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

by Lee Strauss

  Or Tristan?

  Black thought! Go away!

  It wasn’t Tristan. I knew Tristan.

  But he did offer to take me rowing, something he’d never suggested doing before.

  No, that was craziness. Tristan was not a suspect.

  “Is everything okay?”

  I snapped to my senses at Eliza’s voice. I was supposed to be asking her that question. Farrell, get it together!

  “Yeah, I’m fine. How are you?”

  “I’m fine too.”

  “Really?”

  Eliza squinted at me. “Do I not look fine? I look tired, don’t I?”

  “No, you look fine.” I waved at her outfit. “You look great. I just meant, you know, with all that’s been happening.”

  Eliza grew solemn. “Oh, with the drownings? It’s awful, for sure. I’m really sad for Olivia and Lindsey.”

  “Is anyone bothering you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  I leaned in and softened my voice. “Is anyone making you do something you don’t want to? Or not do something you want to?”

  Eliza’s face wrinkled in confusion. “No. What’s with the questions?”

  “It’s just… I was talking to your roommate the other…”

  “Minji?” Eliza’s hazel eyes grew round. “How do you know her?”

  I didn’t want to tell her I went to her dorm to drill Minji for information.

  “She’s actually in one of my classes. We just got to talking and what a surprise to find out that we both knew you!”

  Now she was scowling. “Why were you talking about me?”

  “Um, I might’ve mentioned you in relation to Zed and Marlow.”

  I was afraid Eliza wasn’t buying my lie, but then she said, “Minji’s crazy. Stay away from her.”

  It sounded like an order, but I wrote it off as stress. If someone was blackmailing her, it would account for her abrupt behavior.

  “She said she was worried about you, Eliza. I think she really does care about you.”

  Eliza huffed and slunk lower in her seat.

  “You know you can confide in me, right? If anything is bothering you? If you are in any kind of trouble?”

  Eliza patted my arm and sighed. “It’s so sweet of you to be concerned about me, but really, Sage, I’m fine. And if ever I do have something I need to talk about, you will be the friend I seek out.”

  I flicked through the shirts hanging in my closet.

  “The red tank with my denim capris and white sweater or black sleeveless button-down with khaki shorts and gray sweater?”

  Nora was getting ready for her own date with Jake, working her red curls into some kind of updo. “What are you guys doing tonight?” she asked.

  “Tristan’s taking me out rowing.”

  “In the dark?”

  “It’s not dark out.” I peeked out the window. “It’s barely dusk. Look, the sunset is gorgeous.”

  Nora peered back at me through the reflection of her mirror, apparently unimpressed by the magenta sky outside. “Red tank, khaki shorts, black sweater.”

  I tossed the Capris back into the drawer of my dresser, plucked the black sweater from my closet and began dressing.

  “And flip-flops,” Nora added as an afterthought. “You’ll probably get your feet wet.”

  “Good point.” I hadn’t worn flip-flops since the campus luau. I removed them from my shoe organizer.

  I started dressing. “What are you and Jake doing?”

  “We’re going to some party in one of the dorms. I don’t know which one.”

  There were usually several parties going on, especially on the weekend. I’d been to enough to know that they were basically all the same. Loud music, too many bodies in a small space and inevitably vomiting in the bushes.

  I brushed my hair and fastened it back with a black hair tie. I opted for light makeup since there was a chance I could get splashed a little and I didn’t want my mascara to run. The sky was clear and a full moon was forecasted. I wanted the night to be perfect.

  I grabbed my purse, then paused. I’d seen those rowboats, and they weren’t exactly roomy. No place for a big purse. I had a small over-the-shoulder leather pouch, and I put my phone and a tube of lip gloss into it.

  Tristan wanted to meet me there so he could get the boat ready. I wasn’t sure exactly what that entailed—putting the boat into the canal? I didn’t mind busing. I eavesdropped on the two girls gossiping in front of me—boy drama, of course—anything to keep my mind off of Eliza and Marlow and everything else. Tonight was just about Tristan and me.

