by Erin Wade
“No, just a lot of bruising,” Regan replied. “I’ll wait in the hallway outside Joey’s room.” She didn’t want to watch Brandy fawn over Joey.
Weariness overcame Regan as she rode the elevator down to the second floor. The entire day had been a rollercoaster of emotions. She felt like the rodent in Brandy’s game of cat and mouse.
I know better than to get involved with a student, Regan thought, chastising herself. She propped her back against the wall and pulled out her cell phone.
A text dinged into her phone as she stepped from the elevator. “Will you have a late supper with me?” The message was from Brandy.
Regan typed, “No.” Then she reread Brandy’s message.
“Why not?” This time, the question was whispered into Regan’s ear, making her jump and eliciting a grunt of pain.
“Joey needs you,” Regan scoffed.
“His father is with him,” Brandy informed her. “He’ll be okay now. Besides, you must be starving. We didn’t get much to eat today. Please? I feel badly about how the day ended. It started off so good.”
“Then your boyfriend was drugged or whatever,” Regan reminded her. “Honestly, Brandy, I’m physically and emotionally drained. I just want to go home.”
“I’ll take you home,” Brandy volunteered.
“Your car is still at the bonfire,” Regan reminded her.
“Agent Peyton had an officer bring it to the hospital. I believe it’s parked next to hers. Let me tell her I’m taking you home. Give me a minute.”
The refusal died on Regan’s lips as she looked into clouded green eyes.
Brandy disappeared into Joey’s room and returned in less than a minute with a smile on her face. “We’re good to go,” she said, pulling Regan’s arm through hers.
##
Regan relaxed into the seat of Brandy’s car. She couldn’t recall ever being so exhausted. Her body ached as if she’d ridden a rough horse on a long trail ride. Every inch of her hurt.
Brandy glanced at her passenger and was surprised to find Regan sleeping. She knew Regan had experienced a traumatic day.
When Brandy pulled into Regan’s driveway, she gently shook Regan awake. “You’re home,” she announced.
Regan looked around, trying to focus on her location. Her attempt to move brought a low moan to her lips.
Brandy rushed to the passenger’s side of her car and helped Regan out. She supported her to the door.
“I can make it from here,” Regan mumbled as she unlocked the door and then stumbled into Brandy’s arms.
“Easy, Professor,” Brandy whispered as she led Regan to her sofa and gently helped her lie down. Regan’s eyes closed as soon as Brandy covered her with the light blanket from the back of the sofa.
Brandy found a soft T-shirt in Regan’s closet. She eased Regan’s sweater off and unfastened her bra. She pulled the bra away and gasped at the bruising on the brunette’s breasts and abdomen. “I’ll kill Robin Chase for this,” she mumbled.
Chapter 11
Regan lay on the sofa trying to figure out why she wasn’t sleeping in her bed. As sleep receded and her mind cleared, she recalled the awful events of the preceding day. She groaned as she moved the arm Robin Chase had twisted behind her back. She wondered if Robin had damaged her rotator cuff.
She ran her hand up her stomach and flinched when she reached her breasts. “God, that’s sore,” she muttered.
Finally, she opened her eyes. She wasn’t ready to sit up. She simply lay on her back, staring at the ceiling and wondering what Brandy was doing. She’s probably at the hospital holding Joey’s hand.
As daylight began to filter into her living room, she turned her head to look around. She was surprised to see the silhouette of a person sitting in the chair closest to her. It took her a minute to realize it was Brandy. The blonde was watching her.
“How do you feel?” Brandy asked.
“Like I was caught in a stampede.” Regan tried to sit up, but cried out in pain when she put weight on her elbow.
Brandy was at her side immediately. “Let me help you. You’re black-and-blue all over.”
“How do you know? Oh, you undressed me,” Regan said as she realized she was wearing only a soft T-shirt and panties.
“I . . . um, thought you’d sleep more comfortably out of your sweater and jeans.” Brandy slipped her arm under Regan’s shoulder and gently pulled her into a sitting position. “Would you like some coffee? I’ll make a fresh pot.”
