Labyrinth: The Keeper Chronicles, a prequel (3 page)

“Yes, miss. It's procedure.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “But I didn't see anything. I wasn’t there when it…happened.”

“Nevertheless, you might be able to shed some light on the victim's personal life. No detail is too trivial. In investigations like this, it's often the small things that help solve the case.”

“Personal life? Case?  I thought she was attacked by an animal.”

She could almost hear him shake his head.
“No, miss. And that's all I'll say over the phone. What time can I expect you down here?”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she took a deep breath. “I'm on my way.”

His eyes bore into her, emerald drills, as he waited for her answer.

“I was walking with a friend further down the beach.” Rebekah grabbed her right arm above the elbow and strummed her fingers against the water glass he'd offered when she sat down. The overhead lights were sharp and fluorescent, forcing her to squint. “He wanted to show me the lighthouse. You know, the one that overlooks the beach.”

“And…?”

She hid her hand beneath the table. “And nothing. The storm picked up and we started back to find Sarah. You were there for the rest.”

He was younger than she thought he would be, maybe his mid-thirties, with red hairs speckling the blonde in his goatee and shadows around his eyes. He wore a teal shirt and gray dress pants and had a small notebook on the table. If it weren't for the holster and gun, she could have confused him for one of her professors. “Ms. Gallinger's parents mentioned that she was having trouble with a classmate. Can you tell me anything about that?”

The Gallingers are here? Are they watching?
“No. This is the first I've heard of it. Did they say which class?”

Detective Nolan shook his head as he flipped through his notes. “They couldn't recall anything more specific about the event. Do you know of any possible enemies? People who might have wished your roommate harm?”

Sighing, she pulled her hands up from beneath the table and rubbed her eyes. “Of course not. Who has enemies that want to kill them? Is that really a thing?”

He didn't answer her question. “Any jealous ex-boyfriends? Threatening notes? Did she seem nervous or afraid?”

“No. None of that.”

Tapping his pen twice against the desk, he massaged the bridge of his nose. “I need details, Miss Lorek. I need names and dates. Anything you can give me to go on. You've got to know something. You were roommates for almost two years. Her parents said you went to high school together. I know you don’t realize it right now, but you probably know the person who did this or at least met them.”

Rebekah glanced over to the large mirror she knew hid a viewing room. “She…knew a lot of guys. Mostly she stayed with them or hung with them at parties because, and I quote, she didn't want them knowing where she lived. Maybe she thought it'd be awkward or she wanted to be a good roommate. I don't know. I didn't really think much about it at the time. Lots of people sleep around in college.”

He nodded and wrote something in a notebook. “Are you sure she didn't mention anyone by name?”

“She talked a lot about Alpha Sig parties. Maybe she was fooling around with someone there? Her camera might give you a better idea of who she was seeing.” Rebekah's phone vibrated in her pocket, one short double burst that meant she had a message. Her hand strayed into her pocket. “Or you could check her Snapchat account. Sarah takes…took a lot of selfies.”

“Forensics is going over her computer, and I've issued a search warrant to get us access to her accounts. This'll give us a place to start...” The detective paused when someone knocked on the door. “Excuse me.”

She tried to look past him to see who was at the door, but he blocked her view with his body.

An edge of worry sharpened his voice as he turned back to her. “Thank you for your time, Miss Lorek. I'll be in touch if we need anything else.”

He’ll be in touch? “Is everything okay?”

His gaze impaled her to her seat. “There's been another attack. At the Alpha Sig house.” He hesitated, as if debating whether he should continue. “Do you have somewhere off campus you can stay until this settles down?”

She pulled out her phone to see a text from Jason.
Are you okay? When are you coming back?
Rebekah nodded. “Yeah. I've got somewhere to go.”

“Then go there. Now.”

Her mom was waiting outside the interrogation room, arms crossed and scowl affixed to her face. “You shouldn't have gone in there alone.” She followed Rebekah down the hall and out of the police station. She saved her final remark until they were outside and away from prying ears. “You have a right to an attorney.”

“A right yes, but not a need.” Rebekah swallowed the lump in her throat and crossed the parking lot to her mom's car. “I didn't do anything illegal. He just wanted to know more about Sarah.”

