Free The Perfect Coed (Oak Grove Mysteries Book 1) by Judy Alter Page A

Jake, I… I can’t go back there and dispose of it.”
    He wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll do that, Susan. But why, who? I don’t understand it at all.”
    “There was a note—I wore rubber gloves when I looked at it and put it back in the box with the cat. It said pretty much what the other one did, only something about not ruining other lives.”
    He shook his head. “Rubber gloves just make it worse—you blur whatever prints are on there. They’re not the same as evidence gloves. But never mind. It makes no sense, no sense at all. Somebody out there is warped. So warped that I’m scared for you. It’s someone who wants you dead.”
    “Maybe,” she said, “they just want me scared to death. I locked the house before I left.” She was glad now she hadn’t told him about the small, dark car that scared her on her ride out to his house. She had to be able to separate real threats from imaginary ones.
    “Swell,” he said. “You’re not to be alone in that house again. I’m glad your aunt is coming.”
    “Some protection she’d be,” Susan said. “Wait till you meet her.”
    “At least you won’t be alone. And until then, I’m staying with you.”
    She shrugged, relieved but too proud to tell him. Instead, she leaned forward and kissed him. He lay down, pulling her next to him. “Sleep now, Susan, you’re safe. I promise you that.”
    * * *
    In the morning, they had to get up early so Susan could ride the moped home and change clothes.
    “I’ll have to follow you in the truck,” Jake said. “You’re not going in that house alone.”
    Morning always made her feel brave. “Nothing will happen,” she said. “I’m going alone. You come along when you can and dispose of that box for me, okay?” It was what she had to do to keep from being a prisoner of fear.
    “I can’t dispose of it. I’ll take it to Jordan.”
    She threw her hands up in the air. “Swell, he’ll think I put it there myself.”
    “Susan, Susan, he’s a law enforcement officer. Surely he’ll see the pattern here, the danger.”
    “Don’t count on it,” she said bitterly.
    “Wait till I take a quick shower, and I’ll follow you home,” he said.
    Susan sneaked out while Jake was in the shower. To her surprise, she enjoyed the ride home. There was little traffic, nothing to scare her, and the breeze blew through her hair and made her thankful for the sunglasses she wore even though the sun was barely up.
    At her house, nothing had changed. The box still sat pushed to one side, the door was still locked. Feeling almost normal, she took a shower, dressed, and roared off on the moped—a quiet roar.

Chapter Five
    Friday morning, Susan dropped her books on her desk and headed not for the lounge but for the registrar’s office in the administration building.
    “Hi, Dr. Hogan!” The young black girl behind the counter greeted her enthusiastically, and Susan remembered that she’d been in her women’s lit class last year—the same class Missy Jackson had been in. Jamie had been interested in Toni Morrison’s work.
    “Tina, how are you?”
    “Doin’ just fine, thank you. I’ll graduate in June.”
    “June? A year ahead of time?” Susan was truly impressed, and Tina beamed with pride.
    “Yes, ma’am. I went to summer school two summers.”
    “You should be proud,” Susan said, reaching to touch the girl’s arm. “Most kids take five years to get out of school, and you’ll have done it in three.”
    “I am proud,” Tina said, “and so’s my family. What can I do for you this morning, Dr. Hogan?”
    Susan slid a piece of paper toward the girl with the name “Eric Lindler” written on it. “Can you give me his schedule?”
    Jamie lowered her eyes. “You know I can’t do that. It’s against the privacy laws. Dr. Hogan, I’d do anything I could for you, but I can’t risk my job.”
    “No, no, Jamie. I wouldn’t want you to do that. Sorry I asked.” Susan had known it was against the law but