Page 85 of The Deceptions

Mack turns to me, narrowing his eyes. “We’ll discuss this more later.”We most definitely will not.He saunters off, taking a seat next to a larger man with bulky muscles. Every now and again, I feel their eyes looking through me, but I don’t pay them any mind.

“Stay clear of him and his buddies. Even that one,” Wade murmurs lowly, nodding toward Wilder under the sound of the professor introducing himself and what we should expect in this class.

“They dangerous?” I ask, finally unsticking my tongue to the roof of my mouth.

Wade turns an ashy grey, confirming to me what I suspected all along. “Just be careful, okay? Scholarship students tend to gomissing around them.” He shakes his head, backing away, just as I have more questions to ask.

“What do you mean by that?” I hiss, leaning in his direction.

Wade’s eyes dart between the professor and me before he clears his throat. “It’s a rumor. I guess. Not really, though. My mom had to deal with all this shit. But last year, ten scholarship students just poof! Disappeared. I mean, some of them dropped out and ran back home, but there was something that spooked them. I’m not saying it's those three for sure. Or even Wilder and his buddy. But something fishy is going on between those two houses. They’re like the Montagues and Capulets from Romeo and Juliet. Minus the love interest.” He shudders. “They hate each other. Besides, there’s also the dead body that showed up at the end of last year.”

So, a dead body showed up a few months ago. Is that why I’m truly here? To figure out who murdered the student? I stiffen. Am I in any danger? I am a scholarship student on paper.

Fuck. This just keeps getting more and more complicated by the second. Wade is insinuating that the gangs had something to do with the body. But do they? Or is there a new big bad in town? So many questions.

“Dead body?” I question, trying not to draw attention to our discussion.

Wade discreetly nods. “Yeah, man. It was a scholarship student. It’s why we all have a curfew now. Scared the campus shitless. Never found out who did it. But the guy showed up with his heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys missing.”

I blink several times. Vital organs missing? What was this, a supernatural academy? Are vampires and werewolves walking among us? I shake my head. No. This is something.

“And no one ever figured out why or who did it?” I mumble.

“Nope.” Wade scrunches his nose. “So, just be vigilant. You’re new here and a prime target for assholes like that.” Hegestures to Mack, a few rows ahead of us, leaning over to talk to his friend.

I catch myself watching Mack intently. Was it him? Does Franco have them doing more dangerous operations than before? Are they spiraling into a situation they never wanted to be a part of?

Probably.

A long time ago, they told me they wanted out. They were doing what they had to do to survive under his roof, including college. Then, they were done. We were going to run away to a better life.

But are they doing more than that now? Are they murdering people for Franco?

I shake my head when the professor dismisses us with a hand wave twenty minutes early. I shouldn’t care what they’re up to now. Not really. I should focus on the case at hand. But I’ve always been way too nosy for my own good.

Getting up from my seat after the majority of the class has left, I dig out my phone and open up my text messages and message the only person I can think of for help.

Oli

Can you do me a favor? I’ll owe you.

Carter

All you fucking do is take, take, take… And you always fucking owe me. I swear to fucking God you’re always begging me for some sort of help…

I can practically hear the growl in his voice through text messages. I peer around the empty classroom, relaxing in the silence. Even the professor left with a huff, not noticing my presence.

Oli

Can you track this IP address and tell me where it’s originating from? Also… can you dig up information on the murder that happened at Greenwood University in May of last year? The missing organs case?

For several beats, I don’t hear anything back from him. But I continue slowly making my way out of the classroom, attempting to get an answer out of Carter before I hit the quad.

Carter

Missing fucking organs? Wtf have you gotten yourself into? You know what? Fuck it. I don’t want to fucking know. I’ll look into it. Now, stop fucking texting me.

I roll my eyes at his message. Typical Carter. But whatever. The quicker I can get the information, the better off I’ll be with this mission. Maybe I can find out who murdered the poor kid last year and solve it once and for all.