Chapter 16
***TAYLOR***
Taylor took the front steps of the library two at a time, preparing himself for Emily’s anger and going over his list of excuses in his head, wondering which one to use, then decided the truth was probably the best. Throwing open the front door, he rushed through, but had to come to a sliding stop to keep from colliding with another student standing only a couple of feet inside the building.
Letting out a little curse, he started to push past him, then realized he was at the end of a long line of people trying to get into the library.
“What’s going on?” he asked the guy in front of him. “Why aren’t they letting us in?”
“They are, it’s just taking forever,” the guy answered, then shrugged his shoulders. “I guess they’re checking everyone’s student ID and keeping track of who comes and goes.”
“You’re kidding, it’s just a library,” he said, a frown of confusion on his face. “What’s the big deal?”
“It’s not just the library, they’re doing it all over campus,” a woman a few feet ahead of them in line answered. “I guess they’re not taking any chances since the robberies started, but I don’t see how this is going to do any good.”
Feeling like he’d missed something, he stood there silently for a second.
Before he could ask another question, the line began to move, and he let it go.
After showing his identification to the security guard sitting behind a folding table just inside the door, he rushed through the library to the little room Emily had reserved for them so they wouldn’t disturb the other students practicing for the debates.
He could see her through the windows, books spread out around her, a pencil stuck into the messy bun on the top of her head, and he had to pause for a second to fight off a wave of desire.
After three days of controlling the urges that erupted any time he was around her, he’d been sure he was mastering the attraction, but it was clear standing there that he was just fooling himself.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed the feelings away, he wasn’t going to give into them, he wasn’t going to chase a woman who didn’t want him, even if something deep inside told him she was the one for him.
Before he could take that thought any further, Emily looked up, saw him watching her and for an instant he could see the desire in her eyes, but she quickly looked away.
“I’m sorry I’m so late,” he said when he opened the door. “It wasn’t all my fault; they’ve got security at the front door.”
Emily didn’t look up at him, and he was a bit relieved. “It’s okay; thanks for texting me to let me know,” she said. “It took me ten minutes to get in here; this is crazy.”
“Do you know what’s going on?” he asked, shrugging out of his backpack and sitting down. “Someone mentioned something about some robberies.”
She finally looked over at him. “You don’t know?” she asked, then shook her head. “Everyone’s been talking about it. Someone has been breaking into buildings on campus and stealing things. They won’t really say what, but from what I’ve heard, we’re talking some big-dollar items.”
“I haven’t heard anything, but I’ve been so busy,” he said, unloading his backpack to study. “When did this start?”
“I guess it’s been going on for a few days, one or two buildings each night,” Emily said, then shrugged her shoulders.
“I hear they’ve got security camera footage of the break-ins; it’s just a matter of time before they catch someone.
I can’t believe anyone is stupid enough to try and rob the university.
I just wish we didn’t have to put up with all this extra security until they figure it out, I don’t have time to wait in line every time I want to go to class. ”
“If they’ve got pictures, this shouldn’t last long,” he said, pulling out his notes, putting the entire thing out of his mind. “Are you ready to debate?”
Emily grinned at him. “You bet,” she said. “I’m going to bury you tonight.”
His study sessions with Emily had become his favorite part of the day, but he was distracted that night, and she got the better of him most of the time. “Okay, okay, you win,” he finally said, waving his hands in the air. I give. Tonight isn’t my night, but I will live to fight another day.”
“Or night,” Emily said, laughing. “I booked the room for us again tomorrow night, but at the rate you’re going, I don’t think we’re going to need as many practice sessions this week.
You’re really getting the hang of thinking on your own.
Professor Whitmore is going to be so pleased, I bet he’ll even give you an A. ”
“I hope so. This has been more work than I thought it would be, but I’m glad I did it. There’s more to being smart than just memorizing the material,” he said. “Thank you for helping me, Emily.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, smiling at him. “We’re about out of time; I guess we should clean up. I was thinking about grabbing something to eat. Do you want to tag along?”
“I wish I could,” he said, meaning it, “but I have to go to work.”
“Oh, well, okay. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night,” Emily said, clearly a little disappointed. “I know how hard it is to study all day and work all night. Maybe I’ll stop by with a treat on my way home.”
The last thing he needed was her stopping by the hotel. “That’s not allowed,” he said, his voice a little too loud. “Sorry. I mean, my boss doesn’t like personal visitors when we’re working. He says the guests should be all we’re thinking about, but it was sweet of you to offer.”
“I wouldn’t want to get you into trouble,” she said. “Maybe next time.”
