9
He wrote everything down.
The notebook had been Cleo’s graduation gift.
On the first page, she had written:
For every room where they want the symbol but fear the man.
Jamal sat at the desk.
8:24 p.m. Internet disabled. Landlines not working. Bart admitted he invited me to expose a flaw. Group planned to record Lauren entering my room and accuse me of trying to sleep with her. I rejected her in front of everyone. Bart is drunk and unstable. Leaving at 7:00 a.m.
He stopped.
Then added:
Cleo was right.
He placed the notebook inside his suitcase.
The balcony doors were locked.
He pushed a chair beneath the bedroom handle.
At 9:12, one bar appeared.
Jamal called Cleo.
The line connected.
“Jamal?”
“I’m okay.”
“What happened?”
“Bart planned something.”
“What?”
“A fake cheating setup with Lauren.”
“I told you.”
“I know.”
“Are you safe?”
“I’m locked in my room.”
“Call the police.”
“I don’t have enough signal.”
“You called me.”
“I tried nine times.”
“Call your father.”
“I will.”
“Now.”
“I wanted to hear your voice first.”
Cleo began crying.
“Do not make that sound romantic.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Call your father.”
“I will.”
“What did Bart do?”
“He shut off the phones.”
“Call the police.”
“He hasn’t attacked me.”
“He isolated you and manufactured evidence.”
“I’m leaving when staff returns.”
“Why wait?”
“No transportation.”
“Go find Vale.”
“He left.”
“Security?”
“Gone until morning.”
Cleo breathed heavily.
“Jamal.”
“I’m listening.”
“Do not leave that room for anybody.”
“I won’t.”
“Not Lauren.”
“I won’t.”
“Not Bart.”
“I won’t.”
“If somebody screams, call the police before you play hero.”
Jamal closed his eyes.
“You know me.”
“That is what scares me.”
A knock sounded.
He froze.
“Someone’s at the door.”
“Do not open it.”
“Who is it?” Jamal called.
“Lauren.”
Cleo heard.
Jamal remained still.
“What do you want?”
“To talk.”
“Go to your room.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Bart took the key.”
“Stay with Madison.”
“She won’t let me.”
Cleo spoke through the phone.
“Tell her to go downstairs.”
Jamal said, “Go downstairs with the group.”
“Chase is drunk.”
“Then lock yourself in a bathroom.”
“Jamal, please.”
He approached the door but did not move the chair.
“What happened?”
Lauren’s voice dropped.
“Bart said he has something planned for the cliff.”
Jamal looked toward the window.
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why are you telling me?”
“Because I think he wants to hurt you.”
Cleo whispered, “Stay inside.”
Jamal kept his voice steady.
“Go downstairs. Call the police when service returns.”
“You think I’m lying.”
“I think I’m not opening the door.”
Lauren began crying.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I wanted him jealous.”
Jamal closed his eyes.
“You got what you wanted.”
“I didn’t want this.”
“You used me anyway.”
“I know.”
Footsteps approached in the hallway.
Lauren gasped.
“Bart.”
A hand struck the door.
“Open up, hero.”
Jamal stepped back.
“Go away.”
Bart laughed.
“You’re hiding behind a chair.”
“You watched me move it?”
Silence.
Jamal looked toward the balcony.
The curtains shifted slightly.
He had locked the doors.
Hadn’t he?
Bart spoke again.
“Lauren says she wants protection.”
“She can stay downstairs.”
“She wants you.”
“That is your relationship.”
“You keep saying that like you don’t enjoy it.”
“I don’t.”
“You enjoy everything you take.”
“I did not take her.”
“You took the medal.”
“I earned it.”
“The captaincy.”
“I earned it.”
“The ranking.”
“I earned it.”
“My father.”
“He is not mine.”
“My life.”
Jamal stared at the door.
“I did not take your life.”
Bart’s voice lowered.
“Yes, you did.”
Cleo heard every word.
“Jamal, police,” she said.
He tried dialing while keeping her call active.
No second line.
He sent a text to his father.
Danger at villa. Bart shut off phones. Call Saint Aurelia police and Arthur Vale. Do not call villa first.
The message remained pending.
Bart struck the door again.
“You coming to the cliff?”
“No.”
“Then the story goes out.”
“What story?”
“The video of Lauren entering your room.”
“She never entered.”
“Cameras can be edited.”
“People know Bart planned it.”
Bart laughed.
“People know what protects them.”
Jamal looked toward the hallway.
“They will tell the truth.”
“Why?”
“Because this is insane.”
“Cameron’s father needs my father’s contract. Peter’s mother sits on our foundation board. Madison’s father is borrowing money from Jefferson Capital. Chase is family. Emily will say whatever keeps her name off the news.”
Jamal’s stomach tightened.
“You built this carefully.”
“I learned from watching you prepare.”
“Bart, listen to yourself.”
“I have listened to you for four years.”
“You need help.”
“I need you at the cliff.”
“No.”
“Then I send Cleo a video.”
“She’s on the phone.”
Silence.
Jamal realized his mistake.
Bart knew Cleo was listening.
“Hello, Cleopatra,” Bart said through the door.
Cleo’s voice hardened.
