Fractured by Karin Slaughter Page A

right in the middle of things.
    "It's all right," she assured him. "I told you, Gabe, I'm not here because of two ounces of weed and a bootleg of The Bourne Ultimatum. "
    He chewed his lip, staring at her, probably trying to figure out whether or not he could trust her.
    For her part, Faith was wondering what was taking Will Trent so long. Though she wasn't sure if his presence would help or hinder the situation.
    She asked, "How long have you known Adam?"
    "About a week, I guess. I met him on move-in day."
    "You seemed pretty eager to take up for him."
    She was getting better at reading his shrugs. His main concern had been the illegal bounty-probably the downloads more than the drugs, considering that ripping off movie studios carried a much stiffer penalty.
    Faith asked, "Does Adam have a car?"
    He shook his head. "His family's pretty weird. They kind of live off the grid. Real eco-minded."
    That would explain the rural route. "What about this?" She pointed to the expensive television, the game console.
    "They're mine," Gabe admitted. "I didn't want Tommy, my dormmate, fucking with them." He added, "But Adam plays, too. I mean, he likes to be outside and all, but he's a gamer, too."
    "Does he have a computer?"
    "Somebody swiped it," he responded, and Faith wasn't as surprised as she should have been. Theft was a rampant problem with this generation. Jeremy had had so many scientific calculators stolen from him at school that she had threatened to bolt one to his hand.
    She asked, "Where does Adam check his e-mail?"
    "I let him use mine. Sometimes he goes to the computer lab."
    "What's his major?"
    "Same as me. Polymers with a focus on spray adhesives."
    That must have impressed the ladies. "Does he have a girlfriend or anyone he hangs out with?"
    Gabe's shoulder went up in a slightly defensive manner. "We all just got here, you know? Not much time to hook up."
    "Are you from out of state?"
    He shook his head. "I went to Grady."
    Grady was a magnet school, which meant they drew the top students from other schools in the Atlanta system. "Have you ever met Kayla Alexander or Emma Campano?"
    "Are they at Grady?"
    "Westfield."
    He shook his head. "That's in Decatur, right? I think my girlfriend went there. Julie. She's been kicked out of a lot of schools."
    "Why is that?"
    He gave a shy half-smile. "We share a distrust for authority."
    Faith smiled back. "Does Julie go to Tech?"
    He shook his head again. "She went to State a few quarters, then dropped that, too. She tends bar nights in Buckhead."
    Buckhead was a wealthy section of Atlanta known for its nightlife. Faith gathered Julie was at least twenty-one if she was allowed to serve alcohol. The four-year age difference between her and Emma Campano would have meant the girls would not likely have crossed paths.
    Faith asked Gabe, "How'd you hurt your wrist?"
    He colored slightly. "Stupid stuff. I slipped and fell on my hand."
    "That must've hurt."
    He held up the cast, as if he still couldn't believe he'd injured himself. "Like a mofo."
    "Which bar does Julie work at?"
    He dropped his arm but his guard went back up. "Why?"
    Faith guessed he'd been cooperative enough to warrant an explanation. "Gabe, I need to tell you what happened to Adam today."
    There was something like a loud "woof" echoing in the hallway. Gabe whispered, "Fuck."
    Two seconds later, Faith met the reason behind the expletive.
    Gabe reluctantly made introductions. "This is Tommy Albertson, my dormmate."
    He was as pasty as Gabe was dark, and Faith knew instantly that Gabe's assessment had been right on the money: the kid was an asshole. As if to prove it, Tommy's tongue practically hung out of his mouth as he stared at her. "Yowza. Me likes a woman with a gun."
    Gabe hissed, "Shut up, man. Adam's in trouble."
    "I was about to tell Gabe…" Faith directed her words to the young man. "Adam was killed this morning."
    "Killed?" Tommy rocked onto the balls of his feet as he pointed his fingers at Faith. "Shit,