Best One Wins

Chapter 5: Lucie (Monday)

What exactly have I just gotten myself into? I was so caught up in the moment I just suggested we solve the murder- well I'll be solving it because I will be winning this competition. I should've just kept my mouth shut, how will I handle this on top of all my school work? 

When I make it back to my dorm Daphne is sitting on the floor painting her toes. She wouldn't be caught dead with out them painted.

"Back so soon,  Lu?", Daphne says never loosing focus on the task in front of her. 

"Yeah, I decided to study in here the rest of the night", I reply while taking off my school bag and putting it on my bed.

"Well I'm off to see Chandler, don't wait up I don't know when I'll be back", Daphne says as she admires her perfectly painted bubble gum pink toes.  

Once I'm alone in my room I decide to take out the only real starting place I have if I want to solve this murder-Professor Franklin's U.S History book. I look over each note a few times and come up empty. I mean where do I even start? I need to figure out who exactly wrote these. I know it had to have been one of his students, but that doesn't narrow it down enough. How will I even get access to a list of all his students? I know all the kids that were in my class, so that's a start. 

I have listed every girl who I have seen coming out of Professor Franklin's class before, or were in my class. I have 15 names in all. At least it's something.  Maybe I should ask around and find out who exactly was rumored to be sleeping with Professor Franklin. The first person I should ask is Daphne, but she said she wouldn't be back until late. There is another option, but it's risky. 

I'm outside the library before I can register what I'm doing. My loosely throw together plan is to hide in the library until closing, and once everyone is out, pull up Professor Franklin's past rosters. I take a deep breath before walking through the doors. Mrs.Polly is sitting behind the counter consumed with what's on her computer. I don't feel like small talk at the moment, so I take a sharp left turn towards the textbook section. Now that I'm here where exactly am I supposed to hide? 

I decide the best place would be the storage room. The door to the room is right behind Mrs.Polly's desk. I can't just walk over there and go in. I need someone to distract her, so I can slip in. I sit at the table closest to Mrs.Polly's desk and wait for an opportunity.  

After 20 minutes of "studying" someone comes up to Mrs.Polly's desk and asks where she can find a particular book, "I'm sorry to be a bother but I've been looking for 10 minutes".

"It's fine dear, but you kids need to learn everything won't be handed to you. Next time look a little longer", Mrs.Polly says walking to the bookshelves. 

This is my chance and I don't hesitate. I am behind the desk and in front of the door before I know it. I try the door knob and it's locked-just great! I start to panic a little and look around to make sure Mrs.Polly isn't back already. Once I see the side of her skirt on the other side of the book shelves I relax a bit. I need to think logically. I search in front of the computer and in the drawers-nothing. Just before I'm fixing to give up I'm hit in the face with a flash of light. I look down at the source and see a sliver of silver under the keyboard. I lift up the keyboard and find a key. It's worth a shot, so I push it into the locked door. I take a deep breath before slowly turning the knob, it's unlocked.

Once I close the door I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. I look around and see boxes piled with dust. The further you go into the room the narrower it gets. I decide to stop at a set of stools hidden behind a pile of boxes and sit. I have my school bag with me, so I can at least do something productive while I'm breaking the rules. I reach inside to pull my U.S history book out but soon realize I forgot it. I must have left it on my bed. I slump back dropping my bag to the floor. I guess my phone can be a distraction until 8:00 p.m when everyone leaves. I didn't think through just how long I would have to be in this room, it's 6:45 p.m now.