Page 69 of Serial Burn

Heath settled back into his seat with a scowl, and Morgan rested a compassionate gaze on him before turning to Andrew and Nathan. “Special agents, right?”

Andrew nodded. “Yes, sir. We’d like to speak to you, Heath, about your friend, Brad, if you don’t mind.”

“I mind. I’ve already talked to the detectives who were here this morning and I’ll tell you what I told them. Brad wouldn’t have jumped. There’s no way he killed himself.”

Nathan raised a brow. “Then would someone want to cause him harm? Because if it wasn’t suicide, then it was—”

“Murder. That’s exactly what it was. He was always going up to the rooftop at night. Almost every single night. To study or just talk on the phone, whatever.”

“Heath, stop.” Professor Morgan walked around the desk to rest a hand on Heath’s shoulder. “Son. Don’t do this to yourself.”

Nathan ignored the professor and looked the young man in the eyes. “So, what you’re saying is that there was a pattern and someone who knew it could have ...”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. We even called it Brad’s roof.” Heath shook his head and stood. “It’s not right. He wouldn’t have jumped.”

“Do you mind sharing with us why you feel like that?” Nathan asked.

“We were making plans for the summer, talking about graduation.” He threw his hands in the air. “Why make all those plans if you’re just going to end it?”

People usually didn’t, but it wasn’t unheard of.

“Derek, I need your hel—” The woman’s voice came from the door. Nathan turned to see a blond woman with green eyes and flushed cheeks. She stopped when she saw them and blinked. Then grimaced. “I didn’t realize you had visitors. I thought you were going to introduce me to the dean.”

Morgan looked from Nathan to the woman. “Sorry, Sam, just give me a few more minutes.” He waved his hand at Nathan and Andrew. “This is my sister, Samantha. Sam, this is—”

“Nice to meet you,” she snapped with a quick glance at Nathan and Andrew. She turned back to Morgan. “I don’t have all day.” She was gone as fast as she’d appeared.

“I-I’ll be right there.” He rubbed a hand over his lips. “I’m sorry about her. She’s kind of a menace. I have to go. Is there anything else?”

“Was he seeing any kind of doctor for mental health issues?” Andrew asked, looking at Heath. “Taking any meds?”

“No. And before you ask, yes, I would know. He wasn’t.”

Morgan confirmed Heath’s answer as he backed toward the door.

Nathan made a note to ask about any drugs—prescription or otherwise—found in the dorm room. “Where are you staying right now? I’m assuming your dorm room is off-limits?”

“Yeah, the detectives let me grab some of my stuff before they locked me out. Said I can come back tomorrow.” He sniffed. “I’m staying with Jeff and Kenny.” He frowned. “When is Kenny coming back?”

Nathan shot a look at Andrew, then back to the student. “He was released a while ago. You haven’t seen him?”

“No. I mean, those other cops came around asking about him, but I haven’t talked to him in a couple of days.”

So he probably wasn’t back on campus.

“Will you let us know if you hear of anyone who may have witnessed Brad’s death?”

“Derek?” Samantha was back at the door. “Seriously?”

“I’m coming. I’m coming. I promise.”

She huffed away and the professor gave a slight shrug. “Sorry. I promised to introduce her to Dean Fitzpatrick. There’s a job opening she’s interested in that she doesn’t have the slightest hope of getting, but she insists that I...” He waved a hand. “Never mind. Sorry.”

Heath’s gaze turned back to them. “To answer your question, I-I’ll ask around to some of the others and find out if he really had a death wish and I didn’t see it.”

Poor kid. “All right. Thanks for your help.” Nathan nodded to the professor. “What about you, Professor Morgan? You were pretty close with Brad, weren’t you?”

“Yes.” His jaw tightened and a sheen covered his eyes. He blinked. “Very. Look, I have to go.” He motioned to the door. “When she gets upset, she can be ... difficult.”

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