The Night She Disappeared

Kim tells Sophie that now things are starting to come together. Unpacking all the clues she’d never really pondered before, Kim suggests to Sophie that maybe Tallulah was cheating on Zach with Scarlett—maybe Zach found out and killed her. Kim asks Sophie to team up and solve the mystery once and for all. Sophie is delighted to be on board. The two search the social media of the gang who hung out with Scarlett. When they get to Mimi’s page they see a comment that intrigues them, demanding a post be taken down immediately.

Zach is being sweet, rubbing her back, or putting a piece of hair behind her ear. She knows he’s building up to asking her to marry him. Then one night he suggests they go to the pub for a night on the town. He will arrange for Kim to watch Noah. When Zach shuts the door quietly so she can study, it makes her feel dread. He is never that gentle with anything.

The next day at college, Tallulah tells Scarlett that Zack is going to propose. Tallulah will say no, but she is worried about Noah. Scarlett assures Tallulah that Noah is hers, not Zach’s, but Tallulah realizes Scarlett doesn’t understand the complexities. Tallulah pictures Noah visiting his dad in some strange, unfurnished apartment and wonders if she will regret saying no. Isn’t it every girl’s dream to have a proper family? When Scarlett asks Tallulah what her dream is, Tallulah gets lost in thought, as if she’s never really thought about it. She has always been predictable, never spontaneous. The only time she felt free was the day she straddled and kissed Scarlett. Tallulah wants to be with Scarlett. But she has no idea how to make that happen.

Scarlett gives Tallulah a pep talk, reminding her how young and beautiful she is. She tells Tallulah to let him propose and then just say no. Tallulah watches the beautiful sparkle in Scarlett’s eyes. In a moment of passion and spontaneity, Tallulah presses Scarlett against the wall, kissing her: “the heat of Scarlett’s caught breath against her skin, feels dazzled, beyond anything” (284). Tallulah realizes that she loves Scarlett. She says she wishes Zach would just disappear.

The commenter on Mimi’s Instagram page demanding the post be taken down goes by the handle “Cherry”—Sophie think this might be Scarlett. Kim wants to tell Dom, but Sophie suggests they keep searching. They look through the accounts of Liam, Lexie, Mimi and, of course, Scarlett—the people at the party that night. Sophie stumbles across the account of someone named Ruby Reynolds, who has posted pictures of the Maypole campus. That account leads them to “Cherry Jack,” who Sophie realizes is Scarlett Jacques. The pictures clearly show that Cherry Jack is on a boat. There are no face shots, but Kim notices a foot with a tattoo—she knows the foot is Scarlett’s. They follow all the people who liked her pictures, and one that makes them both catch their breaths. It’s Lexie.

It’s the night of the proposal. Tallulah will say no. She just wants her life to belong to her, her mom, her brother, and Noah. However, she doesn’t know how to get Scarlett into the picture; there are gay people in her small town, but she isn’t sure she’s ready to walk hand in hand with Scarlett on the street. Tallulah looks at herself in the mirror and sees a proud gay woman, a mother, and a future social worker. She imagines her new life “when she is free and can do what she wants” (290). She waits for Zach to get home so she can get the proposal over with.

Sophie and Kim go to Lexie’s and ask her a few questions. Lexie seems reluctant to let them in, asking Kim if everything is okay. Kim says no, and explains the social media thread that led to Lexie. When Kim tells her about Cherry Jacks, aka Scarlett, the boat, and the fact that Lexie liked Scarlett’s pictures, Lexie looks startled. Lexie claims she has no idea what’s going on. She’s never seen these photos and she’s never liked them on social media. But as Sophie is leaving, she sees a copy of her book sitting on top of Lexie’s suitcase.

When Zach walks in the door and sees Tallulah all dressed up ready to go he is delighted. She’s beautiful. He’s in such a good mood. Tallulah and Kim have a sweet conversation; Kim hints that maybe something big will happen that night. Feeling strange, Tallulah wonders if Zach told her mom he plans to propose. Kim encourages her to stay out as late as she needs, telling Tallulah that she and Zach are incredible—great parents and hard workers. Tallulah looks at Noah, crying, but she wipes her tears away before her mom sees.

Sophie runs into Liam at Maypole. She tells him she’s been spending the day with Kim, Tallulah’s mom, and he invites her up to his room to have a beer. His room is full of artwork, including the odd self-portrait of Scarlett with the dog, knife, and beating heart. Sophie asks Liam whether Lexie saw the “Dig Here” sign from his room, but he claims she’s never been there. Sophie goes out on the balcony and sees that Lexie wouldn’t have been able to see the sign from there. Nevertheless, she knows Lexie didn’t see the sign from her mother’s balcony either.

Sophie sees another painting in the same style as the self-portrait—a painting of a stone spiral staircase. Scarlett gave it to Liam during her breakdown: “She said she needed me to take care of it for her. For posterity” (301). The staircase steps are painted in rainbow colors. Bright light sweeps down from the tower window, burning a whole into the ground. Next to it is a tool that looks like knife with blood on it, but on closer examination, Sophie excitedly realizes that it isn’t a knife. Sophie takes a picture of the painting—it’s another clue.

Tallulah and Zach are at the Swan & Ducks. Zach toasts to her and Noah, staring at her with such intimacy it makes her uncomfortable. He repeatedly reaches for something in his pocket. Tallulah steadies herself to be decisive in declining the marriage proposal.

When Scarlett, Roo, Mimi, Jayden, Liam, and Rocky stumble noisily into the pub, Zach makes a face. Zach encourages Tallulah to get the most expensive thing on the menu and goes to the bar. Scarlett texts Tallulah to ask if it’s happened yet and walks past Tallulah with an encouraging smile. Tallulah feels sick. When Zach comes back, he realizes that Scarlett is the woman from the picture. As Zach’s mood deteriorates, Tallulah keeps getting texts from Scarlett that she has to lie about. Eventually, Scarlett suggests Plan B. Tallulah texts back, “Yes. Plan B” (309).