Graduating (Covenant College Book 5) (20 page)

“I don’t know,” James replied. “And, not to put too much pressure on you, but the fact that Reagan showed up here tonight – that he just happened to be in the area – that’s another cause for concern.”

“You think it was deliberate?” Aric asked. “Zoe, don’t make me feed you that pizza. You need some fuel.”

I scowled, but took a bite anyway. The minute I swallowed – and my stomach growled in celebration – I realized just how hungry I really was.

“I think that Reagan either has someone watching the two of you, or he already knew something was going to happen tonight,” James said. “Why else would he be in the area?”

“I don’t think he has anyone watching us,” I said.

“What makes you say that?”

“Because, if he did, he would know that Perkins was still watching us.”

Aric frowned. “If Perkins has people watching us, why didn’t they see who dumped the body?”

“They did see,” I said. “That’s what Perkins was telling me when you guys showed up. He knows we’re not guilty. He says his officers aren’t sure exactly what they saw, but they did see a big blur and then the body just magically appeared.”

“Vampires,” James said.

“I smelled them,” Aric agreed. “That’s why I went outside in the first place.”

“So, the question is, how did they manage to get their hands on your roommate?” James asked.

“She’s been missing for months,” I said. “We just didn’t know she was missing.”

“Do I even want to know how that’s possible?”

“Just chalk it up to college girls and move on,” Aric said. “It was a legitimate oversight.”

“Okay,” James said. “The new question is: How long has she been dead, and how did she die?”

“Perkins said he didn’t know,” I said. “For what it’s worth, I think he believes me.”

“Well, that’s something,” James said. “That still doesn’t explain Reagan.”

“He could just be watching Aric,” James said. “He might want to use him against me.”

I glanced at Aric, worried. “Would he really do that?”

“The man is a predator,” James said.

“Are you worried about him?”

“I’m worried about what he’s planning,” James said. “I’m not specifically worried about him.”

“You’re as stubborn and boastful as your son,” I said, licking my fingers.

When I glanced up, I saw James and Aric both looking at me with amusement on their faces.

“She’s classy, isn’t she?” Aric handed me a napkin.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I … .”

“I find you absolutely delightful, and I have no idea why,” James said. “I can see what my son sees in you. You’re all mouth and courage. I like it.”

I ignored the burning in my cheeks. “So, now what?”

“Now we find out exactly who Sam Blake is,” James said. “And then we move on from there.”

Well, at least we had a plan.

“I’m going to stake out the Academy,” I announced.

It was a Thursday night, and Aric was working late. He’d promised to let himself into the house – and my bed – the second he was done. His father had dumped a big order on him at the last minute, and he didn’t want to cut into our three-day weekend, so he was staying late.

“Oh, that’s a great idea,” Paris said. “That won’t piss Aric off at all.”

“He won’t even know,” I said. “I don’t plan on being there long. I just want to be there long enough to see Mark going in or out. I need confirmation.”

“I’ve been working on him,” Paris said.

“You haven’t been working fast enough,” I said. “We need to make a move. We don’t have a lot of time left.”

“And what does seeing Mark going in and out of the athletics’ building prove?” Paris asked. “He could just say he’s working out.”

“He’s a nice guy, cute even,” I said. “He clearly doesn’t work out.”

“Okay, let’s say we see him going in,” Paris countered. “Then what?”

“Then we beat him for information.”

“You and I are going to beat him for information?” Paris didn’t look convinced.

“Yes.”

“With what, our purses?”

“I can always threaten him with my magic hands,” I said.

“Yeah, but they don’t always work,” Paris pointed out.

“He doesn’t know that.”

Paris pursed her lips. “You have a point. Still … if Aric finds out, he’s going to be really pissed off.”

“I know.”

“Like locking-you-in-the-house-and-throwing-away-the-key pissed.”

“I know.”

“Maybe we should wait for him.”

I rubbed my hands together, averting my eyes from her probing gaze. “I don’t want to put him in danger.”

“So, you think putting yourself in danger and not telling him is a solution? I don’t think he’s going to see it that way.”

“I’m not putting myself in danger,” I said. “I’m being a busybody. There’s a difference.”

“Only in your world.”

“Are you coming or not?”

