No One's Hero (Chadwell Hearts) (19 page)

Beside me, Kevin cringes and I realize my words sound almost incriminating.

“Yes, I’ve heard there have been multiple incidents between you and Madison. And while he wouldn’t have gotten sick instantly, there’s nothing to suggest you hadn’t been feeding it to him over multiple occasions to make sure he fell ill.”

“It sounds to me like you’ve already decided Lexi is guilty without much evidence other than unreliable accounts from students who don’t like her. That’s irresponsible, and I’m sure my employer would be quite happy to sue the school if you don’t treat her with some respect.”

“Your threats have no place here, Mr. Morrison. I’m aware of who you are, and who your employer is. Neither of you frighten me. And I assure you, we will be investigating. But in the meantime, Ms. Feron is barred from entering the equestrian facilities.”

I gasp, unable to believe what I’m hearing. “But if I can’t come to the barn, I can’t participate in my riding or stable management classes!”

“That’s the least of your worries, Ms. Feron. If I were you, I’d start packing your things. If it is as I suspect and we find more evidence of your wrongdoing, you’ll be expelled from Chancellorsville College immediately.”

I’m about to be sick on Director Gleason’s immaculate green carpet. This is unbelievable. I must be dreaming, because I could not have just heard those words. Kevin grabs my hand and stands, pulling me to my feet with him. “Come on, don’t say another word. She’s already decided you’re guilty and anything you say right now will only make it worse.”

Numbly, I press my lips together and follow him out of the office, keeping my gaze on my feet. This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening. This...

Oh God, what am I going to tell my dad?

—-♥—-

K
evin

By my assessment, Lexi is falling into a pit of uncertainty, so I’ve got to get her out of here so I can assert control of this fucked-up situation. More and more I’m starting to suspect she’s being played like a puppet. I just don’t know who is pulling the strings, or what their end game is. My only guess is that they’re trying to discredit her. What other possible motive could there be? And the only one I can imagine who would want to do that would be Nick and his cartel buddies. If she’s discredited, her value as a witness drops drastically.

She stumbles and clutches at my arm for balance. “Keep walking, Lexi,” I command with my lips pressed close to her ear. “Come on sweetheart; hold it together for a few more moments.” Her hand is pressed against her mouth, and her face has lost all its color. Only once we’re hidden from view behind the truck do I let her stop. She retches into the grass while I hold back her hair.

My gaze flicks back to the doorway of the equestrian center, and it’s a good damn thing I don’t have a match. Fury is a fiery undercurrent just beneath my skin and there’s a wicked part of me that wants to level this place to the ground. God help them, Lexi is mine, and I do not stand for people fucking with what’s mine.

When at last she stands, flashing me a look of embarrassment, I put my arm around her shoulder and guide her to the passenger door. “Come on, let’s get you out of here and back to the dorm so we can come up with a plan.”

When we’re on the road, she just stares straight ahead, blinking every so often and rubbing at her eyes like she wishes she could wake up. “I would never hurt a horse,” she whispers, turning pleading eyes in my direction.

“You don’t have to defend yourself to me, Lexi. I never thought for a moment that you would.” I’m not sure that my words reach her. She’s adopted that vacant, shocked look I’ve often seen on the faces of my brothers in combat after witnessing something unfathomable. It’s like the brain has trouble believing that what’s happening is reality, and they’ve almost convinced themselves it isn’t real. Her blank stare isn’t quite that bad, but close. I have no idea if I should leave her alone with her thoughts or push her to talk. Having a plan always makes me feel better, so I decide to take a chance and hope it will work for her as well. “Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to call Axel and see if he can make some calls. Money talks and Axel has enough to speak very, very loudly. They’ll claim I’m biased, so I’ll have him insist that they hire an independent investigator, someone who isn’t going to be swayed by personal opinions or connections to anyone’s father. You and I both know you’re innocent, so chances are they’ll clear you.”

Her face twists into a wry smile. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you justice doesn’t always win? And even if they do clear me, my reputation will be ruined here.”

“Not so. That’s where the other part of the plan comes in. We’ll investigate ourselves and help figure out who actually did hurt Samurai, and you’ll come out of this looking like a hero.”

