The floor drops from under me and I’m falling, falling, falling back into that black moment. “I th-thought you were investigating her as a missing p-p-person,” I stammer.
The detective with the notepad shoots his partner a dirty look. “Sorry. He’s new to the force and hasn’t quite mastered his bedside manner yet.” He shakes his head and sighs. “Anyway, Jade has now been missing for almost two weeks, which means we need to pursue this case from all angles.”
“We need to find her whether she’s dead or alive and make sure anyone culpable in her disappearance is executed to the full extent of the law,” the one I’m beginning to think of as the bad cop reveals, an unsettling smile snaking across his otherwise handsome face.
“Executed?” I squeak.
Director Black clears her throat as if to remind us all that she’s still here, observing from the background. It helps calm my racing heart.
“He means punished.” If looks could talk, Good Cop would currently be conducting an execution of his own. “Back to why we’re all here. Do you know anything about your sister’s disappearance, Amber? Anything at all?”
“Should Ms. Steele have a lawyer present?” Warden Black interjects on my behalf. Suddenly every bad thing I’ve ever thought about her drifts away into nothingness. Right now, she is my hero.
I stroke bun-bun beneath my shirt, wondering if he can feel how frightened I am in this moment.
“No, no need,” Bad Cop insists, then turns his hawk-like gaze on me. “We’re just having a friendly chat. Aren’t we, Miss Steele?”
As much as I hate to lose a challenge, I rip my eyes away from the detective and glance imploringly toward the director, the only person I know for sure is on my side here.
“I don’t much care for your tone,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest and striding closer. “You may leave now. If Amber has anything to share, she can call the precinct.”
“We aren’t done here yet. She hasn’t even answered any of our questions!” The big officer explodes in response.
“Go wait in the car,” Good Cop growls to Bad with a sideways glance. He reaches forward and places a hand on my shoulder. “Amber, we want the same thing you do, the safe return of your sister. Unless you have information that might suggest such a thing isn’t possible. Let me ask this again, is there something you’re not telling us?”
“I…” I begin, but don’t know where I’m going with my answer.
“You’ve overstayed your welcome and given me quite a few doubts as to the authenticity of those badges you showed me. Might I see those again?”
“Fine, we’ll go,” the tall one says, running a hand through his blond hair with a heavy sigh.
“But we’ll be back soon, and we’ll get the answers we came for,” the other adds.
I’m so close to tears now that I am shaking. I focus all my attention on stroking the little animal positioned over my heart as Lacey Black shoos the other vermin from her office. I’ve never dealt much with the police in my life, but something about these two felt off. My suspicions are raised, as are my hackles, but I do my best to tune out the commotion in the office as the Warden pushes the two men toward the door then slams it in their faces.
She turns back toward me with a triumphant smile, wiping her hands clean as she approaches. “My apologies about that.”
“They were weird,” I say on the wings of an exhale.
“Very weird,” she agrees with a nod. “I only know the most general details of what brought you to Drakewood, Miss Steele, but I suggest treading lightly. Someone is out to get you, and they don’t seem to play by the rules.”
I laugh under my breath. “I thought there were no rules here.”
“Only the rules about the boundaries, and those two were definitely out of bounds.”
“Thank you for your help.” I rise to my feet and offer Warden my hand as if I’m only just now meeting her the first time.
She accepts but says nothing more as I stumble toward the door, out of sorts.
“It may be best for you to stay here for a while. Just in case those two are still lurking somewhere close.”
“Oh, oh, right,” I mutter, realizing that once again this harsh woman has saved my bacon. “Do you think you could get Gabe and Beau to come walk me back to my dorm?”
I’m an alpha. I’m supposed to be able to take care of not only myself, but also my pack. Unfortunately, right now I am outnumbered. If those goons are lying in wait for me, then I don’t stand a chance.
Not without a protection detail.
The Warden shakes her head. “I’ll call Professor Hudson to escort you. He is better trained and prepared to handle this sort of situation. Meanwhile, there is something I want to check.” She traipses over to the same area that holds the safe where she keeps student phones and other contraband and extracts a tablet. “Let’s see what the cameras picked up.”