“Oh, please, you had me at spying,” Paris said. “Let’s go.”

“THIS
is a lot more boring than I thought it would be.”

We were crouched in the bushes about fifty feet away from the back door of the athletics’ building, and we’d been freezing our asses off for almost an hour. The weather was definitely shifting, but balmy nights were still months away.

“What did you expect?”

“I don’t know,” Paris admitted. “I was hoping we would be here for five minutes and then get a chance to beat the crap out of Mark.”

“So, you’re not enjoying spending time with him?”

“Let’s just say I remember why I broke up with him in the first place,” Paris said. “Why is it that your ex always looks better when he’s with someone else?”

“I never think Will looks good anymore,” I said.

“That’s because he’s evil.”

“And tainted by Brittany.”

Paris laughed. “Speaking of Brittany, I’ve barely seen her all year. She must be sticking really close to Will. He’s her political ticket out of here, after all.”

“I can’t help but think they’re up to something,” I said. “We used to see them every time we turned around. Now? Nothing.”

Paris shifted, trying to make herself more comfortable on the ground. “Do you think that has something to do with you ordering Rafael to kill him last spring?”

“Rafael wasn’t really under a spell, though,” I said. “So I only half ordered him to kill Will.”

“Still, it had to be jarring for him,” Paris said. “Right up until that moment, the poor idiot actually thought he still had a chance with you.”

“Which is weird,” I said.

“Maybe you just weave a spell over men,” Paris teased.

“Yeah, that’s my super power,” I said. “I make crazy men fall for me.”

“Are you lumping Aric into that group?”

“Sometimes I think he’d have to be crazy to put up with me,” I said.

“I think he’s just crazy about you,” Paris said. “I find it cute. It gives me hope.”

“Hope for what?”

“That someone is out there who will love me the same way he loves you,” she said. “You don’t realize how lucky you are.”

“Oh, I realize how lucky I am,” I said. “I just wonder if he feels the same way.”

“Oh, puh-leez,” Paris laughed. “Have you ever looked at the guy when he’s looking at you? No, of course not. That was a stupid question. When he is, though, he’s completely in love. He should have those cartoon hearts shooting out of his eyes it’s so obvious.”

Her words sent a warm, tingling feeling shooting through me. “Well, he has good taste.”

“He does,” Paris agreed.

We returned to our mission, but our hearts weren’t really in it.

“Do you want to go and get some coffee?”

“Do I want to get some coffee instead of hiding in the bushes? Um, yeah,” Paris said.

I straightened up, brushing the dirt off the seat of my jeans. “This was a total bust.”

“What was a total bust?”

I froze when I heard the voice behind me, swiveling around quickly. I recognized the two men standing there. They were both Academy members – and they both hated me.

“Oh, Paul and Nick,” I said. “I was hoping you guys had graduated – or transferred somewhere else.”

“What are you doing here?” Paul asked, taking a step forward.

I jerked Paris up to her feet. “I dropped a contact lens,” I said. “We were just looking for it.”

“In the bushes?”

“This is where I dropped it.”

“I didn’t know you wore lenses,” Paul said.

“They’re a new thing,” I said. “Apparently I wasn’t seeing clearly before.”

“I think you were spying,” Nick said.

“Hey, Nick, look at the moon,” I suggested. “I know you like bright and shiny things, so that should be right up your alley.”

Paris snickered.

“I hate you,” Nick said.

“The feeling is mutual.”

“I think you should come with us,” Paul said. “Professor Blake is going to want to have a little talk with you.”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” I said. “My dance card is filled this evening.”

“I don’t think I’m going to give you the option of saying no, ma’am,” Paul said, purposely irking me.

“Well, ass zit, I don’t really care what you want,” I said. “This is a free country, and a public campus. We have every right to be here, and you have no reason – or authority – to detain us.”

“Do you want to place a wager on that?” Nick stepped closer, his features menacing.

I raised my hands threateningly, causing Nick and Paul to still. They’d been present on the library lawn last spring. I had no idea if they’d seen me kill Caitlyn, but the legend of that night surely lived on if the fear flitting across their faces was any indication.

“I’m all in,” I said.

Nick and Paul exchanged a look.

“We’re going to go,” I said after a moment, tugging on Paris’ arm. “We’re sorry to have ruined your night.”