Regan blushed. “What I need most right now is the bathroom.”
“Let me help you.” Brandy moved to the side with the uninjured arm and sat down. “Please put your arm around my shoulder. I’ll pull you up as I stand. I’ll have to put my arm around your waist. Is that okay?”
“Yes, but please hurry.” Regan’s need to reach the bathroom was becoming more urgent.
Brandy lifted her from the sofa and slowly walked her to the bathroom door. “Can you make it from here?”
“Yes.”
“Yell if you need me,” Brandy told her. “I’ll wait right here by the door.”
After a few minutes, Regan opened the door. “Would you mind brushing my hair?” she asked.
“I’d love to,” Brandy said honestly. She followed Regan to the chair in front of her dressing table and steadied her as she lowered her body to the stool.
“It’s a mess,” Regan mumbled, still feeling the effects of the Tramadol the doctor had given her the night before. “I can’t raise my arm high enough to brush it.”
“It’s beautiful,” Brandy murmured as she ran the brush through Regan’s silky black hair. “It’s so soft.”
Brandy brushed Regan’s hair as the brunette studied her student in the mirror. The look of concern on Brandy’s face was sincere. “Why aren’t you at the hospital with Joey?”
“He’s hell-bent on playing today. You needed me more.” Brandy shrugged. “He’s fine. They pumped his stomach, and now he wants to eat everything in sight.” A smile crossed her face.
“There.” Brandy made a final, gentle stroke with the brush and placed it on the dressing table. “If you want to lie back down, I’ll make coffee and fix our breakfast.”
“I think I need to work out this soreness.” Regan moved her arm and turned her head from side to side. “I’ll sit at the island and visit with you in case I need to tell you where something is.”
“I’d like that better.” Brandy grinned. She reached to put her arm around Regan.
“Just let me hold your arm as I walk,” Regan said. “I’m not steady yet.”
##
Regan sipped her hot coffee. “This is delicious,” she said with a sigh. “You make a great pot of coffee, Miss Brandywine.”
Brandy curtsied. “Thank you, ma’am. I aim to please.” She slid a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of Regan and turned when the raisin bread popped up in the toaster. She placed the toast and her own plate on the island and sat down on the stool next to Regan.
“This is nice,” Brandy said. “Having breakfast with you. I wouldn’t mind doing this every—”
“Please don’t, Brandy,” Regan whispered. “Don’t say ‘every morning.’”
Chapter 12
“Dammit, one of those little shits stole a Mule last night.” The foreman of the bonfire cleanup crew scowled as he looked around for his missing Kawasaki 4x4 vehicle. “It’ll show up somewhere wrecked.
“Let’s get this mess cleaned up,” he instructed as his workers mounted front-end loaders and bulldozers to clean up the smoldering remains of the bonfire. He pointed to five workers standing nearby. “You take the Mules and start cleaning up the trash under the bleachers.”
The first dozer driver made a pass through the rubble and stopped when his equipment upended the charred Mule. He killed his engine and ran to find his boss.
“Mac, I found the Mule,” he gasped. “You gotta see this.”
The two of them climbed into a Mule and followed
the path cleared by the dozer.
“Son of a—”
“Boss, look closer,” the dozer driver urged. “I think there’s a—”
“Fricking body!” Mac yelled. “Jesus Christ, the little shit drove it right into the middle of the bonfire. What the hell was he thinking?”
##
Pat Sawyer ran her hand through her short hair. “This place is going to hell in a paper bag,” she fumed. “Do we know who it is?”
“No, ma’am,” her deputy answered. “We’re waiting to hear from the medical examiner’s office. They took the body about thirty minutes ago. The workers only found part of the body—from the waist up. They’re still combing the ashes for the rest of it.”
“Male or female?” Pat barked.
“We don’t know. The skeleton was all that remained. “Clothes, flesh, jewelry . . . all disintegrated. You know how hot those bonfires get. The coroner’s office said it’s difficult to ascertain the sex without the pelvic region. Did you know that male and female bodies are almost identical except for the pelvic area?”
