Chapter 17 #2
Which is why I was skulking outside the athletic department housing. Because when you were desperate for a lead, you took desperate measures. For me, that meant trying to find the number one wide receiver for the Alabama Lions football team.
He’d ignored my messages. I’d even called him. He rejected the call. I knew he did because it hadn’t rung long enough to go to voicemail. So now I was standing at the corner of his dorm, in a hoodie and leggings, with my hood pulled up. I looked ridiculous.
I was being ridiculous, and I knew it. But he had a connection that I lacked.
Savannah Cole was a student liaison, which gave her a level of access to the academic register that I didn’t have.
I needed Savannah. If I had to go through Dustin to make that connection, well, everyone made sacrifices in pursuit of a story.
I wasn’t too proud to say that I needed a little help.
Help arrived, but not in the way I expected. Noah Matthews approached the building, glanced at my hiding spot, and rolled his eyes.
“Espionage isn’t your thing,” he said flatly. “Spotted you immediately. You suck at undercover.” He swiped a pass against the door, pulled it open, and held it open. “You coming in?”
I didn’t need to be asked twice. I darted forward and followed him silently as he went up the stairs and led me down a corridor. Common sense finally kicked in when he opened his dorm door.
He glanced at me. “I’m Dust’s roommate,” he told me. “You know that, right?”
I nodded.
“Well, if you want to talk to him, and I know he isn’t answering your calls, you need to come in.”
I looked up at him. He was tall, built, and sexy. He was also strong, and I was alone.
He gave me a flat look. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop it,” he growled. “You can go back downstairs if you want.”
He walked inside, and just before the door closed, I caught it and slipped in. Noah was already at the fridge. He grabbed two bottles of water and set them on the counter. I looked around. My whole apartment would fit in here. Twice.
“Crazy, isn’t it?” he said, taking his jacket off and opening his water. “They have no idea how luxurious it is.”
“Who?”
“Dust and Dante.” He gestured to the bottle. “For you.” He walked past me and sat down. “I’m a transfer; my first school, this was the size of my room, which I shared, including the shared bathroom.”
I grabbed my water and followed him to the seats. I took the single chair. “I rent off campus,” I said, opening my water. “My place could fit in here twice. Just this room.”
He chuckled, eyes on me curiously. “So, what’s up with you two?”
I shifted in my seat and took a sip of water. “I, um, need him for something.”
“Ew.”
I laughed, and we shared a grin. “Not that,” I said, feeling more relaxed. “I don’t really need him. I need Savannah—”
“Absolutely not.”
I jerked forward when I met the stare of the golden-haired quarterback who had just opened his bedroom door.
“Dante,” Noah greeted casually. “Didn’t know you were back.”
“Evidently.” Dante walked out of his room, closing it firmly behind him. “Care to explain?” he asked Noah, but his attention stayed on me.
“Saw Hadley failing miserably at being invisible,” Noah said calmly. “She was coming up one way or another, I figured inside was better than another viral video.”
“So you willingly let the reporter into our apartment.”
His voice was as flat as his look.
“I just wanted to ask Savannah—”
“No.”
I cleared my throat. “She doesn’t seem like someone who likes to be spoken for.”
Noah whistled. “I like you,” he told me with a grin. “Feisty.” He stood and stretched. I didn’t notice his muscles, tattoos, or anything about him. Nope. Not me.
“Yo, Savvy!” he yelled. “Come out before Dante and the reporter get into a fistfight.”
Dante cursed, I giggled, and Noah grinned at us both.
“What, man?” he said, shrugging. “She’s going to find her. Isn’t it better here than out there, where people can see them?”
Dante’s door creaked open, and Savannah poked her head out. “Hi,” she greeted. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was mussed, and I didn’t need to be an investigative journalist to know she and the QB were doing more than studying in his room.
Noah sat back down and gave me his attention. “What do you need Savvy for?”
She looked at me in surprise. “Oh. Me?”
She walked past her boyfriend, either oblivious to his pissed-off-ness or ignoring it. “Why me?” She sat down on the couch.
“I . . .” I closed my mouth. “Um . . . did you . . . did you tell them?”
She looked confused for a moment, then her expression cleared. “Oh, you mean that?” She nodded. “Yes, they know everything we know.”
I looked at the two football players speculatively. “And you guys are—”
“Pissed off,” Dante snapped. “Furious? Disgusted? Pick your adjective.”
I shared a glance with Noah, but he looked just as grim as Dante did.
“Okay, sorry.” I wasn’t sure why I was apologizing. “So, Savannah, you said you were a student liaison?” She nodded. “I was hoping you could—”
“No.”
Savannah turned in her seat to glare at Dante. “Let her speak, Dante. And if I want to say no, I will say no.”
I glanced at Noah, who winked at me, and I hid my grin.
Savannah turned back to me. “You were hoping I could what?”
I glanced behind her, saw his intense stare, and quickly looked back at Savannah.
“I was hoping you could help me? I’ve used every source I know.
I have . . . means—” I swallowed quickly — “to get into some databases, but I need the historic academic records.” She sat back as I spoke. “Can you access them?”
“What for?” This time, it was Noah asking, and now he was frowning.
“I can’t find any trace of Mason Sterling other than what I’ve already discovered.
We know that. And honestly, I don’t think I want to.
” I looked back at Savannah. “But as you said to me, why is there no mention of her? If I could access the academic records for his year, cross-check with the years before and after, I might be able to narrow it down and find a list of possible victims.”
“That’s a huge task,” Savannah said to me. She looked worried, but she looked worried for me. “That’s not a simple search, Hadley.”
I nodded. “I know. I don’t want to impose but—”
“But you’re imposing anyway,” Dante muttered. He was quiet for a moment. “She won’t want to be found,” he said. “I’ve thought about this.” He saw my look. “Please, you think you’re the only one this is keeping up at night?”
Well, when he put it like that . . .
“And say you get a list,” Savannah continued thoughtfully. “How do you suggest you narrow it down? You can’t just ask someone if they were assaulted.”
“I know that.”
“And this guy,” Noah cut in. “He’d have graduated by now if he was still here. What’s not to say she has too? Then we have no way of tracking her down.”
“Well, there are forwarding addresses,” Savannah mumbled. “So certificates and things can be sent out after graduation, and the university always keeps in touch with the alumni.”
There was? Result.
“I know it’s a big task,” I said again. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t need help.”
The door to the apartment swung open, and Dustin walked in and froze. He took one look at Dante’s face, then me, Savannah, and Noah sitting down, and picked up on the tension in the room.
“Nope. Not today.” He turned around and left.
“He walks out a lot,” I muttered, glaring at the door. “Is he always like this?”
I didn’t need to look to know it was Noah who snickered.