Nobody responded; we were too busy staring speechless at the house…Bunker Hill’s house. Several years ago, he’d informed Ames’s administration that he was going to have a cottage built on campus. “It’ll have a classroom too,” he’d toldmy mom. “I’m tired of teaching in the language building after all these years.”
“No, he was not,” Tag eventually answered as a man’s silhouette became visible through one of the front windows. “He’s supposed to be in New York. He’s been bragging formonthsabout these opera tickets he scored—opening night ofLa bohèmeat the Met. Just the other day, I asked if his tux was ready, and he told me it was looking better than ever.”
“But he changed his mind,” I whispered. “I helped him sell the tickets on StubHub this afternoon because he’s sick. His seasonal allergies have evolved into a sinus infection.”
Alex groaned. “Hasn’t he heard of Zyrtec?”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “If I’d known…”
If I’d known the Jester’s plan, I would’ve warned him.
“Well, we’re screwed,” Manik declared, pointing to the house as Tag rubbed his forehead. Bunker was now comfortably settled in an armchair with a glass of something and a book. “There’s no way he won’t see us.”
We stood there at a loss. “No, screw being screwed,” I said a few moments later, my stomach spinning. “We’re not. We can still do this.”
The boys gave me incredulous looks. “Come again?” Manik squeaked.
“We’ll go on with the Jester’s plan.” I swallowed hard. “Bunker…” I felt guilty for what I was about to say, but it was true. “That glass he’s holding isn’t filled with water. Even if hedoes see us—which hewon’t, because it’s not like we’re going to ding-dong-ditch his door—he won’t remember it.”
Manik took an audible breath. “Should we all go?” he asked. “Even if he is drunk, four people on your front lawn is a lot to miss.”
“Agreed, so you guys wait here,” Tag said. “I’ll hide the clue.” Alex opened his mouth in protest, but Tag shook his head. “Youneedto stay. We can’t risk it.”
We can’t risk it.
I didn’t need to ask to know what that meant. Ames had a two-strike disciplinary policy, and Alex already had one tally in his file. He and some guys had been caught red-handed with a six-pack after a dance last year, so if he got caught tonight, he’d be making an early exit from campus.
“Plus, you take Russian, Alex,” I quickly said. “Not Latin.”
“Da.” He smirked. “I don’t study yourdeadlanguage.”
Tag and I rolled our eyes. Latin students were teased on campus because we had all the basics of a dark academia novel down, including an enigmatic professor who taught a coterie of seven seniors in his own home. Bunker wrote on an old-fashioned blackboard while we sipped freshly brewed tea. “When’s the murder happening?” everyone always asked.
“No body, no crime,” we always answered.
I didn’t think Bunker would catch us, but if hedid, my hope was he’d cut two of his students a break and at least give us a head start before calling Campo.
“Fine,” Alex said once I’d explained. He nodded. “I’ll chill with Manik.”
“Ready?” I asked Tag, already picturing us doing some sort of army crawl to stay in the shadows.
He hesitated. He didn’t want me to come.
And to be honest, I didn’t really want him to go. He had a strike too. A strike for something stupid. If anything, this clue should be my responsibility.
But that was out of the question.
I pretended to cough. “Keys.”
“Are you kidding?” Alex said as Tag sighed. “Don’t tell me Leda has a key to the gate too?”
“But of course.” I shrugged.
And then tugged Tag out of the trees.
EIGHT
After indeed army crawling our way to the observatory, Tag and I stood up and brushed ourselves off before swiping into the spooky building and climbing the spiral staircase that led up to the telescopes. Its outer wrought iron gate barred us from the balcony, so I shuffled through my mom’s collection of metal keys until I found the right one. But Tag hadn’t spoken since we’d left the trees, so I did what first came to mind once the gate creaked open. “Tag!” I whisper-yelled, then slapped his arm and took off down the long flagstone overlook.
