The River and the Roses (Veronica Barry Book 1)

by Sophia Martin

  He looked resistant.

  “Daniel, what have you got to lose? It’s your day off. Just take me to my friend and drop me off. You can go home and feed your fish.”

  “We have permission to search the kid’s room!” he hissed, gesturing toward Gomez, who had turned back to the pantry.

  “So drop me off and then come back and search it!” she whispered back.

  Daniel groaned. “Why do I let you use me like a goddamn taxi service?” he asked.

  “I’m doing no such thing. I’d use my own car if I could. I would ask you to just drive me home and then I could take my car, but that would take too long.”

  “Fine.”

  As Veronica opened the entry door to leave, a tan sports car pulled up and Felsen stepped out.

  Chapter 24

  “What’s she doing here?” Veronica demanded.

  “She called me when we were leaving Carla Parker’s place,” Daniel said.

  “So?”

  “So she had information on Isaac Collins and I told her to come meet us here.”

  Veronica’s throat clenched.

  “Don’t worry,” Daniel said. “She’s not going to try and stop us now that we’ve connected Grant Slecterson to Sylvia and your friend’s daughter.”

  “Angie is missing, Daniel,” Veronica said. “I have to get over to the school now.”

  “We will,” Daniel said.

  Felsen stood by her car, her hands on her hips. Veronica descended the steps of the Victorian and approached her, feeling light-headed.

  “What’d you find out?” Daniel asked Felsen as they closed the distance to where she stood.

  Felsen eyed Veronica for a moment, then answered. “Evander Collins had a brother, Isaac. Another up-standing citizen. Similar rap sheet to Evander’s, assault, armed robbery.”

  “How’d he die?” Daniel asked.

  Your partner’s boyfriend murdered him, Veronica wanted to say. Can we go now?

  “Shot,” Felsen said. “Two bullets. He was crossing the street, I take it.”

  “Daniel, I have to get to the school,” Veronica murmured.

  Daniel frowned. “Any leads?” he asked Felsen.

  “Cooper and Pushkin had the case. Pushkin’s notes indicate Isaac may have had some ties to the Russian mob.”

  “Daniel,” Veronica said. Felsen raised an eyebrow.

