Page 87 of Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)

Aimes feels a tiny stab of jealousy at how well Riki and Sana work together, then she feels stupid for feeling jealous. She really needs to learn to stop comparing herself with everyone else.

“Thank you for your comments,” Vera says to the camera. “We appreciate all your help. Any information you can give us about Millie will be very helpful.”

“Um,” Riki says. “Most of them aren’t very helpful.” He frowns. “I’m seeing a lot of guys calling Millie names, saying she scammed them and she probably scammed the wrong guy this time.”

Aimes frowns, thinking of all of the interactions she’s had with Millie. She sifts through their conversations and suddenly, little pieces of what she had thought were just awkward moments made sense. When Aimes mentioned Vera getting scammed, Millie had looked so uncomfortable. It had made Aimes wonder why, and now it’s starting to make sense.

“Why you say such bad things about poor Millie?” Vera is scolding the phone.

“Maybe she was a scammer,” Aimes says.

“Aiya, Aimes,” Vera says in a harsh whisper, “we trying to get people to care about Millie, not trying to get them to hate her.”

“I know, but there were things she said and did that made me wonder…and the thing is, I don’t think she wants to do it. I don’t think she wants to scam people. I think she’s being made to do it.”

Oliver’s eyes widen and he raises his hand.

“Yes, Oliver?” Vera says.

“I think Aimes is right. I think maybe I was one of these guysthat Millie was trying to scam, but I only ever saw her as a friend, so she ended it with me. That was right before those strange messages she sent your way, Vera.”

Vera harrumphs. “Okay, so maybe Millie not so innocent after all, but I still think she is very good kid. I can tell her heart is good. Mothers can always tell these things. So, all you men out there that Millie scam, tell us everything you know about her.”

“Um, the comments are getting really creepy,” Sana says.

“Don’t do the creepy!” Vera snaps at the camera. “What is wrong with you?”

Aimes mutters to Vera, “Welcome to the Internet.”

“Oh! We got one that might be useful!” Riki says. “This guy says, ‘I just knew she was up to something, cheating on me like the little sl—uh, let’s gloss over that part—uh, okay, so I followed her home after our date.” Riki’s mouth twists in disgust. “Bro, what? That is creepy as fuck.”

Sana jumps in and continues reading the comment out loud. “She got on the Greyhound for Oakland. I followed in my car. She got out in East Oakland. I was going to confront her, but then my other bitch called, and—” Now it’s Sana’s turn to look disgusted. “Ew, so you were cheating on her, but you’re judging her for possibly doing the same exact thing? Men are trash. Except you, babe,” she adds, kissing Riki’s cheek.

“Okay, so now we know she lives in East Oakland,” Julia says.

Aimes thinks again about what Millie has told her, snatches of conversation flitting through her mind. “She never said ‘home,’ ” Aimes says, all of a sudden.

Everyone goes silent. “What?” Vera says.

“Millie. She never said, ‘I need to go home’ or ‘I’m going home.’ She always said, ‘I have to go.’ ”

The mood in the room grows dark at Aimes’s words. Aimes herself hadn’t realized just how disturbing they were until they came out of her mouth. A deep sadness settles over her. Oh, Millie.

“I think,” Aimes says slowly, “wherever Millie lives, she doesn’t view it as her home. Maybe it’s not a house? Maybe she’s living in a dorm or something.”

“I’ve updated Selena about Millie possibly living in East Oakland,” Tilly calls out. He tugs on the collar of his shirt, even though he’s wearing a T-shirt and therefore has no collar to tug at. “Uh, she’s not very happy about what we’re doing. Just FYI. She says to tell all of you to, and I quote, ‘Go the fuck home and stop listening to Vera.’ ”

“She really need to learn to respect her elder,” Vera says, “especially her future mother-in-law.”

Adi, who’s been tapping away at his phone this whole time, raises his hand. “Maybe it’s a factory or warehouse or abandoned industrial park.”

Aimes’s heart sinks. No way.

He brandishes his phone at them. He has a map open with pins all over it. “There are a lot of abandoned industrial buildings in East Oakland. Thanks to gentrification, a lot of these places were shut down. There are spots that are basically mini ghost towns.”

“You are very bright child,” Qiang Wen says.

“Thank you, yes, I am. I go to a school for gifted kids, actually,” Adi says.

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