  A beautiful evening like this one brought out lots of couples wanting a romantic stroll along the canal. Tristan didn’t see me as I approached, and I watched with delight as he hoisted the boat over his shoulder and walked it to the dock. I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture before skipping over to him.

  “Hey!”

  Tristan grinned when he spotted me, and he lowered the boat to his feet.

  “Hi, beautiful.” He pulled me into an embrace and we lingered through a warm, moist exchange of tongues.

  “You taste good,” he said as he pulled back.

  “Um, you do too.” I lifted my phone as I squeezed into his side. “Duck down for a selfie!” Tristan lowered his face to mine, and I clicked.

  “Put that away before it ends up in the bottom of the canal,” he said. “I brought us something to drink.” I hadn’t noticed the bag laying behind him on the dock. Tristan pulled out a bottle and two shot glasses. “To toast our evening with.”

  Tristan poured a small amount of amber liquid into the cups and handed one to me. He grinned. “To us.”

  I tipped my tiny cup to his and smiled back. “To us.”

  We both flung our heads back as we drank the shots. I let out a cooling breath to compensate for the burn at the back of my throat. Tristan gathered up the glass and bottle and returned them to the bag.

  Tristan slid the boat into the canal, climbed in nimbly and sat in the seat at the back. “Your turn. Go easy.”

  Wearing flip-flops turned out to be a brilliant idea since I immediately soaked my feet with the half inch of water that slushed in as I stepped in. I crouched low, vying for my balance.

  “Whoa,” I said, pinching the sides of the very-low-to-the-water vessel. How embarrassing it would be to fall in before we even broke from the dock.

  Tristan coached me. “Settle slowly into your seat, that’s it. Now relax. I’m going to do all the work.”

  Tristan paddled us away from the dock, and the craft moved lightly across the surface of the water. I breathed in and told myself to do as Tristan said and relax. It wasn’t like I could lean back, the bench didn’t have a back to it, though it did roll back and forth easily. I kept my feet locked to the edge of the boat in an effort to keep it steady.

  “Where are my oars?”

  “I told you, I’m doing all the work.”

  “Well, should I turn around then? So we can see each other?”

  “Are you sure you want to try?”

  “I’ll move slowly.”

  “Let me slow to a stop first.”

  Tristan brought the boat to a standstill, and I gingerly moved 180 degrees. The narrow fiberglass boat rocked, and I froze, not wanting to begin this evening with me dropping head first into the cold water. I held my breath and inched around until I was facing Tristan.

  “Yay! I made it.”

  Tristan grinned with approval, tossed dirty blond curls out of his eyes and started rowing again, smooth, long strokes.

  “You look like you’ve been rowing a lot longer than just this season,” I said with admiration.

  “This is actually sculling.”

  “Sculling?”

  “Yeah. Sculling is when you use two oars. With rowing, each rower uses both hands on one oar.”

  “Oh, look how smart you’ve gotten too.” I fluttered my eyes, confident he could see me flirting in the light of the rising moon.


  We moved along the surface of the canal in silence. Well, we weren’t talking, but the city noise hummed over the trees that lined the canal, dividing the campus from the suburbs of Detroit.

  I didn’t mind our lack of conversation. The shot was working its warm fuzziness on me and I was happy in the moment, taking in the last bit of light as the sunset evaporated into blackness. I soaked in the handsome features of my athletic boyfriend and admired the way his muscles moved under his shirt. The night was perfect and romantic. I wished I could reach him and enjoy a tender kiss under the moonlight, but that would have to wait until we got back to the dock.

  Tristan lifted the oars from the water allowing the boat to slow. I imagined he was preparing to turn us around, but instead he shifted his weight sharply, causing my body to fling to the opposite side.

  I screamed as my hand plunged into the cold water. I was going in, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I was jerked back suddenly just as the tip of my head broke the surface, by a strong tug of my shirt.