“I don’t think so.”

Crap. It looked like Nick and Paul had called for reinforcements before approaching us. We really weren’t good at this spying thing. I pursed my lips as I shifted my gaze to the open expanse behind us. I didn’t recognize the three men standing there, but I had no doubt they were members of the Academy. They had
that
look.

Paul regained some of his bravado. “So, now what do you think?”

“Well, I think … .” I broke off, shoving Paris hard. “Run!”

Paris didn’t need to be told twice. She took off into the night. Since her legs were longer than mine, she had the advantage. I lost sight of her as she disappeared into the foliage, which was thankfully thick in this area. I knew she was trying to give us natural camouflage from the Academy goons, but I didn’t like not being able to see her.

After what seemed like hours (real time: two minutes – I really need to start working out again), I stopped running and leaned over, placing my palms on my thighs, as I tried to catch my breath. I was close to a bush, and hidden on three different sides. I cocked my head, listening for noise behind us. I didn’t hear anything – and my inner danger detector wasn’t pinging. I thought we’d lost them.

“Paris,” I hissed.

Nothing.

“Paris.”

Still nothing.

In fact, not only had the sounds of our pursuers faded, but I couldn’t hear Paris in front of me anymore either. Maybe she’d kept running? Maybe she was heading straight home?

After searching the area for a few more minutes, I gave up and turned in the direction of our house. I had a feeling I would find her there, sitting on the couch and acting innocent, when I arrived.

I couldn’t wait to yell at her for abandoning me.

It took me almost a half hour to get home, and someone was sitting on the couch when I entered. It wasn’t Paris, though.

“Where’s Paris?”

“I thought she was with you,” Kelsey said.

I frowned, a chill running through me. “We got caught by the Academy and ran. She was in front of me. She should have beaten me home.”

“I’ve been here for more than hour,” Kelsey said, her neck straightening in alarm. “I haven’t moved. She’s not here.”

Crap.

“Then where is she?”

“I need you to go over this again.”

When Paris still hadn’t turned up an hour later, Kelsey insisted on calling the police. I wasn’t sure it was the right move, especially without talking to Aric – who wasn’t answering my texts – but I wasn’t about to risk Paris’ life because I was scared of the cops.

Detective Perkins arrived fifteen minutes later, listened to my story, and then tried to rein in his natural emotion, which was either to shake me – or strangle me. He had that
look
on his face.

“The story isn’t going to change,” I said. “She’s gone.”

“And you’re sure these Academy students are the ones who took her?”

“I’ve narrowed down my list of potential suspects to the ones who were chasing us,” I said. I was fighting the urge to cry, which was making everything that came out of my mouth sound snotty. If I started to cry now, though, I was afraid I would never stop.

“Ms. Lake, this isn’t a joke,” Perkins said. “This is a big deal. Another one of your roommates has gone missing. This makes four in total – over four years. I can’t believe anyone would agree to live with you at this point.”

“I guess it’s a good thing that won’t be a problem in another month,” I grumbled.

“Yes, aren’t we all glad about that,” Perkins said, sitting down on the ottoman next to the chair I was nervously perched in. “How far did you get from the Academy before you noticed she was missing?”

“Not far,” I said. “We’d only run a few minutes. She was ahead of me. I heard her in the brush and then, well, I didn’t hear her. I thought she was just resting at first. Then I thought she kept running when I stopped. She wasn’t here, though, and she didn’t show up.”

“Why can’t you just go and search the Academy?” Kelsey asked. “Zoe could go with you. She knows her way around down there.”

“We need a search warrant,” Perkins said. “I don’t have enough evidence – or any evidence, for that matter – to get one.”

“You have Zoe’s word,” Kelsey said.

“Her word holds no weight,” Perkins said. “She’s a suspect in one mass murder, one roommate murder, and two roommate disappearances. She’s was also a suspect in another murder on campus during her freshman year.”

“That was Zach,” I protested.

“And yet we haven’t been able to find this Zach and question him, so that’s all conjecture,” Perkins said.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “So, you’re saying you’re not going to do anything?”

“No, I’m saying I’m going to go and talk to this Professor Blake, but I have doubts it will do any good,” Perkins said. “Blake knows that I don’t have enough for a search warrant. And, if I do manage to get one, what’s to stop him from killing Paris? How do we even know she’s at the Academy?”

