by Erin Wade
Brandy ran the numbers through her mind, trying to figure the woman’s age. She came up with thirty-four. Regan Shaw was young for one who had accomplished so much.
“Here ya go, babe.” Joey held out a dripping bottle of beer to her.
“Thanks.”
##
As the party grew louder and Joey got friskier, Brandy decided to leave. She had poured the beers Joey kept feeding her into the huge Mexican urn at the foot of the stairs. She was headed for the urn again when she saw Professor Shaw dump the contents of her bottle into it.
An inebriated Coach Tucker staggered toward Professor Shaw. “Obviously you don’t like beer,” he said with a chuckle. “Let me get you a glass of wine.”
Ignoring Professor Shaw’s protests, he weaved his way to the bar. Pretending to text on her cell phone, Brandy moved closer to him and watched as he put his hand into his pocket. To her surprise, he pulled out something and dropped it into Regan’s drink.
Is that son of a bitch drugging her? Brandy thought.
She watched Coach Tucker swirl the wine until the pill had dissolved. Then he carried the glass to Professor Shaw.
“Come on, babe,” Joey said, grabbing Brandy around the waist. “Let’s go upstairs to my room.”
“I want to dance,” she insisted. “You never dance with me.”
“Okay, okay. One dance then we go upstairs.”
Brandy nodded. She watched Professor Shaw as the woman moved to the closest sofa and sat down. She finished half the wine before setting her glass on the coffee table. She leaned her head back and appeared to go to sleep.
“Joey, I think Professor Shaw is sick,” she said.
“Nah, she’s fine. Coach will take care of her.” He shot her a salacious grin and jerked his head toward the staircase. “Come on, I’ll take care of you.”
Brandy smiled sweetly. “You go on up. I need to visit the ladies’ room first.”
Joey nodded and stumbled toward the stairs. Loraine Munoz grabbed his arm and clung to him all the way up.
Brandy walked to Regan Shaw. The woman was dead to the world. The blonde sat down by the professor and pulled Regan’s arm around her shoulders. She slipped her arm around Regan’s tiny waist and stood up, pulling the professor with her.
Regan was dead weight, but Brandy managed to drag her outside. She hoped the crisp night air would revive the woman. She felt in Regan’s pocket for car keys and found a single fob. She pushed the button and prayed a car would respond. A car across the street flashed its lights.
“Bingo.” Brandy smiled as she continued to drag the smaller woman toward her car.
##
“Hold your horses,” Kiki Carson yelled as her roommate continued kicking the door. “Didn’t God give you hands? Just turn the knob, for God’s sake. It’s unlocked.
“Holy crap!” Kiki exclaimed as Brandy carried Regan through the doorway.
“She doesn’t look like much,” Brandy huffed, “but the further I carried her, the heavier she became.”
“Isn’t that Professor Shaw?” Kiki whispered as if someone might hear her.
“Yeah, Coach Tucker roofied her at the frat party,” Brandy growled as she gently placed the professor on her twin bed.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Kiki squealed.
“Does she look like I’m kidding?”
Kiki frowned. “Does he know you saw him?”
“No, and I was able to video it with my cell phone.” Brandy pulled the phone from her pocket and showed the video to Kiki. Then she turned on her laptop and copied the video from her phone to the computer.
Kiki took the professor’s pulse. “She’s fine,” she declared. “Just needs to sleep it off. How did you get rid of Joey?”
“Loraine Munoz was crawling in his pants, last time I saw him.” Brandy grinned.
“I bet that really upset you,” Kiki said, laughing.
“Better her than me. He’s such an ass.”
Both women watched as Regan stretched out on the bed.
“She’s truly gorgeous,” Kiki said. “Should we undress her and put her to bed?”
“Would you mind doing that while I shower?” Brandy asked. She rummaged through her dresser drawer for a couple of soft T-shirts. She tossed one to Kiki. “This should work for her tonight.”
##
Regan woke with a splitting headache. It hurt to open her eyes. I’m dreaming, she thought. Where am I?
