During study hall, Luke discovered that he didn’t have his history textbook. He had vague memories of taking it out during lunch to finish his assignment but couldn’t remember if he had left it in the dining hall or somewhere else. His head really was in the clouds. Unfortunately, he had a quiz first period tomorrow, so he’d have to go to the library to borrow their copy.
“’Sup, Chase. Wanna hit Main Hall?” asked Andy when Luke got outside.
“Nah, I gotta go to the library and get a book. I’m slammed.”
“Dude, what’s wrong with you? You’ve been under a rock lately,” said Andy. “You sneaking around collecting community service hours I don’t know about? I still need another eighteen to meet the graduation requirement. Guess I’ll have to work at the Autumn Fair or something.”
“I only need about five more,” Luke said. “I’ll get them over the summer. I’ve just been busy.”
“I hear you. All these American lit essays have been killing me this term. So what’s up with Oscar?”
“Don’t know. His parents won’t let him talk or anything. They’re being really harsh,” said Luke.
“That’s weird. Oliver’s brother just went to an Imagine Dragons concert with him in the city. They can’t be that harsh.”
Luke turned to Andy. He felt his stomach drop. “Really?”
“Yeah, I saw them on Snapchat. Oscar’s living the life. I’m sure his dad will just make a call, and he’ll get into Harvard or Yale or wherever everyone in their family went for generations, so what does he care? Supposedly he’s been hooking up with some older chick, too. A teacher from his old school.”
Luke had a sinking feeling. An older woman? A teacher? Oscar had made it clear he wasn’t into older women. In fact, hadn’t he said directly to Luke’s face, Do I look like a cougar lover to you?
“Seems like you know more than me,” confessed Luke reluctantly.
“The roommate’s always the last to know, Chase. Catch you later.”
So it wasn’t his imagination. Oscar had been dodging him. What the…? Luke didn’t even want to go there. Had Oscar been playing him all along? Couldn’t be. Maybe Oscar’s parents were being really lenient. Maybe they didn’t think it was a big deal that he was accused of murder. But that certainly didn’t sound like the Weymouths. They were always all over Oscar for everything.
At the very least, Oscar could have the courtesy to send him a message. Why was he totally avoiding him? Was it because of this teacher he was seeing? Luke’s mind raced, but he couldn’t remember Oscar ever alluding to a teacher from home who he was interested in. It didn’t make sense. If only Oscar would be honest with him. Luke continued to the library but couldn’t help feeling seized by anger. Oscar had totally frozen him out.
Once again, it was nerd city in the library. Luke noted that if he ever got serious with a girl, the library at nine o’clock would be the prime place for alone time. Old Mrs. Pemberly was at the desk.
“Hi, Mrs. Pemberly. Can you tell me where Civilizations and Communities is? It’s on hold for Ms. DeStefano’s class.”
“I think that’s on the second floor, near the back. But we’re closing soon.”
“I’ll be quick. Thanks.”
If the first floor had seemed deserted, the second floor was even more so. Luke walked along the padded carpet to the very back wall where there was a low row of bookshelves. Each section was marked by a teacher’s name and filled with books from the various classes. Luke spotted his book right away and picked it up.
“Just turning off the lights up here,” said a voice.
Luke was behind several bookshelves so his view was obstructed. He leaned forward and saw Mrs. Heckler walking toward the other side of the room. She was wearing a long skirt and a turtleneck and moved slowly. He watched as she pressed the light switch, and, within seconds, the fluorescent lights flickered and then went black. The only light now came from the walkways outside.
Luke held the book tighter and started to leave.
“Mary.”
Luke froze when he heard the voice. He peeked his head out and saw through the shadows that it was Dean Heckler.
“Carl, what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to talk to you,” he said in a low voice.
Luke’s heart started racing. What had he stumbled upon? He stealthily crept as close as he could to his side of the shared bookshelf and pressed his ear against a row of encyclopedias, craning his neck to hear everything.
“They’re looking for something of Joanna’s,” whispered Dean Heckler.
“What are they looking for?”
“A piece of jewelry, I think, but I don’t exactly know,” said the dean.