“Where else would she be?”

“You said yourself that vampires went missing while you were with the Academy,” Perkins pointed out. “Wouldn’t you have seen them there if he was really keeping them there?”

He had a point. Crap. “So, where would he take her?”

“I have no idea,” Perkins said. “Maybe you should have thought about that before you and your roommate decided to play teen detective and completely mucked up this entire thing. I mean, do you even think before you do these things?”

The sound of someone clearing their throat at the front door caught my attention. Aric was standing there, the door ajar, and he didn’t look happy. “What’s going on here?”

“You’re really not going to like it,” Kelsey said.

“I figured that out for myself,” Aric said, his face unreadable. “What happened?”

Perkins shifted a look in my direction. When I didn’t open my mouth to answer, he did it for me. “Well, Ms. Lake and her roommate decided to spy on the Academy tonight,” he said. “They were confronted by several Academy members and ran. When Ms. Lake stopped to regroup, she realized that Ms. Princeton was missing. We have no idea where she is at.”

Aric furrowed his brow. “This is a joke, right?”

I lowered my gaze, shame washing over me. “No.”

“You and Paris decided to spy on the Academy, and now she’s missing?”

“Yes.”

“Well, that’s just great. Dammit, Zoe! What goes through your head sometimes?” Aric slammed the front door shut with such force the paintings on the wall shook.

“What’s going on?” Kate, probably drawn by the sound of Aric’s voice, was standing in the hallway. She looked pleased to see him, taking special delight with the anger he was directing at me. Everyone ignored her.

“I didn’t think it would be a big deal,” I said, keeping my eyes lowered. “We just wanted confirmation that Mark was still a part of the group. We hid in the bushes. We just wanted to see him going in or going out.”

“And what would that have proven?”

“That we could go after him for information regarding Rafael,” I said, hating how small my voice was.

“Of course,” Aric said. “So, you took advantage of me working late and snuck over there. Were you going to tell me?”

“You’re not the boss of me,” I shot back, immediately regretting my words. “We didn’t think it would be a big deal.”

“Tell that to Paris’ mother,” Aric snarled. “I’m sure you’ll have ample time at her funeral.”

I had a hot retort on the tip of my tongue, but hot tears spilled out of my eyes instead. It was like a dam breaking. I dissolved into sobs, dropping my face into my hands. “Oh, God, she’s going to die because of me.”

Aric was frozen in his spot. “Are you crying?”

“She’s a girl, son,” Perkins said. “That’s what they do.”

Aric’s face softened, although he still looked angry. “I have never once seen you cry. Not once. Stop that right now!”

His words only caused me to cry harder.

“Wait, so Paris is missing?” Kate asked. “How did this happen?”

“Someone took her,” Kelsey said, having trouble meeting my tear-filled gaze.

“We’re all in danger, aren’t we? This is awful.” Kate swiveled her body, heading straight for Aric’s arms. “How can this be happening to us?”

Aric sidestepped her smoothly, taking a step toward me. “Zoe… .” He made an exasperated sound in the back of his throat, finally striding forward and gathering me in his arms. He lifted me up, settling me on his lap, and then proceeded to hug me. “We’ll get her back.”

“How? Perkins says he can’t get a search warrant.”

Aric rubbed my back as he rocked back and forth slowly. “Blake won’t hurt her,” he said. “He’ll use her as a bargaining chip to get to you.”

“How can you be sure?” Perkins asked, his eyes narrowed.

“Because all Sam Blake has wanted since Zoe set foot on this campus was for her to join his cause,” Aric said, smoothing down my hair. “He’ll use Paris to try and get to her.”

“What’s so special about Ms. Lake?” Perkins asked.

“That’s what I want to know,” Kate said, pouting. Apparently Aric’s avoidance had her in a snit.

“It doesn’t matter,” Aric said. “What matters is getting Paris back.”

“And how are we going to accomplish that?” Perkins asked.

“You’re going to do your job and apply pressure to Blake,” Aric said. “Watch him. I’m going to call my father and get us some help up here.”

“And then?”

