by Lucy Smoke
"Knix and Bellamy will be falling back on this one," Alex announced. “They’re going to stay behind and follow up on any leads here.”
My gaze flicked to them. They did not look happy about that, but neither did they voice any protest. “What leads?” I asked. “Did you find something already?”
Alex shifted in his seat, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest. “I’ve made some inquiries in Charleston,” he said. “I won’t be able to tell you anything conclusive as of yet.”
“Why in Charleston and not in Greenwood, where Lander is?” Grayson pointed out.
Alex pulled a hand free and held it up placatingly. "Lander University isn't all that far away, and we have a few connections there as well.” He dropped his hand and leveled me with a look. “Don’t worry, Harlow. We’re doing everything we can to find your friend,” Alex’s eyes moved to Grayson, “and your brother.” After a beat of silence, Grayson nodded. I sighed and then sat back in my seat, waiting for Alex to continue.
He nodded to Texas and then to Marv. "Y'all will be going with her." Then his eyes settled back on me. "Get ready to pack, kiddo," he said, "you're going to college."
I blinked, confused. "Wait,” I said, “I'm enrolled?"
Alex nodded. "As of yesterday, you, Marv, and Texas start school in exactly two weeks."
Even Marv's eyes widened as he sat forward. "We’re doing this legitimately?" he asked.
Alex lowered his brows. "Everything we do is legitimate," he said.
Texas shook his head. "That's not what he means."
"I mean, are we actual students? Full-term? Dorms and everything?" Marv asked. That was something I wanted to know as well.
Alex nodded. "For the paperwork, you are full-term students. I've taken the liberty to select your classes for you when I signed you up. Technically, you're auditing the classes. No grades will be applied." Alex shot me a look. "Unless you decide that you'd like to take a grade, then let me know as soon as possible."
As much as I had once wanted to go to college, it seemed almost wrong now, what with everything going on with Erika and Josh missing. I just had to remind myself that it wasn’t for real. It was a cover, nothing more. Clarissa strode from the room and came back moments later, with a stack of papers. She handed them out and Marv was the first to respond when she handed a set to Grayson. "He's going?"
"Yes, Marv, Grayson is going. He has just as much stake in this as Harlow does. We wouldn’t have even considered him for Iris training if he couldn’t be trusted," Alex said. Though, to me, his tone brooked no argument, argue is just what Marv did.
"He dropped out," Marv snapped. "It doesn't count anymore."
"Marvin!" It wasn't Alex this time that gave the reprimand, it was Clarissa. Marv looked over at the woman's dark eyes as she stared him down with a deep frown curling her lips. "If you don't have anything nice to say, you don't say it in my house," she said coolly.
Marv pursed his lips but grumbled a, "Yes, ma'am” before glaring at Grayson, who, for his part, didn't say a thing in response. He simply looked down at his papers and started reading.
I glanced down at the packet I had been handed. The front page held all of my information. My full name: Harlow Elizabeth Hampton. My birthdate. My social security number...How had Alex gotten that? Oh, right...the papers I had to fill out to work at the diner. Wasn't that illegal? I peeked up at him as the others looked through their pages. Bellamy leaned over and glanced at Texas'.
I flipped to the next page. This one held my schedule. It looked like Alex had given me just enough classes to be considered a full-time student. I scanned the titles of the classes, then the times and dates.
Mondays and Wednesdays:
9:30am - 10:45am: Gothic Literature
12:30pm - 1:45pm: Introduction to Psychology
Tuesdays and Thursdays:
9:30am - 10:45am: Physical Education/Beginners Gymnastics
12pm - 1:15pm: Advanced Fiction Writing
When Bellamy looked away from Texas to look at my papers, his eyes widened, and he looked up, meeting my gaze. "Gymnastics," he mouthed with a smile. I couldn't help returning that smile. Alex didn’t say anything, but I know he noticed the quiet exchange. The corner of his mouth lifted. I hadn’t been in gymnastics for a while. I wasn’t sure how good I’d be, but it was just for beginners. It might be nice for a refresher and even if I wasn’t staying full term, it was thoughtful of Alex to give me back a bit of what I had lost, even if just for a short while.