Lexi snorts. “Are you kidding me? If it turns out to be another student, one they like better than me, I’ll still be the bad guy for exposing them.”

“And what if it isn’t? What if it’s Nick, trying to discredit you? Come on, you’ll be the girl who was brave enough to stand up to a drug cartel, twice. That’s got to earn you at least a little bit of respect.”

“Or a death sentence.”

“You know I will
not
let that happen. Right?”

She doesn’t look convinced; in fact, she looks like someone who just realized it’s them against the world. Somehow, I’ve got to get her to see that she’s not alone in this. “Why don’t you call Tess while I call Axel—you girls can vent and bitch while Axel and I plan.”

“Or maybe we’ll come up with a better plan than you.” With this, she gives me a tiny hint of a smile.

It wouldn’t surprise me in the least. “Impossible. I’m the king of plans.”

“I bet you’ve even got a shiny paper crown, don’t you?” She gives me a tiny smile.

“You know it.”  I put the SUV in park in what has become my regular parking spot, just at the edge of the lot, where I’ve got a view of all the walkways that converge nearby, plus I can see  enough of the back of nearby hedges to make sure no one is waiting to ambush us. “Do you want to sit here and call so that Stephanie doesn’t overhear?” The last thing Lexi needs right now is Stephanie’s shit. She’s lost a bit of the determination to fight back that she had an hour ago when we left her dorm, and I don’t think I could stand by and let someone else get inside her head right now. All my protective senses are kicked into overdrive.

“I guess.” The glazed over look is coming back, and it worries me. I know this program at this school has been Lexi’s dream for as long as she can remember. She’s worked hard to get here, and now she sees it being ripped away. That’s a soul-crushing feeling for anyone, but for someone as vulnerable as Lexi I’m especially concerned.

I climb out of the SUV so she can have some privacy.

Axel and I have a thing, we don’t feel the need for greetings. As soon as the line is connected, I bark out, “You need to get your ass down here and bring a big fucking checkbook. These people need you to rip them a new one, turn this program on its motherfucking head.”

“Whoah, slow down. What happened?”

“Someone’s framing Lexi for poisoning a horse, and the director—and I use that term loosely—has banned Lexi from the barn and classes while they pretend to investigate. She all but told Lexi she thinks she’s guilty and that she should start packing.”

“That woman is going to be out of a job so fast she won’t know what hit her. I’ll be there by tomorrow afternoon.”

“Bring Tess. Lexi is in dire need of a friend.”

“Like I go anywhere without her?”

He’s got a point. It’s sickening really.

So why am I wondering if I’ll ever be whole enough to have that some day?

After I hang up with Axel, I lean against the tailgate of the SUV, listening to the soft murmur of Lexi talking on the phone. There are long pauses where I think she might be done, but then she starts talking again. It’s nearly half an hour later when she climbs out and greets me. She’s wiped the tears from her face, but she can’t remove the red from her eyes. I want so bad to hold her, to comfort her, but I can’t. I know she’s strong enough to face this, but if I shelter her and help her too much, she won’t get a chance to realize it, and she needs to. That doesn’t mean I don’t intend to clear her a path.

The urge to touch her is so strong my fingers actually ache. But that may be because I’m having to clench them into tight fists to restrain myself. “Did talking with Tess help?”

Lexi gives me a little half shrug. “Some.”

“When we get into your room, we need to come up with a list of everyone in the equestrian program, noting their hair color, any connection they might have to you, Madison, or Samurai. It will give us a place to start and help us organize our thoughts.”

“But I hardly know anyone.” She sucks the corner of her lip into her mouth, worrying it between her teeth. The insecurity that radiates from her is driving me mad. I want to shake her. I want to kiss her. I want to destroy everyone who has hurt her. She projects so much determination and confidence most of the time. This is the girl who fought tooth and nail to get her and Axel free when Nick and his buddies tied her up in Axel’s kitchen. She’s tough as nails, until someone pushes a button that makes her feel inadequate. And I guess the thought of getting kicked out of school is pushing that button in a major way.

