Raines looked away.
“Jealous?” Scout asked. “Of Keller? Or Sinclair?”
Raines snapped. “Keller sleeps with students. Sinclair parades around like he’s some genius. Meanwhile I’m the one doing real work.”
Burke clicked off the recorder. “You’re not leaving campus.”
They stepped into the hallway.
Students crossed the quad like nothing was happening.
Tucker checked his watch. “Keller.”
Scout was already moving.
Professor Keller — Office Suite 219
Burke didn’t knock.
Keller looked up, irritation flashing before he masked it. “Sheriff Scott, this is highly unprofessional?—”
“Sit,” Burke said.
Keller hesitated.
Then obeyed.
Tucker stepped forward. “You worked with Lauren Pierce.”
“Yes. She was dedicated. Her disappearance was unfortunate.”
“You were sleeping with her,” Scout said.
Keller’s smile thinned. “I offered support. She’d been humiliated by Benton.”
“You were married,” Burke said.
“Separated.”
“Your wife was pregnant.”
Keller blinked. “That’s not relevant.”
“It is,” Tucker said. “Because Lauren threatened HR.”
Keller shot up. Denton stepped into his space.
“She couldn’t do that!” Keller shouted. “She said things out of anger—she didn’t know?—”
“What’d she threaten first?” Scout asked quietly. “HR or your wife?”
Keller’s voice cracked. “She said she’d tell my wife after the ultrasound.”
Silence fell.
“You threaten her?” Burke asked.
A beat.
