Life is But a Dream: A Marlow and Sage Mystery (A Nursery Rhyme Suspense Book 2)

by Lee Strauss

  “What I don’t get,” Marlow said, breaking our silence, “is how an athlete could drown in the canal. There’s not even a strong current, and I’m assuming the rowers can swim or they wouldn’t have chosen a water sport.”

  “I can swim,” I said. “And I walked right in, ready to fill my lungs. The natural instinct to fight for survival doesn’t kick in.”

  Marlow turned to me. “The question is why doesn’t it kick in? And how does a third party get someone to do their bidding, even when it means death?”

  I nodded agreeing. What I left unspoken was, why was I a target?

  Jake was with Nora in our dorm when we arrived. They were twisted together on top of her handmade quilt. Jake let out a disgruntled sigh when he heard us come in. His eyes zeroed in on Marlow. I zeroed my gaze on Jake. “Why aren’t you at practice?” I asked

  He ignored my question, asking one of his own. “Are you two a thing now?”

  “No,” I said a little too sharply. “I’m actually with Tristan Coy.”

  I saw Marlow roll his eyes. I pushed my desk chair his way and scooted onto my bed.

  Jake scoffed. “Tristan? He’s with everyone.” Nora elbowed him. “Ow! What?”

  I scowled. “He’s not with everyone anymore.”

  “We’re not here to discuss Sage’s love life,” Marlow said tersely. “We actually want to ask you a couple questions, Wentworth.”

  Jake sat up. “Me? What?”

  Marlow swiveled in my desk chair. “Did you know the two rowers that died this morning?”

  “Ah, that. Yeah, man what’s up with that? Total suckage.” Jake looked at me. “That’s why I’m not at practice, to answer your question.”

  “Who were they?” I asked. “Have you heard?”

  Jake nodded with appropriate solemnity. “Joe Mason and Raji Nahib. Their names were just released.”

  “Were they rowing partners?”

  Jake nodded. “Yeah. Total suckage, man.”

  My gaze darted to Nora. She reached for a nail file on the top of her night table and pretended not to notice Jake’s lack of vocabulary.

  “Besides the total suckage,” Marlow began, “did you know the guys at all? Did they seem depressed?”

  “How would I know?” Jake flapped a hand. “It’s not like we talked about our feelings.”

  Marlow cut me a look and subtly shook his head. I knew Jake would be a dead end. There was no way he was clever enough to pull off something this elaborate. Besides, what could he possibly have against me?

  I rifled through my closet for some clothes, comfy yoga pants and a yellow tank, and locked myself in the bathroom to change. I cringed when I took in my face and hair. Makeup was caked around my eyes. My ponytail was askew. I washed my face vigorously and brushed out my hair. I didn’t bother with makeup, just put my purple glasses back on and called it good enough.

  Nora looked relieved to see Marlow and me leave. Jake nodded to Marlow with a sly grin and lowered himself back onto Nora’s bed.

  I didn’t like him much when he was with Teagan and I was really starting to dislike him now.

  Marlow stopped short when we got outside and started rubbing his forehead.

  “Headache?” I asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you need something? I have an arsenal of pills back in my room.”

  He shook his head. “Being in the same room as Jake again would make my head explode. Let’s grab a breakfast sandwich and then find Jamil.”

  “How are we going to do that?”

  “There’s a sub shop nearby.”

  I punched his arm. “I mean how are we going to find Jamil?”

  Marlow pulled out his phone and started thumbing. “His dorm should be listed in the student directory.”

  I shifted the strap of my purse higher on my shoulder. “Maybe he left for the weekend?”

  “Only one way to find out. Aha. There he is. Building D.”

  It was a twenty-minute walk or a ten minute bus ride to Building D, and we both opted to take the bus. But first we ordered two breakfast sandwiches and two coffees to go. We finished eating before the bus arrived at our stop and tossed our garbage into the nearby bin. Marlow jumped on the bus, took the first empty row and shimmied over to the window seat. He moved with quick stiff strides and folded his arms against his chest as he stared out the window.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked.