As usual, Rebekah's argument held no weight with her mother. “Well, you still shouldn't have spoken to him alone. You could have at least let me come in with you. If your father knew…”

“I'm sure he'd have called all his friends at the Parks Services and had them call to the police station and then I'd have been here twice as long.” Rebekah got in and sat down, buckling her seat belt. “My way was easier. Your way, they would've arrested me for sure.”

Her mom said nothing, her hands clenching and releasing the steering wheel for a few breaths. “Maybe I should head back home. We have a party scheduled to check in today at the b-n-b, and you know he doesn't do too well alone. I'll have to smooth things out. Make sure everything's taken care of for breakfast tomorrow.”

Of course. The bed-n-breakfast. Rebekah nodded her head. It made sense, she knew, since the business funded her schooling. She tried to keep the disappointment from her voice. “I understand. I'll be fine. Can you just take me back to Jason's first?”

“Yeah. Sure thing.” Her mom started the car and backed out, looking over her shoulder to check traffic. “Just promise me you won't return to your dorm tonight, okay?”

“Sure, mom.” Rebekah took her phone out of her pocket when it vibrated.

Please let me know you're okay.

She texted him back.
Yes, I'm fine. Just left the station.
Her fingers hesitated over the keyboard. What would he think if she asked to stay with him? She didn’t want him to think it meant she’d sleep with him, but she also didn’t want to be alone, not after what the detective said.

The phone vibrated before she could type anything else.
I was so worried. Please say you'll stay with me tonight.

Okay. But I'm sleeping on the couch.

“Hey, Rebekah.” Jason shook her shoulder gently. “Dinner’s here. Wake up.”

Rubbing her eyes, Rebekah sat up and took a deep breath through her nose. She stretched her arms above her head. “Pizza?”

He bent down and kissed her quickly, almost like he was asking her permission. “Yeah, from Gio’s. I got your favorite: sausage, onions, and green peppers.”

“Umm. Smells good. I’m hungry.” She stood and glanced to the window, but the curtains had been pulled shut. “How long was I asleep?”

Jason set the pizza box on the island that served as his table, then walked around the other side and grabbed a pair of plates from one of the cupboards. “About three hours.”

She did the math in her head. “So it’s about 2?”

He nodded.

“Wow.” Rebekah slid onto the barstool–the same one she had used that morning with her mom–and took a plate. “Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?”

Grabbing the second plate, Jason sat on the barstool to her right. He pulled a slice of pizza free and put it on her plate, then got one for himself. “Didn’t seem right. Besides, it’s Sunday. Not like we’ve got any place to be.”

“Speak for yourself. I’ve got that project to finish for Accounting, and a history final tomorrow.” The pizza was still hot, and she blew on it a second before biting off the tip.

“Well, we could have a study session today if you want.” His crooked grin was mischievous as he nudged her with his shoulder. “You know, since you cancelled the last one.”

Rebekah remembered the detective’s warning. “I’d rather not go outside…shit.” Dropping the pizza on the plate, she buried her face in her hands.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” His tone was worried, and he rubbed her back. “We can study here. You don’t have to go anywhere.”

“Yes I do,” she answered, looking at him through her fingers. “I don’t have any of my books or notes or even clothes to wear tomorrow. I’m going to have to go back to the dorm.”

“I can go for you,” he offered, his tone sincere. “Just tell me what to get.”

She glared at him. “You’re not sifting through my underwear drawer.”

“Oh.” He hesitated. “Well, at least let me go with you. I can wait at the door if you want or out in the hall.”

She glanced over her shoulder at his weapon’s rack. “Would it be too weird if I asked to bring one of those swords?”

His brow crinkled as he turned her to face him, his knees surrounding hers protectively. “Did someone threaten you? What aren’t you telling me?”

She shook her head no. “The detective said they think there’s a serial killer on campus. A guy over at the Sigma Tau house was killed today.”

“Now I’m definitely coming with you. And I’ll bring my sword.”

“The sword’s not for you,” she said, crossing her arms beneath her breasts. “It’s for me.”

He arched a skeptical eyebrow. “You know how to use a sword?”

She leaned toward him in challenge. “How hard can it be? The pointy end goes in the other guy.”

