Page 27 of What Happened on Roslyn Street? (Strode University #1)

Chapter Eighteen

I may not belong in this school, but as days pass, my life becomes an easy routine. Breakfast with Margaux, sneaking kisses with Caldwell between classes, and the three of us sleuthing together long past curfew.

Our sneaking never amounts to anything—not a single clue—but it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m enjoying the process. I have friends again, and…

I’m happy . I’ll be even happier when I find justice for Poppy.

It’s almost sleuthing hours. Curfew is about to fall, and the dormitory is stale with silence, all except for Margaux—she argues loudly , right outside the room.

With a sigh, I swing the door open, watching her with narrowed eyes. Margaux and Jun stand on opposite sides of the hallway in some sort of heated debate.

“All I’m saying is,” Margaux says, far too loud for the hour, “you have no reason to be here! I know for a fact that your dormitory is on the other side of campus. You came a long way just to stalk me! ”

I’ve rarely seen Margaux so worked up. She’s less upset about the actual murders on campus than her supposed stalker.

I lean against the doorway, rolling my eyes.

“Only someone as self-obsessed as you would accuse me of stalking,” Jun says, sharper than I’ve ever heard him. “Amelia needs an escort to her car. I’m waiting for her. Do you have a problem with that?”

“Yes!”

“It has nothing to do with you, princess. I never do anything with you on my mind. Ever .”

Amelia and Jun are sneaking out after curfew, too. Interesting. I look up and down the hall, waiting for Amelia to show herself, but it’s only the bickering pair.

Margaux’s jaw drops in offense, and she takes a step closer, still not registering my presence.

“You wish that were true,” she hisses.

“No.” He smirks. “You wish it weren’t. You’re full of wishful thinking, but you’re not even a blip on my radar right now. Maybe if you pulled your head out of your ass, you would realize we all have bigger things to worry about than you.”

“Margaux!” I call loudly, hoping to avoid what will come next.

I’ve seen Margaux argue before, and Jun’s words are enough to elicit a loud shriek—if history repeats itself. I would rather avoid the headache.

“We have to go,” I say.

“You go,” Margaux says without looking at me. Her discussion with Jun takes up all her attention. “I’ll meet you in the courtyard.”

I roll my eyes, stepping out of the room and double-checking that the door is locked. Her abandonment would be offensive, but we both know Caldwell is waiting for me.

“Fine. Maybe Jun is right; your priorities are skewed.” I swiftly make my way downstairs.

There is no saying how the argument between Margaux and Jun will end, and I’m not sure I want to know. I had always assumed it was one-sided, a display of Margaux’s competitive nature, but I’ve never seen Jun as anything but polite…

Clearly, I was wrong. He’s just as bad as she is.

Shaking off the thoughts, I step into the courtyard. Caldwell is nowhere to be seen, but I know he’ll be lingering nearby. He’s never late. I begin sweeping the courtyard, waltzing through with quiet steps to avoid security.

If only I could trust security to do their job. Maybe we would have fewer unsolved deaths on campus.

The only weapon I have is the stake in my bag. It’s better than nothing. It will protect me from one of the horrors, even if I don’t know the weakness of the others.

I jam my hand into the flap of my bag, holding onto the piece of wood.

For a moment, I pause, using my other hand to text Caldwell.

Where are you?

For once, he doesn’t text back instantly. I frown at my phone before stowing it away and continuing.

The air is damp from earlier rain. The cool of the evening twists through me, sending a shiver down my spine.

I’m sinking. It’s been easier lately, with the help of my friends, but each step I take is filled with dread. I shouldn’t be alone. Where are they ?

Anxiety visits again, sending my heart racing and my stomach dropping.

Caldwell isn’t answering. It’s late. He isn’t here. What if he was the next to?—

No, I can’t think about that.

I ignore the rapid peace of my heart and step into the little alleyway between two buildings. This is where the first body was found, according to my research.

We check it each time. Eventually, the killer will repeat old habits.

Shining my phone’s flashlight into the crevice, I step deeper into the alley. My other hand clutches my stake so hard my knuckles go white.

My pulse is in my ears. I won’t stop until I make it to the other end of the alley.

“God…” I let out a shaky laugh. Relief sinks into my bones.

Everything is fine.

I check my phone again. No text from Margaux. Nothing from Caldwell. Where are they?

I step out of the alley, squinting into the distance.

I see someone. There’s someone there.

No, there are two people—one standing and one on the ground. Finally, my phone buzzes.

Caldwell

STAY INSIDE!

My head jerks up, eyes widening at the figure ahead of me. I slip my phone into my pocket, bring the stake from the bag, and run toward the bodies.

