Keeley woke with a wicked headache and a parched throat. The light was so bright she had to blink several times before she could squint and look around the room. An IV pole stood beside her, attached to a drip in her hand. Her father snored in a chair to the left of the bed, looking exceptionally exhausted.

"What on earth happened?" she wondered. She'd been going home from school…and had a vague recollection of clowns and outer space.

"Dad?" she croaked.

Mustering her strength, she shook his knee, repeating his name.

Robert opened his eyes sleepily, then snapped to alertness upon seeing his daughter.

"Keeley! Thank goodness you're awake. You've been out for two days."

Two whole days?! Had she been hit by a train? She ached all over, but it probably would hurt worse if she were seriously injured.

"What happened to me?"

"Honeybun," he said gently, worried about her reaction, "you were abducted on your way home from school on Friday. You were missing for eight hours before someone called me on your phone to say they'd found you."

Abducted? She could only think of one person—unless a random stranger had taken an interest in her.

Panic set in. "Was I…assaulted?"

Alarm flashed across his face.

"No, no! The doctors checked; nothing like that happened. They found an uncommon hallucinogen in your system. The police are still investigating who did this and why. They told me to call them when you woke up, so they'll probably stop by later to ask you some questions. Do you remember anything?"

Did she? A few fragments of a hazy nightmare, that was all. A clown, and someone with him…

Since she hadn't been assaulted, a random attack seemed unlikely.

This had to be Lacy's doing. But why? She and Aaron hadn't spoken in a month before her birthday; she wasn't a threat anymore. Lacy had never done anything this extreme in high school. More to the point, what was the purpose of drugging her if Lacy didn't intend to assault her? What was her goal? Ruining Keeley's birthday? Did Lacy even know it was her birthday?

Keeley's head throbbed.

"I dreamed about a clown…some vines…the solar system…I don't know what was real," she admitted.

Her father rubbed her arm soothingly. "It's okay, don't strain yourself. I need to make some calls; I'll be back."

Keeley nodded and sank back onto the pillows. She shouldn't be this tired after sleeping for two days. She wasn't sleepy, exactly, but sluggish and weary. Thinking was an enormous effort.

She glanced at the bedside table and saw her backpack. She reached for it, checking its contents: cellphone, school uniform, shoes, wallet, jewelry box. A quick peek showed that her birthday present from Aaron was intact. Nothing had been stolen.

A couple of nurses passed the slightly open door, whispering about a girl brought in unconscious on Friday by a very handsome young man, looking as if they'd both come from prom. Keeley vaguely registered that they might be talking about her, but she hadn't gone to prom. Why would she be wearing a prom dress? Who had found her, and where? That information might help her understand Lacy's plan.

The police might fill in some blanks. She closed her eyes and waited.

"Miss Hall?" an unfamiliar voice asked, waking her.

Two men in police uniforms stood by her bed.

"Yes?"

"I'm Officer Raine, and this is my partner, Officer Gonzales. We'd like to ask you a few questions about Friday night."

"Ask away," she said tiredly.

They spent the next twenty minutes questioning her about her activities before the abduction, her last memory, and whether she knew her captors. Keeley described the clown and her feeling that one of her abductors was connected to it; she remembered two people talking but couldn't recall what they said or any other identifying details. It was probably Lacy and Max, but she couldn't accuse them without proof.

"Can you tell me what you know about my situation?" she asked after recounting everything she remembered.

The officers exchanged a glance. Officer Gonzales, a middle-aged Hispanic man, spoke.

"You were found in a prom dress in room 522 of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. One of your classmates attending the dance downstairs found you."

Something felt suspicious. "How did they know where I was?"

"Someone sent a text message and picture of you using a burner phone. We're still tracing it," Officer Raine explained.

"Who was it?"

"We can't tell you; it might influence your perception of the event and affect your testimony."

Keeley frowned. Their phrasing made her suspect her rescuer was somehow involved. Perhaps Max had found her to influence the police. Or maybe Lacy had accomplices.

It didn't really matter. What mattered was what happened while she was incapacitated.

"If you remember anything else, please call us. Your father has our contact information. We'll be in touch."

She nodded as they left and closed her eyes again. That mystery drug had drained her.

What a terrible birthday. At least the ice cream cake should still be untouched in the freezer.

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