Page 55 of Silencing Stolen Whispers
Alex pulled the keys out of his pocket. Pressing the lower button on the key fob, the locks disengaged, allowing him tolift the handle. Once he was settled in behind the wheel, he immediately started the engine. The temperature outside might be perfect, but the interior of the vehicle was unbearable.
“Address?”
Alex adjusted the left vent, willing the air to quickly cool as he fastened his seatbelt. Kinsley was already flipping through the pages inside the folder. She leaned down and dug a hand in her purse without taking her eyes off the paper. She eventually handed him her phone.
She often neglected to secure her phone with a PIN or facial recognition. Though it was convenient in moments like this, he planned to give her a lecture about it over lunch. It didn’t take him long to access her emails, memorize the address he needed, and return the phone to her.
Kinsley was still scanning the documents, her index finger tracing down columns of courses and instructors. She eventually tapped on a line.
“There,” Kinsley murmured in satisfaction before reading aloud the information. “Jade had a criminal law course with Dr. Victor Reeves last semester. Interesting thing to note—she barely passed his class.”
Kinsley then continued to peruse the course listings before reaching out to stop him from shifting the gear in reverse.
“Get this—Jade is taking one of Reeves’ seminars this summer. Small class, only twelve students.”
“A retake?”
“No.”
“That tells us nothing, Kin.”
“But it could be something,” Kinsley countered, shifting her seat to meet his gaze. “Alex, you didn’t see them this morning. It was really, really odd. Reeves wasn’t speaking to Jade like one of his students. I’m telling you, there’s something there.”
“Well, I spoke to the captain this morning. He’s going to lend us some uniforms for tonight’s vigil,” Alex said as he shifted into reverse. After checking his rearview mirror, he slowly pulled out of the parking spot. “You mentioned that it was given the green light?”
“Everything is set to go,” Kinsley said as she finally fastened the seatbelt. “The vigil will be held in the courtyard, candles will be provided, and the advisor will see to it that a photo of Hannah is displayed. I spent a good hour distributing the flyers myself.”
“Let’s hope that tonight gives us a perfect opportunity to observe how Jade and Reeves interact in public. I’ve already spoken to him, so approaching him again shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Students talk, especially at emotional gatherings. Maybe the same could be said for the professors.” Kinsley picked up the phone in her lap. “And you know what? I’m thinking we should let the Scrivens know about the vigil.”
“All the players of the investigation in one place?” Alex drove through the campus parking lot toward the exit. “Not a bad idea, Kin. Not a bad idea, at all.”
22
Kinsley Aspen
July
Monday — 1:07 pm
The Landing Tower rose fifteen stories above the nearby buildings. Its glass exterior reflected the afternoon sun with such brightness that Kinsley had to squint, even with her sunglasses. The building displayed clean architectural lines and a well-maintained entrance, clearly indicating that this wasn't student housing but built for those who could afford the better things in life—or those whose parents could.
“I heard this building was finished late last year,” Alex said as they approached the revolving doors. “I don't think our salary would cover a week in this place.”
“Yeah, well, Websterisone of the highest-paid defense attorneys in the state,” Kinsley replied as she made no effort to remove her sunglasses. “I would have been surprised if he hadn’t set his daughter up somewhere impressive.”
“Are those cactuses?”
“Cacti. The plural of cactus is cacti.” Kinsley caught the side-eye glance from her partner. “Hey, I know a thing or two about plants. Is that so shocking?”
“I’m almost certain that you don’towna single plant, Kin.”
“I didn’t say that I’m good at caring for them,” Kinsley amended as Alex gestured for her to go through the revolving door first. Once they were both on the other side, she finished her sentiment. “It’s a perk of having a mother with a green thumb. Speaking of which, what’s the update on your mother?”
“Other than Paul the plumber making the list for homemade banana nut bread? I hope a reasonable invoice," Alex muttered as he fell into step beside her while they approached a security guard sitting behind a curved desk, its dark wood surface spotless and fingerprint-free. “This guy is twice my size.”
“Maybe we should think about recruiting next year,” Kinsley murmured, finally removing her sunglasses. She dropped them in her purse. “He’d make an excellent linebacker in next year’s game.”
