Page 49 of Murder on the Upper East Side

Hannah’s phone buzzed. Grace.

‘I’ll catch up!’ she called after Ami.

You’re going to say I’m nuts because we just applied like three weeks ago, but hear me out. I emailed the woman in the housing office, the one we met on the tour? She says all we have to do to apply to be roommates is request each other on the housing form. IF we both get in, which we will, obviously.

Hannah swallowed and dropped her phone back into her bag. She owed Grace a bunch of texts, but she couldn’t think about college right now. She hurried up the stairs after her sister.

As seen from below, the deck was sheltered by an overhang and tall glass windbreaks on all sides. Outdoor heaters glowed, creating a cosy atmosphere in spite of the cold. Plush throws were draped over cushioned loveseats, and hurricane lanterns glowed on white wicker bistro tables.

Bruno made a beeline for the bar, and the others followed. When they’d procured winter Gin Fizzes and maple Old Fashioneds, they settled in on a pair of loveseats and Ethan slipped a glass vial from his pocket. ‘Who wants to party?’

Hannah’s eyebrows flew up. She was, by now, used to no one caring at these events. The alcohol always seemed to flow freely, something she’d never admit to her parents, who one thousand per cent would not approve. Butcoke?

‘Me!’ Ami grinned.

‘Ames,’ she said sharply. ‘Absolutely not.’

Her little sister treated her to a withering look. ‘I’ve done it twice with Alex before. It’sfine.’

Hannah’s mouth dropped open. Ethan motioned for Bruno, Hannah and Ami to follow him to a corner of the deck sheltered by an accordion privacy screen decorated with a delicate floral pattern. Ami shot up to follow him, and reluctantly, Hannah followed. Behind the screen was a table piled with extra barwareand linens. With wide eyes and a slightly gaping mouth, she watched Ethan clear a space at the end of the table and cut four lines on the hard back of a photography book he’d liberated from between two boxes of rocks glasses – a guide to wild foraging, by the look of it. Ami leaned over, finger pressed to one nostril.

Stunned, Hannah watched as Ethan did a bump, then Bruno. When the book came to her, she looked to Ami.

Well, fuck.Hours remained before the helicopters would return to take them home. Filled with a sudden rush of curiosity, and also not to be outdone by her little sister, she took the book and leaned down. A bright burst of stardust filled the space behind her eyes, and every bulb in her brain lit up. Laughing, she straightened up. What happens in Hudson…

Two drinks later, Hannah was having the time of her life. All year, she’d been the responsible one at Prescott parties, declining alcohol altogether or limiting herself to one drink. She wasn’t some kind of saint, but the mere second Dad and Yoko caught wind of unsupervised drinking, they’d be declining Hannah’s invites for her. But her parents were miles and miles away, and fuck it, she was having fun.

While most of the adults migrated downstairs, where the first course was being served, the Prescott crowd stayed up on the roof – drinking, dancing, everyone doing another bump. Madison sat at a nearby bistro table with Beatrice Whitmore, pickingat a plate of prosciutto and heirloom tomato mini quiches and baked oysters. At some point, Bash had joined Hannah, Ami, Ethan and Bruno on a loveseat and chairs set under a delicate strand of twinkle lights. How were the lights sogorgeous? She should take a picture and send it to Grace.

Hannah dug around her bag for her phone and pulled up their chat. Two more messages about rooming together next year. She shot off a new text.

Sounds fab!!!

She snapped a photo, but somehow the twinkle lights didn’t look the same in the picture. Frowning, she slipped her phone back into her bag. Sooner or later, she was going to have to tell her best friend how seriously she was considering NYU. But not tonight.

Hannah buzzed with energy. On the far side of the deck, a few people were dancing. That looked fun. Her eyes trailed to Theo and Edward, who were hanging around the bar, sipping whiskey. Theo had been so kind to include Ami this evening. Warm Edison bulbs strung from the edges of the roof above cast a honeyed glow against his white blond hair; his glasses sparkled. It was hard to stay focused, hard to sit still. Maybe she should go over, see if he wanted to dance…

Hannah was drawn back to reality by the sound of Ami’s laughter. She turned – Ami had been sitting beside her on the loveseat a moment ago. But thesound was coming from somewhere else. Now, her sister stood across the way, leaning against the wide wooden railing that surrounded the deck. She hadn’t noticed her get up. Behind her, the tall glass barely obscured a breathtaking view of the snow-covered grounds. Beside Ami, arm draped across her shoulders, was Bash.

Hannah stiffened, feeling suddenly sober. Throughout the year, she’d found herself warming to Sebastian Beaumont. He’d been a good friend to Theo when the Gemma scandal had broken, while not alienating Elle or calling Madison a liar. And while he remained an incorrigible womaniser, he refrained from making the kind of disgusting comments onThe Upper Edgeabout Gemma and other Prescott girls that many of their classmates traded in daily. Which was to say, her first impression had softened a bit – but Bash nevertheless had no business cosying up to her fifteen-year-old sister.

She leapt to her feet, then wobbled in her ankle boots. The heels were low, but Hannah had eaten too little and indulged too much. She pinched the inside of her wrist.Get it together.

‘Hannah, darling.’ Bash threw his other arm around her. She was taller, and it landed around her mid-back. Instantly, she shrugged it off.

‘Come on, Ames. Let’s get dinner.’

Ami cast her a lazy grin and leaned into Bash’s side. They were all drunk, and high, and underfed.My fault, Hannah thought. When she’d come here tonight,she’d sworn to their parents she’d keep an eye on Ami. And she’d done the opposite.

‘Not hungry,’ Ami giggled. ‘Bash is going to show me around the lodge. There’s an unlocked window around back.’

‘Shh,’ Bash said, pressing a finger to his lips. ‘Our secret.’

‘The hell you are,’ Hannah growled.

‘Whoa, chill,’ Bash said. ‘We’re just going to take a little tour. No funny business.’

She stared pointedly at Bash’s hand, which had slid from Ami’s shoulder down to her waist. ‘Step away from her.’