“And?” I prompt. Icily. As I glance at my watch. BecauseChrist, don’t they teach cops how to read the fucking room?
“Do you know where she is?”
“I don’t keep tabs on my students.”
“No, of course. I just thought—” Thatcher purses his lips, like he’s reluctant to admit it “—since you’re almost single-handedly responsible for Miss Lee’s scholarship, you’d be keeping a close eye on her. Surely her attendance is…important?”
The beat of silence that follows turns the air to lead.
“You seem very interested in Miss Lee,” I mutter, when I can’t think of a single fucking thing to say. “Am I missing something?”
Thatcher looks away, mouth twitching, then back with something approaching resignation. “I don’t make a habit of leaking information, but since you’ll be reading about it in the papers tomorrow anyway…” He bows his head. “A body was discovered yesterday evening.”
He’s still looking at me.
Watching oh-soveryclosely.
“That’s unfortunate,” I say. “Someone Miss Lee knew?”
Thatcher nods. “I’d have preferred to notify her in person before she reads it in the paper, but the Sheriff’s department can only keep a crime of this magnitude out of the public eye for a day or two at the most.”
“My God,” I whisper, shaking my head. “That poor, poor girl. As if she hasn’t suffered enough in this goddamn life.” I slide a hand over my mouth to hide the smirk threatening to show up.
Thatcher says nothing. He’s reserving all his energy for catching the tiniest hint of something he doesn’t like on my face.
It’s my turn to look away, suddenly reticent about what I’m about to share.
“Look…it’s really not my place…”
I expect Thatcher to grovel for whatever sliver of information I have, but he just waits.
Calm. Impassive.
Fucking infuriating.
“My T.A. Kai—” I cut my eyes to the empty desk “—has been AWOL the entire week. Turns out he’s been kicked out of his frat.”
It felt like desperation, knocking on NEX’s frat house door Tuesday afternoon, asking if anyone had seen my T.A. Thankfully, the kid who’d answered the door and told me about Kai’s predicament seemed as nonplussed as I was pretending to be.
Thatcher frowns. “What does that have to do with Miss Lee?”
I frown right back. “You didn’t know they were in a relationship?”
Thatcher blinks. Not surprised, but as if something just clicked into place in his head.
Good man.
Now run off and play detective somewhere else, and for fuck’s sake, leave me out of it.
“You find Kai, I’m pretty sure you’ll find Haven, too.” I slide the strap of my satchel over my shoulder, and gesture toward the door with a wave of my hand, like I’m shooing a horse. “Now, if you’ll excuse me?—“
“Actually—” Thatcher begins, cutting off when my cellphone vibrates in my satchel. “I’ll let you get that.”
While you eavesdrop, of course. I glance at the screen.
The Eden House?
Jesus fucking Christ, what now? Did my mother forget what year it is again? I thought she paid these people to remind her.
