Page 12 of Revere

At first, authorities labeled her death an accidental overdose. She had recently admitted to a school counselor that she was experiencing panic attacks, and they assumed she had turned to drugs to cope. It wasn’t until Professor Gray assessed the scene that they suspected anyone else’s involvement, which ultimately led them to Haven Matthews.

Haven confessed almost immediately. He claimed he and Molly were having an affair, but that the drugs started to make her paranoid. She was worried Ezra andotherswould find out. Haven asked her to leave Ezra, but she refused, spiking his own jealousy. That night, he offered her the dose that killed her.

He was sentenced to ten years in prison but was found hanging in his cell a week later.

Case shut and closed.

Professor Gray’s name is nowhere on any of the documents, just like he said. If he did, in fact, help authorities tie Haven to the murder of Molly, then it was kept out of all the reports. It’s possible local agencies wanted to take all the credit, or that, given his age, he was too new to be notable. But it leaves me wondering what else was left out.

“Chemical compounds?” Professor Gray’s voice comes from my right, and I jump, almost dropping the book in my hand.

I spin to see him casually leaning against the library stacks with his hands tucked into his pockets. Like on the plane, he’s wearing an understated pair of gray slacks and a white button-down shirt. His sleeves are rolled up to reveal his ridiculousforearms. To make matters worse, the top two buttons of his shirt are undone, showing the perfect tease of his solid chest.

A chest I’m too familiar with, given I fell into his lap and got a really good feel of it.

Blood floods my cheeks, and I spin to face the stacks again, shoving the book I was scanning onto the shelf and hoping he didn’t see me blush.

I cannot be having these kinds of thoughts about my professor. He’s thirty-seven, almost twice my age. And he’s a man I’ve revered for his work in the high-profile criminal psychology cases I’ve studied over the past couple of years.

I will not indulge in these fantasies.

“I’m double-checking the chemical components of the drug Molly was given before I continue looking at the rest of the file.”

“And you think that matters?” Professor Gray doesn’t step closer, but his low voice manages to rattle me like he’s whispering in my ear.

“I don’t know yet.”

“Walk me through your thought process then.” He lifts off the bookshelf and steps closer.

Across the library, I spot Violet watching us with an encouraging smile. But she quickly drops her attention back to her book when Jacob glances to see what I’m looking at.

“My thought process?” I clear my throat, pulling his attention back to me so it doesn’t linger on Violet’s insinuating grin.

He turns to face me. “The toxicology report clearly stated it was heroin.”

“And heroin is never laced with anything?” I cross my arms over my chest, angling my chin up.

I’m usually better about holding my tongue for respected mentors, but something about Professor Gray sets me on edge. Between his beautifully blinding smile and the mocking challenge in his tone, I can’t help myself. I need to prove why I’mhere, and that just because he saw my weakness on the plane, it doesn’t mean I can’t handle this program.

He needs to see the girl he accepted into this internship, not the one who clung to a seat cushion like it would stop her from dying if the plane plummeted. While Violet will have no problem impressing him over the next eight weeks, school has always been more difficult for me. I work twice as hard and barely keep up.

I tighten my jaw, staring up at Jacob.

Not Jacob.

Professor Gray.

“The chemical analysis didn’t show anything unusual laced in the heroin.” His head angles as he watches me. “It’s in the report I gave you. The report everyone else in class is still reading so they don’t double their work.”

“Maybe I’m not everyone else.”

His green eyes flash, edging between amusement and irritation. “Clearly.”

“And I’m aware of what the chemical analysis said. I read it already. But it also said that Molly’s levels of hCG were heightened. Which left me wondering…”

His eyes narrow the slightest, but I wouldn’t call it a glare. He’s assessing me. Seeing if I’m worth his time for this conversation, most likely.

“What were you wondering?” Professor Gray urges me to continue.