The urge to find a bathroom forced her to sit up in the bed. She tried to connect the room to anything in her life and failed. Thanks to her many book tours, she was used to waking up in strange bedrooms, but this didn’t look like a hotel room. This looks like a dorm room.
A faint light from another room caught her attention. The bathroom, she thought.
She placed her feet on the floor and found herself standing on something soft, but firm.
“What the hell?” A drowsy Brandy rolled away from the professor.
Regan fell back onto the bed as Brandy turned on a lamp.
“Professor Shaw, are you okay?” Brandy was still on her knees, looking up at Regan.
The lamplight danced in the blonde’s emerald-green eyes. I have never seen a more beautiful woman, Regan thought.
“I’m not sure,” Regan said softly. “Where’s your bathroom?”
Brandy scrambled to her feet and took Regan’s hand to lead her to the bathroom. Regan noticed another woman sleeping in the other bed. A digital clock on the nightstand between the two beds showed seven a.m., Saturday, September 15.
When Regan returned, she walked to the bed where Brandy sat cross-legged. “How did I get here?” she whispered.
“Let’s go to Starbucks for coffee, and I’ll tell you all about it,” Brandy whispered back. She handed Regan her neatly folded clothes and then put on clean clothes from her closet.
“I’ll drive,” the student whispered as she picked up her teacher’s key fob.
##
Brandy parked the car and took Regan’s elbow, supporting her as they entered the Starbucks. They ordered their coffee and sat at a table in the corner.
“I didn’t drink at all last night, but I feel like I’ve been drugged.” Regan pinched the bridge of her nose.
“You were,” Brandy said bluntly. “Your boyfriend roofied you.”
“Coach Tucker?” Regan gaped at her student. “Surely not.”
Brandy pulled her iPhone from her pocket and showed her professor the video.
“I . . . I don’t know what to say.” Regan frowned. “The only reason I went to that party was to protect you. I figured something like this would happen to you, not me.”
“Joey?” Brandy gasped. “You think Joey Sloan would rape me?”
“He is too aggressive with you,” Regan said.
“He’s no rapist,” Brandy declared.
“Whatever.” Regan shrugged, distressed that the girl would so easily dismiss the danger of being at a frat party with a drunk guy almost three times her size. “If he wanted to, I doubt you could stop him.”
“Who says I would want to stop him?” Brandy grinned wickedly.
“May I have a copy of that video?” Regan asked.
“What will you do with it?”
“I intend to take it to the university security chief and file an official complaint,” Regan said.
“Look, Professor, I don’t want to get involved in anything with campus security,” Brandy said. “They wouldn’t do anything anyway. They never take any action. They will question Coach Tucker and take his word against yours. Tucker is a winning football coach. He took the team all the way last year. They won’t even reprimand him. He’s raped a dozen girls, and nothing ever comes of it.
“You’re a visiting professor. They’ll just pacify you and then tell you not to return when the semester is over.”
“So we just let him get away with drugging me?” Regan whispered.
Brandy nodded. “No harm, no alarm. You’re fine.”<
br />
“What did Joey say when you left the party?” Regan asked, having difficulty accepting the girl’s lackadaisical attitude.
“Nothing,” Brandy said. “I doubt he even noticed, thanks to Loraine Munoz.”
“What the . . .?” Brandy stared at the TV screen in the Starbucks. A photo of Coach Tucker filled the screen. The news ticker beneath the photo said, “UT head coach found dead early this morning.”
The two women moved closer to the TV so they could hear what the newscaster was saying.
Regan gasped. “He was stabbed to death. Someone murdered him.”
Brandy shrugged. “Must have roofied the wrong woman. He got what he deserved. He was a pig.”
Regan cringed at the venom in Brandy’s voice and the anger in her eyes.
##
Half of her students used Coach Tucker’s death as an excuse to skip class on Monday. Regan carefully noted each one who was not in attendance. No one skipped her class without suffering the consequences.
