Page 7 of Old Money

I check in with my contact at the university a few times a day. Being that I’m the school’s biggest donor, I get a lot of perks. I also ask that he makes sure it does not get out that I was on campus.

All the victims have been identified. He’s sending me the list.

And as I scroll through it, I see the name.

Lucy.

I know there are probably multiple Lucies at Carrington, so I ask him to check who her roommate was.

Sawyer Willis.

Fuck.

I sigh in the backseat of the car, swiping a hand down my face.

I open the contact for her phone and send a text.

Checking in on you. It’s been a few days.

I see the dots pop up, then disappear, then pop up again.

It’s Julian, by the way,I send back.Took the liberty of adding my number to your phone, in case you need anything.

Thank you so much,she sends back.Lucy is dead.

I know. I’m so sorry, Sawyer.

Dots, then no dots. Then dots again.

My mom has to go back tomorrow.

I know. A car will pick you guys up to bring her to the airport tomorrow around eight.

You don’t have to do that.

Stop, Sawyer. Keep my number. Text if you need anything. Anytime.

The next morning,as Tyler is getting ready to take the elevator down to the car, I stop him.

“I’m riding with you,” I say. He gives me a confused look. “I want to meet her mom. Check in on them.” He nods without questioning me, and we go down to the car.

When we pull up outside of their hotel, I reach for the door.

“I’ll get them, J,” Tyler says. “You’ll be spotted here.”

He’s not wrong. We got them a suite in the Grand Hyatt right above Grand Central Station. We just pulled up in a blacked-out Escalade. Eyes are already on us. And it’s not like I’m not used to being noticed, and normally, I don’t let it faze me. But right now, it does, because I’d be drawing them to her. Not only do I not want to do that to her and her mom, but I also don’t want anything connecting me back to that campus. I can see the headlines now, the requests for interviews.

Billionaire escapes mass shooting.

Julian Everett narrowly escapes gunman.

No.

Thirty-three people are dead.

So as much as the chivalry in me is dying to get out, I let Tyler greet them and get the door.

And when Sawyer sees me, I see her eyes widen and her shoulders instantly loosen.

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