Page 41 of Red Zone

“Mama, when I see Liam?” Lily hugged two of the Disney princess dolls she’d taken a battle stance on bringing before getting into the car.

I didn’t have the energy to fight her on the toys. Her big green eyes fixed on mine in the rearview mirror. I was so screwed. “I don’t know, Lils. Probably in a couple of days, okay?”Or never?I had no idea what was going on in his head after yesterday.

I managed to drop Lily off at daycare without further incident and hightailed it to the class I was supposed to TA. I was thirty minutes late and beyond thankful Joe had answered my Hail Mary text for help. He’d covered for me, or at least was covering for me until I showed up. I didn’t deserve such a good friend, and when I’d said as much, he’d replied that he had Megan thanks to my encouragement. We were all good.

By some miracle, I found a parking space in the student lot that wasn’t too far from the science building, and I raced down the path to the door. I yanked it open and made a beeline for the stairs, only to skid to a halt when Professor White stood threefeet from where I’d been heading. Bushy white eyebrows rose as he took in my disheveled appearance and frantic pace.

“Skye.” He glanced at his watch. “Aren’t you supposed to be TAing entry-level chemistry right now?”

“Yes. You’re right. I’m so sorry, Professor White. I was running late, and Joe is covering for me until I could get there.”

“The TA position holds a lot of weight, especially regarding financial compensation and connections that I assumed you planned to use for your future.”

“I know.” I’d dropped my chemistry major for marketing with a focus on sports and social media, though, so the TA position didn’t hold the weight he was referencing. “It’s a big deal, and I’m fortunate to work under you. I promise it won’t happen again.” Silence met my verbal barrage, and I couldn’t stop myself from filling it. “You can count on me, Professor White. I will control everything—ah, my alarm clock—so I’m not late again.”

He nodded, his lips curving slightly at the corners. “I know you will. Hurry along, then.”

I mumbled something unintelligible and raced up the stairs to room 201, waving to Joe through the door’s window. He said something to the class, gathered his bag, and met me in the hallway.

“Hey.” I flashed a weak smile. “Thanks so much for covering for me.”

“Yeah, no problem.” His brows furrowed. “Are you okay? You look like hell. You got this?”

A chill crawled over my body to think about that night. “I’m good. Yeah. Again, thanks.”

As I watched Joe walk away, determination mixed with my gratitude. I couldn’t keep letting everyone else clean up my messes. Maybe I couldn’t fix everything today, but I could start by showing up, even if it was thirty minutes late.

I hurried into the classroom, made my excuses, and went to work.

I finished that class and the next one scheduled immediately after. Both kicked my ass. I was dragging emotionally. Liam’s expression—the hurt and shock followed swiftly by fury—destroyed me.

I stumbled down the steps and threw my weight against the doors closest to the parking lot. I was ready to fall face-first onto the couch while Lily watched cartoons. Rushing down the pathway, I lifted my too-heavy head and surveyed my surroundings, drawing up short at a familiar face.

Detective Cartwright blocked my path, a tight smile curving her face. Air whooshed from my lungs as I realized I couldn’t escape last night—or what’d happened to Jackson.

“Hi, Detective. Were you looking for me or someone else?”Please, please say someone else.

“You’re just the person I was looking for.” She pulled a clear plastic evidence bag from her pocket. Inside was a laboratory sample bag with traces of powder.

My breath hitched.

“Do you recognize this?”

I moved closer, my heart pounding as I examined the bag. We often used the contaminant-free, wire-rimmed, ziplock-style bag in the science lab. It even had the university’s abbreviated lettering on the right corner.

“I do. We use them in the chem lab,” I said, my voice tight. My stomach dropped as I stared at the bag.Is this another piece of the puzzle—or the start of a nightmare I can’t escape? Professor White doesn’t seem like someone who’d…No. I couldn’t let my mind go there.But then again, how much did I know about anyone in the lab?Megan’s sharp comments about athletes flashed in my mind, and so did Joe’s quiet intensity.Everyone had secrets, and Jackson’s death felt like the key to them all.

She nodded. “It was found in Jackson’s pocket. Can you tell me what Professor White is like?”

My throat went dry. “Professor White? He’s—he’s strict but fair. I mean, he runs a tight ship, but he’s not the kind of guy to… to…” My words faltered as the weight of her question settled in.Was my professor involved in a student’s death?The idea of getting drawn deeper into the case sent a chill down my spine.

“I see.” Her eyes narrowed as if gauging my reaction. “You’re a TA for Professor White?”

“I am.”Is she pointing a finger at me? Why not?Everybody else was. It had been the worst day, and I felt the start of a headache building.

“Who else has access to the lab?”

“Oh, there’s me, of course, Joe Riken, and I guess Megan Elwood. We’re the only assistants this semester. Nobody else should be there unaccompanied, but some grad students probably use the lab with permission.”

---