To Jackson’s surprise the girl stood, leaving her bag and the computer at her desk. How naïve could she be? She was walking directly towards him. He stopped himself from shifting in his seat. She couldn’t know him; he had made sure she didn’t see him with Marsden. Hansom walked passed him and into the hall that lead to the drinking fountains and bathrooms. After all, she did drink coffee at the Union.
It was now or never. Jackson made his move, slipping out of his desk and walking. He watched the door Hansom had gone through. As he walked by her desk, he picked up Hansom’s laptop, closing it with one hand and exited the building, zipping the small computer into his backpack.
The daylight on campus had turned to darkness from an approaching storm. Strange Michigan weather. He jogged the path back to his car, put the backpack on the passenger seat and sped to his apartment. He didn’t look back.
JACKSON WAITED until the next morning to call Wellington. And even then, he waited until he was at the office, and had downed two cups of bitter, black coffee. He made it a point to keep his business and personal life separate.
After waking the girl up, Jackson waited for her and, no doubt, Marsden’s arrival at his office. An hour and a half later, the exquisitely dressed Miss Wellington entered followed by the more casually dressed Miss Marsden.
“Where is it?” demanded Wellington. Today, neither of the girls hesitated to approach Jackson’s desk and stand in front of him, hands on hips.
“Right here, Miss Wellington.” Jackson took the laptop out of his second desk drawer, where he had placed it that morning, and set it on the edge of his desk for the girls to examine.
Without hesitation, and with what Jackson noted to be shaking fingers, Wellington opened the computer and pressed the button to start the operating system.
Marsden stared at the small computer’s screen with great interest. She’d said she was affected as well. Jackson recalled her comment from the day before at the Student Union.
Jackson watched from the corner of his eye as Wellington started opening a document that appeared to be a term paper.
“It’s here. Now we just need to figure out if she already e-mailed it to someone for an edit like she always does.” Wellington seemed to be talking more to herself than to Marsden and she seemed to have forgotten Jackson existed. Typical spoiled princess.
“Do you have an internet cable we can use?” Well, at least Marsden remembered he was there. He took the end of a cord out of his own laptop and handed it to Marsden, who plugged it into the one Wellington was perusing. Better to let the girls do their thing here, where Jackson could possibly get a better idea of what they were up to.
Wellington got online and went to the University’s e-mail site. A p r e v i o u s l y saved username and password were used to get into the email folders. Wellington entered the “Sent” mail folder and moaned.
Marsden bit her lip.
“Do you realize what this means? What that stupid girl has done? He said this was my last chance! The girls will be pissed! My dad will—“
“Okay, let’s talk about this in our room back at the house.” Marsden cut
Wellington off mid-rant with a glance at Jackson.
Wellington stared at the computer screen. She seemed to have gone into a catatonic state, her eyes dark, her face severe.
Marsden unplugged the computer, gathered it in one arm and took Wellington in the other. With a final nervous glance at Jackson, Marsden guided Wellington out of the office and to the left down Grand River. They were almost out of sight when Jackson observed Wellington wrench the other girl away from her supporting position. Wellington continued walking, her air of perfection reinstated. That devil knew how to hide her true nature.
Jackson’s facial features remained indifferent. Inside his blood raged, at the girls and at himself. He should have paid attention to the flags. There was something bigger going on. He shouldn’t have taken the stupid case. In the hope of quelling his anger he left his office. Locking the door, he went for a walk down Grand River in the opposite direction from the one the girls had gone.
AFTER MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR of walking, Jackson bought a cheap black coffee and picked up a free edition of The State News. Calmer, he returned to his office and attempted to take his mind off the angering sorority sisters by reading the small student paper.
He turned to the police briefs first. One report stated that a laptop had been stolen from a classroom the afternoon before. Jackson cursed. While chances were good that the crime could have occurred somewhere else on the huge campus, the situation didn’t sit well with Jackson.
Hansom wouldn’t report a laptop missing that she had stolen. She seemed too smart for that. This meant Wellington and Marsden lied. Jackson’s hands formed fists. He didn’t mind illegal. He could do illegal. But when he committed a crime, he liked to know about it. It needed to be his choice. He’d been played, like a blind dog that panted at the nearest soft voice. Wellington would have to learn not to play with animals.
JACKSON CROSSED AND RESTED HIS FEET on his desk. He read The New York Times. His eyes moved over the columns but his thoughts were elsewhere. The sorority sisters had left his office over four hours ago. He’d gone over every conversation he had with the girls, remembering their specific choice of words and their interactions. Jackson was planning.
The sound of his office door opening took him out of his scheming. Marsden stood in his doorway.
Jackson didn’t let his surprise show. Instead, he allowed a small amount of his anger to shine through his eyes.
Marsden, ever observant, shifted from foot to foot, but didn’t leave the door’s threshold. She was nervous to be there and Jackson felt glad for it.
“I’d like to hire you for another job.”
Jackson didn’t hesitate to say no. He looked at his paper. “Wow, don’t you want to hear the job first?”
