“I, I shouldn’t have yelled. You’re right. Chandler wouldn’t have yelled. I was . . . upset. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
She nodded.
“We need to get one thing straight.”
“I can’t leave the apartment.” She bowed her head.
“No. That was stupid to say. But this whole undercover thing is done.”
Replacement took a large breath.
Jack held up his hand. “I’m not arguing.” He gave her a look.
She started to speak again.
“Wait.” He walked over and picked up his notebook and pen. “Start at the very beginning. How did you get into the college?”
She tossed the comforter off and jumped up. “Getting into WRE was sort of easy. I already had an alias. Alexis Holmes. I’ve had it for like two years.”
“How did you get it?” Jack paused and sat down in the chair at the computer.
“The lady from youth services wrote all her login information on a folder she left at the house. I figured I’d just make someone up to see if I could. I was just messing around. I figured I’d just keep it if I ever needed it. Well, I needed it.”
“How did you get into the college?”
“When we went to the campus security office, and you were talking to Neil Waters, I saw May’s login. She had full access to the college computer system.”
“You didn’t tell me?” Jack was too surprised to be angry.
“I didn’t know if I could get into either of the systems until after . . . after you were in the hospital.” She started to move forward and stopped. “I made a push after that. I got into the college’s system, so I just made myself a student. I don’t think I could take it to graduation or anything, but I got into classes and passes and all that stuff.”
He looked up. “Why did you leave me out?”
“Jack, you’d lose everything. You told me about what your boss said.”
“I won’t lose my job. I don’t care if I do.” Jack grabbed her by the shoulders. “Did you think about you? What could happen to you? I have training. I have a gun. What do you have?”
“Nothing to lose.”
They both stared at each other for a minute before Jack continued. “If you ever pull something like that on me again . . .” His anger began to rise as he struggled for the words.
“I won’t,” she whispered. “I promise.”
He hugged her.
It was stupid. She could have gotten herself killed. No. Not stupid. . . Fearless. Like her brother.
He held her for a moment and let himself relax. Replacement’s hand moving at the small of his back felt good. He closed his eyes and embraced her.
She feels good.
She made the slightest sound. It was a faint, soft moan. Jack sat bolt upright and held her at arm’s length.
“Did you find out anything?” He picked up his notebook as a barrier between them and scooted back in his seat.
“Not too much.” She scrunched up her face.
“You getting into the college was brilliant. Stupid but brilliant.”
Her smile vanished. “That’s dumb. How can I be stupid and brilliant?”
“Not you . . . what you did. It wasn’t stupid, but it was dangerous. Three people are dead. This isn’t a game.”
She nodded.
“Have you seen any drug use around campus?”
Her hands balled into fists. “Besides that spineless—”
“Besides him.” Jack nodded.
“Not really. I haven’t been out much. Besides the bar, I had a couple of study dates . . .” Her eyes widened, and she looked up at him like she was caught doing something wrong.
Jack cocked an eyebrow. “Do you know a Lennie Jacobsen?”
“No, never heard of him.”
“He was at the bar tonight. He was dressed in Goth. He has long hair and was wearing a black sweatshirt with black jeans.”
“No, I never noticed him. Wait a minute. A Goth? I think I’ve seen a guy with dyed long black hair hanging around the school.”
Jack pulled out the mug shot photo.
“Yeah, that’s him. I’ve seen him in the computer lab.”
“The lab on the second floor of the psych center where Michelle worked?”
“No, the one at the student union.”
“Did you see him with anybody?”
“No, he was just sitting there by himself.”
Jack stared down at the picture with a look of hatred.
“Is there anything else you can remember?” he asked as he gritted his teeth.
Replacement paused for a moment, and then shook her head. “Do you think he was involved?”
Jack flung up his hands. “I don’t know. After what just happened at The Pit, Lennie is probably going to go into hiding.”
“Sorry.”
Jack continued with his semi-interrogation. “Have you had any classes with Dr. Hahn?”
“I think he’s boring. He was great in the class, but you get him in the lab? He’s cold. Like Spock or a robot. And he’s super focused. Everyone has to be quiet. No sound. Nothing.” She rolled her eyes, and Jack suppressed a smile.
She must have had quite a time trying to be silent.
“Have you talked to him one on one?” Jack was taking notes and trying to reference his old ones, so pages of his notebook were flying back and forth.
“Nope.”
“What about Dr. Franklin?”
“I don’t have him for class, but I have seen him. Rumor is he hits on the girls. I heard he’s married, but he takes his wedding ring off before class. Nice.”
“Have you talked with him?”
“No. I’ve only seen him. People say he’s a nutcase.”
“How so?”
“I heard a guy say he can be charming one minute and then flip out the next. A girl in my psych class said he’s a few fries short of a happy meal.”
“Are you out at the center a lot?”
“All the time. If we’re not in a class there, we’re in the lab. It’s a super pain.”
“Are you ever there late?”
