A String of Secrets

Chapter 6

I was silent for the majority of the car ride back to the apartment. The message from the unknown number shook me to my core and filled me with fear.

"Stay away from him?" I just started this private investigation, and someone already knows what I'm doing. I thought. The fact that tons of students on campus saw us together earlier this afternoon doesn't help with figuring out who might've sent the message.

"Is something wrong?" Elias asked. I knew it was a matter of time before he started questioning why I was so quiet.

"Just processing our new theory." The fast and simple lie easily slid off of my tongue. "I'm also kind of worried for Professor Anderson. He's been missing for a week. I'm scared that he's going to be the next victim."

"The police still haven't given an update on any new information regarding the killer, so whoever they are, they're extremely smart. I was thinking we can go investigate the cliffs in a few days."

A few days? "Why the wait?" I asked.

"I have a ton of things to do, as well as usual studying."

I didn't have a few days. It was only a matter of time before the masked killer struck again, and I was even more anxious given the fact that someone now knows what I'm up to. Working alone was idiotic and fatal, but I wouldn't go into the woods near the cliffs just yet.

I decided to make a plan the second I got into my bedroom. When Elias pulled up to the apartments, I unbuckled my seat belt and turned to him. "Thanks for everything tonight. I'll text you if anything happens."

"Likewise. And Amari?"

"Yes?"

"Call me Eli going forward," he said. "That's what everyone else calls me. If we're going to work together and be around each other more often, we're going to need to act the part. Just in case."

I nodded. "Okay. While we're at it, call me Mari."

"Will do. I-" He stopped himself suddenly as his eyes squinted to look out the window of the door to my side. "Who's Dana arguing with at the door?"

What? I thought as I turned around to see that someone was indeed arguing with my best friend. My heart slammed against my ribs when I caught the side of the familiar brown hair.

Christian.

"I have to go. Don't forget to keep me updated," I said as I opened the door to get out.

"Is everything okay? Do I need to help?" Eli asked.

"I got it, don't worry. Honestly, I'm more worried about him than Dana. But thank you."

I left it at that, shut the car door and began walking towards the front door of the apartment where a pissed-off Dana was standing in front of my ex-boyfriend with her arms crossed. Her blonde hair was in a messily braided crown, and it looked like she was just getting out of bed. "Didn't I tell you that the next time you showed your face here, I would cut your balls off?"

"Dana, I just want to talk to-"

"I don't care what you want to do," she hissed at him. "Come around here again -- especially late at night -- and I'm going to call the fucking police. Now leave."

At the sound of my heels clacking against the concrete, Christian turned around and gasped, "Mari! I-"

"What are you doing here? It's late." My voice came out stronger and sharper than intended. I didn't have any patience. I wanted to go inside, take my dress off, massage my feet after being in heels for a few hours, wrap my hair up and start looking deeper into the murder.