One body is immobilized on the ground with blood gushing from the neck. The other kneels by their side, with their hands covered in blood…

And on their lap is a bird mask, a perfect replica of the one hidden in my dormitory.

I go cold as my gaze lifts to their face. I’ve become so familiar with these features. Eyes of green and blue, messy brown hair, and blood-smeared glasses falling down an angular nose.

It’s Caldwell. His phone has crimson smeared on it, and it rests near his feet.

I step closer, even as my body begs me to run. This is the first scene with visible blood dripping from the man’s neck, pooling around his body.

“No—” I gasp, immobilized by fear.

He reaches down to snatch the mask. “We have to go.”

“No!”

Caldwell looks at me with furrowed brows. “Tobey. It isn’t safe here. Come on.”

“It was you!” I choke out a sob. My stomach churning so hard I worry I may be sick. I take slow, calculated steps away. “It was you all along. You tricked me. You lied to me. You made me trust you, and—I was right. I’m not going anywhere with you!”

“Tobey! Stop!”

Those are the last words I let him get out before I bolt.

He yells my name, running after me, but I move faster. My mind rushes.

Where do I go? Do I find Margaux? Do I find security? I keep running. His footsteps are close behind me.

He’s going to catch me! A scream gets caught in my throat.

I slam into another body.

Professor Cruz. His hands find my shoulders, pushing me away, brows furrowing as he looks down at me.

“Tobey? ”

“I saw—I saw something.” Tears leak from my eyes. “A body. I need to report it. Now. Where is Margaux?”

“Is Margaux safe?”

“I don’t know.” Fear has me panting like a lost dog. “I think so. She was in our dormitory.”

“Then let us go there.” He puts a strong, protective arm around my shoulder and leads me away.

My eyes scan the area, and Caldwell…

I don’t see him anywhere.

The next moments pass in a blur. My mind is taken hostage by panic. I follow the professor mindlessly as he leads me up to my dormitory, where Margaux continues to bicker with Jun.

“Amelia didn’t come out yet?” I ask faintly.

“No. There is no Amelia. Jun is…” She trails off, a look of concern on her face when she realizes who I’m with. “Father?”

A bewildered look crosses Jun’s features. “Um… I should go find her,” he mutters, stalking off.

“No. Go to your dormitory,” he tells Jun. “There has been another kill.”

Jun’s eyes widen. “Is it Amelia? Is she okay?”

I shake my head. “It’s not her. Just… listen to him. Get to safety.”

Jun’s gaze is fixed on us for a long moment before he shakes his head and leaves.

“Let us go inside,” Professor Cruz says, gesturing to the door.

“Yes!” Margaux jumps, springing to action, her key sticking into the lock. “Come on in. Sorry about the mess…”

Of course, there’s no mess to be seen. Margaux has taken care of that. Her father still surveys the place with a wrinkled nose, finding something to be displeased about.

In my time of panic, I don’t have the energy to think of what it could be. My knees are weak as I sit down on the bed.

“What happened?” Margaux asks, with desperation coating her voice.

“I—” My voice breaks. “I found the murderer… and another body. We need to call security. They need to find him.”

“Who?” Professor Cruz asks. “Who is it, Tobey? Surely, that’s enough evidence for you to finally do something.”

I flinch at the harshness behind his words. My eyes overflow with tears, looking at the two of them through blurry vision.

“Caldwell,” I say, shaking. “I found him with the body, and… he was running after me. It’s him .”

“Benjamin Caldwell?” he asks.

I shake my head. I don’t even know his name. How could I have been so stupid?

“I—I think so,” I say.

“It’s him,” Margaux says, her chin lifting in a stubborn display. “It was him all along.”

Professor Cruz sighs. Suddenly, the ageless man looks centuries older, his expression weary and dull.

“I’ll report it to the authorities,” he says. “And I’ll be sending a car for you two. Until then, stay safe. Don’t go outside.”

Caldwell

Please stop ignoring me.

I can explain.

You know it isn’t what it looks like.

I thought you trusted me.

Professor Cruz gets us off campus quickly, and twenty minutes later, the car jostles as we’re led up the winding road to the Cruz estates.

It’s a place I’ve never visited, but I’ve always seen the house off in the distance.

On top of a hill, accessed only by dirt road, sits a sprawling estate with a gothic exterior.

I’ve spent too long staring at my phone. Texts from Caldwell continue to flood in, each making me sicker than the last. I don’t reply. I can’t reply. He’s a murderer, and he’ll be dealt with soon. I need to trust in that, but it’s not easy. Erasing the feeling of his lips on mine is impossible.

Even bringing myself to look away from my phone is impossible.