Chapter 5Emma has never been to Helen’s on a Saturday before, and she can’t put her finger on it, but it feels different. It’s as if the fluorescent lights are shining just a bit more brightly, the kitchen radio turned up just loud enough to make it seem like a party. The old men are nowhere to be seen, their seats taken over by teenagers and young families, elderly couples dressed in brightly colored sweatshirts and pressed blue jeans. Three waitresses work the room, stopping to chat at each table, their voices light and teasing.
Emma glances at her watch, then at the door. She’s supposed to meet Christine McCrae at eleven, and it’s almost five after. Christine is the mother of one of Sarah’s new best friends, Brittany. Sarah, it turns out, has become part of a clique. Three girls pick h
