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Cove
I wake to the sound of my phone buzzing and for a second I hope it’s Mai-Tai messaging or calling me. Then I remember that she doesn’t have my number yet, I have hers. I wanted to message her last night when she bolted on me, but I didn’t. I’m not about to go chasing someone who isn’t into me, not when so many girls are ready and willing.
But…
I like Malia, I really do. I was having a fantastic time last night and, right up until the moment she ran away from me and stole my golf cart in the process, she seemed like she was too.
“Hello?” I say groggily without checking the caller display.
“Where are you?” The professor’s unimpressed voice scratches down the line. “You should have been here over an hour ago.”
Shit! What time is it? I know I didn’t make it home last night. I’m pretty sure I crashed on campus, but obviously not at Vance’s like I thought.
“Erm…”
“There’s been another murder.”
“Shit! I’m on my way.” Nothing like good news to wake you up from a hangover.
“Well, hurry. It’ll take you a while to get here from the beach house, but don’t dick around and stop for breakfast. You can eat when you get here.” He hangs up before I can tell him I’m already on campus.
Oh well, it buys me enough time for a quick shower.
I roll out of bed and look around the dorm room I’m in. It’s just a spare. An empty room with two single beds made up for emergencies like this. I remember now.
After Malia ran off with my ride home, I went back into the club and carried on drinking, meeting up with some of the guys from the surf club. We all staggered back up the hill to the dorm rooms in the early hours, and I used the backup dorm the professor secured for us. I’m sure he didn’t mean for us to use it for this reason, but whatever. There’s a mini fridge filled with snacks, an en suite with toiletries, and even fresh clothing for each of us.
He may be a dick sometimes, but he’s a pretty good leader. He looks after us well enough.
I quickly shower, brush my teeth and get dressed. I forego the snacks in favour of getting to the prof’s house faster, and I’m soon racing across campus to his place.
It’s eerily quiet. I don’t see anyone on my travels, even though it’s past nine o’clock. As I cross the quad and approach the staff quarters, I slip my phone out of my pocket and send a message to Malia.
Hey. Hope you’re okay.
I’m really gonna need that golf cart back. It’s not technically mine…but you can keep the shirt. You looked good in it ;)
I hit send and watch until the message shows as delivered, then I turn the phone off, pocket it and let myself into the professor’s place once I know the coast is clear. I don’t need to worry, the place is dead.
Probably a poor choice of words given the prof’s phone call.
“That was faster than I was expecting,” he says as soon as I walk in.
“Yeah, I was on campus,” I admit.
“Well in that case, what took you so long?”
I don’t bother to reply to that, crossing to the coffee table and snagging a bagel from the pile. I’m starving, and a little more hungover than I’d like.
“What happened?” I ask as soon as I’ve demolished my breakfast. Well, my first breakfast. That bagel didn’t touch the sides. I reach for another.
“A girl was found on the beach this morning at Descanso Beach Club,” Reef says and I blanch. “You okay?”
“That’s where I was last night. What was the victim like?”
“Similar looking to the last one. Here’s her file.” Bhodi passes me the file and I flick it open.
Blonde hair. Brown eyes. Pretty smile.