“I know what you are.”
Bart laughed.
“You always did.”
“Jamal is not leaving that room.”
“You cannot protect him from Charlotte.”
“I already called police.”
The lie came smoothly.
Bart stopped laughing.
“When?”
“Ten minutes ago.”
“You don’t know the address.”
“I know the villa name.”
Jamal listened.
Cleo continued.
“They are coming, Bart.”
Footsteps moved away.
Jamal returned to the phone.
“Did you call?”
“I’m trying.”
“Call my father.”
“I already did. Your mother answered. They’re contacting the island.”
Relief moved through him.
“Thank you.”
“Stay there.”
“I will.”
“Promise.”
“I promise.”
The balcony door shattered.
Jamal turned.
Chase climbed through holding a metal rod.
Cleo screamed his name through the phone.
Jamal dropped it onto the bed and grabbed the desk lamp.
Chase stepped inside.
“Do not make this hard.”
“You broke into my room.”
“Bart wants you downstairs.”
“No.”
Chase raised the rod.
“You think because you’re the athlete—”
Jamal swung the lamp.
It struck Chase’s forearm.
The rod fell.
Jamal tackled him against the wall.
Chase was heavier, but Jamal was faster and stronger.
Star athlete was not a title limited to basketball.
Jamal pinned his wrist.
“Get out.”
The bedroom door shook.
The chair slid.
Cameron and Peter pushed from outside.
“Stop!” Cameron shouted.
“Get Chase out of here.”
“He said you attacked him.”
“He came through the balcony with a rod.”
Peter forced the door open.
The chair tipped.
They entered and froze.
Chase lay against the wall.
The metal rod rested beneath the desk.
Jamal released him and stepped back.
“Everybody leave.”
Cameron looked at Chase.
“What happened?”
“He attacked me,” Chase said.
Jamal laughed.
“You entered through a locked balcony.”
“It wasn’t locked.”
Jamal looked toward the broken glass.
“It is broken.”
Chase stood.
“Bart said you stole something.”
“What?”
Peter held up the Jefferson family medallion.
A gold crest caught the light.
“This was in your suitcase.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“We found it.”
“You searched my room.”
“The door was open earlier,” Cameron said.
Jamal looked at the suitcase.
The zipper had been moved.
“My notebook.”
He crossed the room.
Gone.
Jamal turned.
“Who took it?”
Nobody answered.
“Who took my notebook?”
Bart appeared in the doorway.
“I did.”
“Give it back.”
“Interesting reading.”
Jamal moved toward him.
Cameron stepped between them.
Bart held up the notebook.
“Cleo was right.”
Jamal stopped.
“Give it back.”
“You wrote that.”
“Yes.”
Bart’s smile tightened.
“She gets to be right again.”
“This is over.”
“No. It finally began.”
Bart opened the notebook.
“For every room where they want the symbol but fear the man.”
He looked at Jamal.
“Beautiful.”
“Do not say her words.”
“Why? Because they belong to you?”
Jamal’s hands tightened.
Bart saw it.
“There he is.”
“What?”
“The angry man beneath the robe.”
“You broke into my room, planted evidence, stole my notebook, and threatened my girlfriend.”
“So get angry.”
“I am angry.”
“Show them.”
Jamal looked around.
The group had gathered in the hallway.
Madison held her camera.
Lauren stood behind her.
Emily covered her mouth.
Bart wanted the image.
Jamal understood.
One swing.
One shove.
One recorded moment.
The perfect Black valedictorian transformed into a violent suspect.
Jamal lowered his hands.
“No.”
Bart’s face changed.
“No?”
“I’m not giving you the picture.”
For the first time, Bart looked desperate.
“You think you can keep winning by refusing to play.”
“This is not winning.”
“It feels like losing to me.”
“That is your disease.”
The words struck.
Bart stepped forward.
Cameron held him back.
Jamal picked up his phone from the bed.
The call with Cleo had ended.
He dialed.
No signal.
Then Lauren screamed.
Everyone turned.
Chase had grabbed her from behind.
A white scarf tightened around her wrists.
“What are you doing?” Jamal shouted.
Chase pulled her toward the hallway.
Lauren fought.
Bart looked surprised for half a second.
Then his expression settled.
“Plan changed.”
Jamal moved.
Cameron and Peter blocked him.
“Move.”
Cameron shook his head.
“Bart said nobody gets hurt.”
“She is being dragged.”
“It’s part of the setup.”
“She did not agree.”
Lauren kicked Chase’s shin.
He tightened his hold.
“Let me go!”
Jamal shoved Cameron aside.
Peter grabbed his arm.
Jamal twisted free.
Bart backed into the hallway.
“Eastern cliff,” he said. “Bring the medal.”
Jamal stared.
“You are not leaving with her.”
Bart smiled.
“Then stop us.”
They moved downstairs.
Jamal followed to the landing.
Cleo’s warning returned.
If somebody screams, call the police before you play hero.
He looked at his phone.
No service.
The villa doors opened.
Night air entered.
Lauren screamed again outside.
Jamal grabbed the metal rod.
Then he stopped.
A weapon would become part of the story.
He dropped it.
He took only his phone and followed.