I hurried up the steps, keeping my head low. There weren’t any shadows to hide in, so speed was my main factor. Reaching for the large brass handle, I slipped inside, holding the door slightly open for Caden.
Once in the massive entryway, we moved along the wall, our steps quiet on the marble tile. I breathed in the faint scent of chemicals. The floors had been recently mopped, and the overhead lights were off, leaving most of the area dim. Somewhere ahead, a cleaning cart rolled down the hall, its wheels squeaking.
Caden held out a hand, halting my progress until the cart and cleaning crew wheeled past.
“What floor is her office?” I asked.
“Third. We’ll take the stairs, but go slow in case there’s another crew up there.”
“I have a better idea.” Kneeling, I brought my face close to Loki’s. “Good boy,” I murmured. “Go up those stairs and let us know if you see anyone.”
The dog nuzzled his nose through my hand and skipped up the steps. He wandered around on the landing, a small glow visible between the railings. A few minutes later, he reappeared, tail wagging.
“I think that’s the all-clear signal,” I said.
“Really? You speak dog now?” Caden looked skeptical.
“Loki and I are connected. He’s my familiar. He won’t lead me into danger. Unlike someone else I know.” I made a face and muttered the last part under my breath.
“What was that?”
“Nothing. Let’s go.”
The third floor was darker than the first. Trash had been emptied and the floors cleaned. We had the place to ourselves. All the offices were dark and locked tight.
Professor Roberts’ office was the second from last. A narrow metal plate with her name on it had been affixed next to the door.
I peered through the square window into her office. Faint moonlight spilled across a tidy desk. A pair of pens lined up perfectly parallel to a small stack of books. Potted succulents were arranged in a tight row. Beneath a clear blotter, she’d stored a series of sticky notes and small cards. There was no computer. Professor Roberts must have carried around a laptop. She’d been meticulous, organized. Looking through the window was like seeing the part of her she’d left behind.
Caden used the key in the door, and we entered. Loki remained outside in the hallway, a silent lookout.
“Start with her file cabinets. I’ll go through her desk.” Caden opened the top drawer and riffled through more pens, sticky notes, and various trinkets.
I moved to the first cabinet, tracking my gaze along a wall of books. The shelving was floor-to-ceiling, and there wasn’t an empty space to be seen. Historical journals, collector’s items, even some pulp fiction. It was all there.
Opening a drawer in the cabinet, I scanned the file tabs. They were typed and labeled alphabetically. I found her class schedule and student rosters and pulled them from the drawer.
Using my phone, I snapped a photo of each page to review and cross-reference later. The names of the other professors in the department I planned to pull from the student coursebook. We could start a suspect list with the names that matched the guests at the party.
Caden finished with the desk and took a picture of the contents of each drawer. He moved on to the wall of books, sliding a few out from the shelves to look for hidden papers.
We were methodical, searching every spot we could and documenting everything with photos. A puzzle piece might not fit now but could be the key later.
“I wonder where she keeps her computer. It’s not here,” Caden said as he went to examine the shelves by the windows.
“She always carried around a laptop as far as I remember. Maybe she left it at home.” I continued to go through the file folders, stopping on one labeled with this month’s date. Inside were a few pages of handwritten notes, and I quickly took photos. On the last page, I froze, thinking I’d heard something out in the hall.
Loki made a noise in this throat, the growl signaling someone was coming. The beam of a flashlight appeared, and the footsteps grew louder.
“We need to hide,” I whispered, carefully sliding the cabinet door closed so it wouldn’t make any noise.
Our gazes darted around the office, fully aware there were no places to hide. Not enough room under the desk for the both of us. No closets. Not even thick drapes hanging at the window to duck behind. We were completely vulnerable and about to get caught.
Caden tried the windows. Jerking one of them open, he leaned his head out. “You’re not going to like it, but we can go out this way. There’s a ledge we can stand on. I’ll go first and make sure it’s sturdy.”
“I am not going out the window!” My eyes widened at his intention. Was he joking?
Loki whimpered as the footsteps slowed, drawing closer to the office.
