“And I believe what he said. He was in the city.” She turned and hurried back down the hall, leaving Devon alone with her bucket of ice.
* Keaton Companion Rule #2c: Dangerous Activities: If a Keaton student feels that he or she knows someone, or he or she is a danger to themselves or others, he or she is encouraged to utilize a one-time emergency assistance to properly deal with the situation. Fearing punishment or consequences when someone’s health is at risk should not be an excuse.
CHAPTER 18
Sunday, October 14
Cleo had Dave deliver a bottle of champagne to their room before the kitchen closed for the night. “Because it’s a happy buzz,” she said. By 2 A.M. Cleo was lounging in the empty bathtub, ensconced in red couch cushions from the couch, drinking champagne out of the bottle. Devon sat on the bathroom counter dangling her feet off the side. She decided to pass on the buzz, happy or not. One of them had to keep her head straight.
“So, Bodhi, Raven, Eric and Reed Hutchins all had access to the car that drove up the backside of the Keaton hill to meet Hutch that night?” Cleo set her bottle of champagne on the floor next to the tub.
“Yeah, but Bodhi doesn’t drink beer.”
“But, he could have access to the Oxy,” Cleo pointed out.
“True.”
“Isn’t it not really about access, though? I mean, we’re talking murder here, right?” Cleo tapped a finger against the neck of the champagne bottle.
Murder was a word Devon kept trying to avoid. It sounded so deliberate. But Cleo was right. That’s what they were talking. In one version, Hutch took the Oxy just to get high and accidentally overdosed, or he took it deliberately to end his life. In another version, someone purposely slipped him a lethal amount.
“If it’s murder then we’ve got to figure out who had enough of a reason to want Hutch gone. Raven and Bodhi and Reed might have had access, but Eric and maybe Maya are the only ones with a real motive. Murder is usually an emotional thing. And Eric seemed to have the most to lose if Hutch squealed about Maya’s pregnancy.”
“So we gotta talk to Eric then,” Cleo said.
Devon’s lips flattened. “That’s the champagne talking. Like he would even give us the time of day. Besides, say it’s true. Hutch was going to rat out Eric and Maya’s relationship. We’re still talking about Eric killing his own little brother. That’s hard to imagine.
“Hasn’t counseling taught you anything?” Cleo snorted. “People are crazy. Especially rich people, I’m telling you.”
“I don’t know. Still doesn’t add up. I think I need Bodhi and Raven’s help.”
“I thought you weren’t sure you could trust them,” Cleo said between sips of champagne.
“Hutch trusted them. They’re living with Reed. I’m not sure that doubting them is accomplishing anything. Besides, they’re the only ones who actually believed in me when all this happened, from the beginning.”
Cleo closed her eyes and leaned back in the pillows. “All right, but isn’t this how you set yourself up to ultimately be betrayed by them? How many murder mysteries have you seen?”
“That’s why you’re coming with me. If you can’t spot a liar, then we’re really screwed.”
Cleo’s eyes popped open. She giggled and offered the bottle to Devon, who shrugged and took a sip. Bubbles oozed out the top. It burned in her throat and the back of her nose. She winced and handed the bottle back.
“Did you look on the desk out there? I got you something.” Cleo said, that smug smile returning.
“What?” Devon padded her bare feet out of the cool tile bathroom floor to the living room. Her Mont Blanc pen was lying in the middle of the polished wood desk. “How did you get this?” she yelled toward the bathroom.
“When you were with Maya I thought I’d say hi to Grant. See if he wanted to combine parties or anything.”
“What’d he say?” Devon hurried back to the tub.
“I left you out of it. He has no idea you’re here. You’re welcome, by the way. Seems like Eric is paying for Grant and Raj to hang out for the weekend, drink all they want and watch football.”
“Why would Eric do that? Oh.…” She looked at the pen in her hand. “Grant stole my notes for Eric.”
“Eric’s super paranoid about your counseling sessions. And apparently Grant can’t hold his liquor either. Once that kid started talking there was no stopping him.”
“You got him to give you the pen back?”