As I shifted into Drive, my phone hummed. I engaged the parking brake again and picked it up.

  Emma had sent me a text, so I called her back.

  “Molly, you done already?”

  “Yes. Unfortunately, I don’t think Honey Akiona was very impressed by anything I told her.”

  “Did you tell her what Stephen said about being a guinea pig?”

  “Yes, I did. As I said, she was unimpressed.”

  “What are you doing right now?”

  “Sitting in my car in downtown Mahina with the engine running. Why? What are you doing?”

  “I’m at the old hospital. Meet me on the fourth floor.”

  “Emma, isn’t that where Bee’s lab—”

  But she had already hung up. Now I was decidedly curious. I shifted into drive and pulled out onto the road.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  The door to Bee Corcoran’s lab was ajar, propped open with one of those contentious plastic door stops you can buy in packs of two at the hardware store.

  I say “contentious” because those little wedges are at the heart of a conflict between two powerful factions at Mahina State. The Student Retention Office has decreed that we should keep our office doors open at all times in order to be welcoming to students. But Facilities has ordered us to keep our office doors shut to comply with fire regulations. To show they mean business, Facilities conducts random sweeps, confiscating door wedges and locking office doors behind them. Pity the unsuspecting professor who comes back from the bathroom to find herself locked out of her office right before class. Let’s just say I’ve learned the hard way to take my key with me everywhere.

  I pushed the door open. Inside Bee’s lab, the lights were off. Sunlight filtered through the tall window, which was now crisscrossed with yellow police tape. The rat cages were empty and the water bottles were gone.

  “Emma?” I called softly.

  “In here, Molly.”

  Emma had a cardboard box open. She was pulling out beakers and pipettes and other science-y-looking objects and setting them down on the counter.

  “What are you doing?” I asked. “You’re going to get your fingerprints on everything.”

  Emma gave me an exasperated look and held up her gloved hands for me to see.

  “Grab a pair from that box next to the sink,” she said.

  I went over, pulled out two purple gloves, and tugged them on.

  “What are we looking for?” I asked.

  “Notebooks.”

  “What?”

  “Come on, help me out. Where would you hide lab notebooks you needed to get to but didn’t want anyone else to find?”

  “Are you talking about actual paper notebooks?”

  Emma sighed heavily.

  “No, plasma notebooks. Yes, paper notebooks, Molly.”

  “It’s the twenty-first century. Who uses paper notebooks anymore?”

  “Anyone who works in the field. Or in a wet lab.”

  “Well, that’s charmingly retro,” I said.

  “Yep, that’s why we do it.”

  “Emma, are you sure this is a good idea? What if someone comes in and sees us rummaging around wearing gloves?”

  “Molly, you can stay and help me, or if you’re too chicken then you can leave. Just don’t stand there kibitzing.”

  I considered pulling the gloves off and walking out, but I couldn’t do it. My curiosity wouldn’t allow me to leave. I went over to the far wall and started opening drawers.

  “If she did keep notebooks, how do you know they’re even here?” I asked. “What if they’re at her house? Or in her car?”

  “I keep mine in my lab,” Emma said. “So do most people I know. Eh, what happened with the lawyer? How come she didn’t care about our new evidence?”

  “She said she’d mention it to her investigator.” I slid open a drawer. It was empty, except for a sandwich bag full of plastic forks. “The thing is, we don’t have any evidence for any of our brilliant theories. A second-hand report of a remark Stephen made to his theater class last semester doesn’t count, apparently.”

  “Did you tell her we were thinking that there must’ve been an investor who had a stake in her research, then it turned out it didn’t work, or it had some serious side effects?”

  “If there was a secret formula, I’m pretty sure it worked. You haven’t seen Stephen this summer, have you?”

  “Nope.”

  “When I saw him he was a total ‘after’ picture. And it was different from all the other times his weight has yo-yoed.”

  “What about when he went through his exercise addiction phase and was at the gym all the time?” Emma asked.

  “That’s what I’m talking about. All he did was walk on the treadmill for hours, and he was emaciated then. I’ve only ever seen him scrawny or fat. The night he died was the only time I’ve ever seen him look muscular. Do you hear something?”

  We both fell silent as footsteps echoed down the hallway outside. Emma ran to the door and peered out. Then she waved at me frantically.

  “Act natural,” she ordered, shoving me out into the hallway. She followed me out and pulled the door shut behind her.

  “Hands in your pockets,” she whispered. “Walk with me toward the exit sign.”

  “What? I don’t have pockets.”

  I saw Geoffrey Gunderson walking toward us and quickly clasped my purple-gloved hands behind my back.

  “Oh, hi Geoffrey,” Emma said casually as we passed him in the hallway. “Hey, how’s your summer going?”

  Geoffrey Gunderson stopped walking, which meant we had to stop too.

  “I’ve certainly had better, I must say. My goodness, just when you think one crisis has passed…and what brings you ladies in on this fine day?”

