The Boy with the Blind Eyes

TWENTY ONE

That left her with Eliza or with Violet.

Eliza was a bitch, sure, but the girl was fun to be around sometimes and she could be really sweet. She hid her dark side behind those blue eyes and strawberry blonde curls easily. Tamsin felt like a breath of fresh air, a little fun, but that would leave Violet on her own, since she and Eliza were still on the outs. Then again, she knew Rachel would be with Eliza and didn't want to risk causing a scene. What was a girl to do?

A girl was to sit on her own, away from her maybe-friends, apparently.

One agonisingly boring hour later, the bell rang for a class switch. Thankfully, Tamsin was finished for the day, and so she headed back up to her dorm—only to find that an appointment with Detective Gray had been made and she was expected to meet him in the common room in half an hour. Geez. What a lucky girl she was today.

She snapped back into the present and Detective Gray sighed, waiting expectantly. Tamsin frowned. 'Did you say something?'

'You were daydreaming,' he huffed, but like he didn't expect anything else. 'Did I not make myself clear last time? This is serious—'

'You made that abundantly clear.' Tamsin gritted her teeth at the annoying man.

He blinked. 'Well. Let's get on with it, then, assuming you're finished with whatever reverie you managed to dredge up?'

Tamsin glared at him. 'Yes, let's.'

He pursed his lips. 'Miss Gilbert, I'd prefer this not be a repeat of last time.'

'It won't be.'

'Are you sure?'

She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. 'Just get on with it, Detective Gray.'

'I'm going to ask you the same questions as before and this time, I want detailed and thoughtful answers. Is that understood?' His piercing blue eyes stabbed into her.

'Yes.'

'Good. Let's begin with the first question—what happened on the night of March 25?'

'That's a very generalised question.'

'Humour me.' He replied bluntly.

'Well, that day was the same as any other. I went to breakfast, went to classes, and then later that night, I came back to the dorm. I fell asleep and then afterwards I woke up again. I thought I'd heard a noise.'

'Can you specify this noise?'

'It was just like a...a thud. Or something. Yeah. I don't really remember.'

He jotted something down. 'Go on.'

'So, I got up to check it out. I was nervous. It wasn't the first time I'd heard a noise.'

Suddenly, Detective Gray's pen slipped from his grasp and onto the floor. His brows raised. He didn't bother picking up the pen, just retrieved a new one from his briefcase. 'Oh? Tell me more.'

'About the noises? The first few times I'd assumed it was just sounds from the refrigerator or something. The first time I heard it, I was in the shower and I heard a smash. The second time I was sleeping and I heard another thud. And then the last time, well, you know.'

'Right. So what did you do when you woke up?'

'I walked across the room and I seemed to bump into someone,' she bit her lip nervously. 'They had long hair. I could feel their shoulders—it was definitely a girl. A tall, skinny girl. I pulled their hair and tried to do something, I don't really remember considering I was half-asleep, and then I was clocked in the head. That's all I know.'

'You say they had long hair...' he jotted something else down. 'And you think it was a female.'

'It was definitely a girl,' she said firmly. 'I'm 100% positive.'

'Yes, well, as you said, you were half asleep. It could have been a very slim male with long hair. Men are not subjected to crew cuts, Miss Gilbert.' His tone was sour.

She pressed her lips together, ignoring his jibe.

'Was there anything else...especially unique about this person? Something that would leave them easily identifiable?'

'It pains me to say it, but no. Just the long hair and thin body.'

Detective Gray nodded grimly. 'I thought as much.' He flipped his notebook closed. 'Alright, well, there isn't much more I can do. I'll try and monitor the surveillance cameras for any more information, but until something more inspiring arises, I'm afraid we must leave this alone.'

'You mean, you can't do anything else at all?'

'If that's all you remember, no.'

Her eyes closed and she sighed. 'Okay. Thanks, I guess.' There was a drawn out pause before he spoke again.

'Miss Gilbert, at the risk of sounding obnoxious and obscenely conceited, I am the most sought-after, highly paid detective in the state. If this person is out there, I'm going to find them.'

And, in an odd way, she sort of loved the man for saying that to her. She managed a small smile. 'If you say so, Detective. If you say so.'

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