“Hey,” she says, looking up. “I’ve made a small amount of progress.”
“Hang on,” I say, veering away.
When I reach Shane, I usher him back out into the hall, so we can talk privately about his meeting with the dean. “What’s the word?”
“Where are they?”
“Who?”
“The girls.”
Reflexively, my gaze moves right and left. “They didn’t text you after lunch?”
“No. I thought you were going to meet up with them.”
“No, I had to stop here.” I pull out my phone. “I told Arya to have you drop her off at practice after lunch.”
“Nyball kept me in his office for hours. He wants me to withdraw or transfer. If I don’t, he’ll expel me.” Shane nods at my phone. “Call Arya. Avery didn’t answer my text, and she didn’t pick up when I called. That never happens.”
I tap the phone icon. Arya’s phone rings and then goes to voicemail. A wave of uneasiness washes over me.
“For fuck’s sake.” Shane balls his hands into fists.
“Let’s walk,” I say, stalking over to the elevator and hitting the call button.
“When did you last hear from Arya?”
“It was—” I open the call log and then glance at the time. “About two hours ago. They’d just gotten to Beacon West.”
“I called there. The secretary said they used the TA’s computer and left. The tracking app I’ve got on Avery’s phone shows that after the business administration building, she went to the student union or somewhere near it.” He clenches his jaw.
I retry Arya, and my call goes to voicemail again.
“Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t walking them to lunch?” Shane demands. “I would’ve left the dean’s office sooner, even if he wasn’t done with me.”
My heart slams against my ribs because I’m worried now, too. But losing my cool won’t accomplish anything. I force myself to focus.
“Let’s head out. We’ll check around the union. If we still can’t find or reach them, we’ll get someone to run a trace.”
“Cops?”
“Yeah. Better to pull that trigger too early than too late.”
“Agreed.”
We step into the elevator, and even before the door closes, Shane shifts his weight from foot to foot, as if he’s readying himself for action.
“Fuck,” he says again in a low voice as though talking to himself. “I shouldn’t have let her out of my sight.”
40
ARYA
My hip hurts, and I’m freezing.
Groggily, I become aware that I’m lying on my side on something hard. I shift off my right hip by rolling onto my back. There’s something heavy on my arms. I can’t lift them. Opening my eyes to utter darkness, I’m confused.
Realization comes slowly to my foggy brain. I’m on the ground. I’m naked.