She could see Joey and Brandy in the hall outside her room. Joey had his hands in Brandy’s hip pockets, pulling the girl against him. He was whispering in her ear. She slapped him and charged into the lecture hall.
Joey rubbed his cheek as if he couldn’t believe a girl had just hit him. He sneered and followed Brandy into the room. When she sat down between the two geeks on the front row, Joey leaned over to one of them and said a few words. The guy picked up his books and moved, and Joey sat down by his girlfriend.
Regan watched as Joey sketched something on his notepad. He folded the sheet of paper and grinned as he slid the note to Brandy.
Brandy glared at her boyfriend before opening the note.
“Miss Brandywine,” Regan said authoritatively, “come here, please.”
Still holding the note, Brandy walked to the professor’s desk. Regan pulled the note from the girl’s hand and opened it. She blushed slightly as she saw that Joey had drawn two stick figures copulating. He had written, You and me, babe.
Regan placed the note in her desk drawer. “Please return to your seat.” Regan wondered how anyone as childish as Joey could hold the attention of a girl as beautiful as Brandy.
“Mr. Sloan,” Regan said, “would you please give us a brief synopsis of A Midsummer Night’s Dream?”
To Regan’s surprise, Joey stood and gave an in-depth summary of the play. He’s obviously smarter than he seems, she thought. Joey sat down and Regan cringed as Brandy ran her hand down his thigh and whispered something in his ear. He grinned like a fool.
Chapter 2
Regan slipped into a chair at the back of the lecture hall. The school chancellor had called a meeting of all instructors and administrators. The topic of conversation was Coach Danny Tucker.
“As you all know,” the chancellor said, “Coach Tucker was murdered last night after a frat party at the Delta Tau Delta house.
“This is FBI agent Ryan King.” She made a sweeping gesture toward a gorgeous strawberry blonde with brilliant green eyes. “Agent King will be questioning each of you. Please give her your fullest cooperation. Even if you didn’t know Coach Tucker personally, simply answer her questions to the best of your ability.”
Agent King floated to the podium and flashed a smile that would overshadow a spotlight. “I want to make this as painless as possible,” she said.
“This morning I will interview those of you whose last name begins with A through L. The rest of you should come back after lunch.” Ryan’s mesmerizing voice floated from the speakers. “There’s no need for you to waste time sitting around here all morning.”
Brandy was waiting in the hallway when Regan emerged from the lecture hall. “What did they say?” she demanded.
“Nothing really,” Regan replied. “Everyone will be questioned in alphabetical order. I am to return after lunch.”
“Want to have lunch with me?” The gregarious blonde flashed her brilliant smile.
Regan shrugged. “I have things to do.”
“I heard the killers cut off his penis,” Brandy whispered.
Regan gasped. “Seriously? Where do you want to have lunch? Not the SUB!”
##
Regan was not surprised to find that Brandy drove a BMW. They drove to a nearby bar and grill.
“Did you get a good look at the FBI agent?” Brandy squealed as they found a seat in the crowed restaurant.
“You mean Agent King?”
“Yes, FBI Agent Ryan King.” Brandy wiggled her eyebrows. “She’s something! I bet she’s great in bed.”
“Miss Brandywine, I don’t really care to indulge in this kind of conversation with you.” Regan started to stand, but Brandy caught her hand.
“I’m sorry, Professor.” Brandy smiled. “I didn’t mean to be offensive.”
“I’m afraid I find your uninhibited attitude about sex a little shocking.”
“Really?” Brandy grinned seductively. “Then I suppose you would be doubly shocked to know I find you incredibly hot. Even hotter than FBI Agent King.”
A pink blush started from the center of Regan’s chest and spread up her neck to color her face. She was lost for words, distraught that a student would speak to her in such a manner.
“You may take me back to the university now,” she said in her haughtiest tone.
“Don’t be such a prude.” Brandy laughed out loud. “I’m just jerking your chain.” She waved the waitress over so they could order.
“I suppose you’re upset over the death of Coach Tucker,” Brandy continued. “We all are.”
