Who Falls Hardest (Clearwater University)

“No guys came to see her?”

I’m aware my question is too personal, and that it’ll probably make Cheryl clam up, but I need to know. There has to be something. Leslie made it clear she’s got a guy on the hook. A guy who likes how dangerous she is, and who would do anything for her.

There has to be some evidence of his existence. Some way he’s been in touch with her if he’s helping her while she’s confined.

“No.” Just as I expected, Cheryl’s brows pull together. The single word is drawn out, as if she’s buying herself time to consider why I’m asking about this.

“Right.” I force a smile onto my face, trying not to let my disappointment show.

Dammit. I was so close.

There’s something I’m missing. I know it.

I’m about to turn and head for the door when another orderly emerges from the back.

Only this face, I recognize.

Holy shit.

Grabbing a brochure from the front desk, I open it and study it intently, letting my blonde hair cascade down to shield my face. My heart is beating out a hard, fast rhythm in my chest, and I swear I don’t take a breath until the orderly disappears into the back again.

“Miss, are you alright?” Cheryl looks concerned as I straighten and put the brochure back.

“Yes.” I nod jerkily. “I’m fine. Um, can I ask, how long has that orderly worked here?” I gesture toward where the man I recognized stepped into the back. “Rory?”

Cheryl’s eyebrows rise, and she shoots a confused look in the direction I’m indicating. “Oh, that boy’s name isn’t Rory. It’s Miles Mather. He’s new here, he just started a little after the new year. Does he look like someone you know?”

I gaze at her, blinking stupidly for a moment.

He doesn’t just look like someone I know. He is someone I know. Rory, the guy Leslie was dating last semester.

“I—I must’ve been mistaken,” I stammer quickly, before turning and walking out as fast as I can. I need to leave before he comes back and catches sight of me, before Leslie realizes there’s a chance I could’ve seen him.

Rory is working at the facility.

Only not as Rory, but as Miles Mather—an identity switch that would be easy enough for someone like Leslie to pull off. Once she realized her parents were sending her to rehab, she must’ve set this all up. And Rory, the kind of guy who’s obviously attracted to dangerously crazy women, got on board with it. When Leslie was pretending to be normal and well-adjusted, their relationship fizzled.

But sneaking around? Helping her get contraband into the rehab facility? Probably fucking her in her room, knowing they could get caught?

I guess that was the shot of adrenaline their relationship needed.

My stomach churns as I hurry to my bike, pulling out my phone as I go. I unlock the bike and walk it several blocks away before I call Detective Walton and tell him everything.

It’s all still a patchwork of hunches. I don’t have any evidence, except for the fact that I recognized Rory and he apparently isn’t going by his given name at his new job.

But Walton listens, not interrupting. And when I finish, there’s a note of triumph in his voice as he tells me he’ll look into it—that he’ll take over from here.

He’s a cop. He’s got the resources to investigate and issue warrants. He can tie this up.

But he needed me to find the loose thread. And I finally did.

“Well done, Miss Holloway,” he tells me. “You did well. I’m impressed.”

“You’ll keep me posted? Let me know what you find out?” I press, glancing back in the direction of Sun Valley. It’s out of sight now, but somehow I feel like Leslie can still see me. Like she’s a witch who’s got eyes everywhere.

Not for long though, hopefully.

Sun Valley might be secure, but it’s nowhere near as secure as a prison.