Trouble's What You're In Read online

  “Exactly!” I threw my hands up. “I had food leftover from a restaurant, and someone threw it away and put my name on a kale smoothie.”

  “Wow…kale?”

  “Yeah.” I grabbed a breadstick and pointed it at him. “They’re monsters.”

  “I don’t understand the whole kale thing. How did it become a thing? Did people everywhere forget about collards?”

  I made a face and leaned away from him. “What do you know about collards? You’re from the Bronx. You don’t know collards for real.”

  “Did you forget I have family in South Carolina?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “You—”

  The loud knock at the door interrupted my sentence.

  “That was fast,” I murmured as Jay went to get the door. The detour added at least fifteen minutes to Gino’s each way.

  He nodded just before swinging the door open.

  He froze. I froze.

  “Hi…” Jay’s deep voice dragged the word out slowly and carefully.

  “Good evening. I’m Officer Sheldon. This is Detective Jane Lynch. Are you Mr. James Williams?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  My stomach twisted in heavy knots of nerves and fear. It was about me. It had to be.

  A youthful looking woman in a blue suit stood stoically behind the bigger, older officer. She didn’t introduce herself or even address Jay. She just stared at me as the uncomfortable exchange between the two men transpired.

  “This is a nice apartment. Jade, my daughter, wanted to live here, but it’s expensive. We tried to keep her in the dorms, but she said that if she couldn’t live here, she’d rather live at home. So, she’s at home this semester,” Officer Sheldon chuckled. “I think her bluff backfired on her.”

  Jay forced a semblance of a laugh. It was painfully awkward and ordinarily I would’ve laughed at the awkward exchange, but I was caught in a staring match with the detective.

  I was losing.

  “Is there a Ms. Brooklyn Cage in the apartment?” Officer Sheldon asked, his tone changing.

  “What is this about?” Jay’s voice was tentative but firm.

  My nerves were shot, and my mouth went dry. While it was sweet of him to do it, I didn’t want Jay to get in trouble for protecting me. In their minds, he probably looks like he’s harboring a fugitive.

  “I’m Brooklyn Cage,” I spoke up nervously. Standing slowly, my eyes bounced between the two strangers at the door. “What’s going on?”

  Officer Sheldon turned his sights on me. “We’re following up about the incident over on Fraternity Row. Where were you last night between ten o’clock last night and ten o’clock this morning?”

  “I was at a party at the Pi Rho Omicron frat house and then I came here.”

  “About what time did you leave?”

  “My phone died, and a friend put it in her purse. I don’t remember. It was late though. Well after midnight. Close to two, maybe? Like I said, I didn’t have my phone, so I don’t know the exact time,” I rambled, hoping that if I kept talking, they’d never get around to arresting me for a crime I didn’t commit.

  “What time did you get here?” the officer asked.

  “Five. I had to walk. My ride left me,” I answered nervously.

  “What’s your friend’s name?” Detective Lynch asked, her voice softer than her expression. “The one with your phone.”

  “Carter Yates,” I answered slowly.

  The officer glanced over at the detective who still had her eyes trained on me. “And about what time did you give your phone to Carter?”

  I lifted my shoulders slowly. “It died around eleven thirty. And I gave it to her soon after that. Before midnight.”

  She nodded. “What do you know about the boat needing to be fished out of the lake?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know anything about that.”

  The two cops looked at each other before I could continue.

  “I mean, I know the boat was in the lake, but I didn’t have anything to do with that. Dakota just said she wanted to prank Trevor, but I didn’t know what she was going to do. I just figured it out when I saw the boat floating far away from where it was docked.”

  The officer looked over at the detective, but she continued to stare at me silently. She slipped a small notepad from her pocket “What’s your phone number?”

  My voice shook as I rattled off numbers.

  She flipped a couple of pages in her pad. “And you live on Athletics Circle at —”

  “She was being harassed so I asked her to stay here,” Jay spoke up.

  “Harassed? How?” Detective Lynch inquired.

  “They weren’t fond of me and the feeling was mutual,” I answered. “I don’t do the whole sorority clique thing, so I spend most of my time in class, studying, practicing, and hanging out with James. I wasn’t one of them, so they made sure I was reminded of that every chance that they got.”

  “And you were staying there anyway?”

  I sighed. “I hadn’t been staying there long. Something happened with my housing. While I was waiting for them to figure it out, it seemed like the only option. Carter and I had been close at one point and time. Since she was there and the empty bed in the house was in her room, I thought it would be okay. I never really interacted with the rest of the team outside of practice and games,” I rambled, fully aware that I was doing it again but unable to stop myself. “I didn’t think it was going to be as…difficult as it turned out to be. But after last night, I just…needed to get out of there.”

  “And what happened last night?” the detective pressed.

  “I don’t really know. Everything was fine one minute and then everything became chaotic. I was uncomfortable, so I left.”

  I looked between them and steadied my breath. I knew it was the truth, but I was leaving out a lot. I didn’t want to say too much. I didn’t know how much the boat cost, but if something happened and they couldn’t get to it before it sank, any damage sustained would be considered destruction of property. And I didn’t need to study law to know that an alleged prank that I had nothing to do with could easily turn into me going to prison for a felony.