Regan raked her teeth over her bottom lip. “I didn’t know him that well,” she said, sighing. “He certainly wasn’t the man I thought he was.”
“They’ll probably question you pretty extensively,” Brandy noted, “since you were his date the night he was murdered.”
Regan’s mouth moved, but no sound came out. She hadn’t thought about that.
“It’s a good thing you were with me all night,” Brandy said, her eyes twinkling.
“I wasn’t exactly with you.”
“You spent the night in my bed,” Brandy said sweetly, clearly enjoying her professor’s embarrassment.
Regan’s brown eyes locked with Brandy’s green ones. “I’m sure there are worse things that could happen to me,” she said softly.
It was Brandy’s turn to blush. She couldn’t stop the warm feeling that spread over her body.
The blonde cleared her throat. “You know I’ll verify that you spent the night in my dorm,” she said, her tone suddenly serious. “I think we should show Agent King the video on my cell phone.”
Regan smiled slightly. She knew she had won this round with her student. “I think we have to,” she said.
“Can you believe Coach was mutilated?” Brandy squeaked as she salted her burger.
“Where did you hear that?”
“Joey told me,” Brandy replied. “Joey knows everything that goes on around here.”
“Yes, I’m certain Joey is a trustworthy news source,” Regan huffed.
“Let’s talk about something else. Tell me about your next book.” Brandy took a bite of her burger.
“Right now I don’t have a next book.” Regan sighed. “I’m taking a hiatus from the computer.”
“I know a thing or two about writers,” Brandy said.
“Do tell.”
“I know you always have several books working at one time.” Brandy plunged ahead, undeterred by her professor’s look of disbelief. “I know you haven’t released a book in about eighteen months, and the literary world is expecting your next book to be your best.”
Regan fought back the urge to shake Brandy and tell her she didn’t know squat about the publishing business or writers. She didn’t know how much it hurt when your agent returned the book you had poured your heart and soul into with a note that read, “This would kill your career.”
“I know you’re filthy rich and the talk show circuits adore you.” Brandy wa
s chattering. She knew Regan Shaw was miles away. “And I know for sure I’d like to go to bed with you.”
Regan stared at her. “What? What the hell are you babbling about?”
“About your next book.” Brandy’s innocent look was laughable.
“The last thing you said.” Regan glared at her.
“I was just checking to see if you were listening.” Brandy stuffed a French fry in her mouth. “Apparently you were.”
Chapter 3
“Professor Regan Shaw,” Ryan King said, reading from the list in her hand. She blushed slightly as her heart skipped a beat when a beautiful brunette stood and walked toward her.
Calm down, Ryan chided herself. It’s been too long.
“Thank you, Professor.” Ryan shared her sweetest smile. “I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me.”
Regan raised a perfectly arched brow. “Did I have a choice?”
“No, ma’am, you didn’t. Please have a seat. This shouldn’t take long.”
Regan sat down and crossed her legs. Her skirt slid up to midthigh. Ryan couldn’t pull her eyes away from the shapely legs. She blushed when her eyes locked with Regan’s.
Ryan flipped open a file folder with Regan’s name on it and studied the sheet of paper inside. “You were on a date with Coach Tucker last night?”
“Yes.”
“Did you quarrel? Have a lover’s spat?”
“Hardly,” Regan huffed. “It was my one and only date with Coach Tucker. I assure you he was very much alive and falling-down drunk when I left the party.”
“A fraternity party?”
“Yes.”
“You left the party without him?” Ryan said.
“Yes.”
“So, you did quarrel,” Ryan insisted.
“Agent King, please stop putting tongue in my mouth.” Regan scowled and blushed profusely when she realized what she had said. “Words. Please stop putting words in my mouth.”
Ryan tried to suppress her smile as Professor Shaw struggled to recover from her faux pas.
“We didn’t have words,” Regan said. “He roofied me, and a student got me out of there.”
“Drugged you? Coach Tucker drugged you?” Ryan was aghast. None of her prior interviewees had hinted at such activity on the part of the popular football coach.