Page 116 of Soul So Dark

As soon as I drop my exam on Miss West’s desk, she glances up from her computer screen. “Alex, Principal Copenhaver needs to see you in his office,” she whispers. “If you’re finished, you’re free to go now.”

I pause, immediately suspicious. But regardless of what it’s about, it’s better than sitting at my desk doing nothing for the next hour.

When I arrive in the front office, there are two Dire Ridge police officers lingering near the admin’s desk. Mrs. Heffernan, the school secretary, glances up with a harried look as soon as she sees me.

“Principal Copenhaver is ready for you,” she says, motioning to the back hallway.

Dread settles in the pit of my stomach as I head toward Copenhaver’s office, the officers eyeing me the entire way. When I step inside, Mrs. G is there as well as another man dressed in slacks and a sport coat with a badge hanging from a lanyard. They all speak in hushed tones until they see me and Copenhaver motions to the only remaining chair.

“Mr. Barrera, have a seat.”

The office is stifling, the air thick with tension. I’ve never seen Mrs. G so serious, like she knows something is about to happen but she’s powerless to stop it. Copenhaver clasps his hands in front of him and peers at me with his usual hawkish gaze.

“This is Detective Lyle,” he introduces the other man, who I regard with the same stone face as he offers me. “I’m going to get straight to the point, Alex,” his expression turns even more severe than it already is, “there was an incident yesterday afternoon in which one of our students was seriously injured. Jordyn Harrington was found unconscious in one of the restrooms by the custodial staff. She has a massive head injury and is currently in the ICU. But unfortunately, she remembers nothing. Now—” he clears his throat, “we’re questioning everyone who was seen on the building’s security cameras around the time of the incident, which includes you.”

I can feel Detective Lyle’s eyes burning a hole in the side of my face and I start wondering whether Aiden’s interrogation advice would work in this situation, too.

Copenhaver leans back in his chair. “Vice Principal Granger says you gave Jordyn a ride home the day before yesterday?”

“Yeah.” I admit it only because it would seem more damning if I said nothing at all.

Mrs. G looks like she regrets ever offering up that piece of information, or even approaching me on Monday to begin with.

“Alex, we’re trying to be discrete about this so it doesn’t cause a panic and impede the investigation. So, it would be extremely helpful if you could answer a few questions for us.”

“OK,” I deadpan.

“You don’t seem very surprised by this news,” Lyle pipes up.

I clench my jaw and continue staring straight ahead.

There it is.

“Or maybe I should say, veryconcerned,” he adds.

I glance to my left at Lyle, studying me with a hint of amusement. On the other side of him, Mrs. G lets out a forlorn breath as her face drops to the floor.

He’s right, though. Am I surprised that this happened? No. Jordy had it coming. Do I feel bad about it? Also, no. I’ll never pretend to care about Jordy, even to save my own skin. Lyle takes my silence as an invitation to probe further.

“I heard that the two of you had a relationship that didn’t end amicably. Some might say that it was downright contentious.”

And now I know thathe’sbluffing, because the only three people at this school who know what happened—whatreallyhappened—would never tell a soul about it.

“You mean from her mom?” I surmise.

Sounds become muted and the periphery melts away as my tunnel vision begins to engage. And, in an instant, I’m transported back to a night that I wish I could forget.

“Be straight with me, Alex,” Lyle levels his gaze, “do you know of anyone who might have reason to harm Jordyn Harrington?”

Slowly, I swivel my head to meet his prying eyes.

Yes.

Yes, I do.

???

Colson crushes the rest of his drink in one gulp as Evie pumps her fist and they both resume headbanging in the middle of Leland Wiltshire’s pole building. They came covered in neon glow necklaces and bracelets, still in swimsuits from kayaking on the creek today. And with the EDM blasting through the speakers, they look like they should be at a rave rather than amongst a bunch of farm machinery.