  “Fine day?” I wondered whether Gunderson had been outside at all. It was overcast, drizzly, and steaming hot.

  “Uh, Molly was just showing me the new College of Commerce offices,” Emma said.

  Geoffrey Gunderson gave me an odd look.

  “Here in this building? Did Dan tell you he had space in the old hospital? I was given to understand that the College of Commerce offices were in the next building over.”

  “No, you’re right,” I said. “Dan did tell me that the College of Commerce has the building out back. We’re here to look around. I was just reading about this building. How it was constructed in in the style of an Italian Renaissance palace.”

  I’d started reading Island Confidential again. Pat’s latest installment of Mysterious Mahina had a history of the old Mahina Memorial building.

  “Ahem. Well,” Gunderson started over. “We’re certainly fortunate to have such beautiful surroundings. And to rescue this wonderful historic building from the elements and the termites. Such a lovely opportunity. Although the termites can be so destructive, so, so destructive...”

  The dean’s gaze flicked briefly to a point behind us, roughly where Bee’s lab was.

  “Well, it was nice to see you, Geoffrey,” Emma said. “Okay, Molly, back to your office, ah?”

  As soon as we were in the stairwell I rolled the gloves off my hands. I was about to put them in my purse when I realized something.

  “My purse is in Bee’s lab,” I said.

  “You need it right now?” Emma asked. “This minute? While Gunderson’s prowling around?”

  “Well…”

  “We can come back and get it later when we’re sure he’s gone.”

  “Okay. My phone’s in there too. Can I borrow yours? I need to text Donnie and tell him I might be a little bit later than I planned.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  “I finally get to see your new office,” Emma said, as I struggled to the top floor of the Inebriates Asylum building. “Molly, you okay?”

  I held up my finger and she waited for me to catch my breath.

  “That was unfortunate timing,” I panted. “Your dean showing up. Geez, I hope I get used to these stairs soon. I feel like my heart’s going to explode.”

  It had started to rain. The frosted skylight glowed silver, casting a sickly glow over the landing.

  “Taking this many stairs is tough if you’re not used to it.” Emma went over to the railing and looked down. “You could take the elevator if you weren’t so scared of it.”

  “I don’t know. It’s the old cage kind, and you know how things are maintained here—”

  “Eh, Molly, how many ghosts you think are hanging around here? I bet there’s a bunch of ‘em watching us right now, ah?”

  I stood with my back pressed against the door of office 311, watching Emma lean over the railing.

  “If the dead really are watching us, Emma, they’re probably asking themselves why you seem so eager to join them.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Considering two people have just fallen to their deaths, why are you leaning on the railing like that?”

  “That was the next building over,” Emma retorted.

  “Did you hear what Gunderson said about termites? You should get away from there.”

  “Fine. We can kill some time in your office, then go back and get your purse when we know Gunderson’s gone. Does that work?” Emma finally turned away from the terrifying railing.

  “Sure. Dang it. I should’ve pumped before I came here. Or brought my breast pump.” I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling the familiar heaviness.

  “Aw, why I gotta hear about that?” Emma complained. “Come on, show me your new office.”

  I tried the handle of 314, but it was locked.

  “They never gave you the key?” Emma asked.

  “Serena says it’s going to take a while. They’re going to wait until everyone’s picked their office, and issue all of the new faculty keys at once.”

  “You gotta wait until Hanson Harrison gets back from Martha’s Vineyard or wherever he goes all summer?” Emma asked. “Doesn’t he always get back after class starts, with some story about how he missed his connection in Boston?”

  “Yup. So I expect to get my key sometime around the middle of fall semester. I guess I’ll have to call security to let us in. Can I use your phone again?”

  “Nah, that’ll take forever. Come on, move over.”

  Emma pulled something out of her jeans pocket and hunched over the door handle.

  “You know how to pick locks?” I exclaimed as the door swung open.

  “Pat showed me. You should learn.”

  “Ow,” I crossed my arms tightly as I followed her in. “I really should’ve brought my pump with me. What was I thinking, leaving it in the diaper bag? It’s not like Donnie can use it.”

  “I’m not listening,” Emma declared. “Eh, this is nice. It’s like the other one except you got koa on the wall. Bet you this office belonged to an administrator, ah? All deluxe.”

  She rapped on the paneling.

  “Aren’t you a biology professor?” I asked. “How are you squeamish about breastfeeding?”

  “There’s a reason I study plants, Molly. Eh, speaking of termites. I think you got ‘em in the wall here.”

  “What? Where? How can you tell?”

  “See how this gives, right here?” Emma pressed on the paneling.

  As she spoke, an entire section of the wall gave way and swung open like a door.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Before us lay a square room, a mirror image of the one we were standing in. The only light source was the dusty window, shaded by the branches of a mango tree outside.

  “The fourth window,” I exclaimed.

  “What fourth window?” Emma asked.

  “From the outside you see four windows, but from the inside there are only three doors on this wall. Pat showed me. I forgot about it until now.”

  “Aw, that’s cool.” Emma strode into the little room, and I cautiously followed her.

