Page 23 of Brutal Prince

“Leave that up to me,” Vanderbilt answered.

“On a different note, how’s your thesis going?”

“Well as you can understand a large portion of my time is working for you so I’m a little behind.”

“It’s unwise to let extracurricular activities get in the way of your schooling,” I mocked, feeling an eye roll float down the line. Not just any eye roll, but the Vanderbilt snooty eye roll.

“I’ve taken on more than I bargained for. Let’s just say that.”

“And you’re paid well for it. I’m guessing you’re looking forward to graduating and heading back to Boston?” knowing what the answer will be.

“Yes. I think once I leave with my scroll, I’ll never return to this godforsaken university for as long as I live. No offence.”

“None taken. But you’ll remain a member, because once you’re in you can never get out.”

“Unless someone kills you,” he added.

I felt a weird jarring at the base of my spine when he said ‘you’ particularly sharply. “Exactly.”

TWELVE

Ollie

“Surely you’ve got a hunch?” Michael Wheeler assumed.

Darryn and I were brought in with Det. Mathias to meet with the president of Kingston Valley University. He is eager to see an end to the bloodshed for obvious reasons and he’s getting irritated at the lack of progress. Gretta wasn’t invited to this meeting.

“I think it’s Thomas Buchanan,” Darryn offered his opinion.

Wheeler scratched his forehead gazing out his office window that looked down on University Square. The roof of the Benedictine Athenaeum was in the corner of his vision range. “You think it’s Thomas or you have solid proof that it’s him?”

Mathias shook her head. “Merely surmising. We’re looking in his direction simply because he’s the president of the S and C society.”

“But you have enough evidence to arrest Benson Vanderbilt?”

“Almost.” Mathias seemed coy and held back information. That’s to be expected considering that every ounce of evidence she’s collected has vanished or is contaminated.

“Jeez, if you squeeze Vanderbilt hard enough he’ll squeal out the name. So, why can’t you do that?” I grumbled to Mathias.

All Cody Harrington had to do was point a gun at his fruit and the guy spat out the names of the guys who hurt Lux. It hardly seems difficult, except for the fact that the Vanderbilt family holds a powerhouse of influence. That might be small problem to some.

“We have to be so careful,” Mathias stated.

Gretta was on my mind as everyone talked around in circles. I was feeling bad about the way I treated her in the Room 23. The problem was that I couldn’t explain to her that I had no choice.

Wishing I didn’t put my hand up for the job is an understatement. Now I’m in too deep.

Someone caught Wheeler’s eyes and I followed his gaze. By a strange coincidence, it was Thomas Buchanan strolling towards the Athenaeum, probably to prepare the chamber for the Snake and Chalice meeting tonight.

As he breezed past students, he nodded a greeting and waved out like he was somebody special. Everyone knew his name. Everyone knew who and what he was. He always held his head high and regal, like a born winner. No one could ever touch him and he knew it. Even now as the good name of the school is blackened, he acted like it’s got nothing to do with him.

“Ollie,” Mathias mentioned my name.

I wasn’t even listening to them. “Huh?”

“You’ll be extra vigilant at the meeting tonight?”

“Yeah, but that sort of stuff is never mentioned at the meetings. They’re kept deliberately separate.”

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