Just like he paid him for his security card?
They still hadn’t found it yet—Tristan had probably ditched it after gaining access to the gas. Most of Vaughn’s thoughts were assumptions, but they seemed to fit the narrative.
“Right... but not exactly.”
“What do you mean?”
“The laptop that was stolen—Dr.Reeves’s laptop—was the one that was used to delete the other applicants. But the applications were deletedeightmonths ago.”
Bowes stared at Vaughn expectantly. He didn’t get it. Was he that stupid?
“So?”
“So, the campus security report for the stolen laptop wassixmonths ago.”
Now he understood.
Oh, shit.
It clicked and Vaughn’s heart skipped a beat. Not just the laptop, but the reason why the photo of Dr.Reeves and Dr.Neely, the former signing the award, felt so strange to him.
All the jokes with Darnell and Bowes were back of mind now.
“Bowes, did you put this in your report?”
Bowes picked up on Vaughn’s change in both tone and attitude. He, too, grew serious.
“Not yet.”
“Lifetime supply of Red Bull in it for you if you keep it to yourself.”
Bowes removed his glasses and cleaned them on his shirt.
“Make it Celsius and you got a deal.”
“Done. And thanks for everything.”
“No prob.”
Bowes left and Vaughn turned to Darnell. The man mimed zipping his lips and tossing away an invisible key. Seemed fair after all the secrets that Vaughn had kept regarding Darnell during their time together.
Vaughn finished with the board, closed the folder containing all but one of the images. Kept that one for himself.
“You wanna grab a bite after work today?” Darnell asked. “Boring-ass non-alcoholic dinner with a friend who owes you? My treat?”
“Wish I could, Darnell, but I have a date.”
“Let me guess, Bae-sian Prof?”
“You nailed it.”
Darnell’s lips curled downward slightly.
“You be careful with that one, Vaughn.”
You and your fucking hunches, Darnell.
Vaughn hated that his partner had been right.