“And then we’re going to save Paris,” Aric said. “We’re going to topple the whole house of cards Blake has built. I’ve had it with that asshole.”

EVEN
after Aric stopped yelling, I had trouble ceasing the tears. Finally, he gave up and carried me into the bedroom. He’d settled us on the bed, stripping me down to shorts and a tank top, and leaving the small desk lamp on for illumination. After he was down to just his boxer shorts, he climbed in beside me, and proceeded to lull me to sleep.

Well, at least he thought I was asleep. My eyes were closed, but my mind was busy. I didn’t want to talk now – or give him cause to start yelling again – so I continued to pretend I was slumbering.

I was on my right side facing him, my face pressed against his chest. Aric had the television on, muted, but he remained on his left side with his arms around me. I don’t think he was in the mood to argue either.

I heard the shuffling of feet at my door, but I didn’t turn to see who it was.

“Do you want something to drink?” It was Kate.

“I’m fine,” Aric said, keeping his voice low.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Is she asleep?”

“Yeah, for about a half hour now,” Aric said. “Hopefully she’ll sleep until morning.”

I couldn’t see what Kate was doing, but I could sense her. I knew she was still in the room. “If you’re so angry with her, why are you staying with her?”

Aric sighed. “You don’t leave someone because you’re angry with them,” Aric said. “And I’m not really angry. I’m just … really pissed off.”

“I don’t pretend to know everything that’s going on here,” Kate said. “But you seem like you’re on a different level than her. What do you possibly see in her?”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Aric said.

“You’re the successful son of a state senator,” Kate said. “You have the world at your fingertips. She’s what? A ditzy blonde who gets by on snark and sarcasm?”

“You don’t know her.”

“I know that you deserve more,” Kate said.

“Let me guess, that more is you?”

“It could be,” she said. “You and I have a lot more in common than you have with her.”

“Kate, you might want to stop talking now,” Aric said. “I’ve had a really long and crappy night, and you’re not going to like it when I take it out on you – which has been a long time coming.”

“Excuse me?”

“Just let it go.”

Kate wasn’t going to let it go, though. She obviously sensed this was her chance. “What can you possibly see in her?”

“I see that I love her,” Aric said.

“Why?”

“Because she has a great smile,” Aric said. “She’s brave – which often makes her stupid – but she’s loyal, and she’s smart.”

“I don’t see any of those things in her.”

“You’re not looking,” Aric said. “You see me as some prize you want to win.”

“Is that so wrong? So what if I see her as competition.”

“Honey, you’re not even in the game,” Aric said.

“That’s … hurtful.”

“It’s the truth,” Aric said. “You don’t have any attributes I find even remotely attractive.”

“Because of her?”

“Even without her, I wouldn’t be attracted to you,” Aric said. “I’m with her, though, and I don’t want anyone else.”

Kate wasn’t giving up. “Even though you yelled at her and called her stupid tonight?”

“She’s not stupid,” Aric said. “She does absolutely moronic things, but she’s not stupid. I was just frustrated … and scared.”

Kate snorted. “You were scared? Of what?”

“People took Paris tonight,” Aric said. “Bad people took her. They could have taken Zoe, too.”

“They probably just didn’t want to put up with her mouth.”

“Kate, is there something you want?”

“I thought I made that obvious.”

“Well, you’re not going to get that,” Aric said. “I love every stupid thing Zoe does. I love her laugh. I love her sarcasm. I love the way she drools on my chest in the middle of the night – because that’s how I know she’s slept well. I like that she’s mean to people that bug her, and I like that she’s loyal to a fault. I love that her hair stands on end in the morning, and that she’s grumpy for at least a half hour until she really wakes up.

“I love that she leaps before she looks – even if it makes me want to yank my hair out,” Aric continued. “I love every single thing about her, even when she acts stupid.”

“So, that’s it?”

“That’s it.”

Kate made a disgusted sound, but I heard her feet shuffling as she started to move out of the room.

“Shut the door,” Aric ordered.

Once I heard it snap shut, Aric shifted next to me. “I also love that she pretends she’s sleeping and eavesdrops,” he said, flicking the lamp next to the bed off and pulling me tighter. He kissed my cheek softly.

“I … .”

“Go to sleep,” he said. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

“Are you going to yell at me again?”

“Probably.”