“Yeah, that’s one of the first things they taught us in forensics.
“I must break the news to Dragon Lady.” Pat fretted as she donned her hat and jacket. “I just hope she doesn’t kill the messenger. You stay at the coroner’s office, and call me the minute they know anything.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The officer hurried out the door.
Pat dreaded the next few days. It was always horrific to notify a parent of their child’s death. They paid big bucks for their offspring’s education and couldn’t fathom that the student had died in the care of the university.
Pat had reached Chancellor O’Brien’s office when her deputy called. “They found the rest of the skeleton. It’s a female.”
Pat thanked him and entered the area that housed and protected the chancellor. The receptionist recognized Pat and raised an eyebrow. “A visit from you can’t be good,” she said.
“Is Chancellor O’Brien in her office? Pat asked. “It’s urgent that I speak with her.”
The woman nodded toward Katherine’s secretary, who flashed Pat a pleasant smile.
“Chief, let me notify the chancellor that you’re here.”
Katherine waited for Chief Sawyer to close the door behind her. Pat shuffled her feet and Katherine pushed aside her thoughts about the grim reaper.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“The cleanup crew found a woman’s body in the bonfire,” Pat blurted.
Katherine inhaled deeply then breathed out slowly. “Do we know who she is?”
“No, ma’am, but we’ll leave no stone unturned until we do.”
“Thank you, Chief.” Katherine stood. “Please keep me informed. I want to know the minute you know anything.”
“Of course.” Pat stumbled as she backed from the room. She wondered how Katherine O’Brien could always reduce her to a gawky teenager.
O’Brien waited until Pat shut her door to dial Agent Peyton King. “Agent King, a body has been found in the charred remains of the bonfire. It’s a woman.”
“Do they know who it is?” Peyton asked.
“No, but I’d like you to keep an eye on Chief Sawyer’s investigation. She worries me.”
“I will, Chancellor,” Peyton promised.
Chapter 13
“Aren’t you going to the big homecoming game?” Regan asked Brandy as the blonde settled into the recliner in her TV room.
“I’d rather stay with you. Just in case you need anything.”
Regan nodded and hugged herself as a chill engulfed her body.
“Are you cold?” Brandy stood. “Tell me where you keep your throws, and I’ll get one for you.”
“No, I’m tired. Sleeping on the sofa wasn’t very restful. I hope you won’t think me rude if I take a nap in my bed.”
“I won’t think you rude,” Brandy assured her. “Just call me if you need anything. Um, is it okay if I watch the game on your TV?”
“Of course.”
Regan slept through the day-long hullabaloo leading up to the homecoming game and awoke just in time to hear the kickoff. The announcers were giddy about the news of Joey Sloan being in the hospital the night before but rallying to lead his Longhorns.
Regan listened as Texas received the ball, and Joey quickly moved his team down the field for a touchdown. The crowd went crazy. She realized she liked knowing Brandy was in the other room watching television. She liked having Brandy in her home.
She sat up on the side of her bed and waited for a bout of dizziness to pass before trying to stand. She thought about changing into something more presentable but decided to go with the sweatpants and Henley she had on. She walked to the TV room, where Brandy was stretched out on the sofa, resting comfortably against the overstuffed arm. She had kicked off her shoes and pulled the throw over her.
##
Brandy looked away from the TV as Regan entered the room. She couldn’t stop the look of open desire that crossed her face. Regan was heart-stopping with her long black hair tousled from sleep. She wore no makeup, and her features were soft and sweet. She looked so vulnerable.
“It’s chilly,” Regan said. “I need to light the fireplace.”
She walked to the mantel and flicked the switch that ignited the gas logs. “It’ll take a few minutes for it to warm the room,” she said.
Brandy pulled back the throw and motioned for Regan to join her on the sofa. “Just slip right in here and lean back against me.” Regan settled between her legs and leaned back into arms that were warm and welcoming.