He chuckled and scooted forward, his thighs caressing hers. Grabbing her right hand, he pulled it to his lips and kissed her palm. “Yeah, that's the gist of it. How are you going to get the sword from me, though? I won't give it up without a fight.” 

A shiver of pleasure arched down her spine at his touch. “No?" She grabbed the butter knife from the island and pointed it at him. "Surrender,” she demanded.

“Never.” He kissed her.

He’s going to pay for that.
Rebekah traced his inner thigh up to his groin, studying his reaction, and bit her bottom lip. His hands started to slide around her hips, but she slapped them away with the knife blade.  “I didn’t give you permission to touch me.” With a start she stood, still between his legs, and turned around. She bent over as though to tie her shoe and was rewarded when he sucked in a breath. She looked up at him. “Surrender yet?”

Jason stood up and spun her around until her back was trapped against the barstool and he was pressed between her legs. When he kissed her this time, he left her panting and breathless by the time he was finished. “Never.”

Rebekah pushed him back gently and walked toward the couch, eying him over her shoulder as she took off her shirt and let it drop with a flourish. Her bra came next. She traced the line of her cleavage with the knife. “Surrender yet?”

A low growl of hunger sounded in his throat as he crossed toward her, cupping her breasts in his hands as he kissed the back of her neck. He grabbed the knife and tossed it to the floor. “Never.”

She slid her jeans down slowly, letting him enjoy the sight of her in just her lace panties.

“Oh god,” he whispered.

“Does that mean you surrender?”

“Yes,” he answered, picking her up as he kissed her. “Yes, yes, yes.”

Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pulled back from his kiss as he started to carry her to the bedroom. “Hey,” she said. “Where are you going? I told you I wasn’t going to sleep with you today.”

“That’s right.” He kissed her neck as he angled back to the living room. “You wanted to sleep on the couch.”

“Um hum,” she murmured happily as she wiggled against his hips. She started to undo the buttons of his shirt.

He threw her down on the couch.

They watched some re-runs on the television after, the pizza cold but still good, and Rebekah relaxed for the first time that day.  She didn’t think about her friend or about what she’d seen; she let her mind empty of everything.

Unfortunately, it didn’t last long as her phone rattled against the coffee table. She picked it up and read the message:
All dorms subject to curfew. Residents must be in their rooms by 6 pm. No guests allowed. ID required.

She showed her phone to Jason.

He looked at his watch. “That’s in twenty minutes.”

“I know.”

He sat up, forcing her to sit up as well. “If you still want to go get your stuff, we’d better leave now.”

Rebekah got up and grabbed her jeans from the floor. “What if they don’t let me leave once we get to the room? I…I don’t think I can stay there tonight.”

“I’m sure they’ll understand.”

“And if they don’t?”

Jason buttoned up his shirt and she tried not to frown in disappointment. He really did have a nice chest. More muscular than she would have guessed for someone so into accounting and finance. “Rebekah, they will. Even that detective told you not to sleep there tonight. If they try to hold you, we can just call and have him verify.”

He was right, she knew, but her stomach twisted in knots as she followed him to his car. His apartment wasn’t that far from campus, but she was glad he hadn’t wanted to walk. The car felt safer. It was ridiculous, she knew, but the feeling persisted. The only thing crazier than someone intentionally attacking Sarah was someone wanting to hurt Rebekah. She’d never done anything to anyone. There was an ex-boyfriend back home she wouldn’t mind seeing trip and fall down a flight of stairs, but she couldn't imagine anyone holding that kind of grudge against her.

Jason drove slowly across campus. Usually bustling streets were empty, people having already retreated inside, and even very few cars were on the street. Rebekah hugged herself.

“It's going to be okay,” Jason promised, reaching over to rub her leg.

She wished she could believe him.

They pulled up to the Weatherford Hall parking lot, and he cut the engine. He held her hand as they crossed toward the entrance and the pair of campus security guards blocking the door.

“We need to see some ID,” the guard on the right said. The embroidery on his chest named him Franklin.

“Sure.” Rebekah fished in her purse until she found her campus ID and held it out to the guard. He nodded as he read the details and then handed it back.

“Check in Rebekah Lorek,” Franklin said to his fellow officer. He then gestured to Jason. “You too, sir. No one gets in without ID.”

