A slice of bright light coming through the curtains woke Olivia Saturday morning.
So early for a weekend, it's only 7:45.
A door slam from the hallway startled her into an upright position.
Someone coming home late or getting up early?
She slid her legs over the side of the bed. After a yawn and a stretch, she pulled jeans and a T-shirt from her suitcase.
Time to get going on the investigation.
With her bathroom kit in hand, she headed down the hall.
No one brushing their teeth this morning…sorry, Janis.
After washing her face, she headed back to her room. Once dressed she made her way out of the dormitory toward the Curated Cuisine. She moved quickly along the path through the woods, inhaling deeply to clear the fog in her head.
A strong cup of coffee powers my concentration.
Olivia could smell eggs and bacon, inviting her closer to the kitchen back door.
The first person she saw was Janis Jets, who held a coffee mug in the air to greet Olivia. Cookie Kravitz smiled from the corner, brushing his hands down his immaculate white apron.
I suspect that Janis is up early interviewing the adult suspects. Look out, Kravitz.
"Is there more coffee?" Olivia glanced around the kitchen, her eyes resting on an industrial-sized coffee machine.
"The Coffee Corner is out in the main dining room," Cookie told her, "right through the swinging doors. You can find lots of flavors and various milk substitutes. If you want plain old black coffee then the pot's right here." He pointed to the giant silver monstrosity in the corner of the room.
Olivia walked in the direction he pointed. Selecting a mug from the stack, she looked at the pot in admiration. It hissed a greeting.
Hello, you beauty!
With a full mug of coffee, she paused and heard her stomach growl. And then the smell of bacon wafted over her, causing her nostrils to flare.
"Would you like some breakfast?" asked Cookie, glancing at her full mug of coffee.
"That bacon smells amazing," she admitted.
"Let me fix you a plate." He moved toward the stack of dishes. Sliding one off the top, he turned to the frying pan, deftly scooping scrambled eggs and three slices of bacon onto the plate. "Here you go," said Cookie, a smile on his face.
That's a man who likes feeding people.
Olivia selected a bacon strip, biting into its crispness and finishing it off as if she'd not eaten in a week.
"I've got toast right here," Cookie said, shoving a basket toward her. She took the slice off the top and then set her plate on the raised counter. Noticing Janis Jets glaring at her from the other side of the room, she ate quickly, crunching on a bite of bacon before diving into the eggs.
Janis sauntered closer to hiss in her ear. "Besides eating like a starving woman, what's your job this morning?"
Olivia took a sip from her mug. "I'm here to…"
We're not alone. This is part of my undercover act. Even if Kravitz looks busy doing his chief cook and bottle washer thing—shifting clean plates to the dining room and turning over the bacon in the frying pans—he could easily hear our conversation.
"I'm here for the Tone Ranger rehearsal," Olivia said loud enough for Cookie to hear. She glared at Janis Jets.
"Looks like you spent the night in the dorm," said Jets in her equally loud voice.
Oh great, now she's pretending it wasn't her idea for me to sleep in the dorm. That's for Kravitz. I'm supposed to play along.
Olivia swallowed back her irritation. "Sage wanted me to be an RA in the dorm, at least until after parent weekend."
"What happened to the regular RA?" asked Janis, a smirk on her face.
Is she trying to irritate me? Now I have to come up with a backstory in case Cookie is listening.
"She had to go home for an emergency."
I hope that sounded authentic.
"I see," answered Jets, moving closer to Olivia to whisper in her ear. "When Cookie goes to his pantry to get some paperwork for me, I want to give you some instructions. Just wait a minute." She leaned back, looking at Olivia's empty plate, then over her shoulder as if she had nothing but time on her hands.
Olivia watched Cookie from the corner of her eye as he turned off the burners, taking his cast iron skillets to the sink. "They can cool for a minute while I get those menus," he told Jets.
When he disappeared into the next room, Janis leaned closer to Olivia. "Here's the deal," she began, "I don't want to be seen with you very often. Just now and then, so as not to alert anyone's suspicion that you're actually working the case."
Olivia nodded, her eyes on the door where Cookie had disappeared.
"While we're waiting for the coroner's report, I'd like to interview that Tone Ranger group first. This time in an official capacity. I can write down their take and elicit alibis for yesterday at least. Our guy's time of death is estimated to be about two hours before we showed up."