  “What do you know about the boat?” she asked.

  “I don’t know anything about the boat,” I answered.

  “But you did notice the boat, correct?”

  I nodded. “Yes.”

  “And what time did you notice the boat?”

  “When I left… so maybe, a little after two,” I answered.

  She jotted something down and the tight line her mouth formed made my heart pound.

  “Did you notice anyone on or around the boat?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “All I noticed was the boat wasn’t docked and there was a fire.” My voice broke. “I don’t know what happened or who knew about it, but I didn’t have anything to do with it.”

  Jay moved closer to me and grabbed my hand. I glanced over at him and tried to give him a small smile, but my face didn’t cooperate.

  “And were you with anyone who can corroborate your story?” the detective questioned, bringing my attention back to her.

  My eyes filled with tears as thoughts of my scholarship being ripped away and my entire future going up in flames.

  And I didn’t do anything!

  Nodding, I answered, “Yes. I was with Aiden Black. Before I left, we were talking in the basement.”

  Jay adjusted his fingers, slacking and then tightening his large hand around my smaller one.

  I looked up at his face, but he was staring at the police.

  “Aiden Black? Eddie Black’s son?” the officer asked, ripping my attention away from Jay and back to business.

  I nodded. “There were a few of us in the basement before my phone died. But maybe an hour, an hour and a half before I left, everyone had gone back upstairs to the kitchen and living room. Aiden and I stayed behind…” My sentence trailed off as I heard my tone changing. I cleared my throat. “Yes,
he can corroborate my story.”

  The detective and officer shared a look before she pulled a card out of her pocket. “We may have some additional questions for you, so I’ll be in touch. But in the meantime, if you think of anything, you call me. Here’s my card.”

  I took the crisp, white business card with the embossed lettering and stared at it. “Okay, thank you.”

  “We’ll be in touch,” Detective Lynch concluded, giving us a nod. She left the apartment with the other officer wordlessly following her.

  Jay let out a long breath. Letting go of my hand, he closed and locked the door behind them. Panic surged through me and I immediately started to shake.

  “Shit just got real,” he quipped as he turned around. His shocked face crumbled instantly when he laid eyes on me. “Brook...”

  I couldn’t move, but fortunately, he had pulled me into his arms before I had a chance to fall apart.

  With my eyes closed, I inhaled deeply and swallowed the urge to cry. I swallowed the sob that threatened to overtake my body. I swallowed everything except for the anger I felt toward Dakota.

  “I’m going to make Dakota pay for this.” My voice was hoarse and low.

  Jay held me tighter.

  We stood there silently for a few minutes. I clutched his t-shirt and buried my face deeper into his chest, inhaling him as he silently soothed me. I just knew the fibers of his shirt were imbedded in my forehead but no matter how hard I pressed; he didn’t move. He just stood firm and held me tight.

  The knock at the door startled me, but Jay didn’t move. I let my arms drop, but he still kept his arms around me.

  “Jay,” I croaked, my voice thick from swallowing unshed tears.

  I lifted my head from his chest, and he kept his hold on me.

  “Jay,” I repeated his name as another series of knocks rained down.

  I tried pushing my body away from his and he remained with his arms locked around me.

  “Jay!” I raised my voice with a slight giggle. “Get off of me and get the door!”

  He feigned surprise as he released me. “Oh, I didn’t know you were trying to get out of the hug.”

  I smiled.

  He lifted my spirits and I appreciated it. But the moment he moved away from me, I felt the loss and my smile faltered a bit.

  Although the thought of losing my academic standing was devastating, having the police looking for me made me realize the gravity of her so-called prank. What Dakota did wasn’t just mean, it was criminal. My brain was in overdrive as it warred between an emotional breakdown and a physical urge to punch her in the face. The PROs and the cheerleaders had access to lawyers that I didn’t. Their parents were probably friends with judges, and I was just the scholarship kid that was being set up to take the fall.

  Those two-faced bitches—

  “Here is your drink and a second one for the wait. Sorry about that,” the pizza guy apologized, slightly winded.

  “Thank you.” Jay took the drinks and closed the door.

  We washed our hands again and then sat side by side like we had an hour prior—before the delivered pizza, before the police arrived, before my stomach knotted. Trying to pick up where we left off, I grabbed the breadstick from my plate and Jay grabbed the remote. He turned on the TV and I was grateful for the break from having to talk.

  I took a bite even though I wasn’t hungry anymore and then I choked on it.

  “Holy shit,” Jay gasped with his entire body.

  He turned the volume up and I stared at the TV in shock and horror.

  “…body was found earlier this morning. The family has been notified and they are working with police as they seek information and justice for their only child. If you have any information regarding the University Falls Institute of Technology senior, please be sure to contact the number we’ve placed at the bottom of the screen. As we switch gears, Andrew will tell you what to expect in your forecast…”

  The meteorologist was speaking, but I barely heard a word. My body was statue-still, and I wasn’t even sure I was breathing.

  “Was that…?” Jay’s voice cut through the room even though it was barely above a whisper.

