Page 10 of Wild Escape

“What can you tell me about the sorority?”

“Everybody wants to be a Theta. Your social life is set. You go to the best parties, meet the hottest guys, and the alumni network is strong. She was so lucky to get a bid.”

“Did you end up pledging?”

“I decided to wait till spring rush. Honestly, I’ve got too much on my plate at the moment.” With a scrunched lip, she said, “There’s part of me that’s glad I didn’t get a bid at Theta. It’s such a huge time commitment, and I can barely keep my head above water as it is.”

I gave her a card and told her to call if she thought of anything else.

“How was she killed?”

“I can’t discuss the details. I’m sorry.”

She gave an understanding nod.

We said our goodbyes, stepped back into the hallway again, and called the admin office to find more information about Austin, but they had closed.

I called Isabella, my contact at Cobra Company. The off-the-books clandestine agency had vast intelligence resources. She could find out anything about anyone.

6

Ihad asked Isabella to look into Gabby's cell history. She told me, "Her device remained in her dorm room from Friday onward. It went off the grid Saturday evening at 9:47 PM.”

"By the state of decomp, she’s been in the water a day or so," I said.

"She probably left her phone behind. Perhaps she was abducted from her dorm room or somewhere nearby. The battery probably died on Saturday."

It was a reasonable theory.

"Also, there are plenty of calls and texts between Gabby and Joshua Morris. They don't fit the pattern of a usual teacher-student relationship. I think it's safe to say your information about their affair is probably accurate. Their phones appear together quite often—in his office, around town, on occasion at the Seven Seas."

"Good to know," I replied.

"I’ll snoop around the university database and see what I can find out about Austin."

I thanked her for the information, and she said she'd be in touch.

We headed back to the marina, pulled into the lot, and parked in a reserved spot by the dock. We strolled into Diver Down and took a seat at the bar. Teagan dealt out drinks to ornery regulars. In a tank top and cutoff shorts, she was always a delightful sight.

Harlan sat at the end of the bar, sipping a longneck.

With a cheery smile, Teagan asked, "What can I get for you, boys?"

"I think you know," Jack said with a grin.

"Indeed, I do." Teagan grabbed a bottle of Wild Fury whiskey, twirled it around, and poured two glasses. The ice popped and crackled as the amber liquid coated the cubes. She slid the drinks across the counter.

JD lifted his glass to toast. "To making it through another day."

It was something you could never take for granted in our line of work. We clinked and sipped the fine beverage.

"I heard about that girl who washed ashore on the beach," Teagan said. "Any leads?"

I shook my head.

“You got a vibe on this?”

She frowned and shook her head. Teagan’s supposed psychic powers came and went.