CHAPTER15
Lucy
I catchmyself staring at the clock throughout class. I’ve never rushed through a lecture before, but ever since my date with Cody the other night, all I want to do is spend any free time with him. The faster this class ends, the faster I can drive to his place and see him.
Four minutes. Almost there.
But then a man in a suit walks through the doors and stands just inside the room, distracting me. The way he’s watching me, with his serious expression and hands on his hips, he has a purpose.
I finish my lecture, glancing his way several times. The man never smiles. I wonder if something has happened to Joseph. Or Cody. Tears prick the back of my eyes at the thought of Cody in danger. Well, that’s one thought I’d better get used to. The man seeks out danger.
“Have a good day, everyone,” I say, then walk to the desk to the right of the podium.
My students clear out quickly, and soon it’s just me and Mr. Serious in the room.
“Professor Taylor?” the man asks.
“Yes.”
“My name is Detective Beyers.” He hands me a card. County Sheriff’s department. “Can you tell me about the last time you saw Randy Sinclair?”
Randy?My throat goes dry.Did he actually report me?
I figure after he saw Cody, he’s simply backed off.
“The last time I saw Randy?” I echo.
“Yes, when was that?”
I think back. Fortunately, since Cody claimed to be my boyfriend, I haven’t seen much of Randy, but I do remember his friends laughing about something he said.
That was… a week ago?
“Uh, the last time I remember seeing him was last Monday.”
The detective types on his phone. “Did Randy seem distraught to you?”
“Distraught?”
Shit, Randy, what did you do?
“You know, depressed, stressed, was he anxious about his grades?”
Randy, anxious?Hardly.I snort.
The detective cocks his head.
I offer an apologetic smile. “Sorry, it’s just Randy is a very confident student. He never appears worried about anything.”
The detective nods. “Often, kids will mask their true feelings.”
I frown. “What is this about?”
Beyers shoves his phone in his pocket. “Randy has been missing for a week. It appears no one has seen or heard from him since last Monday night.”
A week? How have I not noticed Randy missing from class?
Actually, I’ve been so relieved he hasn’t waited for me before or after a lecture, and my mind has been so wrapped up in losing all my money and what’s going on with Cody.