  “Besides the fact that someone’s trying to kill you? No.”

  “Are you sure? You seem suddenly standoffish.”

  He swiveled to face me. “Are you serious?”

  “I think so.”

  “Not everything is about you.”

  “I thought this was.”

  “It is. It’s not just about you.”

  “I know that.” I folded my arms, huffed and stared out the opposite window across the aisle.

  The bus pulled up near the D building and I huffed off with Marlow on my heels. I slowed as we approached the door and let Marlow take the lead since it was a guys dorm.

  He knocked and a guy wearing an oversized wool cap answered. “I’m looking for Jamil Pershan,” Marlow said. “Is he in?”

  The wool cap guy shook his head. “He said he was heading to the gym.”

  “Which one?”

  “The one in the same complex as the pool.”

  Marlow thanked him and turned back to me with a frown. “Back on the bus, Gus.”

  Five minutes later we were at the gym. I hoped Jamil hadn’t left already.

  The gym door squeaked when Marlow pulled it open. He held it wide allowing me to pass through first. The foyer smelled like old sweat with a tinge of chlorine that seeped in from the pool area. It was a smell that reminded me of Tristan and for the first time, it occurred to me that he might be here. I was suddenly self-conscious. I smoothed out my yoga pants and adjusted my glasses.

  Marlow examined the map of the complex, searching for the workout room. It was clear that he’d never been here before. He pushed his glasses up with two fingers and headed down one of the halls. I followed and passed through the door into the workout room after Marlow opened it.

  A quick scan of the room confirmed to me that Tristan was not there and my shoulders relaxed in relief. I spotted Jamil right away on a sit-up machine.

  I stood where he could see me. “Hi Jamil,” I said. He sat up quickly with chocolate brown eyes narrowing in surprise.

  “Sage?” He pulled out white ear buds. “What’ya doin’ here?”

  I didn’t answer. Instead I motioned to Marlow. “Have you met my friend Marlow?”

  “Nope.”

  Marlow held out his hand. “Hey.”

  Jamil wiped his sweaty palms on a towel before shaking. “What’s up?”

  “We wondered if we could ask you what you know about the rowing team drownings?” Marlow asked.

  “Why? Are you with the paper or something?”

  “Or something.”

  “I don’t know anything. Can’t help ya.” Jamil lowered himself back onto his back and resumed his sit-ups.

  Marlow persisted. “Did you know the victims?”

  “What do you think? I’m on the rowing team. So yeah.”

  “Did you know them off the rowing team? Like, did you hang out together? Party?”

  Jamil paused. “No.”

  “Do you know if they were on any kind of drugs? Prescription or otherwise?”

  “I’m not their friggin’ doctor.”

  “You weren’t,” Marlow said. “Past tense.”

  Jamil shot him a look of annoyance. “If you’re not gonna work out, then you need to get out. You’re messing up my mojo.”

  I ignored Jamil’s ultimatum and asked, “Are you a sleepwalker?”

  He let out a short breath. “Not usually.”

  “But sometimes?” Marlow asked.

  “Yeah sometimes. You guys are makin’ me feel like I’m on trial.”

  “We’re only trying to f
ind out what happened to the rowers,” I said. “And Olivia and Lindsey. There must be a common factor.”

  Jamil huffed. “Suicide.”

  “Do you really think Joe and Raji committed suicide? Together?”

  Jamil grabbed his towel and wiped his forehead. “Maybe it was a lovers thing, like Romeo and Juliet?”

  “They were a couple?” I asked.

  “Maybe. They never came right out and said it, but some of the guys were suspicious.”

  “Were they both depressed?” Marlow asked.

  “I dunno. Who’s not depressed these days?” Jamil stood and went to the next station which involved pumping his well-built legs. “Now if you guys don’t mind.” He plugged his earbuds back into his ears and we were dismissed.

  We headed toward the door. Marlow leaned down and spoke quietly in my ear. “Were Olivia and Lindsey gay?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t know them. Do you think someone is attacking the homosexual community?”

  “It’s been done before.”

