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“That’s funny. Seems to me you must. Otherwise, you’d be keeping your nose clean.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her lip out like a petulant child.

“What were you doing in the dean’s office?”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.” He drew in a sharp breath and switched tactics. “Are you still friends with Emmaline?”

“I guess.” She chewed on a fingernail. “Why?”

His cases required confidentiality, but he needed information, and if he didn’t give her something, Cate wouldn’t share what she knew. “Her sister claims she’s in some kind of trouble.”

“I haven’t seen her at all this week.”

“Is that unusual?”

“Her apartment is only a few doors down from ours. I run into her every couple of days.”

“Should I be concerned?”

“She’s been dating this guy, Carter. Maybe she ran off with him.”

“Tell me about Carter.”

“Scratch that. She couldn’t be with him. I saw him tonight.”

“Tonight?” He had to play it cool and act like he didn’t know about the party, but his sister was no dummy. She would’ve realized when he showed up at the school and dragged her out that he had someone keeping an eye on her.

“There was a party at the sorority. He was there.”

“I’m going to need more information about this guy.”

“He’s a senior. I don’t know any more than that.”

“No?”

“He asked me out.”

“What did you say?”

“Told him Emmaline was my friend.”

“Did that dissuade him?”

“Not really. He’s a creep.”

“Do you happen to know his last name?”

“No.”

He’d have to call his PI first thing in the morning and get him investigating the guy and looking into Emmaline’s disappearance. In the meantime, he needed to text Grace with an update. Emmaline’s father wouldn’t be happy.

Masonpacedthelengthof his study. The fragrance of Cuban cigars permeated the opulent space. It was lined with cherry bookshelves filled to the brim with educational tomes, classic literature and a few contemporary literary favorites. His gaze took in the large oil painting over the crackling fire that depicted a gathering of men in 18th century attire. The Continental Alliance had understood their calling then, and it was no less clear today. And he refused to let it falter under his watch.

A text message seemed to argue the point.

Vanessa: Cate’s brother pulled her from tonight’s event.

Gavin. No doubt. A little birdie had told him about the man’s visit to Philadelphia. Hopefully, he’d go back to the big apple before he stirred up more trouble. They needed to get Cate to commit to the cause. In order to do that, she needed to be invested. The sense of camaraderie that sororities and fraternities had usually gave them the edge they needed to sneak past the defenses of the younger generation. By the time the understood what they were fighting for, they were too far in to back out. Not that anyone in their right mind wouldn’t want to be part of their venerable organization, but sometimes societies like theirs got bad press and made the youth question their validity.