“No. We have to go by seven, but we start early. We have to do a mountain of homework. One of the grad students has been helping me.”
“Who?”
“Just a guy. His name’s Brendan.”
“Phillips?” Jack’s eyes narrowed.
“Yeah. How did you know his last name?” She stopped pacing and looked at him.
Jack didn’t look back.
“He only helped me study.”
“I met him when I went to go on the tour. He’s the pretty boy that showed me around. How did he seem? What read did you get?”
She shrugged. “He seems nice.”
“Hold up. He’s Dr. Hahn’s assistant, right?”
“Yes. He’s going for his doctorate or something. He teaches one of my classes.”
“He had a blue security card. Does that get him into the computer room?”
“I don’t know. I knew he was Hahn’s assistant, that’s why I picked him. He has access to the other parts of the building. He likes to show off as if he’s a bigwig. I’m working on getting closer to him.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Was . . . I mean you were. You’re not anymore.”
Replacement’s grip tightened on the comforter.
“What about Missy Lorton, Michelle’s roommate? I thought she wasn’t telling us the whole story. Did you find anything out about her?”
“Fat thief?” Replacement spat. “She took some of Michelle’s stuff. A box of it. I think that’s what she was hiding.”
“How do you know?” Jack stopped writing.
Replacement rolled her eyes. “Come on. I’m undercover. I can do that, right?”
Jack sat back. “Do what?”
Replacement’s shoulders popped up and down. “I peeked.”
“Peeked? Did you . . . did you break into her apartment?”
“It isn’t break
ing in since I’m undercover.”
“You’re not undercover. You have no right . . . even undercover.” He could feel the blood rushing to his face.
“I didn’t take anything so I wouldn’t contaminate the crime scene.” Replacement gave Jack her “that explains it all and everything is okay” look.
“You made it a crime scene. It’s called breaking and entering.”
“She made it first. It’s called fat-jerk-stealing.”
“Stop. Okay?” Jack rubbed the sides of his head before continuing. “You didn’t take Michelle’s box, then?”
“No.”
“Did you see what was in it?”
“No, it’s just a big box of Michelle’s stuff. Tubby must have wanted it. Can I get it back now?” Her lip trembled, and she looked down at her hands. “It’s all . . . it’s all I have left of Michelle.”
Jack melted. “I’ll get it. I promise.” He put his hand on her shoulder.
She leaned her head onto his hand and closed her eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered and then her eyes snapped open. “Nothing I’m doing is going to get you in trouble, right?” Her eyes rounded in concern.
“Trouble?” Jack stuck his lower lip out and shook his head. “Nah, you’ve pretty much blown up my life. What more trouble could you cause?”
“Are you serious?” She grabbed his arms. “Don’t say that. You’re good, right?”
“I’m good. It’s not your fault. Look. I’ve gone at this the wrong way. From the beginning, I should have gone to Collins, but I didn’t.” Replacement started to speak, and Jack held up both his hands. “Joe Davenport is . . . Damn it. I forgot to try him again. I wonder why he didn’t—” He looked down at his phone: two missed calls. “My phone rang, and I didn’t hear it? Stupid thing. Smartphone my ass.”
“Let me see.” She took the phone from him. The sound of a dog barked out. “It’s working.”
“What the hell was that?”
“Your new ringtone. I thought it fit you better than that old grandpa one you had.”
“You messed with my phone?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I just updated it into the twenty-first century.” She waved the phone over her head. “If you can’t even change your ringtone how am I going to start getting you to use a computer instead of a notebook?”
“You won’t. Don’t change my phone and don’t try to change me.”
“Fine.”
Jack paused and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. “I’m going to Joe and give him everything.”
“But you’ll lose your job.” Replacement’s shoulders slumped.
“I might and I might not.”
I might wish I had.
“Either way, we know someone who has access to the center has killed at least three people: Charlie, Tiffany and . . .” He hesitated. “We know that Michelle didn’t apply for a transfer because the transfer went through on December 21 at one a.m.”
“What?”
“I didn’t tell you? I called Western Tech. They’re a sister college so you just have to apply for the classes and you can do that online. Someone just filled in December 20 on Michelle’s form. I called and found out the time stamp on the application was December 21 at one o three a.m.”
“Michelle was already . . . at the reservoir. That was at twelve thirty. Someone else submitted it. But—” Replacement looked away.
“But what?”
Her mouth opened, and she looked at the ceiling as she thought of what he just said. “If it was electronic, then they’ll be able to tell the IP too. It will say what computer it came from. Move.”
Replacement shoved Jack out of the chair as she handed him back his phone.
As she logged in, Jack moved over to the window and began pressing buttons on the phone.
“I kept thinking I was hearing dogs barking all night,” he muttered to himself.
“What’re you saying?”
He shook his head. “Nothing.”
“If you can just sign up for classes at Western Tech, then WRE and their system are linked. I didn’t even think about it. I’m a dork. I should be able to get into their system too.”