"A month, then,” Marv said, drawing everyone's attention again.
Alex nodded. "Maximum. If nothing comes up in four weeks, then I’ll be taking over completely.” Grayson lifted a brow, but wisely didn’t say anything. Yeah, I knew it seemed like he was already taking over, but I was sure it could be a lot worse. By worse, I mean, both Grayson and I could have been cut out from the investigation completely.
"And we'll be on call at a moment’s notice," Knix said, "so don't think for a moment that you'll be off the hook. This is like any long-term operation. You report back every night." Knix's serious, blue eyes met mine. "Every. Night," he repeated.
I nodded before I asked, "Y'all staying here?"
Knix grimaced and then looked at Alex like he wanted to answer, but he didn't like the answer. It made it clear that he hadn't made the decision—whatever it was—and it was up to Alex to either change it or not. Looking around the room, all eyes were back on Alex. Clarissa put a hand on his arm as a show of strength, I guessed, but why would she need to? When Alex spoke, I understood.
"Knix and Bellamy will be staying in the Charleston area with me. Bell will be checking on your mother for you, Harlow; don't you worry about her." I blushed when I realized that I hadn't even given it any thought. How terrible of a daughter did that make me? I looked down and clenched my fingers along the edges of the papers in my lap as Alex continued talking. "Grayson, I'm sure you can come up with something to tell your family to explain your absence. If you need me to do anything, let me know. I can contact them if you need me too."
Grayson shook his head and his face remained impassive. "It’s not a problem."
I glanced at him, curious. I knew his parents were separated; I had been told way back when we were looking for the Sweratt Island thief, which had turned out to be his older brother. But would they really not notice if their other son went missing for several weeks? I watched him, but his facial expression didn't give anything away. If he thought he was getting away with that, he was dead wrong. I'd wrangle answers and information if I had to wrestle him for them.
"Alright." Even though I wanted to scream that it wasn't alright, and I wanted to demand why the hell his parents wouldn't care, Alex nodded, and the group moved on from the topic. When Grayson turned his head slightly and caught me looking, I didn't look away like I might have before. He frowned my way. Only when Texas shifted forward, blocking my sight as he answered a question from Alex that I hadn't heard, did I manage to look away.
"—dorms," Alex finished saying.
I shook my head and looked up. "What?"
"You will be staying in the dorms, Harlow," Alex said. "In fact, you'll be staying in the dorm that Erika was set to stay in. We'll need you to ask questions there. See if anyone knew Erika. See if anyone might have any idea about where she disappeared to. She didn’t just vanish, someone knows something.” My stomach and chest clenched. She wasn't gone. She wasn't missing. We just...hadn't found her yet. She hadn't disappeared. I didn't like thinking of it like that because people who disappeared—like on those cop shows—didn't always show back up. Erika would.
"Okay," I choked out. "I can ask questions." I nodded. "No problem."
"Texas and Grayson and Marv will be sharing a house nearby—within walking distance of the campus." Alex grinned, looking to Clarissa. "Clarissa's brother works on the campus up there. Man owns quite a few local houses to rent out to college students. He's being real nice about letting us rent the house for
cheap." Alex dropped his grin and looked at the boys. "So, that means no fucking anything up, you hear me?"
Everyone nodded as a unit. Even Knix, Bellamy, and me—although we wouldn't be staying there.
Clarissa stepped up by my side with a smile. "I'll be driving you to your dorm on move in day," she admitted. "Knix gave us a budget for your room, but we don't have to stick to it too strictly. I'm sure Marv wouldn't mind pitching in." She winked.
"Nope," Marv agreed. "Whatever you need, Sunshine. You just let me know. Even when we get you set up in the dorm, if you feel like you’re missing something, text me or one of the others—” he shot a glance to Grayson "—even Grayson, in case of an emergency, we'll handle it."
