What Janie Saw(66)
Nathan just shook his head, stopping her explanation, clearly unconvinced that the two were related.
“We’ll find out who’s doing this, Janie,” Rafe said firmly. “You have my word.”
And how long will it take?” Janie felt the tentative grasp she had on her emotions start to slip. It had only been a little over a week since she read the art book. A week!
It felt like a year.
If she didn’t do something, she’d wind up in her bedroom, wearing pink fuzzy slippers and afraid to leave the house. “I’m scared spitless.”
“Good,” Detective Williamson said. “You should be scared. It will make you careful. It’s not necessary for you to be on campus.”
“I need to finish out the semester. It’s part of my college course load, and if I don’t complete my courses, there’s no chance I’ll win the art internship in Africa. Spending a semester in a teaching situation is one of the requirements.” Even as she said the words, part of her was screaming in fear. Another part, though, was focused on her future and how an incomplete could hurt her career.
Hurt, not kill.
Detective Williamson’s expression didn’t change. “What you do is up to the college. I can only recommend a course of action.”
“Not a chance I’m letting you out of my sight,” Rafe said.
She took a breath. Life was coming at her too fast, too out of control. She needed to find stability, make some decisions. “I don’t want to stop teaching.”
“There’s always next semester,” Rafe pointed out.
“That would put me a whole year behind.”
“There are worse things.”
“I’ll be careful.”
Rafe and Williamson exchanged looks again.
“From here on out, every move we make is for your safety,” Rafe said. “With all that’s happening, there’s not a chance I’m letting you be in the classroom without a police escort.”
Williamson agreed. “And if you’re in danger, your presence puts the students in danger.”
Rafe turned to the dean. “Janie’s just the teaching assistant. Who do you have that can take over for Patricia?”
There it was again. That word just.
“Georgia would know best, but I’m not willing to disturb her further by asking that question just yet. We’ll probably meet sometime tomorrow.”
“Cathy Michaelson subbed for Patricia when she went to a week-long conference,” Janie said. “It won’t be hard for her to take over with my help. I’m even familiar with how the students have been graded so far.”
No, the everyday routine wouldn’t be hard for Cathy to take over, but it wouldn’t be the same. Something sinister was going on, something evil simmered under the cover of a peaceful southwestern college campus, and inadvertently, Janie’d become part of it.
Rafe’s phone sounded. He checked the caller and said to Nathan, “We’ve got some things to discuss. Have someone escort Janie to my car and stay with her while we chat.”