Chapter Nineteen - Divorced

That afternoon, I called Detective Cross.

I told her about Earl. About the greenhouse. About the note. About Helena's words.

"A heart attack," I said. "They're saying it was a heart attack. It makes no sense.”

Detective Cross was quiet on the other end.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? I’m freaking out here.”

“They pulled me off the case.”

“Wh..what does that mean?” I stuttered.

“According to them I couldn’t handle my divorce case and this too.”

“Divorce case?”

I knew it from the very moment I met her and saw the mark of an empty ring.

"But you don’t have to worry, I'll look into it," she said. "But if someone wanted him dead, they would have made it look natural. A heart attack is easy to fake if you know what you're doing."

"Who would know what they're doing?"

"Someone with medical training. Someone with access to the right chemicals." She paused. "Someone like Professor Vance. Or his daughter."

The same names. Over and over.

"It can’t be Helena, I need to get into that basement," I said.

"Not yet. It's too dangerous."

"Earl is dead. Alice is dead. Natalie is probably dead too.How many more people have to die before it's not too dangerous?"

She was quiet for a long moment.

"Give me forty-eight hours," she said. "I'm working on something. A warrant. If I can get it, we can go in together."

"Forty-eight hours."

"Forty-eight hours. Don't do anything reckless before then."

I hung up.

Forty-eight hours.

I wasn't sure I had that long.

---

That night, I sat on the grass with my friends.

Ashley talked about her classes. Madden showed us a new drawing on her cast. Myles made jokes that made everyone laugh.

I sat in the middle of them, surrounded by their voices and their warmth, and tried to forget the image of Earl's body lying on the greenhouse floor.

I couldn't.

But for a few hours, I almost felt safe.

"Nova," Myles said. "You're smiling."

"Am I?"

"Yeah. It's weird. Stop it."

I laughed. Actually laughed. It felt strange, like a muscle I hadn't used in years.

"There she is," Ashley said. "There's the Nova we've been waiting for."

I looked at them. At Ashley's grin. At Madden's quiet smile. At Myles's soft eyes.

For a split second, I was happy and in the blink of an eye it was gone.

I can’t keep doing this.

“Hey did you guys hear about the janitor?” Ashley’s voice ringed in my ear.

“Yeah, they said he had a heart attack. It’s so awful.” Myles contributed.

I forced myself to nod along. "Heart attack. That's what I heard too."

Madden paused the chocolate she was eating."He was fine yesterday. I saw him mopping near the science building."

"Sometimes these things just happen," Myles said, but his voice lacked conviction.

Ashley shivered. "It's creepy, though. One minute you are fine, the next you’re dead. I’m so fucking scared, first Natalie, then Alice, now this?” Tears started streaming down her eyes. “He was just an old janitor.” She said, grabbing her knees together resting her jaw on them.

“Ashley I think we need to head back inside, you need some rest.” I offered grabbing her hand.

“I agree, I’ll walk you guys.” Myles stood up helping Ashley from the ground.

We all walked back to my dorm, Madden took Ashley inside and I stood outside with Myles.

“Do you uh…wanna come in or…”

“I’m cool,I’ll just wait outside here for Madden,maybe next time. Thanks.”

“Sure.” I nodded slowly, chewing the insides of my gum. “See you around.”

As if summoned, Madden came out immediately and they both walked away from the building to theirs.

---

When I got back to my room, the note was still in my pocket.

Soon.

And I knew that whatever was coming, it was almost here.

I sat on the edge of my bed, the note crumpled in my fist. Soon. The word felt like a countdown I couldn't escape.

Ashley was already asleep, her breathing shallow, her face still wet from crying. I pulled the blanket up to her chin and turned off the lamp.

The room went dark.

I stared at the window. The curtain was still open. The fire escape was still empty. But I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was out there. Watching. Waiting.

Detective Cross was off the case. Divorced. Alone. Just like me.

I pulled out my phone and read her last message again: Don't do anything reckless.

Too late for that.

I thought about Earl. About the way his eyes stayed open. About the trowel pinned to his chest. About the handwritten note that said You're too late.

Someone had been in that greenhouse before me. Someone had killed him and waited in the dark. Someone had locked the door behind me and breathed down my neck.

They could have killed me. They didn't.

Why?

Because I was part of their game? Because they wanted to see how far I would go? Because they were enjoying this? I’m going crazy.

But I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.

I grabbed my jacket and slipped out of the room. The hallway was silent. The stairs creaked under my weight. The front door of the dorm opened without a sound.

The night air hit my face, cold and sharp.

I walked to the BioMed building.

Not to break in. Not yet. Just to look. To see if anyone was there. To see if the lights were on in Professor Vance's office. To see if the black sedan was parked in the lot.

The building loomed ahead, dark except for a single light on the second floor. Professor Vance's office. He was working late. Or pretending to.

I circled the building, staying in the shadows. The parking lot was empty. No black sedan. No cars at all.

But the side door,the one I'd used before…was open. Just a crack. Just enough for someone to slip through.

My hand went to my pocket. The photograph of Alice, my phone and the lockpick set.

I took a step toward the door.

A hand grabbed my shoulder.

I spun, my fist raised..

"Whoa, whoa." Myles stepped back, his hands up. "It's just me."

My heart slammed against my ribs. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you leave the dorm. You looked... I don't know. Determined." He lowered his hands. "What's going on, Nova?"

I glanced at the door. Still open. Still dark inside.

"Nothing. Go back to bed."

"Not a chance." He stepped closer. "You want to tell me what’s going on?"

"I couldn’t sleep

"Really Nova? You couldn’t sleep and the med lab is the first place you go to.”

We stared at each other. The wind picked up, rattling the trees.

"Earl didn't have a heart attack," I said.

Myles didn't flinch. "What? How do you know that?”

I blinked. "I have to tell you something but you have to promise me not to freak out.”

“Depends.”

“Myles…”

“Fine, fine, I gat you.”

“Follow me.”