I smothered a sigh and a grin at the same time. There was still something between the two of them, but at least he had calmed down somewhat over Grayson joining in on the operation. His brother was involved, anyway. That thought made me let the sigh slip through as I looked back at my papers. It seemed we were back at the beginning.
Chapter 2
Two Weeks Later
Welcome to Lander University!" The outcry could be heard from every corner of the Lander campus. It echoed in the open spaces. It wasn't a big place to begin with, but it looked like every student in attendance was out and about with their families on Move-In day. Clarissa moved forward in the line of cars, getting closer and closer to the brick building with a small, black, hanging sign proclaiming it to be "Chipley Hall.” I yawned as the car inched forward, covering my mouth as my lips stretched wide. Jesus, I needed some decent sleep. I hadn’t gotten much in the last few weeks as the guys and I had rushed around preparing everything we needed to get ready for the semester and more importantly, the investigation.
“I’m sorry the boys couldn’t be here to help you move in,” she said quietly as the car inched forward in the procession of waiting vehicles. “I’m sure they’ll stop by once they get the others settled into the house. It’s only a block or so away.”
I nodded and kept my eyes glued to the girls getting out of each vehicle with their parents, toting large bags of clothes and books and other things, wearing Lander University and Greek Life t-shirts. In the back of Clarissa’s van, I had the basic necessities. Clothes. Toiletries. Blankets and pillows. The computer Marv had given me before, and that was about it. It looked like some of the girls were bringing entire houses to the dorm. When we finally pulled up and stopped, I got out.
“Hi there!” a bright, cheery eyed woman in an equally bright yellow t-shirt with the word Lander stretched across the front, stopped before us holding a clipboard. “What’s your name?”
“Um… Harlow Hampton.” I shifted on my feet as Clarissa smiled warmly at the young woman.
“Harlow Hampton…Harlow…Hampton…ah! Here you are.” The woman checked something off on her clipboard and then directed us towards the building. “First floor,” she said. “You’re lucky. We don’t have an elevator. It’ll be room 107. You’ll get your keys just inside the door at the table and you can go ahead and set up. I think your roommate is already here. Have a great day and welcome to Lander University!”
I bobbed my head even as she moved away to the next girl that stepped out of the car. “Come on, dear, let’s get your things,” Clarissa suggested.
I grabbed a few bags and my laptop and followed Clarissa dutifully inside the building. Just as the woman had said, there were tables run by similarly dressed girls. I retrieved my keys and then followed Clarissa around the corner. The halls were larger than I had expected. Someone had placed their entire desk out in front of their door, but there was still room to squeeze by, even with the bags Clarissa and I held. The door to room 107 was ajar and soft classic rock music filtered out as a girl with shoulder length, pink hair flitted from one side of the room to the other.
“Oh, hi!” she said when she noticed Clarissa and I standing outside. “Are you my roommate?”
Clarissa nudged my back. “Um…” I stepped inside. “I guess so. I’m Harlow.” When the girl held her hand out, I looked down at my full arms and quietly turned to set my bags on the unmade bed at my side before returning and taking her hand.
“Lizzie,” the girl announced. I blinked at her bright smile. Everything about this girl screamed outgoing—from the bubblegum pink hair to the soft blue eyes to the toothpaste commercial smile.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Lizzie,” Clarissa said from behind me. I pulled my hand away and moved to the side so that Clarissa could move around me and set her load down.
“My family already left. I hope you don’t mind that I took this side of the room,” Lizzie said, nodding to Clarissa and me as she gestured to the already made bed and the posters of The Beatles and Pink Floyd on the white brick walls.
“I don’t mind,” I said, peeking around. The room was bigger than my room at the guys’ house, but it seemed small with all of the stuff crammed inside. There was double of everything—twin beds, desks, dressers, and even closets. The only thing not doubled was the mini-fridge and microwave shoved between the two dressers.
It looked like Lizzie had jacked up her bed so that she could slide trunks and containers beneath it. It would have been neatly hidden if her comforter wasn’t too short. As it was, I could see the lower half of two plastic bins and a trunk towards the end of her twin bed.