"All of them were being tutored by the deceased. I wanted to tell you earlier, but it didn't seem relevant,” Olivia said.
Janis's eyebrows shot up. "Is that so? Interesting connection."
"I only know that because I talked to Dave just the day before he…" At the mention of Dave's name, her eyes welled up with tears.
Janis reached over to pat Olivia's shoulder. "I know how difficult this is for you, but just remember, you're bringing information to help solve this case. The information will help Linnea grieve Dave's death and give her a story to tell their child when he or she is ready. Plus if Dave was shoved off that cliff, then your work will bring the killer to justice. That's the story we want Linnea to tell her child when the time comes, that justice prevailed."
Olivia's tears quickly dried up. Setting her shoulders back with determination she said, "Thanks for the pep talk. I'm on it."
Jets nodded. "And go ahead and show your feelings, shed a tear or two. It only makes your undercover work more authentic. I want you to meet up with the teens as soon as you can. Get me any information you know by the end of the day. Let's connect around dinnertime. My temporary office location is the space next to Rydell Cox in the admissions office. Bring food. We can eat and discuss."
I'll have to cancel with Michael again.
"I'll be there," she told Jets, sliding past her to snag one more strip of bacon off the counter.
As soon as Cookie came back into the kitchen, Olivia took her empty plate to the sink. As she rinsed and stacked, Brad May came striding toward the kitchen, an envelope in his hand.
His eyes lit up when he saw her. "Hey, Olivia," he called, waving the envelope in her direction. "Simon Court gave me this to give to you. He said he doesn't have your number to text, so this is old school. I told him you'd be wherever the coffee was, and here you are!"
Olivia dried her hands on a nearby towel before grabbing the envelope from Brad. Sure enough, her name had been scrawled on the back. She slid her nail under the flap and pulled out the paper.
"A secret admirer?" asked Janis from across the room, raising her eyebrows at Olivia.
"Looks like it," muttered Olivia.
As her head bent over the paper, Cookie came from his pantry with a clipboard. He handed it to Jets. "Here's what you wanted. I printed every menu from the past two weeks. You can keep the pen." Olivia noticed his smirk before she read her note.
Please meet me in the student parking lot at 9 this morning.
I want to talk to you about the Tone Rangers
and my daughter's future
at the Lily Rock Music Academy.
Simon Court
Olivia shoved the paper into her back pocket along with the envelope. She nodded to Jets, who pretended to be looking over the menus. "I have to go now," Olivia said for her benefit. "One of the parents has requested a meeting."
"Where's that gonna happen?" asked Janis.
"In the student parking lot at nine o'clock." Olivia looked at her phone. "I have ten minutes to get there. See you later." Then she called out, "Thanks, Cookie, for breakfast and the coffee."
"Anytime," he answered.
As she left the kitchen through the back door, Olivia's heart began to pound. I don't want to be late, she thought, jogging toward the pathway into the grove. She failed to dodge a tree branch, which slapped her face, bringing tears to her eyes. Whisking away the needles, the pungent smell of pine rose to her nostrils.
Once she caught sight of the parking lot she slowed to a walk, now aware of sounds overhead. Clap, clap, whir caused her to look up.
A helicopter hovered over the parking lot as if looking for a place to land. With a dip and a pause, the wasp-like rotorcraft drifted forward then back, finally settling on the ground below.
Good thing there's still room, what with all the vehicles.
Standing in the pathway, Olivia's heart beat faster. She watched the blades whir as a man appeared in the open door. Simon Court stepped down, ducking from the fast-moving blades.
He looked in her direction, motioning with his hand for her to come closer. When she didn't advance, he broke into a trot. "Good, you're on time. Come on then, we're going to have this talk where we can't be overheard." He smiled and took her by the elbow toward the craft.
Olivia wanted to pull away from his grasp, but she remembered her assignment to informally interview the Tone Rangers, no one else.
Oh well, he wants to talk about the Tone Rangers, so I'm ready to listen.
She followed Court, her heart racing as they approached the whirling blades overhead. Ducking her head, she stepped up the stairs right behind him.
Even in the cockpit, the noise continued.
How will we ever have a conversation with all this noise?
Court pointed to the back seat. She slid into the space behind the pilot, sitting down as Court slid in beside her.
The copter immediately lifted, drifting forward and back and then upward with a jolt. Olivia held her hands in front of her stomach. She looked out the open doors.
I could fall out so easily!
