Chapter 74
Nikki, West Virginia
You know, I can’t help thinking that there’s a serial killer of kidfluencers out there and he’s murdered both Ella and Maple. Am I losing my mind or is anyone with me on this? #findElla #findMaple
Nikki Herrera looks at the only kid left sitting on the bleachers, his back folded over his knees and his shoulders hunched. ‘Hey, Ryan!’ she calls out.
The boy’s head tilts up, but the rest of his body doesn’t move, like he’s in training to be a turtle. ‘Yes, Coach Herrera?’
‘Did you not hear me when I called you down here?’ Nikki shouts. ‘Come on, we’re doing high jump now. Your mom didn’t pay for sports camp so you could sit around all day!’
‘Coming,’ Ryan calls back. But then his head lowers and he stays put.
Nikki swears under her breath. Her parents were both teachers, and she remembers long family vacations with her two brothers every summer.
Taking their RV on the road, West Virginia to Florida, six weeks exploring the Sunshine State.
So it kinda pisses her off that she can’t afford to do the same.
That if she wants to live in a half-decent neighborhood, she needs to top up her school coach salary by working most of the summer break at camps like this.
‘Ryan!’ she calls out again, but this time he doesn’t even acknowledge her.
Even though camp rules state that all tech needs to be kept in the kids’ bags until home time, she just knows that he’s nose-deep in an iPhone.
She turns to the nine other twelve-year-olds in her group.
‘Wait here,’ she instructs. ‘If anyone touches anything,’ she adds, wafting her hands toward the high-jump bar and the giant blue cushion beyond it, ‘it’ll be twenty push-ups, no arguments. ’
Nikki strides over to the bleachers and stands, hands on hips, in front of the errant kid. ‘Ryan,’ she says for the third time. ‘What are you doing?’
He looks up. His eyes squint in the sunshine that’s leaking over her shoulder, and he lifts his back just enough for her to spot the rectangular contraband in his hands. ‘Nothing.’
‘So what are you watching?’ Nikki asks, nodding at the phone that he’s now failing to cover. ‘Come on, what TikTok video is more fun than me teaching you high jump?’
Nikki expects Ryan to look down at his clean white Nike trainers, finally chastened after being caught in the act. But instead, he beams, his eyes glinting, like he’s excited to find a fellow TikTok fan. ‘Maybe Maple’s gone missing,’ he announces. ‘And Dylan Dope is trying to find her.’
‘Okay,’ Nikki says, wondering who the hell these people are, and how badly it will affect her cool teacher status if she admits ignorance.
‘But do you know what’s crazy?’ Ryan goes on.
‘You showing no remorse for being on banned tech when you should be Fosbury flopping over a high-jump bar?’ she asks.
He looks puzzled for a moment, but he mustn’t have learned sarcasm yet because his face quickly clears.
‘No, not that. Dylan is asking if anyone knows Maple’s friend Coco, or the name of her YouTube channel, and the crazy thing is that I do!
It’s called “Coco’s Cold Case.” Do you think I should tell him? ’
Nikki crouches down until her face meets Ryan’s.
Then she finds her hardest Coach Herrera stare.
‘Do you know what I think, Ryan?’ She points a finger at him.
‘I think you should spend the next ten seconds putting your phone in your bag and running as fast as you can to join your group. Then you’ll get to hone your high-jump skills, and I won’t have to tell your mom that you misbehaved today. How does that sound to you?’
‘It sounds good, Coach Herrera,’ Ryan whispers, understanding finally landing.
‘Great.’ Nikki stands up, claps her hands, and watches with satisfaction as the boy leaps into action.