A Deadly Sorority (Book #1 Sorority Horrors)

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Lorena's reply landed in my inbox minutes after I sent the email. The words in her message harbored a chilling uncertainty regarding Steve's criminal record:

Kayla,

I'm still not convinced of his innocence. What if it was all an elaborate scheme... you know, just a lie to protect himself from being sent to the slammer? 🚓🔍

I, however, believed in Steve's innocence. According to the article, he was only found guilty because they lacked enough evidence; although they did have some evidence, it just wasn't enough.

What if Steve did harm the guy intentionally, and it wasn't out of self-defense?

I pinched my eyes shut and shook my head as I threw the jarring thought out of my mind.

Admittedly, I couldn't get Lorena's message out of my head. I kept questioning the charges imposed on him, no matter how much I wanted him to be innocent.

The confusion was like a tennis ball being thrown around in my head. 

Innocent or guilty? 

What if Lorena was right, and it was all a scheme?

The notion that Steve was guilty of planning a sophisticated scheme didn't sit right with me. And it also didn't seem possible, not unless he was a psychopath.

What was his connection to the guy that he stabbed?

I would have to do more digging and research to find out who was on the other end of Steve's claim of self-defense. Was it a longstanding enemy or just some random psycho who tried to break into Steve's family home? Or perhaps it wasn't self-defense after all.

At this point, I was determined to uncover the truth no matter how far I had to dig or search.

***

Leaning up against a big tree, I listened as the winds whistled and the leaves swung back and forth from their branches that afternoon as I waited outside my apartment complex for Brianna to arrive in her cute little Mini Cooper.

Last night, Brianna called me, gushing about the upcoming Winter Ball. Excitement dripped from her mouth as we discussed the event. 

"I'll die if I find a red beaded corset silk gown!" Brianna exclaimed. "That would be perfection."

 The Ball was right around the corner, and Brianna thought it'd be a great idea if we went shopping together for our gowns, promising she'd be on her way at 2:00 PM, right after her last class of the day ended.

I was thankful Brianna never held that failed initiation plan against me when I head-butted her. The thought of it made me want to sink into the ground.  However bad it was, a good resolution sprouted from that incident, resulting in the sorority reevaluating its initiation practices, especially now that a serial killer was on the loose. They had no other option but to.

As I browsed around the area, still waiting for Brianna to pull up, I did a double-take when I saw a man on a bike ride past me. To my surprise, it was Mark. He came riding along the bike path.

"Mark?" I called out, squinting my eyes as he rode past me. He stopped pedaling and shifted his head, gazing my way.

"Kayla?" he questioned as he held onto his handlebars with tight knuckles.

"What are you doing around here?"

Mark laughed. "Visiting a friend."

What friend?