I glance over my shoulder at her. “What for?”
“For withholding information about a case,” she says, opening her desk drawer. “Because I know you know more than you’re letting on. It’s a gift of mine. I can read when people are lying. It’s why I’m the Head of Interrogation.”
Grinding my teeth, I open the door and step out of her office. I start down the hallway, planning to run to my room and call my parents, tell them everything that’s happened, but I startle when I spot Jax leaning against the wall.
“What are you doing out here?” I ask, wiping my sweaty palms on the sides of my shorts.
He seems unsure about something. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay … I know Vivianne can be a little intense and uncompassionate.”
“I can handle Vivianne,” I say, “but thanks for checking on me.”
“Do you need anything?” He tugs his fingers through his hair. “We can go kick the crap out of a heavy bag or something? It might be a good distraction until we can get you on a flight back home.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be working on my grandfather’s case?” I ask, my voice uneven as tears sting my eyes again. I refuse to cry, though. Not until I get to the bottom of this and clear my grandpa’s name.
Vivianne may think he’s a thief, but I know my grandpa. If he took the dagger, it was for a good reason.
“I can spare a few hours if you need me to.”
“Can I …?” God, I can’t believe I’m asking this, but if I’m going to get any answers, this is the best place to start. “Can I go with you?”
His eyes widen. “Go with me where? To the crime scene?”
I nod, swallowing down the nausea burning up my throat. “I want to help find who killed him.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea... Usually, we don’t allow people to get involved with cases they are emotionally connected to.”
“Please, Jax,” I beg. “I need to do something besides sit around or kick the crap out of a bag. I need to feel like I’m helping him.”
He deliberates, looking so reluctant I’m positive I’m going to have to get on my knees and beg. Then he shocks the crap out of me when he nods.
“If you want to come with me after everything is cleaned up and you return back to school, then you can, but if at any time it looks like you’re about to fall apart, you’re off the case.”
I suck in a breath. Cleaned up? Like my grandpa’s body?
“O-okay, that sounds fair.”
“You should go pack your stuff,” he says as we walk down the hall. “I just informed Ms. Fellingford, the secretary, and she’s trying to get you on a flight back home ASAP.”
I nod and thank him again, even giving him a hug. At first, he’s stiff when I wrap my arms around him, but he eventually loosens up and slips an arm around me.
“Thanks for your help … and making sure I’m okay.” Tears burn in my eyes as I quickly move back and hurry to my room.
I immediately try to call my mom and then my dad, but neither of them answer their phones. Either they’re on a mission, or a Guardian is at the house, breaking the news to them.
I call Jayse, needing to talk to someone, anyone from back home, but he doesn’t answer, either.
“Where are you?” I say to his voicemail. “I’ve tried to call you, like, twenty times … Something bad happened, Jayse. I need you. Please call me back.”
Dazedly, I start to pack my suitcase, stuffing my clothes inside. Then I lock the door and check around the room before I slide the ceiling tile out of the way and retrieve the dagger.
I don’t know what it does or why my grandpa was hiding it, but I’m not about to leave it here for someone to find it while I’m gone. I’m going to protect it with my life until I figure out what the hell is going on.