  “Okay, let’s go,” Daniel said.

  ~~~

  He drove her to Saint Patrick’s, and Felsen followed. Veronica rubbed her hands on the tops of her thighs, her heart thudding in her chest. With what she’d seen in Evander’s memory, Veronica didn’t know what to say to Felsen. She considered telling Daniel, but how could she be sure he’d take her seriously this time? As they neared the school, she decided to try not to think about Felsen and Isaac Collins, but focus on finding Angie. Veronica knew Angie was in danger, and maybe if she concentrated on that, she could get the information necessary to help her. That was all she could do right now.

  Melanie paced by the main desk, where Veronica had signed in just the day before. It felt like a month had gone by since then. When Melanie saw Veronica, she strode to meet her.

  Veronica gave her a hug. “Still no sign of her?” she asked.

  “No, and I’m really starting to panic,” Melanie said. “I’ve called her cell at least a dozen times. She never answers.” Melanie looked past Veronica’s shoulder.

  Veronica looked around. Daniel and Felsen hung back in the foyer. “Come on,” she said to Melanie, leading her out of the office to where they were. “Melanie, this is Daniel—um, Detective Seong. Daniel, this is my friend Melanie.”

  Melanie was nodding. “I’ve seen you at the office.”

  Daniel shook her hand. “You work for Darnell James, right?”

  Melanie forced a smile. “Yes.”

  “And this is Detective Felsen,” Veronica said.

  Melanie shook Felsen’s hand but said nothing, shooting Veronica a look.

  “Your daughter is missing?” Daniel asked.

  “Yes,” she said. Then she looked from Veronica to Daniel and Felsen and back again. “You guys were just… hanging out?”

  “Not exactly,” Veronica said. She wasn’t sure whether to tell Melanie what she and Daniel had discovered about Grant Slecterson. It would probably panic her more and was there really any reason? But then again, Melanie might know something, or have heard something, and at this point could they really afford to risk overlooking anything? “Daniel and I have been investigating the murder,” she said. “We talked to Sylvia Gomez’s sister and her husband. Detective Felsen only just joined us.”

  Melanie nodded but her eyes were moving around the room and she was wringing her hands. Veronica reached out and took one of them in her own. “Mellie, we found something out.”

  Melanie met her eyes. “What?”

  “It’s Grant Slecterson,” Veronica said. Melanie’s forehead creased. “He’s Sylvia Gomez’s son.”

  Melanie put her other hand on her chest and looked from Veronica to Daniel. “I don’t understand.”

  “There’s more,” Veronica said, still holding her hand, hoping her firm grip would help steady Melanie. “I’m pretty sure, Mel—I’m pretty sure Grant killed Sylvia.”

  “This is ridiculous!” Felsen exploded. Daniel murmured something to her and they both turned away, whispering intensely. Veronica eyed them. Should she just blurt out the truth about Isaac Collins? Now just wasn’t the time—she had to figure out what happened to Angie first.

  Melanie looked from the detectives back to Veronica, and all color drained from her face. “I don’t understand.”

  “I know, hon. It’s crazy, right? But I’m sure about it.”

  Melanie shook her head, squinting. She looked at Veronica, a dazed expression on her face. “I don’t understand.”

  “Mel, it’s why I’ve been getting stuff about both situations, you know?” Veronica said, her eyes darting around. Felsen had crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes boring into Veronica as Daniel continued to whisper to her. Seeing this, Veronica gave a short sigh. Too bad if Felsen thought she was a con. There was no time to lose. “Mel, Grant Slecterson. The boy who pushed Angie in the river. He is the son of Sylvia Gomez, the murder victim I found. I think he killed her. He killed Sylvia. In fact, I know he did.”

  Melanie blinked and rubbed her eyes with her hand. “That—that boy—I knew he was dangerous—I knew he tried to hurt her on purpose—”

  “Melanie,” Veronica said as calmly as she could. “Are you sure no one said anything about seeing Angie leave?”

  Melanie’s eyes widened and her grip on Veronica’s hand tightened. “What are you saying?”

  “Veronica, it’s really not wise to suggest—” Daniel started.

  “Are you saying my Angie is with that boy?”

  “I think so,” Veronica said quietly.

  “We don’t know!” Daniel burst out. “This is just speculation!”

  “Dan, this is why I told you not to go talk to her!” Felsen said.

  “Oh my god,” Melanie murmured. “Oh, god. Veronica. You have to find her.”

  Veronica nodded, keeping her gaze locked with Melanie’s. She needed a vision. She needed it right now. She needed to know where Angela was. And she couldn’t just ask for one like she had in the Gomez living room. Not with Felsen right there.

  “Do you know where Angie’s locker is?” she asked.

  Melanie looked around wildly. “No!” she cried.

  “Oh please,” Felsen said. She turned away.

  Daniel glanced at her. “Let’s ask at the office,” he said, marching over through the door to the front desk. Veronica led Melanie to follow him. Maybe he’s made his choice, she thought, barely daring to hope. Maybe this means he’s decided to believe me.

  The woman behind the desk clicked through windows on her computer, then scrolled. “There she is. Her locker is number 415. On the fourth floor.” They started to g
o. “Do you want her combination?”

  “Yes!” Melanie said. The woman gave it to her.

  They hurried to the stairs and jogged up to the fourth floor. Veronica caught sight of Felsen planted in the lobby, glaring at them as they left. Maybe she’d just give up, Veronica hoped.

  By the time they got to the long rows of lockers, Melanie and Veronica were winded, but Daniel was barely breathing faster.

  They found Angie’s locker and stopped short. Someone had written “RAT” across it in black Sharpie. Melanie started fumbling with the lock and finally Daniel moved her aside and took over, opening it in no time. Then he stepped aside for Veronica.

  She approached the locker. She reached out and touched the writing on the outside.

  ~~~

  As she walked down the hall, people looked at her and whispered to each other. She felt exposed and ashamed. When she finally reached her locker, she saw “RAT” written across it. Clenching her jaw, she worked her combination and started opening the door. But then the door slammed shut again. Two girls glared at her—Angie recognized them: Mary Elizabeth and Antonia. Mary Elizabeth held her locker shut.