And of course she doesn’t know anyone. As part of bodyguarding her, I’ve kept her damn near secluded, making her feel even more alone. Maybe I should add myself to the list of people who need to get punched. “Don’t worry, I’ve got printouts of rosters that will help us get started.”

She stands listlessly by my side as I swipe her ID and open the building door.

“Do you want to stop by Megan’s?” I ask her. I’m not exactly fond of Megan since her shit at the club, but Lexi likes her and maybe seeing her would help. I know it worries her that Megan hasn’t returned to the dorm. Honestly, it worries me too. But I’ve checked everything I can think of, and I can’t find any connection between her and Nick. Yesterday, I put in requests to my contacts to expand the background check outward and check contacts of Megan’s contacts, but that sort of net can take time.

“What’s the point? We both know she won’t be there.”

True enough. My mind is still whirring, trying to think of a way to help Lexi shake her funk, while I unlock her room. I push the heavy wood door inward, ready to do a cursory scan of the room, not really expecting to find anyone, but still, it’s my job. My eyes are instantly drawn to the floor and the world momentarily tilts on its axis. The gray tile has been covered in red. Red blood pooled around red hair.

Behind me, Lexi screams.

—-♥—-

L
exi

Holy fuck holy fuck holy fuck.

Someone is screaming and I wish they’d shut up because it’s piercing and loud and each shriek slams through my head like a pulsating headache that’s threatening to blow my eardrums. Belatedly, I realize the screaming is coming from me. And yet I can’t stop. My eyes are glued to the tangle of red curls lying on the cold dorm floor, carpeted by a growing puddle of dark red. Stephanie’s neck and one of her arms are twisted at an impossible angle and her eyes are wide, unblinking, just staring lifelessly up at the ceiling.

I suck in another breath, preparing another scream, when Kevin grips my shoulders, hard. The scream dies unuttered on my lips while I continue to stare at the sight before me. I’ve never seen a dead body before, but it doesn’t take experience to know Stephanie is dead. I used to think she looked like a porcelain doll. Now, she looks like a doll that’s been broken and discarded.

Up and down the hall, other doors are opening, their occupants poking irritated heads into the hallway to find the source of the commotion.

Which of course is me.

Kevin is trying to pull me away from the doorway, but I can’t go. I can’t stop looking. I don’t want to see, but I can’t make myself turn away.

I guess Kevin understands, because he steps in front of me, blocking my view as he crushes me to his chest. The feeling of his strong arms encircling my body flips the switch and I slump into his embrace as tears begin to flow down my cheeks. I hated her, but not enough to wish whatever horror went down on this room.

“Oh my God.” I don’t know who’s talking; another student, I guess.

My brain is stuck on repeat, pulsing between two awful thoughts. I’m about to be kicked out of school, and my roommate is dead.

Without warning, my legs decide they no longer want to work and I’m rushing toward the ground. Strong arms—Kevin’s I assume— catch me and in a moment I’m cradled against his chest with one of his arms tucked beneath my knees. “Move!” he commands.

I bury my face against his shirt, willing the mental image of Stephanie’s wide, frozen eyes to go away, but it doesn’t. There was a trickle of blood between her eyes, and in my head it’s morphing into a finger that’s pointing at me, accusing, saying this is somehow my fault. I hear the metallic click of the door latch opening and then cool air brushes against my back and I shiver.

Once I start, I can’t stop. Violent shudders wrack my body and Kevin holds me closer. His lips are feathers against my ear. “Lexi, I’ve got to put you down for just a moment so I can get out my phone, all right?”

“No! Please don’t let me go.” I suddenly can’t bear the thought of being parted from him, for even a moment.

His voice is calm and soothing, as if the fact that he just saw a dead body was no big deal. “Just your feet, sweetheart. You can keep holding onto my neck.”

I didn’t even realize I was clinging to his neck. I cling tighter, but nod. My feet lower and then I feel solid ground beneath them, although they’re still wobbly and protest at the thought of having to support me. Fortunately, Kevin’s arm around my back does the job for them just fine. His phone beeps as he pushes two buttons, and then he starts talking rapidly. “Agent O’ Brian, we’ve got a situation. Her roommate’s dead in their room.  It’s a bloody mess. Someone wasn’t playing games.”