Jackson glared at the girl. “No.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, defensive. She looked at the copy of
The State News still sitting on Jackson’s desk. “Look, I can see why you’re mad. I didn’t want to hire you. That was entirely Mary overreacting. But, now there is a situation that’s beyond my control.”
Jackson snorted, but put his paper down. “What is the situation?”
Marsden took a step towards Jackson’s desk. She bit her lip. “Mary’s . . . kinda, very upset over something she found in the computer. I’m worried that she might confront Jane Hansom. I’d like you to watch them and keep Mary from doing something stupid.”
“Why?”
Marsden’s shoulders hunched, then she stood tall again. “Mary’s my friend and my sorority sister.” Marsden spat as she spoke, but then sighed. “Mary’s dad’s very proud and influential. If she acted in an unseemly way towards Jane, he might become . . . upset. I can give you your normal fee. It’ll just be for several days, until Mary calms down.”
Jackson didn’t want to admit to himself that the job peaked his interest. If he watched Wellington, he could figure out exactly how to implement his revenge for her manipulation. Marsden was, stupidly, offering to pay him to do that. “Do you know where Wellington is now?”
Marsden’s lips upturned and she nodded. “She’s, ummm, in the sorority house. She’s had a few drinks since we left your office.”
JACKSON SAT IN HIS CAR, half a block down from the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. He examined the lawns of the frats along the block. Here the grass grew long, with patches of dirt. Fast food bags and beer bottles littered the lawns of the weathered houses. The AKA Sorority, to which Wellington belonged, was no exception.
Jackson had waited in his car for almost an hour. He knew Wellington would show herself soon. She didn’t strike Jackson as being a homebody. As if on cue, Wellington exited the sorority house. She’d changed clothes. Jackson looked for signs that she had been upset or drinking in the last couple of hours. The only thing that might give her away was the fact that she had exchanged her
usual high heels for flip-flop sandals. Better for balance. She unlocked and got into a recent model silver Mercedes that screamed money. She started the car, accelerated, and squealed down the street. Jackson followed.
After watching Wellington meet with three girls at a café, return to the sorority to change, go to dinner with, what struck Jackson as being an athletic but stupid young man, and finally enter a frat party with the jock, Jackson came to the conclusion that Wellington didn’t do any work or attend any classes. Of course, she might not have Friday classes. Either way, Wellington didn’t strike Jackson as the kind to have a late night study session.
At 2 AM, Jackson parked on yet another street filled with frat houses. In the darkness, the homes almost looked dilapidated and not worth repair. Obnoxious music traveled out of the house Jackson focused on. He was getting sick of following the princess around. However, now was the most important time to watch her. Jackson knew Wellington would be the aggressor of her confrontation with Hansom. Plus, she’d be ten times more likely to confront Hansom while drunk and high, a state she had to be entering right about now.
By 3 AM, the party began to calm. Eight kids had vomited in the bushes and stumbled down the street. Jackson kept count. Within a half an hour of the ninth kid vomiting, Wellington exited the house alone. She didn’t seem like one to stay and help clean. She weaved to her car, parked a block away from Jackson’s, mumbling to herself. The girl was on a mission.
She erratically sped toward campus. Jackson followed, but kept his distance, more for safety than for secrecy. He probably should have stopped her from driving.
As he had assumed, Wellington drove to Mason Hall. Jackson didn’t hesitate to park beside Wellington, nor to get out of his car and grab her by her shoulders as she began to plod to the dorm’s side door.
“What do you think you’re doing, Miss Wellington?”
The intoxicated girl didn’t seem surprised to see Jackson, or at least, her slackened face didn’t express any shock. “I’m going to talk to Jane,” she slurred.
“Jane’s not a partier. She’s probably asleep.” Jackson kept Wellington in his grip. She’d fall over without him.
Wellington tried to smile for several seconds, but her expression ended up as a sneer. “No, she doesn’t like to party. I shoulda . . .” Wellington seemed to actually think for a moment. Suddenly she came back to life. “You know what we should do?”
Jackson didn’t want to know. “What’s that?” He pulled Wellington to her car.
“We should kill Hansom. Come on, it’ll be fun. I can pay you—in more ways than one.” She added the last part in a sing-song voice.
Jackson tried not to let the disgust show. He didn’t think the girl would notice either way.
“Will you help me?”
“If you promise to go home and sleep first.”
“I don’t want to sleep.” The girl rested her hand on Jackson’s chest.
Jackson clung to the hope that she was trying to maintain her balance. As she massaged his chest, he couldn’t lie to himself. There was no hope. Never get romantically involved with a client, especially one like Wellington.
“Is there someone you can call to take you home?”
The girl attempted to smile again. “I have lots of friends. My daddy knows so many people. He got me into Harvard, then Oberlin, now here. He said it’s my last chance at making something of myself.” The girl’s eyes glazed. “Daddy’s very good with computers and numbers.”
“I know, I think I’ve heard of him.”
The girl laughed at Jackson’s comment. “Everyone knows who my father is.” Wellington’s expression became serious. “Promise me you’ll help me kill Hansom.”
“I promise.” Jackson wouldn’t lie to himself, but he had no problem lying to her.