  Tristan held me by the shoulders until the boat settled. I shivered with cold and fury. Tears burned at the back of my eyes. Water dripped down my face, and I just knew my mascara was running.

  “What the hell, Tristan!”

  He burst out laughing. “You should’ve seen your face!”

  39

  

  Marlow

  I literally felt sick as I prepared for my “date” with Dakota. I wasn’t a ladies man, obviously, and to be honest, I didn’t even know how I’d managed to get a date with Dakota in the first place. I thought she must’ve asked me out, but my brain was kind of blurry about the whole thing. It had all happened so fast.

  I showered, brushed my teeth and panicked over my hair. Yes, I knew that guys weren’t supposed to worry about their hair, that messy and unkempt was all the rage, and that ease was the whole point. But what kind of messy exactly was considered attractive? Top tousled straight up? To one side? Swooped over the forehead? Brushed forward? This might come natural for some guys—Tristan Coy came to mind, making me feel annoyed as well as sick—but for me, I was never sure about stuff like hair. I huffed in exasperation, closed my eyes, scrubbed my hair with quick strokes and left the bathroom without looking in the mirror.

  Dakota didn’t seem like the kind of girl who cared about hair anyway. Though she didn’t have the effortless beauty Sage possessed, Dakota was cute. She oozed quiet confidence and self-assuredness—attributes I clearly lacked. I supposed that was what they meant when they said that opposites attract.

  I met her outside of her building at eight o’clock. Her hair seemed even pinker under the light of the street lamps. She wore cutoffs, a simple gray, V-neck T-shirt with a small pocket on the front right and a silver chain necklace.

  Her unadorned lips pulled up when I approached, and her wide eyes sparkled as she took me in.

  “Howdy,” she said.

  “Howdy.” I wasn’t sure what to do with my hands, so I stuffed them into my front pockets. “So, you know where we’re going?” It was her idea to go to this party. Her friends were hosting.

  “Yup.” She tilted her head to the right. “This way.”

  “Should we be bringing something? Beer?”

  “I got it covered.” She patted the large purse that slung off her shoulder. “I hope you like Shiraz.”

  “Is that a type of dance? Because I have to warn you. I have two left feet.”

  She laughed. “You’re funny.”

  I grinned. “I’m fine with red wine. A little upscale for a campus party, though?”

  “I detest the taste of beer.”

  “Shiraz it is.”

  I heard the music blaring before we turned the corner onto the street of the party building. The warm weather had people opening their windows and more than one stereo system competed for airspace.

  I followed Dakota upstairs trying to keep my gaze from lingering on her cute little behind. I tried to remember the last time I went anywhere alone with a girl who wasn’t Sage and drew a blank.

  I wondered what Sage was doing? She was probably out with… forget it. Don’t think about her.

  We reached the third floor and the door at the end of the hall stood wide open. Bodies filled the place to the point where I didn’t think two more people could squeeze in. I was about to suggest we go somewhere else when Dakota grabbed my hand.

  My senses went into overdrive: loud pounding music; the smell of sweat and strong perfume; bodies gyrating against each other; the soft, delicate hand pressed against mine.

  Somehow, Dakota maneuvered us through the maze of students until we reached a clear spot near the kitchen. The floor plan of the apartment was open, so it was really all just one big room. Dakota removed her hand from mine and started pulling items out of her purse: the wine, two plastic cups and an opener.

  I shouted over the music, “You come prepared.”

  She winked at me and stroked my arm. “I know what I want.”

  I gulped, not sure if she was talking about her choice of drink or her choice of date. Whatever it was, I had a sinking feeling I was completely out of my element.

  Dakota filled both cups and handed me one. She raised hers in the air, and I tapped her cup with mine.

  “Cheers,” she said.

  “Cheers.”

  It was too hard to talk with all the noise, so we drank and people-watched. I was more of a beer drinker, but the Shiraz was starting to have a calming effect. Dakota took my cup before I was quite finished and placed it on the counter next to hers, then she grabbed my hand again.

  “Let’s dance!”

