“What is it?” I joined Trey at the window. His hand snaked out to rest on the small of my back. The fingers sought my skin, trembling a little.
A black car circled the fountain out front before pulling to a stop directly in front of the steps. Ms. West stood ready to meet the visitors. Dark windows hid whoever was inside, but I knew from Trey’s stiffened body that he knew exactly who it was.
The door opened. A dress shoe so shiny I could’ve done my makeup in it stomped on the cobbles, followed by a second. The driver slammed the door and I finally got a look at our visitor.
Vincent Bloomberg II.
Chapter Nineteen
“What’s he doing here?” I asked. “There’s no Eldritch Club meeting.”
From the back of the car, Damon Delacorte stepped out and held the door open. A woman slid out. I recognized her instantly by her slanted green eyes, the cascade of platinum blonde locks, and a feline body that looked ready to pounce. Gloria Haynes, fashion designer to the stars.
Courtney’s mother.
Why was she here now, the new money fashion designer, with two of the most senior members of the Eldritch Club in tow? It couldn’t be good.
Trey’s face had gone bone white. I moved toward him, reaching out to touch his shoulder. He jerked away.
“Trey?”
Trey spun around on his heel and stalked out. I shoved my books into my satchel and followed him. He stalked down the hall, tossing a freshman against a locker when he didn’t jump out of the way fast enough. He reached the atrium and pounded down the steps just as the three adults stepped through the main doors.
Closer now, I got a good look at their faces. Was it just the light in the atrium, or did they all three look a little older, a little saggier, with wisps of grey through their perfect hair?
“Dad.” Trey stood in front of his father, his back rigid – a soldier standing to attention.
Vincent brushed past his son. “Go back to class, Trey. I’m not here for you. I have business with the headmistress.”
“Class is over for the day.” Trey grabbed his father’s elbow, forcing the man to turn to face him. “Dad, what’s going on? Why are you here? I wasn’t told about any Eldritch Club business—”
Trey’s dad yanked him forward, pressing his lips against Trey’s ear. I leaned over the balcony, but I had no shot at hearing what was said. All I could see was the the definite streak of grey hair near Vincent’s temple and the terror that flickered for a moment in Trey’s eyes. He blinked, and they went back to being cold blue orbs.
Two thick arms wrapped around me. Quinn’s tongue ran over my ear. “What a nice surprise,” he whispered. “I was just coming to find you at the library. Are you done studying boring books? Do you want to study my cock instead—”
I shoved him away. “That line worked on Courtney? I didn’t think my opinion of her could get any lower.”
“You cut me, Hazy.” Quinn leaned over the railing, just as the door to Headmistress West’s office shut on the visitors. “What happened?”
“Courtney’s mom, Trey’s dad, and your dad are here.”
Quinn’s body tensed. “Where?”
“They arrived just a few minutes ago in the same car. We saw them from the window of the library. They’ve just gone into the headmistress’s office.” I couldn’t tear my eyes from Trey’s frozen figure, standing in the atrium, staring at the space his father had occupied only a moment ago.
Quinn ran a hand through his hair. “This is bad, Hazy. They don’t just show up here like this. Especially not Gloria Haynes. She’s only been to the school a handful of times.”
“Then we’d better find out why they’re here.” I tore my eyes from Trey and turned to Quinn. “You still know how to access that passage you told me comes out in the headmistress’ office?”
“Of course.”
“Then let’s go.”
* * *
I didn’t have to tell Quinn twice. He led me back to the library, down through the stacks to an ancient computer station. Hardly anyone used these computers – there was no internet allowed at Derleth, so what was the point? Hopefully, it meant we wouldn’t be discovered.
Quinn pressed a panel on the wall, and a small section sprung open, revealing a gap between just wide enough for one person to squeeze between the walls.
