The last thing Vaughn wanted was for Darnell to speak to Ivy.
“I’ll tell you what: I’ll drop you at the station to get Bowes to do his forensic printer shit.I’llspeak with Ivy.”
Darnell winked.
“Private time. I get it.”
As Darnell was getting out of the car, Vaughn thought about changing his mind. If Delaney was still hanging around, things could get ugly.
“Darnell?”
The man turned.
“Yeah?”
Vaughn’s partner was momentarily unguarded. Like in the car when Vaughn had torn a strip off him, he saw the real Darnell. The one who was hurting so badly that the only way he could get through the day was to drink, crack inappropriate jokes, and lash out. And drink some more.
“Earth to Vaughn?”
“Stay away from Delaney, okay?”
“Wouldn’t go near that little shit with a ten-foot pole.”
As long as you stay out of arm’s reach,Vaughn thought as he drove off.
Being the middle of a weekday, Vaughn assumed that Ivy was at work. Decided to call ahead just to make sure. Vaughn was surprised when a man answered the number that he’d found in the campus directory for Ivy’s office. He identified himself as her TA, Tristan Coates.
The response he got when asking for Ivy perplexed Vaughn even more.
“What do you mean she’s on temporary leave?” Vaughn asked. “I just saw her yesterday.”
“I’m just telling you what I was told by the department head. Dr.Reeves is on temporary leave until further notice.”
His first thought was that after what had happened with her father and the gun-toting Delaney, Ivy had taken a personal day. But “temporary leave until further notice” sounded more disciplinary than voluntary.
“Listen, Tristan, any way you can give me Ivy’s home address?”
“I’m not supposed to do that.”
“I get it, but it’ll save me time. She’s a special consultant on a case we’re working.” Vaughn pictured Captain Daniels’s red face as he said this. “If I have to call the math department and go through regular channels—”
“You said you were a detective?”
“Yeah, I saw you the other day in her office. I’m Detective Vaughn Ryan with the PPD.” Vaughn gave his badge number too, hoping to reassure the man.
“Hold on a second.”
The phone muted. Vaughn tapped his foot as he waited. Grew impatient.
Figuring that Ivy probably lived close to Fine Hall where she worked, he started driving in that direction.
Tristan came back on the line.
“Okay, your name and badge number check out.”
He gave Vaughn Ivy’s home address.
“Appreciate it.”
