What did I say? It sounded insane even to me, and I saw it with my own eyes. “Maybe we should review my footage.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “What happened? Did you meet the Lizardman?”
“The what?” I raised an eyebrow.
“The cops wouldn’t come out because the Lizardman would eat them.” He smiled with contempt. “It’s the local urban legend."
“How sure are we that it’s a myth?” I forced out a laugh, but that sounded like exactly what I’d faced.
He winked, walking away with a booming laugh. “Talia’s already met the Lizardman, guys.”
The other professor laughed and the students followed suit. Every one of them thought it was a joke. Cause as a woman of science and nature, I’d never believe such a thing.
Right.
Shannon was the only one to glance at me with questions in her eyes. Then shrugged it off, knowing what I knew. The recordings would tell us everything.
But it was eating at me that Gale hadn’t taken me seriously. He hadn’t even asked more questions about what happened.
“Hey, Professor Gale. Thanks for your recommendation. You’re the best.” A student smiled at him.
Professor Carter stared at him with goo-goo eyes and a soft sigh, as if he was the best man she’d ever met. But his grin ateat something in me, he wasn’t in it to be altruistic. He was a dancing monkey.
I went over to the fire that had a pot of stew bubbling. One of the other male students was pouring himself a bowl. He smiled his cute boyish smile and offered it to me. “Hey.”
“Which team are you with?” I asked, even though I knew the answer.
He chuckled at my insinuation. “Easy there, Sassy. I’m just saying hey.”
I fought the smile that twitched on the edge of my lips.
“Come on. Give me a smile,” he begged with those big blue puppy dog eyes. “You know you want to.”
I managed to keep my lips under control, but I was certain he saw the amusement in my eyes.
He let out a big dramatic sigh, but his eyes danced playfully. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll say hey again when I see you in August.”
I accepted the bowl, turning to walk again. “I’ll allow it.”
Now that my back was turned, I allowed the smile I’d fought to take over, as I kept walking over to where Shannon set up our electronics station. I sat in the chair beside her, unhooked my camera, and plugged it in. “I don’t know what time it was.”
“I assume it was a few minutes before I realized you still weren’t behind me.” She rolled the tape fast forwarding.
Professor Gale came up with a deep frown on his face. “What the hell was that?”
“What was what?” I froze, spoon midway to my mouth.
“That little giggle fest with Drew.” The harshness in his eyes set off every instinct to run in my body, but he stepped too close, cutting off any potential escape.
I searched for a way out. “Drew?”
“The guy at the dinner pot, hitting on you,” Shannon whispered to fill me in.
“What about him?”
He leaned down, putting a hand on each arm of my chair. I half climbed back ready to plow through Shannon if I had to, so I could escape the sudden closeness. But he followed me, putting his lips to my ear. “Don’t forget, your scholarship is up for renewal in July, and I will be on the board.”
I attempted to lean closer to Shannon, but he grabbed my shoulder in a bruising grip. “Don’t do anything that might ruin your future, Talia. You’re so close to freedom. Be a good girl.”
