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I glanced down at the packet I had been handed. The front page held all of my information. My full name: Harlow Elizabeth Hampton. My birthdate. My social security number...How had Alex gotten that? Oh, right...the papers I had to fill out to work at the diner. Wasn't that illegal? I peeked up at him as the others looked through their pages. Bellamy leaned over and glanced atTexas'.
I flipped to the next page. This one held my schedule. It looked like Alex had given me just enough classes to be considered a full-time student. I scanned the titles of the classes, then the times anddates.
Mondays andWednesdays:
9:30am - 10:45am: GothicLiterature
12:30pm - 1:45pm: Introduction toPsychology
Tuesdays andThursdays:
9:30am - 10:45am: Physical Education/BeginnersGymnastics
12pm - 1:15pm: Advanced FictionWriting
When Bellamy looked away from Texas to look at my papers, his eyes widened, and he looked up, meeting my gaze. "Gymnastics," he mouthed with a smile. I couldn't help returning that smile. Alex didn’t say anything, but I know he noticed the quiet exchange. The corner of his mouth lifted. I hadn’t been in gymnastics for a while. I wasn’t sure how good I’d be, but it was just for beginners. It might be nice for a refresher and even if I wasn’t staying full term, it was thoughtful of Alex to give me back a bit of what I had lost, even if just for a shortwhile.
"A month, then,” Marv said, drawing everyone's attentionagain.
Alex nodded. "Maximum. If nothing comes up in four weeks, then I’ll be taking over completely.” Grayson lifted a brow, but wisely didn’t say anything. Yeah, I knew it seemed like he was already taking over, but I was sure it could be a lot worse. By worse, I mean, both Grayson and I could have been cut out from the investigationcompletely.
"And we'll be on call at a moment’s notice," Knix said, "so don't think for a moment that you'll be off the hook. This is like any long-term operation. You report back every night." Knix's serious, blue eyes met mine. "Every. Night," herepeated.
I nodded before I asked, "Y'all stayinghere?"
Knix grimaced and then looked at Alex like he wanted to answer, but he didn't like the answer. It made it clear that he hadn't made the decision—whatever it was—and it was up to Alex to either change it or not. Looking around the room, all eyes were back on Alex. Clarissa put a hand on his arm as a show of strength, I guessed, but why would she need to? When Alex spoke, Iunderstood.
"Knix and Bellamy will be staying in the Charleston area with me. Bell will be checking on your mother for you, Harlow; don't you worry about her." I blushed when I realized that I hadn't even given it any thought. How terrible of a daughter did that make me? I looked down and clenched my fingers along the edges of the papers in my lap as Alex continued talking. "Grayson, I'm sure you can come up with something to tell your family to explain your absence. If you need me to do anything, let me know. I can contact them if you need metoo."
Grayson shook his head and his face remained impassive. "It’s not aproblem."
I glanced at him, curious. I knew his parents were separated; I had been told way back when we were looking for the Sweratt Island thief, which had turned out to be his older brother. But would they really not notice if their other son went missing for several weeks? I watched him, but his facial expression didn't give anything away. If he thought he was getting away with that, he was dead wrong. I'd wrangle answers and information if I had to wrestle him forthem.
"Alright." Even though I wanted to scream that it wasn't alright, and I wanted to demand why the hell his parents wouldn't care, Alex nodded, and the group moved on from the topic. When Grayson turned his head slightly and caught me looking, I didn't look away like I might have before. He frowned my way. Only when Texas shifted forward, blocking my sight as he answered a question from Alex that I hadn't heard, did I manage to lookaway.
"—dorms," Alex finishedsaying.
I shook my head and looked up. "What?"
"You will be staying in the dorms, Harlow," Alex said. "In fact, you'll be staying in the dorm that Erika was set to stay in. We'll need you to ask questions there. See if anyone knew Erika. See if anyone might have any idea about where she disappeared to. She didn’t just vanish, someone knows something.” My stomach and chest clenched. She wasn't gone. She wasn't missing. We just...hadn't found her yet. She hadn't disappeared. I didn't like thinking of it like that because people who disappeared—like on those cop shows—didn't always show back up. Erikawould.
"Okay," I choked out. "I can ask questions." I nodded. "Noproblem."
"Texas and Grayson and Marv will be sharing a house nearby—within walking distance of the campus." Alex grinned, looking to Clarissa. "Clarissa's brother works on the campus up there. Man owns quite a few local houses to rent out to college students. He's being real nice about letting us rent the house for cheap." Alex dropped his grin and looked at the boys. "So, that means no fucking anything up, you hearme?"
Everyone nodded as a unit. Even Knix, Bellamy, and me—although we wouldn't be stayingthere.
Clarissa stepped up by my side with a smile. "I'll be driving you to your dorm on move in day," she admitted. "Knix gave us a budget for your room, but we don't have to stick to it too strictly. I'm sure Marv wouldn't mind pitching in." Shewinked.
"Nope," Marv agreed. "Whatever you need, Sunshine. You just let me know. Even when we get you set up in the dorm, if you feel like you’re missing something, text me or one of the others—” he shot a glance to Grayson "—even Grayson, in case of an emergency, we'll handleit."
I smothered a sigh and a grin at the same time. There was still something between the two of them, but at least he had calmed down somewhat over Grayson joining in on the operation. His brother was involved, anyway. That thought made me let the sigh slip through as I looked back at my papers. It seemed we were back at thebeginning.
