Chapter 57
“You want some more water?” Vaughn asked.
Ivy shook her head.
“You know you’re being recorded, right?”
A nod.
“Okay, so we’re just going to ask you a few questions about what happened. If you need a break or want to end the interview at any moment, that is your right. You are not a suspect, but you can seek legal counsel if you want.”
“I understand. I’m good.”
Ivy was a tough woman. Had to be, to have gone through what she had with her father. But she’d seen more death in the past two days than most cops did during their first few years on the job.
“Tell us a little about your student, about Zeke Godfrey.”
“He’s in my class. First year student. About two weeks ago, my TA and I suspected that he had cheated on a test. Brought it to the attention of my department head, Dr. Moorehead.
Then just this week, my TA caught him again.
His answers were identical to another student’s: Rebecca Quinn.
Again, I told my department head. He said he would investigate.
I was also made aware of the fact that Zeke’s father was a big donor.
” Ivy paused to sip her water. “I was at a bar with a friend when Zeke first approached me. He was angry, somehow found out about the accusations—angry and aggressive.”
“Did he touch you?” Vaughn asked.
“No.”
“Do you remember exactly what he said?”
“Not exactly, no. But he was so mad . . .”
“Any witnesses?” Darnell piped in.
“My friend Abby Granger and a guy named Blake, but I don’t have his number—Abby does. Don’t know his last name.” She stopped then, glanced off to one side.
Darnell scribbled this down.
“What happened next?”
“Zeke didn’t show up to class two days later.
Rebecca did and told me that Zeke came up to her the day prior, threatened her.
Grabbed her arm, demanded that she take back the cheating allegations.
The thing is, Rebecca didn’t say anything about the cheating.
It was the TA who brought it to my attention.
Wait—I have a photo.” Ivy started to reach into her pocket for her phone.
“We can get that later,” Darnell said sternly.
Vaughn frowned. Darnell refused to meet his eyes.
“Did you go back to your boss?” Darnell asked. “After you found out what the other student said Zeke did to her?”
“I did. But I was ambushed. Zeke was already there. He made up this story about me harassing him at the bar. Then, in class—well, you guys know about the video, the TikTok thing. In the video, one of the other students made a comment, something about Zeke and . . . gonorrhea, I think. He told the department head that I made the comment, which I did not. I countered with what Rebecca told me, and he went crazy. Dr. Moorehead had to call security. Moorehead said—” Ivy sighed, rubbed her eyes.
“He said that if Zeke stepped back onto the campus, he was to be arrested. Then he suspended me for breach of contract. It’s bullshit. ”
“Huh.” Darnell playing the old, dumb cop now. The man had a million personas. “At any point did you think of calling the police? I mean, your student was assaulted, and you were harassed.”
“Darnell!”
Ivy answered anyway.
“I—I wanted to. But I thought—”
“You thought what? You already told us that this student had threatened you and assaulted a fellow student. Did you not think that—”
“Darnell!”
Vaughn sidled closer to the man.
“What? She’s a smart woman. She—”
“—is not a suspect. She hasn’t been Mirandized. If you keep interrogating—”
“I’m not interrogating her.”
Darnell fidgeted and his eyes darted.
Unbelievable.
“Take a walk.”
Darnell completely ignored him.
“Where were you last night? Did you meet with your father before we found—”
“Darnell, take a walk. Now.”
Vaughn was at his wit’s end. If Darnell didn’t leave now, he would physically remove his partner.
A series of shouts from the hallway saved Vaughn from cutting whatever fine thread of friendship remained between the two of them.
“Where’s Captain Daniels?”
“Damn it—that must be Zeke’s father,” Vaughn mumbled.
Both he and Darnell stood.
He was only partially correct; it wasn’t just one person, but judging by the sheer number of footsteps, at least four.
“And his team of lawyers,” Vaughn added. “Darnell, go check it out.”
Darnell finally left the interview room.
“I’m sorry about that, Ivy. My partner is a little amped up.”
“Is he drunk? He smells like alcohol.”
“He’s . . .” Vaughn gave up. “I think you should take off before things get dicey. Is there someone you can call? A friend to come get you?”
“Yeah, my friend Abby. She was supposed to be coming over. I thought it was her at the door when Zeke—”
“It’s okay, take a breath.” More shouting from outside the room. “Call your friend, okay? I’ll check in later.”
He squeezed her hand.
“Remember what I said?”
“That your grandmother was a bicycle?”
Vaughn smiled at this.
“It’s not your fault, Ivy.”