  I grabbed his arm. “But I’m not gay.”

  He grinned. “Glad to hear it.”

  I nudged him playfully with my hip just as we turned a corner. Then we stopped short. Tristan was there, staring hard at me.

  “What are you doing here?” His eyes cut to Marlow, and I could hear the unspoken question. With him?

  I hurried to Tristan’s side. “We were looking for Jamil.”

  “Why?”

  I didn’t know why, but I didn’t feel like telling Tristan the truth. Maybe because I knew Marlow wouldn’t like it. “Marlow needed to talk to him about something.”

  Tristan cocked his head. “Why are you here?”

  “To introduce Marlow to Jamil. They didn’t know each other.”

  “So why does Marlow need to talk to Jamil then?”

  Marlow interrupted. “A class project.” He headed to the door. “Thanks for your help, Sage. See you around.”

  I didn’t miss the frown that tugged down on Marlow’s lips.

  “Isn’t this a nice surprise,” I said, plastering on a smile. I pulled off my glasses and reached up for Tristan’s neck. “This would be a good time to give your girlfriend a kiss.”

  Tristan cupped my hips with his hands. “I think you’re right about that.”

  We took a few moments to say a proper hello. I liked Tristan’s lips, though my neck did start to kink after awhile because he was so tall.

  Tristan took my hand and we left the building. I filled my lungs with fresh air happy to finally be out of the stinky gym.

  “Marlow wouldn’t happen to be gay, would he?” Tristan asked.

  I stared up at him. “No. Why? Does he look gay to you?”

  “Just hoping. You seem to spend a lot of time with him, that’s all.”

  “He’s just a friend”

  He asked dryly, “Don’t you have any female friends?”

  “Yeah.” I scowled up at him. “Don’t you?”

  “I just don’t like it when you spend time with other guys, that’s all.”

  “I told you, he’s just a friend.”

  Tristan let go of my hand and draped his arm around my shoulders pulling me close. “I hope so.”

  25

  

  Eliza

  Eliza rubbed her belly in an effort to calm the butterflies flittering around in there. She was going on another date with Zed! Lunch at Pizza Haven! She held in the excited squeal threatening to bubble up because her low-on-personality roommate, Minji, would frown at her again with her sad little almond-shaped eyes that peered out from the top of the boring book she was reading.

  Pooh on Minji! She wasn’t going to let that bore steal her joy! No siree!

  Eliza slipped into a favorite, ankle-length flowing skirt, along with a tight black T-shirt and her army boots. Now for a little makeup. She liked makeup. It made her feel feminine. But not too much. She sorted through her supplies and picked up a compact with a series of dark, smoky eye shadows. Eliza frowned. Where did that come from? She didn’t remember buying it—sultry colors weren’t her thing. She glanced over at Minji who never wore makeup. It couldn’t be hers. Unless she started wearing it? Maybe that was it.

  She pushed it aside and picked up her usual muted violet shadow and applied it lightly over each eyelid. After that she added mascara and then a little lip gloss. She never had to worry about earrings, since she always wore the same silver studs and rings. Several along each ear, one in her right brow, one in her left nostril and one on her upper lip.

  Eliza checked the time, did a little happy jig and headed out the door without so much as a peep sent Minji’s way to announce her departure. Zed said he’d meet her at her front door at noon and it was one minute to twelve.

  She spotted him through the glass doors, standing there just as he promised. He was so cute! She loved his gangly, geeky look and couldn’t wait to someday run her fingers through his beard and messy hair. She pushed through the door to greet him and felt suddenly shy.

  “Hi,” Zed said. “You look nice.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Are you hungry?” he asked. He was always so thoughtful!

  “Starving!”

  “Me too.”

  They walked side by side, chatting easily about the weather, their classes and the latest campus gossip.

  “How’d you do on your chem exam?” Zed asked.

  She aced it, of course. One hundred percent. Chemistry was her best subject, but she didn’t want to brag. “Okay. I’m satisfied. You?”

  “Ninety-four percent,” Zed said with a sheepish grin. “They don’t call me a nerd for nothing.”