“I’ll be careful not to squeeze you or hurt you when we make a touchdown. Joey is tearing up the other team. They can’t stop his passing game.”
##
Regan watched in awe as Joey fired pass after pass to his receivers and marched his team down the field to a touchdown every time they had the ball. The score was embarrassing, and Regan wondered why Bob Radford wasn’t putting in the second-string quarterback so Joey could rest. There was no way the other team could beat the Longhorns.
“Why is Radford running up the score so high?” Regan asked.
“I don’t know. That’s not the sportsmanlike thing to do. Especially on a homecoming game.”
“He needs to take Joey out,” Regan declared.
“Joey will take care of it,” Brandy assured her. “He’s all about being a good sport.”
Almost as if he had heard his girlfriend’s declaration, Joey began calling only running plays. The Longhorns made no score in the last quarter.
Regan developed a whole new appreciation for the young Adonis. He was an exceptional athlete, and she knew he was extremely intelligent. I suppose I do understand what Brandy sees in him, she thought. He really is a good guy.
“Do you want to watch another game?” Brandy asked. “I could order a pizza. Is there another team you follow?”
“I do love the Crimson Tide.” Regan giggled.
“Oh, that’s like an arrow through my heart,” Brandy said, groaning. “But I have to admit, they are one hell of a football team. So, is pizza okay?”
“Uh-huh, a supreme with extra cheese.”
Brandy laughed. “I swear, Professor, you are the woman I’ve been searching for all my life.”
##
They were still eating pizza when the Alabama-Auburn game broke for halftime. A newsflash streamed across the bottom of the screen during halftime activities: “Woman’s body in University of Texas bonfire identified as UT Women’s Athletic Director Robin Chase.”
“Oh dear God!” Regan gasped. “Did you know they found a body in the bonfire?”
“No.” Brandy frowned. “This is the first I’ve heard about it. Let’s switch to cable news and see if we can learn more details.”
Skipping through news channels, Brandy caught a live interview with Chancellor O’Brien. The anchor was introducing Katherine and did a quick review of her impressive credentials. “Chancellor O’Bri
en is in our Austin affiliate’s studio speaking with us live. Chancellor, this is the second death on your campus in a month. Do you have any leads?”
“We’ve turned the investigation over to the FBI,” Katherine replied. “Head Coach Danny Tucker was brutally murdered earlier this month. Although he coached for UT, he made his home in Shawnee, Oklahoma, so his murder investigation crosses state lines, making it a federal case.”
“Is it true the charred remains of a woman found in the UT bonfire are those of Women’s Athletic Director Robin Chase?”
“The remains have been positively identified as those of Robin Chase,” Katherine affirmed.
“You were brought in two years ago, after the former chancellor was fired because of sexual improprieties in the football program involving both coaches and players. Is that correct?”
“I was hired for many reasons.” Katherine flashed her thousand-watt smile. “One of them was to clean up corruption in the athletic department.
“Both Coach Tucker and Coach Chase had complaints in their files. As everyone knows, a university can’t simply fire winning coaches without first investigating allegations against them. Coach Tucker and Coach Chase were under investigation. If we had confirmed that the complaints had merit, we would have had no choice but to relieve them of their duties.”
“Was Robin Chase’s death a horrible accident or another murder? Are you going to delve deeper into the misconduct of the athletes and coaches?” The anchor pushed Katherine.
“We will do whatever is necessary to make certain that the University of Texas provides a healthy, safe atmosphere for all our students.” Katherine was emphatic. “We are waiting for the forensics report on Coach Chase. At this point in time, no ruling has been made on her death.”
“Is it true that Coach Chase was a lesbian?” the man asked.
“I’m not privileged to information concerning Robin Chase’s sexual preferences,” Katherine said, her pleasant expression never changing, “but even if she were, that’s not grounds for dismissal. As long as individuals conduct themselves properly, we don’t care how they identify sexually. And I must add that I don’t see how that has any bearing on her death. Why did you ask that question?”