At that moment, two girls in Greek Life t-shirts knocked on the open door. “Hi!” they said in unison. “We’re just dropping off the rest of Harlow’s things from outside.”
Clarissa thanked them, and Lizzie’s eyes widened. “Is this all you brought?” she asked.
I nodded.
“I tried to tell her she might need a bit more,” Clarissa said teasingly. “Knix wouldn’t have minded.”
“Knix?” Lizzie’s brows lowered in confusion.
“I don’t need anything else,” I assured them.
Lizzie shook her head. “You might regret that, unless you have a car. Did you even bring any kitchen stuff?”
“Why would I need kitchen stuff?” I asked. “Isn’t there a cafeteria?”
Lizzie laughed. “Oh, boy, you’re gonna get sick of that after a week! I’m a sophomore, I should know.”
“Well, what’s done is done now,” Clarissa said when she saw the uncertainty and worry on my face. “Why don’t we finish getting you set up, so I can move the car?”
It didn’t take long at all to open the new comforter and sheets and make my bed. As I did that, Lizzie offered to help Clarissa hang clothes. “Alright,” Clarissa said stepping back as she gently set my computer down on the desk designated as mine. “Looks good. You need anything else, honey?”
I looked around the room, wondering the same thing, and shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
“Are you sure?” Lizzie asked, looking at my barren side of the room with obvious skepticism.
“I’m sure,” I replied. “If I need anything, I can ask the guys.”
While Clarissa nodded, Lizzie tilted her head at me curiously. “Well, in that case,” Clarissa moved forward and enveloped me in a tight hug. I breathed in the ocean and spring scent from her laundry detergent. “If you just want to talk, you know you can call me.”
I nodded. “I will and thanks for taking care of Cleo.”
Clarissa laughed. “Never thought I’d be a cat babysitter. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Awww, you have a cat?” Lizzie asked as Clarissa disappeared out the door. “I love cats.” I nodded before turning back to the room a bit numbly. This was it. I was in college. This was really real. I looked at Lizzie as she turned away and began going through her own closet. “It’s too bad we can’t have anything more than fish on campus as pets…well, unless you have a therapy animal or something.” She paused, looking back at me.
“No,” I said before she could ask. “I don’t have one of those. Just Cleo—and I can’t keep her on campus.”
Lizzie deflated and turned back to finish hanging up a bright
purple top. "It would have been cool if you had. I love animals. Maybe your mom can bring Cleo to visit sometime."
"My mom?"
"Yeah, was the woman who helped you move in not your mom?"
I blinked at her. "Clarissa doesn't look anything like me." That was more than obvious.
Lizzie frowned at me as she backed up and closed her closet door. "Just because she’s obviously not your biological mom doesn't mean that you don’t consider her your mom. My grandma raised me, but I call her mom. I just assumed—sorry, I’ll try not to do that again.”
My cheeks flushed. I could tell by the way she spoke that she was irritated—perhaps even thinking I was snooty and rude. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like in a bad way," I say. "Clarissa is cool, and she was nice enough to help me move in, but my mom's um...she just couldn't be here."
Lizzie arched a delicate eyebrow as if she wanted to say more, but something in my expression must have warned her away because, instead, she smiled and changed the subject. "Wanna go check out the cafeteria together?" she asked. "I kinda haven't eaten all day and I haven't gone to the grocery store yet."
I smiled back, relieved. "Yeah, I could go for some food."
"Awesome!" Lizzie bounced to the door. "Hold on, let me see if anyone else wants to join us. Might as well make some friends while we're here. I'm sure everyone else is just as nervous being in a new place as we are." She opened the door and practically sprinted out, a whirlwind of bubbliness and pink hair.
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
Knix: Did you make it there okay?
Harlow: Just fine. Moved in. Clarissa is gone. Met my roommate.
Knix: Roommate? I thought you got a single.
That had been the plan, but I just couldn't justify shoving someone else out of a room if I was only going to be here for a month or so. I knew the plan was to attend classes as well, but we all knew that none of us would be staying for the full term.