  The room smelled close and mildewed. I went over to the casement window and tried to open it.

  “Having trouble?” Emma asked.

  “It’s stuck,” I said.

  Emma came over and muscled it open, releasing a cascade of paint flakes.

  “How do you do that?” I asked.

  “Canoe paddling, Molly. You could still join us for practice. It’s not too late.”

  “Thanks again, and again, no thank you.”

  “Look at this, though, you got a secret room. How cool is this?”

  The room was furnished with a simple bookshelf, a faded horsehair chair that used to have a floral pattern, and a small side table. Behind the table was a ghostly gray smudge on the wall.

  “There’s no lamp here. Or outlets.” I looked up at the ceiling; there was no light fixture.

  “And there’s no exit door,” I said. “Let’s make sure this thing doesn’t slam shut.”

  I pushed the door all the way open and then pulled the side table over to brace it.

  “Molly,” Emma said from the window, “you got a good view here. It’s the end window so you see part of the hospital, but a lot of your view is trees. What do you think this room was for?”

  “I don’t know. There’s not a lot here to go on, is there?”

  I opened the drawer of the table in hopes of discovering some ancient hidden treasure, but it looked empty. Unthinkingly, I slid my hand to the back of the drawer. My fingers landed on something cold and metallic.

  “Emma, look. What is this thing?”

  Emma turned away from the window to squint at the object I was holding up. It looked like a fancy little trowel. It was adorned with scrolls and curlicues and coated in black tarnish.

  “I dunno. Probably some torture device for the mentally ill. You should leave it here, Molly.”

  Out of some kind of rebellious impulse, I slipped the item into my bra.

  “You’re probably right,” I said. “Okay, I think I need to get home. Are you ready to go?”

  “Sure.” Emma pushed the window shut as the rain started to pour down in earnest. We went back out the way we came in, closed everything behind us, and finally made sure the door to Room 314 was locked.

  “Well, that was exciting,” I said.

  “Yeah, you got a double-wide office.”

  “Sounds extra classy when you put it that way.”

  “Let’s try stop by Bee’s lab,” Emma said. “Gunderson’s gotta be gone by now.”

  “I hope so. I’m swelling up like a prizewinning pumpkin. Two prizewinning pumpkins, if you want to be precise about it.”

  “Maybe we can find that notebook—” Emma caught a glimpse of my anguished expression and changed course. “Tell you what. You get your purse and go. I’ll stick around and keep looking.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said. “You shouldn’t be there alone. Even if there’s no murderer hanging around, what if a shelf falls on you or the floor gives way or something? The railing already gave way. If you’re here by yourself, you won’t be able to call for help.”

  Going downstairs took much less effort than going up. Going down I was able to listen to what Emma was saying when I wasn’t gasping for breath.

  “I don’t wanna wait too long,” Emma said. “I’m worried Facilities is gonna get their orders to clean out the lab, and they’ll sweep everything out and dump it in the landfill. I wanna see if I can find Bee’s notebooks before that happens. Tell you what, I’ll take a super quick look around one last time, and then we can leave together. It’ll only take a second.”

  “Fine,” I said, hugging myself tightly. “But we really do have to be quick.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Emma and I took the side stairwell back up to Bee’s lab. Emma had to keep stopping to wait for me because, frankly, I was a wreck. My legs were jelly, my chest felt like two bursting water balloons, and I was so hungry I felt like I was going to black out.

  “I should buy a pedometer,” I gasped, as we reached the fourth floor for the second time that afternoon.

  “They don’t make you any faster,” Emma said, breezing ahead of me.

  “I know that,” I wheezed as I struggled to keep up with her. “I just want a quantitative measurement of my suffering.”

  Bee’s lab looked the same as we’d left it earlier, filled with appliances that looked like bizarro versions of things you’d find in your kitchen. The autoclave was basically a desktop dishwasher. The incubator looked like a refrigerator, but when you opened it, it was warm inside, not cold. A fume hood served the same purpose as the hood over your stove, but it was huge, with a sealed-off workspace underneath.

  The lab was close and stuffy, and I felt myself start to sweat. I spotted my purse sitting next to the sink and slung it onto my shoulder before I had the chance to forget it again. The box of gloves was right there, so I pulled on another pair.

  “Okay, real quick,” Emma said. “We’re looking for anything that looks like a notebook. Open every drawer and cabinet. Think about where you’d put a notebook.”

  “I keep everything backed up online,” I said.

  “Just look, Molly. The sooner you find something, the sooner we can go.”

  “We have to find something?” I objected. “I thought you said it would just be a second.”

  “Molly, weren’t you just on my case for standing too close to the railing? Get away from there and help me look, ah? Oh, I gotta take a bio break. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

  I realized I was standing next to the window. Two strips of yellow tape printed with the word CAUTION formed an X over the closed blinds.

  I shuddered, backed away slowly, and banged my lower back on something. It was the corner of a long narrow counter that bisected the room.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20