Exchanging a glance with Rebekah, Jason handed over his campus ID. Her fingers tightened around his.
If they won't let him in…

The security guard shook his head and passed the ID back. “I'm sorry, sir, but you cannot enter. We're under strict curfew. No visitors.”

“May I speak to you for a moment?” Jason asked.

“This isn't up for negotiation.”

Jason smiled and held up his hands as if in surrender. “Please. It'll just take a second.”

Officer Franklin narrowed his eyes in suspicion but gestured for Jason to follow him. Rebekah watched as the two men spoke off to the side of the building, trying to listen in to what he was saying, but they kept their voices to a whisper. The more Jason talked, however, the more the officer's posture relaxed from the defensive. It was working. After only a couple of minutes they returned.

“It's okay,” Franklin nodded to Jason. “He can go in. They won't be staying. As a precaution, however, I'm going to escort them to her room and back. Will you be fine here by yourself for a few minutes?”

The other officer nodded. “Yeah.”

“Okay then, let's go get your stuff Miss Lorek.”

They climbed the three flights of stairs to her floor in silence, the two men like beefy shadows behind her. Rebekah's heart beat quickened as they approached the dorm she had shared with Sarah.

Jason, as if sensing her distress, came forward and took her hand. “It's going to be okay,” he said with a squeeze.

She offered him a tight smile in thanks.

As they crossed the common area, she felt the eyes of everyone boring into her back. The girls whispered as she passed and pointed and covered their mouths with their hands. A small memorial had grown around their door, image of Sarah and flowers and charms and even some stuffed animals.

Rebekah stopped and turned to Jason as a dozen faces started peeking out of rooms down the hallway. “Coming here was a bad idea. I don't know if I can do this. Maybe I can just buy new clothes?”

“Do you want to stay out here with them?” He looked at the gawkers.

“No.”

“Then let's get this over with.”

She clutched his hand as he pushed the door open and led her into the room. Everything on her side was just as she'd left it. Rebekah's side was neat and tidy with all her books organized on the desk next to her laptop. Her clothing was folded inside the small dresser. Not looking at the other side of the room, Rebekah grabbed her laundry basket and filled it with the first clothes she saw until she had a few pairs of everything.

“Oh god,” the guard Franklin whispered behind her.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up. She set the basket on the floor and started to turn around, but Jason's hands on her shoulder stopped her.

“You don't want to do that,” he said.

“Jason…”

“Please, Rebekah. Don't.”

She swallowed. “I have to know.”

His hands released her and she turned around. Sitting in the center of the bed was a white and gray cat. Two feet away was its head. On the opposite corners were its paws. Blood stained the sheets and posters on the wall behind the bed. Sarah's picture, taken from the board in the common area, was pinned next to the cat's body with a dagger.

With a small nod, Rebekah walked calmly out of the room and vomited in the hall. Jason was behind her a second later, holding her hair back like he'd done the night before. When she'd brought up everything she could, she let him guide her down the hall and back to the common area. Behind her, she could hear the first scream as one of the other girls must have stuck her head in the room to see what the commotion was about.

As soon as he had her on a chair, Jason pulled out his phone. “Do you still have that detective's number?”

Yes, she did. She pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to him. “Here.”

He dialed the number. “Hello, is this Detective Nolan?...Yes, this is Jason Riggs. I'm Rebekah Lorek's boyfriend…Yes, she's fine. But you should come to her dorm. There's something you should see…Okay, thanks.” He hung up.

“Why would someone do that?” Rebekah asked, her vision blurred from tears. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked up at him.

“I don't know, Beks.” He sat down on the couch next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I don't know.”

Screams echoed down the hallway, and more people came out of their rooms to gawk. “Can we go home?”

He shook his head as the second security guard ran past the common area toward Rebekah's old room. “The detective will probably want to talk to you. I should go get your things, though. Will you be okay here for a minute?”

“Yeah.”

As Jason ran back down the hall, Rebekah's phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out to read the message.

What do you think of the message I left? Too gruesome for you?

Rebekah dropped the phone and it clattered to the ground. A moment later, it vibrated again.

Well, there's no accounting for taste. I did enjoy watching your gastronomic acrobatics.