have to cross the state line to Vancouver, Washington, around the Fourth of July or New Year’s. You have to find a stand that doesn’t care about your out-of-state plates and just hope the occasional police sting doesn’t nab you once you’re back on the other side of the river. And if you’re smart, you buy enough fireworks to last all year—not only for the Fourth of July, but also for New Year’s and Labor Day and just screwing around.

    Which is what Todd and Jeremy are doing. Messing around. They have two six-packs of beer on the floor-boards and they’ve already decided to blow off school tomorrow. They’ll drive out by the industrial section next to the river, where at night there will be no witnesses. No one to pick up the phone and tattle. No one to fret that a spark will land on the roof of their McMansion.

    Everything is dark and quiet. Except for one thing. A little light shines dimly to their right, closer to the river. Without discussing it, Jeremy turns the wheel. The pickup follows the narrow track that leads toward the light. If it hadn’t been night, if they hadn’t been on that empty road, Jeremy and Todd wouldn’t have seen

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