Gallagher die and the death threats afterward and the testifying done far more damage to her mind than anyone suspected? Had her stay in the hospital worked? Or not?
“Yes,” Quinn said, “she’s fine. We’re all upset by what’s happening on campus, though. I wonder, do you know the names of those people who came to the trial every day? The blonde girl, and the two guys?”
He shook his head. “Nope. But I can probably find out. Why? You know something I don’t?” His eyes narrowed. “Not thinking of playing detective, are you, miss? This is serious business, you know.”
“No. I don’t know anything.” Was that ever true! “I was just curious.”
“Well, give me a call later. Maybe I’ll have the names then. Don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t have them, especially with the Thomason girl being your roommate.”
Quinn thanked the officer and left.
By the time she arrived back on campus, she hadn’t figured out a single thing. Except that Tobie had been through hell. And maybe she had come out of it okay, and maybe she hadn’t. Had she been lying about writing Simon that letter? The way she’d lied about being with Danny last night?
Wouldn’t having someone you loved taken away from you make you hate other happy couples?
Quinn got out of her car in the parking lot to find Simon standing on the curb, smiling.
“Been out joyriding on this gorgeous afternoon?” he asked, coming over to her and giving her a quick kiss. “Can’t blame you. I’m hurt that I wasn’t invited, though.” He pretended to pout.
“I … I had to run to the mall. Did you try the room? Was Tobie there?”
“Nope. Nobody home. Any plans for this afternoon?” Simon asked casually.
There wasn’t a single thing she could do until Tobie returned, or until she talked to the policeman again and got those names. A blonde girl … a couple of guys … that could be anybody. Anybody.
She wanted the attacker who had tried to frame her to be anybody. Anybody but Tobie.
“No. I have no plans. I wouldn’t mind taking a canoe out on the river, though.” Maybe getting off campus and onto the water would clear her mind, help her think more clearly.
Out on the water, the sun shining down on them, the river quiet, the time passed quickly. The bright sunshine had warmed the air again, and theirs wasn’t the only canoe on the river. It was almost possible for Quinn to believe that she’d imagined everything that had happened recently. It was almost possible to pretend that the campus of Salem University was as calm and peaceful as when she’d first arrived in late August.
That seemed like years ago.
When, sunburned and tired, they arrived back on campus at dusk, Simon was starving. “I’ll go shower and change,” he suggested. “Fast. I’ll come back and pick you up in an hour for dinner, okay?”
She wanted to talk to Tobie. But she had to eat, and Tobie might not be home yet. They could talk after dinner. “Okay. See you then.”
Tobie wasn’t in the room, and there was no sign that she’d been there.
Quinn wrote her a note, asking her to please wait in the room if she got back before Quinn did. Then she took a quick shower and changed into jeans and a sweater. Now that the sun had gone down, it would be chilly outside.’
While she was waiting for Simon, she called Ivy’s room, asking for Suze. She still hadn’t found out why Suze had lied about Reed’s purse.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Ivy said. “Do you really expect Susan to be in on a Saturday evening? Quinn, you know better than that. But I’ll tell her you called.”
I am just not getting any answers, Quinn thought, annoyed, as she hung up. All these questions, and not a single answer in sight.
As she turned away from the telephone, her eyes drifted past the clock on her nightstand, and then, when she noticed the position of the hands, returned to it in surprise. Ninety minutes had gone by since she and Simon had parted. Ninety
“Yes,” Quinn said, “she’s fine. We’re all upset by what’s happening on campus, though. I wonder, do you know the names of those people who came to the trial every day? The blonde girl, and the two guys?”
He shook his head. “Nope. But I can probably find out. Why? You know something I don’t?” His eyes narrowed. “Not thinking of playing detective, are you, miss? This is serious business, you know.”
“No. I don’t know anything.” Was that ever true! “I was just curious.”
“Well, give me a call later. Maybe I’ll have the names then. Don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t have them, especially with the Thomason girl being your roommate.”
Quinn thanked the officer and left.
By the time she arrived back on campus, she hadn’t figured out a single thing. Except that Tobie had been through hell. And maybe she had come out of it okay, and maybe she hadn’t. Had she been lying about writing Simon that letter? The way she’d lied about being with Danny last night?
Wouldn’t having someone you loved taken away from you make you hate other happy couples?
Quinn got out of her car in the parking lot to find Simon standing on the curb, smiling.
“Been out joyriding on this gorgeous afternoon?” he asked, coming over to her and giving her a quick kiss. “Can’t blame you. I’m hurt that I wasn’t invited, though.” He pretended to pout.
“I … I had to run to the mall. Did you try the room? Was Tobie there?”
“Nope. Nobody home. Any plans for this afternoon?” Simon asked casually.
There wasn’t a single thing she could do until Tobie returned, or until she talked to the policeman again and got those names. A blonde girl … a couple of guys … that could be anybody. Anybody.
She wanted the attacker who had tried to frame her to be anybody. Anybody but Tobie.
“No. I have no plans. I wouldn’t mind taking a canoe out on the river, though.” Maybe getting off campus and onto the water would clear her mind, help her think more clearly.
Out on the water, the sun shining down on them, the river quiet, the time passed quickly. The bright sunshine had warmed the air again, and theirs wasn’t the only canoe on the river. It was almost possible for Quinn to believe that she’d imagined everything that had happened recently. It was almost possible to pretend that the campus of Salem University was as calm and peaceful as when she’d first arrived in late August.
That seemed like years ago.
When, sunburned and tired, they arrived back on campus at dusk, Simon was starving. “I’ll go shower and change,” he suggested. “Fast. I’ll come back and pick you up in an hour for dinner, okay?”
She wanted to talk to Tobie. But she had to eat, and Tobie might not be home yet. They could talk after dinner. “Okay. See you then.”
Tobie wasn’t in the room, and there was no sign that she’d been there.
Quinn wrote her a note, asking her to please wait in the room if she got back before Quinn did. Then she took a quick shower and changed into jeans and a sweater. Now that the sun had gone down, it would be chilly outside.’
While she was waiting for Simon, she called Ivy’s room, asking for Suze. She still hadn’t found out why Suze had lied about Reed’s purse.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Ivy said. “Do you really expect Susan to be in on a Saturday evening? Quinn, you know better than that. But I’ll tell her you called.”
I am just not getting any answers, Quinn thought, annoyed, as she hung up. All these questions, and not a single answer in sight.
As she turned away from the telephone, her eyes drifted past the clock on her nightstand, and then, when she noticed the position of the hands, returned to it in surprise. Ninety minutes had gone by since she and Simon had parted. Ninety
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