Page 84 of When Darkness Calls

“He has a class in the evening most days. I think they end around eight thirty.”

“Thank you, sir.” I fake looking at the time on my phone and begin to stand. “I’m sorry but I have to head out. It was good to see you Professor Logan—”

“Please, none of that professor bullshit, Grayson. Call me Harvey.”

I nodded. “Harvey, it was great to see you. I hope I can visit you again soon.”

“The door's always open.”

He shakes my hand, I walk through the door, and it closes shut, leaving me standing in an empty hall of the art building.

God, how I have missed this place. Outside of the Beckett home, this building was almost like a second home. I spent hours upon hours here, reveling in the smell of paints, old paper, and the crisp cool air blowing through the vents.

I can’t stay here for long though. I have someone to deal with first.

Wind blows softly across the nearly vacant parking lot behind the art building. I’ve been sitting on my bike, hidden behind a dumpster in the alley, waiting.

Fall is steadily creeping up on us. Stray leaves roll and tumble across the cracked concrete with each gust of fresh air blowing through my hair.

It’s 8:27, and my hands are burning for the feeling of this fucker’s face smashing against each individual knuckle.

There are only a handful of vehicles here, two trucks, and an SUV, so it will be much easier to approach him.

My foot taps an unsteady beat that echoes in the alley.

Any minute now. Then once this is over, I can go to her. Taking my post beneath the treehouse.

I’ve found that the spot gives me the perfect view of her room and a few of the other rooms upstairs and downstairs. I just can’t see Cade’s room and the living room.

I wonder what she will be up to tonight. Will Liz be with her? Or is she doing homework? Wrapped up in that fuzzy blanket she has been carrying around with her religiously since the temperature has started to drop. Music playing quietly through her room where she nods her head along with the songs, mouthing each word, pulling all of my attention to her pouty lips.

The side doors of the building burst open, and a large group of students began their descent down the stairs. There is actually way more than I had expected. Probably freshman or sophomores taking their required class.

A group begins to walk toward the parking lot. A couple guys climb into their trucks, and I think maybe a few sorority girls climb into the SUV. One of them, a tall, thin blond, stares off in my direction intently. I don’t think she can see me, but something in her gaze seems familiar.

“Elle, let’s go! We can’t get ice cream if the shop’s closed.” One of her friends shouts from inside the SUV. Their voice seems to draw her out of whatever trance she was in, and she quickly climbs inside as the music is turned up. Her door shuts, cutting it off, leaving only a muffled beat filtering through the air.

There is another group standing under the streetlights on the far end of the parking lot, the screen of their phones glowing in the night. Waiting for a ride maybe?

After my talk with Professor Logan—Harvey—I called Nick. He was able to get a bit of info for me on this Ethan guy. A couple of the assistants in the psych department had all the things to say about Mr. Nice Guy. He lives in a house down the block, near frat row, with a couple of other people. And what do you know? The alley is a perfect short cut.

He’ll never see me coming. I just have to wait for the perfect moment.

Footsteps.

Quiet footsteps.

Nearly as silent as my own, but there.

I grip the cool metal in my hand, waiting. Always waiting.

I can see him between the cracks of the dumpster. He’s a pretty average looking guy. I saw him a few days ago, and it’s like I’ve already forgotten what he looks like. Ethan’s a little shorter than me, maybe Cade’s height. Not super muscular, not really skinny. He has brown hair.

He passes by, none-the-wiser of my presence creeping up behind him. As he rounded the end of the dumpsters, I wrapped my hand around his mouth, arm tucked around his ribs and pulled him back into the shadows.

“Ethan Cochrane, I have been dying to speak with you.” I seethe from behind my mask.

His eyes widened and he began to mumble through my hand. I tsk.