  Eliza bumped him playfully. “I love nerds.”

  Zed grinned at her and then reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers, like they were a real bona fide couple! Maybe by the end of the day it would be official! Zed would be her first real boyfriend! She bit her lip to keep an embarrassing happy sound from escaping.

  Someone shouted loudly from behind them. “Lizzy!” Eliza and Zed paused and turned to see what kind of drama was about to unfold.

  “Lizzy!” The guy looked older, perhaps a senior, with neat blond hair and preppy clothes. His eyes seemed to be settled on her, but that was impossible. She glanced behind her, expecting to see another girl standing there, waving back at the guy, but there was no one there.

  “Lizzy, wait!”

  Zed gave Eliza a questioning look and she shrugged back. She had no idea what was going on.

  The guy approached, glaring at the way Eliza and Zed were holding hands. He stood close to Eliza, too close. She took a step back.

  “Lizzy? What the hell is going on? Why are you holding his hand?”

  “Um, I’m sorry,” Eliza said. “You must have me mistaken for someone else.”

  The guy huffed. “Are you saying you have a doppelganger on campus? Look at you! You’re rather unique.”

  Eliza decided to take that as a compliment. “Thank you.”

  “I don’t understand, Lizzy. I thought we had a good time together.” He winked at her. “But you did say it was casual. I guess I just read more into it than there was.” He scowled and took a step back. His gaze cut to Zed. “Be careful there, buddy. She’s a heartbreaker.”

  The guy spun away on the heels of his loafers. Zed pulled his hand free from her clutch.

  “What the hell was that all about?”

  Eliza was mortified. She felt her cheeks heat up. “I don’t know, Zed. Honest.” Her eyes welled with tears, first of embarrassment and then anger. It had to be Minji.

  “My roommate hates me. You should’ve seen her today, tucked behind her book like she could care less about me and what I was doing. But I could tell she was secretly watching me over the edge of the pages. She’s jealous that I had a date and she’s sitting alone again! I bet she hired someone to act weird like that to sabotage this.” Her eyes pleaded with Zed. “To sabotage us. Please, Zed, you have to believe m
e.”

  26

  

  Marlow

  I arrived back at my dorm at the same time Zed returned from his date. I expected to find him in a better mood, but he brooded beneath a curious dark countenance.

  “Didn’t go well?” I asked as we passed through the common room.

  “It was okay, but…” Zed stopped abruptly and stroked his beard.

  “But what?”

  “Just as we were walking to the pizza joint, a guy called after Eliza, really persistently, like he knew her, except he was calling her Lizzy. She insisted that she didn’t know the guy, but he came off like he really knew her, if you know what I mean. He finally left Eliza alone, and she was practically in tears defending herself and begging me to believe her.”

  I felt a little déjà vu with the story. A similar scenario had happened between Teagan Lake and me. She’d been walking with Jake. I was the one who insisted that I knew her, and she most adamantly denied it. I remember how her eyes appealed to Jake to believe her.

  The thing was, she’d been telling the truth. That version of Teagan hadn’t known me. I’d been jumping universes at the time, and things didn’t always line up the way one would think. Maybe this guy who recognized Eliza was a jumper?

  Zed didn’t know about my jumping experiences, so I couldn’t suggest that as a possibility to him.

  “Did you recognize the guy?” I asked Zed.

  Zed shook his head. “Nah. Never saw him before.”

  “What did he look like?”

  “Average height, dirty blond hair gelled back. A white pinstriped, short-sleeved shirt tucked into preppy slacks.”

  “Doesn’t sound like Eliza’s type.”

  Zed sighed with relief and started walking again. “Yeah, you’re right. Eliza believes it was her less than stable roommate pulling a prank.”

  “Worse pranks have been pulled.”

  I unlocked our dorm room and Zed followed me in. We both plopped onto our beds and tucked our hands under our heads. Zed was probably processing his date and wondering if he wanted to take Eliza out again. I was thinking about Sage and me on our unauthorized investigation and how she abandoned our mission the minute Tristan had shown up.