Kaylie’s eyes narrowed. She picked up the white ski parka and slipped the coat on. “I need to get to the library, and you need to leave.”
I frowned. “You said that was your roommate’s.”
“You need to go. I didn’t sign on for this.” She folded her arms defensively at her chest and nodded at the door. “Now.”
I stood and grabbed the phone. “Who did you call?”
She reached for the door, pulled it open.
I keyed in *69 on the phone.
It rang once.
“Keep him there, I’m on my way,” a voice said.
Willy.
From the open doorway, Kaylie said, “Get out, Jack. Now.”
“What did I say?”
“Get out, or I’ll scream.”
The microcassette recorder still sat on the bed, next to the pillow. I grabbed it. The tape was missing. “Where’s the tape?”
“I’ll scream. I swear I will.”
“Dammit! What did I say?” I shouted.
She did scream then. Kaylie screamed so loud the shrill pitch filled the room. I threw the microcassette recorder against the far wall and pushed past her and out into the hallway, where a dozen eyes watched me leave in stunned silence.
Outside Geary Hall, I crossed the quad to a bank of pay phones at Findlay Commons. I dialed my apartment on Mifflin and got a busy signal. I hung up and dialed again, again after that.
When the phone finally did ring, it only rang once before Willy picked up.
“Hello?”
“Why did she call you, Willy?”
There was a pause. “Where have you been, Jack?”
“Arby’s.”
“You’ve been gone a day and a half.”
“There was a long line.”
“Were you out drinking?”
“Why did Kaylie call you, Willy?”
“She was worried. We’re all very worried about you, that’s all. I know her from student union. She knows we’re roommates. She said you showed up on her doorstep looking like death warmed over and smelling worse. She said she calmed you down and then she called me, that’s all. Were you drinking, Jack? You’re not supposed to leave campus without telling me. If you were drinking, tell me. I’ll get you help. I’ll help you get past it, like I did in Pittsburgh.”
I could see the Geary entrance from here. I watched for Kaylie as I spoke. “Tell Matteo whatever you want. I don’t need a babysitter.”
Willy’s voice dropped lower. “The police called looking for you, Jack. Something happened to the woman who lived across the hall from you in Brentwood. I told them you pulled an all-nighter in the library. I said I was there most of the time, too. Come back to the apartment. Tell me what’s going on.”
I heard something behind him. Soft, barely audible. A whisper?Another voice?
