Page 95 of Savage Elites

I raised my head. “You told me about the rape accusation she made after you had consensual sex.”

He nodded. “Shortly after that, Corrine killed herself. I swore to put an end to that chapter of my life and move on, but Ashley—”

“We’ll stop her,” said Sebastian.

“You’re not thinking of giving her what she wants?” I said.

“Of course not.” Leopold rolled up his sleeves. “But if we take away her circumstantial evidence, she won’t be able to make any threats.”

Prakash nodded. “Let’s report this to Mrs. Benazir. She’ll have the maids’ quarters searched.”

“Ashley would have thought about that,” I said. “The blackmail material won’t be anywhere on the academy grounds.”

“This is just like Scooby-Doo.” Leopold’s gaze lingered over my breasts. “Since I’m the handsome blond, I’ll take Daphne and Velma to investigate the house in Cummersdale.”

“You’ve named them?” I said.

He turned to Sebastian. “Shaggy, you and Scooby search the academy in case Ashley’s hidden her stash on the grounds.”

Prakash’s eyes widened. “I’m the dog?”

Leopold folded his arms over his broad chest. “Be grateful you’re not Scrappy-Doo or the dog with the straw hat.”

Prakash spluttered. “There was no such character in that cartoon franchise!”

Sebastian strode over patted him on the back. “Come on, Scooby, let’s make a move or you’ll get no snacks.”

* * *

After getting dressed, we split into two groups. Leopold and I headed down the stairs to the ground floor and walked through the hallway. Because of the fallout from Ashley’s surprise appearance, we’d missed breakfast, and students streamed out of the dining room, heading either to their dorms or the private study rooms to do their prep.

Up ahead, the door to Mrs. Claymore’s office opened, and a man in a suit flanked by two police officers stepped out. Something about the way the officers deferred to him told me that he was their superior.

A breath caught in the back of my throat. Had something else happened? I placed a hand on Leopold’s shoulder, and we stopped to observe from a distance.

Mrs. Benazir stood at the doorway, looking pale. “Thank you, Detective Chief Inspector. I will ensure that all my staff cooperates with your inquiries.”

Leopold and I exchanged looks. The assault case against Geraldine and Bianca had hit a dead end. If this was about Miss Claymore, why hadn’t any of us been called?

The next person to leave the office was Cormac, who held a handkerchief to his eyes. Mrs. Benazir wrapped her arms around him and murmured words I couldn’t hear.

My stomach dropped. Had Geraldine absconded with his ten-thousand-pound contribution toward their honeymoon? The pair broke apart, and Mrs. Benazir retreated to her room, leaving Cormac in the hallway.

I turned to Leopold. “Stay back. He won’t talk to me if you’re around.”

Leopold gave me a sharp nod. “I’ll wait for you at the double doors.”

Cormac bowed his head and continued down the hallway, and Leopold turned in the opposite direction, presumably to double back, run up the stairs and take the long route to the main entrance. My best friend walked into the infirmary’s waiting room and sat on one of the seats.

I followed after him, lowered myself into the seat next to him, and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “What’s happened?”

“The police came today.” He wiped his sleeve across his damp eyes. “They’re reopening Corrine’s case.”

All the air left my lungs in a single breath. “What?”

“Too many things have happened around here.” He twisted the handkerchief in his hands, Adam’s apple bobbing as he gulped. “It started with you.”

“What did I do?” I asked.