  “Why should we let a rat like you go to our school?” she asked. They scowled at her like she was garbage.

  “I’m not a rat,” Angie said.

  Antonia stepped closer, bringing her nose almost close enough to tough Angie’s. “Do you know how much trouble you got Grant into?”

  “He was hurting that girl,” Angie said.

  “No he wasn’t, rat,” Mary Elizabeth said. She seemed so sure, Angie felt uncertain. “They were making out.”

  “Yeah? Then why isn’t she in school?”

  “You got her in trouble too, rat!” Mary Elizabeth said. “Her family pulled her out.”

  “You did it cause you were jealous, admit it,” Antonia said.

  “Jealous of what?” Angie demanded.

  “You have some kind of twisted little crush on Grant,” Antonia said. “You always stare at him in the caf. You’re so obvious!”

  Burning heat crept from Angie’s neck up to her ears.

  “We don’t let jealous little rats go to our school,” Mary Elizabeth said, moving in closer to Angie’s side.

  “Hey, leave her alone.”

  Mary Elizabeth and Antonia stepped back, and Angie, grateful, looked to see who had stopped them. It was Grant. She gaped at him. “She made a mistake,” he said.

  “She got you in trouble,” Antonia snapped.

  “Not so bad,” Grant said. He gave Angie a grin. He had the most amazing blue eyes. She didn’t know what to think. He was being awfully nice. Had she made a mistake? Could it be that he hadn’t hurt that girl? She’d only seen them for a second.