  My heart did a backflip. “I wasn’t joking when I said I had two left feet.”

  “You don’t need to move your feet, Marlow.” She reached up for my neck and I had to bend forward a little so she could reach. I tentatively placed my hands on her hips. They were narrow and boney, but somehow feminine. She placed her cheek against my chest, and I freaked out about how hard my heart was beating. She had to be able to feel that. I couldn’t push her away, though. I couldn’t chance hurting her feelings.

  I had to control the effect she was having on my body, so I stared at the ceiling and thought about video games, how I had to beat Steve and Paul next time or I was destined to lose their respect forever. I had a calculus exam to study for and a physics assignment to complete.

  My pulse began to slow, and I actually started to enjoy this dance with Dakota. We gradually shifted in a circle, swaying in time to the music. My gaze landed on a girl I recognized. Her curls were loose, out of her usual ponytail, but it was definitely Eliza. And the guy she was slow dancing with was definitely not Zed. I stared over Dakota’s pink head, willing Eliza to notice me. I wanted her to know I saw her. I kept my gaze locked on her as Dakota shuffled around. Finally, Eliza looked up. Her eyes landed on me for a split second. She was a great actress. Not a flicker of recognition passed over her expression. Then she nuzzled her nose into the strange guy’s neck, as if she were totally unconcerned that I caught her cheating on Zed red-handed.

  After the dance, Dakota led me back to the counter where her bottle of wine had gone missing.

  She pouted. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. But, hey, I have another one at home. Do you want to go?”

  I nodded. The whole wild-party scene wasn’t for me. My head was beginning to throb. I searched the crowd as we weaved our way through, looking for Eliza, but she’d vanished.

  Dakota chatted happily on the walk home, and I think the cup of wine she’d ingested was still working its magic with her. I stopped when we got to the front door of her dorm.

  “You know, I think I’m just going to go,” I said.

  Dakota’s face dropped. “I had fun,” I added quickly. “I just have some things to take care of. I can come over tomorrow if you like.”

  Dakota shrugged. “Sure.” She didn’t move and I wondered if she was waiting for me to kiss her. It wasn’t that I would
n’t like to, because hey, I would, but it just seemed like everything was moving so fast with her. I just met her a few days ago.

  Dakota smirked and took my hand—not to hold, but to shake. “Thanks for accompanying me to the party tonight, Marlow. See you around.” She spun on her heel and skipped up the steps, and I wondered if I just screwed things up.

  All the way back to my dorm, I debated if I should tell Zed about Eliza. I found him in our room with his nose in a book.

  “Hey,” I said.

  “Hey.” He lowered his book and wiggled his brows. “How was your first date?”

  “It was fine.”

  “Just fine?”

  “Fine. Fun. I think I might’ve messed up.”

  “Already? Are you trying to break some kind of record?”

  I rubbed my forehead and sighed. “I think she wanted me to kiss her good-night, but I balked.”

  Zed chortled. “Don’t tell me you don’t know how to kiss a girl.”

  “I’m not going to answer that.”

  “Are you going to ask her out again?”

  “Maybe. Anyway, we went to this party and I saw…”

  “Saw what?”

  “Eliza. She was there with another guy.”

  “Oh. Well, she has friends besides me.”

  “Zed, I hate to say this, but they were definitely acting like more than friends.”

  “Were they kissing?”

  “Uh, no, but…”

  “Then forget it. I don’t want to hear about it.”

  Okay, then.

  It was almost one in the morning and my eyes drooped shut as I lay in bed. I had just fallen asleep when Zed shook me awake.

  “Dude, Eliza texted me. She just had a dream she drowned in the canal. Isn’t that what happened to Sage before… you know?”

  “Is she okay? Did you talk to her?”

  “I tried calling, but she’s not picking up. She won’t respond to any of my texts either.”

  I started dressing. “Let’s go to her dorm, see if she’s there.”

  We caught the last bus of the evening. Zed fidgeted in his seat and chewed on his thumbnail.