Jack watched in amazement as Replacement’s slender fingers sped across the keyboard. They were a blur. Every couple of seconds she’d huff or shake the mouse as she waited for a screen to catch up with her commands.
“Got the IP.” She hopped up and down in the chair.
“Will that tell you the computer they used?”
Her fist smacked the desk. “No. It’s the forward facing IP of the psych center.”
“Can you translate that geek speak back into English?”
“Every computer has an IP address, but if you connect in a building all of those addresses can get funneled together for security and then go out as one IP. That’s what they do at the psychology center. This IP is the address that covers the whole building.”
“But you’re sure it came from there?”
“A hundred percent.”
“Now we’re a hundred percent sure it’s someone who has access to the building and the computers there.”
“But we don’t know who. Do you have any ideas?”
“Yeah. I’m going to go back out there tomorrow and talk to Dr. Franklin. He’s like Dr. Meth. He also knew two of the victims. There’s also Hahn.”
“Hahn?”
“Well, he’s in charge of the center. The person in charge either knows everything or nothing.” Jack sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “It could also be a student or a janitor. I need to find this Lennie kid, but right now Franklin is the best fit. He also knows how to cook meth.”
“I couldn’t get meth anywhere. It must be tough to find.”
Jack tried to hide his smirk. He faked a cough.
“Can you give me more time?” She pouted and made a begging face. “Before you go tell Davenport?”
“No. We have a lot. We have enough for them to get a warrant.”
“Jack, do you remember that guy at the funeral who talked about Michelle tracking him down when he stole her bike? Michelle was like that. She didn’t give up. Michelle found the video of that poor guy. I bet she found it in the psychology center.”
Jack paced back and forth. “She was overhauling the computer systems so she’d have had access to everything.”
“If Michelle found that video, she’d have kept digging,” Replacement said. “There’s no way to log into the center from the outside. She’d have had to go there.”
“That’s why Michelle was there so late?” Jack stared at the floor.
“She was looking for more information. I’m trying to get into the computers there right now.”
“How are you going to get in? Don’t you have access already?”
“No. The lab computers are completely separate from the college system. I used a student’s account that has limited access, so I wrote a Trojan.”
“A what?”
“A Trojan. I named a file ‘SuperHotPornBabes.’ The antivirus program will flag it and move it to a holding folder. Most computer administrators are horny computer geeks, and when they see that title, they’ll want to see what it is. Once they run it, it will run under their permission. Get it? It will run with administrator rights, and it will create another admin account for me.”
“I got about half of that. You wrote a program that will give us access?”
“Yeah.”
“Did it work?”
“Not yet. I only put in on today so I’m hoping I get a hit by tomorrow, but I have to go there to login.”
“No way. Could you talk me through getting into the system?”
Replacement shook her head. “I can’t get you to use your phone. No. If you let me, I can be in and—”
“No. Then that’s off the table. I have the next two days off. I’m going to the campus in the morning by myself. Do you need the car?”
Replacement turned back to the compute
r. She whispered, “No.”
Chapter 36 ~
Pendulum
Jack’s phone woke him: Bark, Bark, Bark.
Stupid ringtone.
“Hello?”
“Jack? Undersheriff Morrison. Can you meet me down at the morgue?”
Jack straightened up. “Yes, sir. How soon?”
“How soon can you get here? Its eight now, let’s say eight thirty?”
“Yes, sir.”
Damn.
Jack wouldn’t have time for a shower. He shaved and brushed his teeth. He was going to head to the college later so he dressed in black slacks, a gray sweater, and black shoes. He tossed his toothbrush into the sink and rushed into the living room. He scanned the area for his coat and grabbed it from the door.
Replacement was looking out the window and jumped when he walked into the room. “Are you going out?”
“Yes. I just got a call to go and meet the undersheriff at the morgue.”
“Undertaker?”
“No. The guy who’s next in line to Collins is called the undersheriff.”
“Yeah, um . . . I was going to run a couple of errands.”
“Sorry, kid but I need the car. I can drive you when I get back.”
“It’s not far. I’ll just walk, okay?”
Replacement bit her lip but didn’t say anything.
Jack eyed her as he ran out the door. He hurried to the Impala. As he pulled out, he looked up to see Replacement was still standing at the window. He sped down the street and pulled onto the main road as a silver car took a right down his street.
The black tiled room felt like a crypt. He hated it even more than the hospital.
Jack stood next to Robert Morrison, a tall, African American man in his late fifties. Morrison wore the tan uniform of the sheriff’s department without the hat. His curly black hair was short and graying at the temples.
A petite woman dressed in a white hospital coat stood behind a stretcher with a corpse laid out on it.
“That’s him.”
“You sure?” Morrison asked.
Jack nodded. He looked down at Bennie the Goon’s corpse. His face was heavily bruised, especially around the jaw where Jack broke it, but he was sure it was Bennie.
Morrison nodded, and the woman pulled the sheet back over the corpse.
“Did he have anything on him, Mei?” Morrison addressed her.
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