She gulped back the sour taste in her throat.
"Put the belt on," hollered Court. He looked around, pulling his own seat belt over his lap and clicking it closed. Then he looked to Olivia to indicate she should do the same. She shortened the belt and clicked it closed, inhaling deeply to soothe her anxiety.
As the helicopter made its way over the academy admissions office, Court handed her a pair of headphones.
He put his on first and then pointed to her. "Your turn," he shouted. She followed his directions, scrunching the headset over her hair, twisting the ear cushions for a snug fit.
"Can you hear me?" asked Court, the sound coming from her headphones.
She nodded.
"You can talk now," he explained. "We're connected on the same channel. No one else can hear, just the two of us."
Olivia gulped as her stomach flipped and then flopped, the nausea coming in waves as the helicopter adjusted its flight pattern. She looked out the side, watching the uneven terrain of the mountain come closer.
One burst of wind and we'll crash into the mountain.
Her eyes drifted downward as she gasped.
That's the Lily Rock trail where Dave went over.
Her hands began to shake. As soon as she turned away from the open door she looked at Simon Court, who held a small smile on his lips as if enjoying her panic.
She clutched her stomach with both hands, sitting farther back in the leather seat. The pilot directed the helicopter toward the canyon, and it took a sudden lurch before rising again. Olivia jumped as Court's voice came up in her earphones.
"I see you aren't familiar with this mode of transportation, Miss Greer. This will be one to write home about." He chuckled as if he'd made a funny joke.
They both knew it was at her expense.
"I'll make this quick so that you can get back to whatever you're doing at the school. I want you to know that your sister is in grave danger, even more danger than you are right now. If she continues to interfere with my plan for the future of the academy, she'll be fired and replaced within a day. I have a candidate all lined up, ready to move right into her office." He smirked at her, his eyes taking in the fear on her face.
"You mean Rydell Cox?" she asked, aware of the fear in her voice.
"He'd be an excellent choice," Court said, a ruthless smile on his face. "Of course, she could step down of her own accord and avoid all the messiness. It would give me the chance to appoint Cox without parents objecting. Not that many would. Your sister has gotten herself into quite a predicament with a dead tutor on her hands."
Olivia gulped. "Have you spoken to my sister about any of this?"
Court's raspy voice replied, "That's what you're for. You talk sense to her, and that way no one sees me as involved. Of course, she could put up a fuss and then…" He looked toward the open door on his side, his eyes lingering as if to deliberately show Olivia what might happen to anyone who resisted his plan. "As I was saying, another terrible accident might happen, and then Rydell Cox would be right there to pick up the pieces."
He's threatening me and Sage, and not even subtly. What a bully.
"I'd like to return to campus now," Olivia said in a firm voice that she didn't feel. "Officer Janis Jets wants to interview me about Dave Franco's death. You don't want to make Jets wait." When he didn’t respond, Olivia continued, "You've made your point. Just get me back on the ground."
She watched Court's jaw tighten at the mention of Janis Jets. He nodded. "It's good that you see reason. Sure, we'll take you back. Hasn't this been wonderful? A sightseeing trip in the San Jacinto Mountains at no cost?" He leaned forward to tap the pilot’s shoulder.
In a sudden motion the helicopter ducked, then turned. Olivia's stomach lurched, as she frantically swallowed to stop from losing her breakfast down the back of the pilot's neck.
Simon Court didn't speak for the rest of the flight.
By the time the helicopter landed in the middle of the student parking lot, Olivia had already removed her headphones. She watched Court leisurely taking off his headset. He took hers and then looked out the window before handing both sets to the pilot. "You don't need to be in such a hurry," he said to Olivia, noting with a side glance how she huddled in the corner.
"I have to talk to Sage," she reminded him.
"That's right," he nodded, a quizzical look coming over his face. "I'll go first then." He unbuckled his seat belt, then bounded out of the doorway, ducking his head as he moved down the steps to the ground.
Olivia followed. Once her feet hit the pavement, she lost no time walking past Court. She didn't look back or say goodbye.
When she came out of the woods, she stood next to a tree outside the Curated Cuisine to check in on her stomach.
I'm feeling nauseus.
Only then did Olivia finally take a deep breath—immediately followed by rolling nausea. She ducked back behind a tree, bending over her knees. Her stomach heaved as she vomited the remains of her breakfast.
I'll never eat bacon again.