“Yay!” She smiled. She probably would have jumped up and down with joy had she had the motor skills to do so.
Jackson helped the girl into a sitting position on the ground. He guided her head to rest against the side of her car. She didn’t appreciate the gesture and tried to stand, but couldn’t. The ground wasn’t good enough for a Wellington.
Jackson took the keys and cell phone from Wellington’s purse. He found the cell phone number for Marsden logged into the phone and called. As far as Jackson could see, the brunette had been absent from that night’s festivities. Hopefully, she’d be sober enough to pick up Wellington.
She was.
Upon Marsden’s arrival, Jackson gave her Wellington and her possessions. Marsden smiled in thanks and lead the drunk blonde to her Saturn.
“But my baby,” mumbled Wellington, reaching for her car.
“We’ll come back for your car tomorrow,” replied Marsden as she pushed her friend into the Saturn’s passenger seat.
With Wellington taken care of, Jackson turned his attention back to Mason Hall. Only people who lived in the hall would be allowed in at this hour, so he waited for someone to come out of the locked side door, and slipped inside before the door could close. It was past four in the morning. College kids keep the same hours as PI’s. Gotta love dorm life.
Jackson made his way up to the third floor and to Hansom’s room. After examining the big and fancy name tag that said “Jane” on the door, he knocked hard. Several times.
After the fourth round of knocking, Jackson heard noise from inside the dorm room. The girl had awoken. The door opened a crack. Hansom was cautious. “What?” she said in a cracked whisper.
“My name’s Ace Jackson. I’m a private detective. Why does Mary
Wellington want to kill you?”
Hansom’s door opened wider and her eyes seemed more alert and alarmed. “I didn’t know she wanted me to die.”
“She does, she was just outside your dorm building and she told me so.” Hansom gasped and clasped at the cross around her neck.
Jackson gave his best version of a reassuring smile. He thought it best not to tell the girl that Wellington wanted him to help do the dirty job. But, he might have to go out on a limb and tell the truth. “Wellington manipulated my client. I’ve been hired to do some digging and I want to know why Wellington wants you dead.” So, Jackson had technically lied. It’d be bad for business if the public knew he’d been duped.
“Ummm, can I see your business card or some kind of badge before we talk? Something that proves you are who you say you are.” The girl pushed her hair away from her face and put on a pair of glasses.
Jackson attempted another reassuring smile as he took out one of his business cards and handed it to Hansom.
She examined it closely for a good five seconds. Satisfied, she moved to hand it back to Jackson.
“Keep it.”
Hansom stopped mid-motion. She hesitated then waved Jackson into her room. She set Jackson’s card on the corner of a tall dresser. The girl sat on the edge of her bed. Jackson, not wanting to be reduced to sitting in an uncomfortable desk chair, leaned against her desk.
The room was small, definitely designed for one person. Hansom made it cozy with posters, pillows, and a rug. Jackson’s eyes rested on her desk. There was a printer and wires that should hook up to a laptop, but, of course, no laptop. Jackson looked away. A few small shelves were filled with second-hand, bent books. Piles of text books stood beside them. There were more books on her desk, beside her bed, and what looked like a Bible open on her pillow. She’d taken a small piece of a large world and made it her own.
“I’m in a 500 level sociology class. For an assignment, I chose to research and present on sorority hazing and initiation rituals. My professor pushed me to join Alpha Kappa Alpha. It’s one of the university’s most notorious sororities. At the time, I thought I’d do just about anything to get a four point in a grad class. The paper and presentation count for 50 percent of my grade, so I bought some expensive clothes, faked two interviews, and attended several parties and events as a pledge.” She pushed her glasses farther up on her nose. “I somehow got through all the beauty,
athletic, and personality tests, all of which were demeaning, but fairly normal.”
The fog began to clear. Wellington was involved with testing the pledges, maybe even in charge of the process. Jackson was sure of it.
“None of what you’ve said so far seems very embarrassing for the sorority or Wellington.”
“I know. I was rather disappointed myself. Until, one night, two days before the sorority would choose its new members, Mary and a few others abducted all the pledges. They blindfolded us and tied our hands and feet together. One by one we were pushed and dunked into the Red Cedar River.”
Hansom paused for a moment, playing with her cross. “Mary screeched about it being an anti-baptism.”
Jackson glanced out the dark window. Given the Red Cedar’s color, it probably did pollute all those pledges. He looked at the cross around Hansom’s neck. She probably took Wellington’s comment as an insult on other levels, too.
“ We had to cross the river. Very dangerous considering the ropes, temperature and blindfolds. The girls that needed to be pulled out were taken back to their homes, most of them crying and bruised.”
“Did you fail?”
Hansom smiled. “No, actually, I made it. I was one of five.” She shrugged. “I was captain of my high school swim team.”
“Then what happened?” Jackson didn’t like where this was going.
Hansom’s smile disappeared. “We were untied. Mary told us to take off our pajamas. She wanted us to march to the sorority house in our underwear. I refused to participate. I have morals and there’s only so much I’ll do for a good grade.” Hansom gave a sardonic smile.
MIdnight Diner 1: Jesus vs. Cthulhu Page 23