“When I graduated from college, I wanted to get out of the city but not too far away. I found the job here and it just seemed right,” she said. “I’ve been here for four years and I’ve loved every minute of it. Someday I’m sure I’ll go back to the city, that’s the only place I can make the kind of difference that I want to make, but for now, I’m content living here.”
They’d reached the student center, but Taylor stopped before they got to the doors. “Wait, you already have a degree?” he asked. “I knew that you were older, but…you have a job too…”
Emily hesitated just a second too long before answering. “I have a degree in social work,” she said, but there was something strange about her voice. “I thought I could make a difference that way, but after working the streets for a few years, I realized I needed more education, so here I am.”
Taylor studied her for a second. Something deep in his gut told him that she wasn’t being completely honest with him, that there was more to her story than she was telling him. It could be completely harmless, or she could be up to no good. For all he knew, she could be working for the Kappas. She’d only been on campus for a few weeks; in fact, she’d shown up about the time all the trouble started.
“From social worker to lawyer, that’s a big leap,” he said. “You must be very determined.”
“When you come from nothing, determination is all you have,” Emily said, a fierceness in her voice that stirred something deep inside him. “I’ve had to fight for everything I have, and I’ll keep fighting until I get everything I want.”
“I bet you will and I don’t think you’ll let anyone stand in your way,” he said, wondering what it would feel like to be one of the things she wanted. “I guess we should be going inside, this isn’t getting any studying done, and contrary to what you think, once again, I really need to get a good grade on this project.”
“I don’t know why you’re worrying,” she said, stepping inside when he opened the door. “You got a perfect score on the last test.”
He didn’t say anything for a second, then sighed, “But that wasn’t what Professor Whitmore wanted, he wanted me to think on my own,” he said, then hesitated so long that Emily stopped and turned toward him. “The thing is, I’ve never really had to do that; I’ve always been able to pass pretty much any test using just my memory, but Professor Witmore threatened to flunk me if I didn’t put my own thoughts out there on this project.”
It cost him a lot to admit that to anyone, let alone Emily, but she was his partner and he needed her help. “Well, then we’d better get to work,” she said. “I’ve never had to teach anyone critical thinking. I’m willing to give it a try, but only if you promise to be nice to me.”
“That’s a deal, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop teasing you,” he said, relieved that she didn’t use his weakness against him like he might have been tempted to do. “Where do we start?”
“With that stack of books I checked out,” she said, grinning at him. “We have to study those cases backward andforward before we can do anything else. Time to use that memory of yours, you’re going to be in charge of facts in this partnership.”
“And what are you going to be in charge of?” he asked, a little smile on his face. “If it’s refreshments, I could use a snack and a soda.”
Emily slapped him. “Just for that, you’re paying for our drinks tonight,” she said, sticking her tongue out at him playfully. “I’m going to be in charge of crafting our arguments and making sure you understand what they are. Is that enough for you?”
“Darn, I was looking forward to those refreshments,” he said, then laughed when she gave him a dirty look. “I guess I’ll just have to settle for you using your brains instead of your skills in the kitchen.”
***Emily***
In her most comfortable sweats and a baggy tee-shirt, Emily carried a hot cup of tea and a bowl of snacks over to the small desk in her living room, then settled herself in front of the computer. She was looking forward to a quiet afternoon, satisfying her curiosity about Taylor Gordon, before a full weekend of studying for the mid-term and their next study session. After that first one, he’d been tight-lipped about his personal life, deflecting her questions and keeping his distance, but a computer couldn’t run away from her, and she had questions that she wanted answered.
After opening up the first of many search windows that she would open that afternoon, she typed in Taylor’s name and let the internet do its magic. It wasn’t long before she was lost to the process, chasing down a reference, then following another path that opened an entirely new path of investigation. When she finally sat back with a long sigh, anyfurther inquiry blocked by passwords, her mind was reeling with what she’d discovered and what still remained hidden.
Looking up at the clock, she realized that she’d been at it for hours. Her tea had gotten cold, the bowl of snacks was untouched, and her body was cramped from sitting in one position for too long. Getting to her feet, she stretched, then headed straight for a hot shower, deciding she deserved a treat for dinner instead of the frozen pizza she’d been planning. Her computer was chirping when she came out of the bathroom and she rushed over to it, hoping she hadn’t forgotten Captain Strattler was supposed to call.
“Captain Strattler, good evening,” she said, plopping down into the chair. “Did we have a call scheduled tonight?”
“No, we were supposed to talk on Monday, but the mayor just called me looking for an update before the celebration; he wants to make sure nothing goes wrong,” Captain Strattler said. “Have you made any progress getting into that frat house?”
“I’m working on it, but it’s not going to happen overnight. I can’t just invite myself over, and I’m not sure what good it would do anyway,” she said. “The house isn’t going to tell us what’s going on, only the people who live in that house can.”
“Torres, do I have to remind you how important this is?” the captain asked. “I need results from you.”
“And you’ll get them. In fact, I did a little digging this afternoon and a few interesting things popped up,” she said. “I’m not sure what it all means yet, I’m still trying to sort it out, but it’s important. I can feel it.”
There was a short silence. “Torres, we’ve done all that digging, there’s nothing that stands out,” Captain Strattler said. “You’re just wasting your time, time that could have been spent joining in on campus. Founders Day is one of the biggest celebrations at that school, and you’re hiding in your apartment.”
“I’m not hiding, I’m working,” she defended herself. “Did your people uncover the fact that once Taylor and his friends graduate, the scholarship, the fraternity, and even the foundation that funded it all will be gone?”
The sound of pages turning filled the next silence, then Captain Strattler cleared his throat. “No, I wasn’t aware of that,” he said, his voice clipped. “What else did you find out?”
“The other fraternity, the one we’re sure was causing all the problems, the same is true for them,” she said. “The Kappas will be gone at the end of the year, just like the Sigmas, that’s too big of a coincidence to ignore, and there’s something else interesting that popped up since we talked last time. Taylor told me that after he graduates, he owes years of his life to repay the scholarship he got. It sounded like the armed forces to me, but I came up empty, he’s not enlisted with any of the branches, which leaves…”
“The government,” Captain Strattler said. “But that’s a long shot, Torres, you have to see that.”
“Yeah, that angle definitely got a conspiracy theory feel to it, but I can’t think of another direction to go,” she said. “I need to find out more, and it’s only going to come directly from Taylor. I ran into a dead end online unless I start breaking laws.”