  I was speechless and only fractionally nodded my head to confirm.

  Closing my eyes to hold off the tears that quickly welled, I squeezed my eyelids so tight that my body started to shake. As much as I tried to reject the information, my brain had already started processing it. I couldn’t shake what I saw. I pushed the heels of my hands into my eyes in hopes to erase the image, but nothing helped. All I could see was the headline—UFIT senior found dead—and the picture of the dead girl—Carter Yates.

  …

  Chapter Five

  Subject: We’re Allowed To Be Concerned

  Hello Concerned Students,

  University Falls Institute of Technology senior Carter Yates (21) was found dead Sunday morning on the edge of Lake Falls, just behind the Pi Rho Omicron Fraternity House on Fraternity Row. Hours earlier a boat was in flames in the middle of the lake. Fire and emergency crews were on scene to recover what was left of the $200,000 cabin cruiser owned by PRO President Trevor Dowd. Rumors have circulated that the involvement of the prominent defense attorney Harrison Dowd, Trevor’s father, is why the information surrounding the events of this weekend remain a mystery. The by-invitation-only fraternity party was supposed to be a celebration of the end of summer. But the implications that ripple from this weekend could result in the end of unregulated parties on campus.

  Even though UFIT has done everything to keep the details under wraps, the breaking news this weekend has shaken the student body to its core. It’s unclear how the fire on the boat is related to the death of Yates. But it’s becoming more apparent that there’s more to the story than anyone is letting on. The PROs have managed to build a wall of silence around them—not confirming or denying anything related to the weekend’s events. Even as most of the student population gathered to watch the charred remains of Trevor Dowd’s beloved boat get searched, analyzed and transported, the men of Pi Rho Omicron had no comment. As always, they remain tight lipped.

  The rumors around campus have run rampant. The most prevailing rumor is that Carter Yates was drunk, went for a swim and drowned. There’s also been speculation that drugs were the reason Carter died. But since no one ever knew her to be a drug user, any drugs in her system would have likely came from someone at the PRO party. A few theories have been thrown around stating that she could’ve bought drugs as a party favor or she was drugged—both instances would have huge implications for the PROs moving forward. Cheerleaders are held to the same athletic drug policy as all other sports so the drug rumor could impact the entire squad.

  Speaking of the athletes, the rumors surrounding them have been intense. Photos posted on social media show that all members of the cheerleading squad were in attendance. There’s a rumor that all the cheerleaders dove in the lake and Carter was the only one who didn’t make it. Another rumor has it that the fire was a prank by one of the newest cheerleaders, a dance team convert. There’s been some talk about the football team being mad that the cheerleaders were partying with the PROs and not celebrating their win, so they retaliated. The only reliable source is a neighbor that said they heard loud screams and cars speeding down the street around the time of the boat fire.

  It’s been forty-eight hours since Carter Yates was found dead on the edge of the lake. In case you weren’t familiar with Carter, a picture is attached. If you have any information, please contact the police. If you don’t feel comfortable going to the police, respond to this email and I’ll get your tips to the police.

  Sincerely,

  A Concerned Student Who Is Demanding Answers

  I gasped loudly and almost dropped my new phone.

  Carter was dressed in her favorite outfit of the summer—a white floral minidress with a tulle skirt paired with sky high heels. When we’d gotten ready for the PRO party that night, she’d said she wouldn’t
be able to wear the outfit again once September was over, and she wanted to go out with a bang. But it wasn’t a picture of her from when we were at the party. It was a picture of her splayed out on a pillow of wet leaves and sludge, staring at the camera with dead eyes.

  It was haunting, ethereal and completely unnerving. But even in death, Carter looked beautiful.

  My hands shook but I couldn’t take my eyes off the photo. Who would take this? Who would share this?

  I checked and saw that the email was sent out on Tuesday. It had been four days since they’d found Carter’s body on the edge of the lake. I had no idea someone had taken pictures of her. I had no idea rumors were running rampant. The entire email was shocking, but the pictures of Carter were a punch in the gut.

  Exiting out of the email, I called my mom even though I knew she was still at work. I wanted to call Jay, but the week had been hard on both of us. I didn’t want to tell him about the email while he was driving. I stared at my phone and the very few numbers in it. My chin quivered and I let out a rough breath.

  I don’t know anyone else’s number by heart.

  Carter’s clutch, with my phone inside, hadn’t been recovered. It was presumed to be at the bottom of the lake. Since I had to get a new phone, I got a new number too. I didn’t want anyone connected to that night—namely the cheerleading squad—to have a way to contact me. I had the lost phone remotely wiped clean so none of my personal information was left on the device.

  When my phone rang, I was overcome with sadness when I saw who it was. Even though I’d left her a message half an hour ago giving her my new number, I didn’t expect her to call.

  “Hello?”

  “Oh Brooklyn,” Mrs. Yates cried causing tears to sting my eyes. “Thank you for your sweet message.”

  “How are you?” I asked her.

  “I’m having a hard time. I just can’t believe she’s gone.”

  “Me either.”

  “It doesn’t make sense.”

  “It doesn’t.”