“Why are they looking for it?”
“They think her killer took it.”
“Do you have it?”
“Of course not.”
“Come with me,” said Mrs. Heckler. “I’m just turning off the lights.”
“I’ll help you.”
The bracelet! The dean was talking about the very thing that was burning a hole in his pocket. He hadn’t known what to do with it since he found it, so he’d kept it on him at all times until he could figure it out. He had to get rid of it.
Luke could see through the slats in the bookshelf that the dean and his ex-wife had started walking toward the front row of bookshelves, where Luke would be instantly spotted. Should he walk up to them and expose his presence, or would they then know he had been eavesdropping? He snuck along the row of bookshelves parallel to them. He’d have to cross through the light to get downstairs and they might see him. He looked left. There was the tower. He could just go up there and pretend he was stargazing or something. Luke quickly walked up the spiral steps. He stopped when he knew he was in complete darkness. He leaned forward to listen.
“You did the right thing,” said Mrs. Heckler.
“You think?”
“Of course,” she said, her voice consoling.
“I mean, it was Joanna’s money, and she left clear instructions as to what she wanted done with it when she…” the dean’s voice trailed off.
“The circumstances of her death shouldn’t change that,” said Mrs. Heckler. “She wanted you to be in charge.”
So the dean had taken the money after all! There’s motive right there, thought Luke.
“Let me put this book away,” said Mrs. Heckler.
It sounded like she was getting closer. Luke didn’t want them to know he was there, but where to go? Frustrated, he glanced up at the tower. He hadn’t been up there in years. Curious, he started quietly walking up the spiral steps.
When he reached the top, he glanced around. It was totally dark, so Luke had to wait for his eyes to adjust. Only light from the moon and the lights below illuminated the room. The space itself was very small; it could maybe fit two people. It was a purely decorative adjunct to the building, another feature that its architect was famous for. Luke felt around in the dark. He touched something, and realized it was a video camera, set up on the ledge. Luke leaned close to it and squinted. DIGITAL YEARBOOK was written on a piece of masking tape that was attached to it. That was weird. Usually the digital yearbook was a video made at the end of the year compiled from hundreds of student videos taken on their phones. This must be something new. Luke glanced outside to see what direction the camera was pointing in. The woods.
Luke leaned down again and put his eye on the lens. It was a direct view of the woods. The very woods where Mrs. Heckler was killed. Perhaps the digital yearbook camera had a recording of someone heading there. Her killer. Luke clicked it open and slid out the memory card. He pocketed it. Excited, Luke started down the steps. Just as he got to the bottom—boom! He almost walked straight into Dean Heckler and Mrs. Heckler.
“What are you up to?” asked the dean with a frown.
“You nearly scared me to death!” said Mrs. Heckler.
“Sorry, um, I was up in the tower. Checking out the stars. It’s a beautiful night,” said Luke. He thrust his hands in his pockets, praying that they couldn’t see the guilt on his face.
“It is beautiful,” said Mrs. Heckler. “There’s a wonderful view up there. I don’t know why more people don’t use the tower.”
“I know. It’s great.”
The dean looked at him skeptically. “I find you in the most unusual places, son.”
“Really?” asked Luke. “Well, um, now I’m heading back to my dorm. Found my book,” said Luke, holding up the textbook.
“Good night,” said Mrs. Heckler.
“Good night,” said Luke, bounding down the stairs.
* * *
When Luke got back to his room, he borrowed a MacBook from a foreign exchange student down the hall instead of taking the risk of watching the contents of the memory card on his own computer. He was still paranoid that the school could somehow access his computer. Better safe than sorry. He watched the footage on fast-forward. There was nothing incriminating at all. He watched a few couples strolling around, but no sign of Mrs. Heckler. Luke was disappointed until he noticed the date that was on the corner of the memory card: October 19. This footage was recent. It was useless. He had to get his hands on an earlier memory card and see if his suspicions were right, because he had a feeling that Mary Heckler had taken a break from sorting card catalogs that night and gone up to the tower. And from there she saw her ex-husband’s wife walk into the woods, and then set out to find her.