Feeling like he’d dodged a bullet, he finished packing up. “I’ve got a couple of days off next week,” he said. “Will you take a raincheck until then?”
“You bet,” she said, smiling at him. “You just tell me when.”
***Emily***
Emily was disappointed with Taylor’s answer, but not for the reason he thought.
Although having dinner with him had been appealing on several levels, she’d been hoping to get the subject of Diego out of the way.
Her opinion of the situation hadn’t changed with time.
She was still sure that Captain Strattler was off base thinking that the Sigmas, including Taylor, had anything to do with his disappearance.
They needed to look at other possibilities, maybe even the Kappas themselves, but the Captain was so focused on Taylor and his friends, he couldn’t see that, and she didn’t dare suggest it, not the way he’d been acting lately.
Too tired to think about it anymore that night, she packed up her things and followed Taylor out of the building. “Have a good night at work,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow night at eight, same room.”
“See you then,” Taylor called, already heading down the sidewalk. “I might have to work tomorrow night too, but we can get a couple of hours in before I have to go.”
That was not what she wanted to hear. “Taylor, hold on,” she called, running to catch up with him. “Let’s meet early for coffee or something. There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”
He looked surprised but nodded his head. “I guess I can squeeze you in,” he said. “I hope I haven’t done anything wrong?”
She shook her head. “No, nothing like that,” she said, then shrugged her shoulders. “I just want to talk, that’s all.”
He was still looking at her funny when she walked away, but she hadn’t really had any choice; she was tired of dragging this out, the Captain wanted answers, and she was going to get them.
She wasn’t sure how, only that she needed to get this final puzzle piece before the Captain would be satisfied, even if it meant embarrassing him with the truth.
It was time they moved on to other suspects; the trail had already gotten cold, and they may have waited too long already.
Annoyed that a simple job had turned so complicated, she went home, dropped her backpack at the front door, and decided to take the rest of the night off.
After a long, hot bath, a simple dinner, and a little television, she climbed into bed and fell asleep, trying to figure out how to get Taylor talking.
Her phone buzzing on the table next to the bed woke her the next morning just as the sun broke the horizon, and she rolled over thinking it was her alarm. When she couldn’t get it to stop, she grabbed it and looked at the screen, then sat up in bed, still half asleep.
“Captain Strattler,” she croaked. “Is there something wrong?”
“I just wanted to give you a heads up, we’re picking your boy up this morning,” he said.
“We’ve got a long list of charges written up, including breaking and entering, grand larceny, and at least three others.
I thought you might want to come down to the station and watch the interrogation, but you have to stay out of sight in case we can’t hold him. ”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” she said, shaking her head. “Taylor isn’t a thief; you’ve got this all wrong.”
“We’ve got him on camera, Torres, he’s the one,” he said, his voice full of certainty. “He’s been identified by several people; they all recognized the jacket the thief was wearing, it’s very distinctive. We got him. You should be proud; you called this one from the very beginning.”
“You identified him based on a jacket?” she asked. “Can you see his face in the videos?”
There was a second of silence. “No, he was smart, he wore a baseball cap and kept his face hidden around the cameras,” Captain Strattler said. “But that doesn’t change anything, we’ve got witnesses willing to testify that it’s him on the tape.”
“This is weak and you know it, we need more evidence,” she said. “A good lawyer is going to have him out in an hour; I don’t think you should do this.”
“Well, that’s not your choice to make,” Captain Strattler said. “I called you as a courtesy, not to get your opinion, Torres. Maybe you shouldn’t come down here after all.”
“Oh, I’m coming down there,” she said, throwing off the covers. You’ll never make this stick, but I might be able to salvage the investigation after you screw it up.”
Captain Strattler started to say something, but she hung up on him, so angry that she didn’t care if she lost her job.
She was positive that Taylor was innocent and it would be easy enough to prove, he’d been working every night since the robberies started, a perfect alibi.
Stomping into the bathroom, she took a shower, already rehearsing what she would say to the Captain when she got there, and it didn’t include an apology that was for sure.
By the time she got to the station, they already had Taylor locked away in an interview room and she was able to study him through the one-way mirror. “He didn’t do it,” she said, looking over at the Captain. “He was working every night this week and I’m sure he can prove it.”
The Captain shook his head. “You’re too close to this, Torres,” he said. “Go watch the tapes, you’ll see, it’s him.”
“And you want this too bad,” she said, shaking her head. “But I’ll go check them out.”
“You do that, and then I’ll expect an apology,” Captain Strattler said. “And be prepared to grovel.”