  Grant walked away, Antonia and Mary Elizabeth trailing like puppies behind him. Angie watched him go, uncertain.

  ~~~

  Veronica blinked her eyes and looked around, her heart falling when she saw that Felsen had joined them again. Hardening herself, she turned to Melanie. “Angie walked in on Grant assaulting a girl,” she said. Daniel cocked his head to the side, thinking. “Some other girls, friends of Grants’, wrote this on her locker. They were angry at her for getting him into trouble. But then he stopped them from hassling her. It confused her. And he is a good-looking kid, Mel.”

  “You’re saying Angie saw him hurt someone?” Melanie said.

  “It’s what Albert Gomez told us about, right?” Daniel said. “Grant attacked a freshman and another girl called for help.”

  “Angie was the other girl,” Veronica agreed.

  “I can’t believe you’re letting this go on!” Felsen said, glowering at Daniel.

  “Look, Lara, I know this isn’t your thing—”

  “Since when is it your thing?” Felsen demanded.

  “I have reason to believe that Veronica has some good insights…”

  Daniel let his voice trail off under Felsen’s glare.

  “The two of you can go argue somewhere else!” Melanie said. “I want to know what happened to my daughter. Veronica, you saw Angie with these girls, at her locker?”

  “Yes,” Veronica confirmed.

  “This is unacceptable! I will not let this con artist continue—”

  Daniel yanked her by the arm and pulled her away. At least Daniel was on Veronica’s side now—although, how long would that last? When Felsen would play the Bo Bedragar card? She watched them as Daniel whispered to Felsen urgently. Felsen’s face was a mask of fury.

  “And then this boy came and—and rescued her from them?” Melanie said, taking Veronica’s attention away from the detectives.

  “Yes, exactly.”

  “But I don’t understand—if she saw him hurting a girl, and she got him in trouble for it, why would he stop these girls from bothering her?”

  “I’m not sure,” Veronica said, although she thought she might have an idea.

  “And then why would she go out on a date with him?” Melanie asked.

  “The girls—they made her doubt what she saw,” Veronica said. Daniel and Felsen rejoined them. Felsen’s eyes flashed and she held her mouth in a hard line, but she said nothing. Veronica forced herself to focus on Melanie. “Grant was nice to her. He was probably planning to get back at her. From what Khalilah told me—”

  “Khalilah?” Daniel interrupted. He was noting things down again.

  “The French teacher here,” Veronica explained.

  “You guys have club meetings to discuss psychotic students?” Daniel asked.

  Veronica rolled her eyes. She briefly explained her visit to Khalilah’s class.

  “What did Khalilah tell you?” Melanie prompted.

  “She said that she’d had to separate Antonia and Mary Elizabeth from Angie—”

  “Antonia and Mary Elizabeth?” Daniel said. Melanie fixed him with a withering look. “I’m sorry! Excuse me for wanting to keep all the details straight!”

  “Those are the girls,” Veronica said. “The ones who went after Angie for getting Grant into trouble.”

  “Right,” Daniel said. He scribbled in the notebook. Felsen had a sullen look on her face, her chin tilted up, her eyes narrowed.

  “Anyway, I bet between them attacking her and Grant ingratiating himself Angie got all turned around,” Veronica said. “By the time the Valentine’s dance happened she was convinced she’d made a mistake. He asked her to go—maybe she was even relieved to be able to make friends with those girls. You know, can’t beat ’em, join ’em?”

  “But the whole time, he was faking? So he could trick her? So he could—so he could hurt her?” Melanie said.

  “That would be my guess,” Veronica said. She turned back to the locker and reached inside, straightening some books, and then feeling behind them. She hoped, if she could just find something back there that belonged to Angie—had personal meaning—

  “Veronica?” came a woman’s voice down the hall.

  Veronica looked round. It was Khalilah. “Oh, hi,” she said.

  “It’s a surprise to see you,” Khalilah said, approaching. She looked at Melanie, Daniel and Felsen with curiosity.

  “This is Khalilah Jadeed, the French teacher here at Saint Patrick’s,” Veronica said. “Melanie Dukas, Daniel Seong, Lara Felsen.” She wished Khalilah hadn’t appeared just then. With all these people she couldn’t concentrate. And she didn’t want to do her thing in front of Khalilah—Felsen was bad enough, without the embarrassment of having to bring Khalilah up to speed on her second sight.

  “We’ve met,” Melanie said.

  “Have we?” Khalilah smiled.

  “Parent Night,” Melanie said. Her words were clipped. She was wringing her hands again.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t remember you,” Khalilah said.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Melanie said. “I’m sorry, I really can’t talk. My daughter is missing, you see. We were hoping to maybe find something in there.” Melanie waved at the open locker.

  “Who is
your daughter?” Khalilah asked, frowning. She looked at Veronica, then her brow cleared. “Oh, Angela Dukas, right?” Melanie nodded quickly. “She’s missing?” Melanie nodded again. Khalilah’s hand flew up to her mouth. “I knew it was strange!” she said.

  “What? What was strange?” Melanie demanded.

  “I was on my way to a meeting, right after school—I’ve just come from it—oh. I saw her walking with Antonia Pecore. I never thought that they were friends but I was in such a rush and you never know with the students—their allegiances change all the time.”

  “Where?” Veronica asked. “Where did you see them walking?”

  “They were going down the stairs.”

  “Which flight?” Veronica said, heading back to the stairs they’d taken to come up.

  “No, the other stairwell—on the west side of the building,” Khalilah said, gazing at Veronica with her face tilted a bit to the side. “Why does it matter, though?”

  Veronica paused and then decided it was best not to even try to explain. She started jogging down the hall, aware that everyone was following her. She went through double doors and sure enough, there was a staircase. She rested her hand on the banister, focusing all her thoughts on Angie. She was not disappointed.

  ~~~

  “I’m telling you, he’s not going to hang around for very long,” Antonia whispered. It was hard to hear because of everyone heading down the stairs in a rush. Angie clung to the banister as if she might get swept away—she could still feel the iciness of the river that had dragged her from the spot where Grant had pushed her in.

  “And I told you, I don’t want to talk to him,” Angie said.

  “Look, he’s totally sorry, and he wants a chance to apologize. Don’t you think you owe him that?” Antonia said, her voice rising.

  “I don’t owe him anything,” Angie said.

  “You nearly got him expelled and his dad pulled him out anyway!” Antonia exclaimed.

  “That’s cause his mom died!” Angie retorted.

  “You still got him in a shitload of trouble, Angie.”