Page 70 of Make No Mistake

It was left on a strange channel that only played black and white shows. What had Aubrey been watching? I clicked down to the local news and hoped there was an update.

They were discussing the weather, so I focused on my breakfast until they mentioned the CU attacker. I dropped the bagel and turned up the volume.

“The attacks at CU have continued, bringing the total to four female students.”

Luckily, they didn’t mention any of the specifics of her attack. The police were probably limiting what they were putting out since they still hadn’t caught the culprit. Not letting him know how much they knew was a good decision, but it was frustrating not knowing what they did or didn’t know.

“While the police have remained vigilant in tracking this person, no arrests have been made, and the attacker remains at large.”

I let out a breath and gave up on eating. Food was the furthest thing from my mind now.

I fell back against the couch and reached for my laptop on the side table. My hand hit wood.

I leaned over and found nothing. I always kept my laptop there. Maybe Aubrey had moved it. I stood and wandered through the kitchen, living room, and my room still not finding it. It wasn’t in my car. I knew that for sure.

Had I taken it to campus? Maybe I’d left it in the lab.

I needed to get to class, and I could stop there on the way, so I hurried to get dressed and pulled my hair back in a quick braid before rushing out the door.

When I got to the lab, I was surprised to find it almost empty. I waved to Lennon who was huddled behind a monitor and did a quick once over for my laptop. It didn’t look like it was here either.

“Hey, Lennon?”

He sat up straight so I could see his eyes just barely over the screen.

“Did you happen to see a laptop lying around when you came in?”

He shook his head. “No, I …” He stopped and cleared his throat. “No, there wasn’t anything out when I got in.”

“Thanks. See ya.” I turned and headed to my first class. I couldn’t for the life of me remember the last time I’d used my laptop or where it could be.

I sent texts to Jay and Aubrey, asking if either of them had seen it or remembered where I left it. Aubrey was the mom of the apartment and always knew where things were.

Taking notes in an actual notebook through my classes was dreary, but I survived. It took me back to high school when I didn’t have the internet to distract me during boring lectures.

Unfortunately, when I checked my phone neither of them had seen or knew the whereabouts of my laptop. Jay told me to check the lab, and when I told him I already had, he was just as confused as I’d been all morning.

I stopped by the lab again after my last class and managed to focus long enough to write and submit my weekly article. It wasn’t necessarily anything to be proud of, but I could only muster so much excitement over the new exhibit in the art museum on campus. I was just grateful it was a brainless task and I didn’t have to worry about another piece for a week.

Expect for my project.

The only real thing that stood between me and graduation.

I let out a sigh not caring if anyone around me heard and thought I was crazy. I was about halfway back to the apartment when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

Aubrey had texted and told me my laptop was in the living room. On the side table.

I stared at the screen until the words sunk in.

How? I’d checked every inch of the apartment.

I shook my head and began coming to terms with the fact I was losing my mind.

The door swung open when I inserted my key to unlock it. Aubrey stood looking at me with a smirk on her face.

“You obviously didn’t look very hard.”

I shot her an evil eye and pushed past her. Sure enough, my laptop was sitting on the side table. Not the one I normally used, but still. Sitting right there in plain sight.