Dead and Gone (Thornwood Academy)

Chapter 12

12

I gaze at the table where I last sat with the curator, mentally drawing lines between facts I've discovered in my investigation and piecing together what I can. Rowan and Leif stacked empty plates and cups in front of them, and Rowan now studies his laptop while Leif scrolls through his phone. I slide into the booth beside Leif.

"Any more Marvin posts?" asks Grayson, sitting beside and squishing me between the pair. "Reports of stolen gems?"

"Where were you?" asks Rowan curtly. "You're late."

"We took a detour through the graveyard," I reply.

"How romantic." Leif chuckles.

"To look for a Redridge grave as names of Arthur's relatives may be inscribed," I say firmly. "We're late because we were forced to deal with ridiculous insinuations about the reason for our visit from them ."

The two guys we encountered now sit with two town girls on what appears to be a double date and steadfastly ignore us.

"And did you find anything interesting?" asks Rowan.

"Yes."

"A Redridge grave?" He sits straighter.

"No. Somebody followed us."

Leif shifts around to face me. "Who?"

"Unknown. I was about to pursue the person when the delightful boys over there interrupted."

"Why would someone follow you to the graveyard?" he asks.

"I had thought the stalker was one of their companions, but since they're at the cafe without anybody from the academy, I'm unsure. I didn't get close enough to detect if the guy was human or supe."

"But definitely male?"

"Well, I'm presuming from his build and height, but I could be wrong."

"Great." Rowan scratches a cheek and then lowers his voice. "Do you think whoever followed you knows about the museum theft?"

"Marvin?" I ask.

"No. You know what I mean." His voice lowers further. "The box we returned yesterday. Missing gems. This person could've seen us at or around the museum."

"Only if they knew to watch. Nobody detected us each time we snuck into the building. Someone might think we're trying to uncover something."

"Yeah, and they'll know Violet Blackwood is a dog with a bone when it comes to mysteries she wants to solve," says Leif. "Well, I've solved something for you, Detective Violet. Tamara works here." He subtly nods behind the counter at the girl with a long-blonde ponytail serving coffees. "Holly told us. Tamara is also part of Kai's circle."

I look around. "Where is Holly?"

"She left." Leif points at a third empty cup. "Her words were: 'I've had a better offer than sitting here all evening waiting for Violet.'"

"Perhaps a good thing. We can discuss more if Holly isn't here. Have you examined the jewels further?" I ask Rowan.

"The rubies are definitely the only ones with traces of magic. I wouldn't know for sure if the others are real gems. I can't exactly ask a jeweler without them questioning where they came from."

"I shall take care of the pouch." I hold a hand out. "I would like to examine them again too."

Rowan furtively passes the jewels beneath the table, and I shove the pouch into my jacket pocket. As I do, I survey my surroundings, and my gaze lands on a different table of humans than the ones who irritated me earlier. Aha. The presumed perpetrators: Kai and his buddies. Perfect. I stand.

"Violet, what are you doing?" asks Grayson as I squeeze past him.

"Gathering information."

As always, I'm met with suspicion and guardedness when I approach Kai and his cohorts. And as always, I'm to the point. "Where is the mole missing from the museum, Kai Sawyer?"

The broad guy with the floppy brown hair and constant superior attitude lounges back in his seat and drinks from a soda can, a smirk tugging at his mouth. "London?"

"No. Marvin returned from his vacation," says Leif from beside me. "He was photographed at the bus stop this morning. Check Insta."

Kai stops drinking. "What? How?"

I snatch at Kai's thoughts as his questioning gaze meets the guy's beside him: who has the mole?

Interesting.

"I shall rephrase. Where is the mole now , Kai? I know you took him from the museum."

"Yeah?" His lip curls. "Where's the proof?"

"And what's it to you?" asks his friend, whose buzz-cut hair accentuates the yob look the curator spoke about.

A girl with pretty features and long black hair sits at the table beside them, watching with cautious silence.

"The joke is over. The exhibit belongs in the museum and must be returned. We can arrange for that to happen no questions asked, or we can show the police evidence we've found," I say.

"What evidence?" he asks sharply.

Slowly and deliberately, I pull and carefully unfold a sheet of paper from my pocket before placing it on the table, avoiding the damp rings left by the drinks cans—the photo that shows Kai in the window. I tap the image printed by Rowan. "This is you in this very café with the very mole."

"Can hardly see who that is. Not me or TJ."

"Whose idea was a ransom? Because adding blackmail to the theft could land you in trouble, Kai."

"Ransom?" Kai's genuinely surprised. Hmm. I look at his friend, whose face is also covered in confusion, and the girl's large brown eyes grow wider.

"Someone blackmailed the curator for money in return for the mole," I say. "You."

No. These kids stole the mole as a prank—as evidenced when Kai's thoughts drift to me again: Why didn't we think to do that?

"Oh, dear. It would appear one of your gang is more mercenary than the three of you. Do you think they'll share the proceeds?"

"That asshole!" exclaims TJ. "Dale said he'd lost the mole."

Kai drags a hand across the top of his head. "We were gonna take the mole back before we got into trouble. The curator guy came to school yesterday, and I heard him shouting at the headmaster. Sounded like a right lunatic. Now Mr. Spade says if the mole isn't returned, we're all in detention for a week until someone owns up."

"Dale couldn't find it. He thought his dog had stolen the mole from his bag and chewed it up," adds TJ.

" The dog ate my homework ?" Leif says to himself and chuckles. "You dumbass."

"Show them the note, Corrie," says TJ, waving a hand at her. "Someone left a note in Corrie's bag—if we don't return the mole to the museum, one of us will get hurt. Why would we blackmail someone if we're being threatened?"

"Back to the museum?" A threat from the curator? I hold a hand out. "Let me read the note."

"You can't. I threw the note away." Corrie examines her fingernails, cheeks tinging pink. She's hiding something because I can only pick up a repeated swear word from her mind.

I look over my shoulder and beckon Grayson and Rowan to join us. " Has one of you gotten hurt?" I ask the group, turning back.

"What's happening?" asks Rowan as he approaches.

"Kai stole the mole and either someone stole the mole from him or one of the gang is hiding it from his fellow thieves." I press my lips together. "And these three are not the people who sent the ransom message." There goes my plan to lure Kai somewhere quiet and terrify him into returning the exhibit to us . "And another individual threatened their lives."

"No. Threatened to hurt, not kill," puts in Corrie in a small voice.

" Possibly kill. The death rate in this town is above the national average." Corrie attempts to hide an alarmed noise, which comes out as a strangled choke. I nod at Kai. "Have you seen Dale recently?"

"Why?" asks TJ.

"Because he has stolen your mole."

Corrie leans across the table. "I tried calling Dale this morning, but he isn't answering."

"Probably hungover," mutters Kai.

"I suggest you find Dale and inform him not to continue his blackmail attempt," I say. "You could cause yourself injury."

"You think the curator threatened the gang?" asks Leif in disbelief.

"That's a possibility. You mentioned he visited the school and went psycho," says Grayson.

"You need to find Dale and the mole. Return the mole to us and we'll return it to the curator, no questions asked," says Leif.

"And no loss of life or limb," I add.

They look at me warily when I remain stony-faced.

"Did you threaten us with that note left in my bag?" blurts Corrie.

"Good grief," I retort. "I would never set foot in a human high school again, and ransom notes aren't my style. This is my style."

"Interrogation and intimidation?" asks Kai. "Yeah, we know."

"Well, then." I link my fingers in front of me. "Are you sure the stalker put the note in your bag at school and not elsewhere?"

Corrie chews her lip. "They could've done it here, I suppose. We're in the café a lot."

Kai shifts in his seat to turn his back and converses with his companions quietly, forgetting that I can hear every word.

"Dale must have the mole. He lied and will keep all the ransom cash for himself," retorts TJ. "Sneaky bastard."

"Get the mole off of Dale, Kai," repeats Leif. "Don't be dumb."

"If Dale has the mole, we do need to find him and get it back," says Corrie in a wavering voice. "I don't want to get hurt. I swear someone's following me."

"Who?" I ask sharply. The same person who followed us tonight?

"No idea. I've only seen him in the distance, but more than once. He knows where I live now." She places a hand over Kai's. "Please. Find Dale. What if something goes wrong? A witch might be involved!"

Now, why would she suggest that? Because there's something jittery in the girl's manner and mind, and she's avoiding our eyes. Is Corrie involved in the blackmail attempt?

"Why would witches want a stuffed mole?" Kai retorts.

"It might be magic. Cursed!" continues Corrie, her pretty face paling.

"Don't stress, Corrie," says Kai. "It's probably the curator guy trying to scare us. He was a bit…" Kai points at the side of his head and twirls a finger. "Deranged."

"The item is connected to an old witch family, Kai. There's a possibility," adds Leif.

Kai's face pales too. The Sawyers have a somewhat unusual relationship with witches, and most town humans are wary of the race. "I'll get the mole." He raises his eyes to mine. "But no telling the cops. I don't want more trouble."

"If you don't want trouble, why indulge in theft?"

"It was a joke! We're gonna take the mole back," protests Kai.

"Until money became involved." Leif slants his head. "Right?"

"Yeah, but not me. Dale's a moron, and I'll bloody kill the asshole when I find him," snaps Kai.

I arch a brow. "I do hope you mean figuratively and that you're not under influence to commit murder."

"Nah, but he'll regret double-crossing us."

I nod, then repeat my demands. "Retrieve the mole from Dale and give the item to us. We shall return the mole to the museum and then deduce who threatened you."

" Could be the curator in response to the ransom demand?" suggests Grayson. "He strikes me as a guy who'd take this into his own hands if the police won't help."

"Whoever it is, you need to call Dale. Tell him you know what he's done and want to be involved," says Leif.

Kai rubs the back of his neck. "Fine. I'll get the mole and meet up with you tomorrow. Here."

"I do hope you choose the most sensible course of action, Kai, and don't join in with Dale's scheme," I inform him.

"I'm not stupid."

Rowan throws me a warning look, and I bite back the response that came too readily. In all the time I've known Kai since arriving in this town, I've never once witnessed a trait suggesting intelligence.