Secrets Untold

Chapter 12

Raven arranged to meet Malcolm Den for lunch that day. She needed to have some of her questions answered. To her surprise, Malcolm agreed and suggested they go to Panera. He sounded giddy, almost as if he were trying to flirt with her.

She arrived at Panera right when he said he would meet her and ordered green tea and a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich. The food reached her before Malcolm did. Raven checked her watch. Malcolm was 15 minutes late. She began to nibble at her sandwich and sift through her emails.

25 minutes passed and still no signs of Malcolm. Raven contemplated whether she should've just appeared on Malcolm's doorstep. That way, he couldn't have stood her up. Something was very wrong.

30 minutes. Raven recalled what she read about Malcolm during her research. Graham University Student Body President. Attending Harvard Law School on nearly a full ride in the fall. Shouldn't a future lawyer know not to keep a detective waiting? Especially if the detective was investigating his ex-girlfriend's death? Raven thought more about what she uncovered about Malcolm's past. He had graduated salutatorian in his IB program in high school. Came from a low-income home in a bad neighborhood. Raven knew she shouldn't discriminate based on income—that would make her a hypocrite—but bad neighborhoods typically exposed people to bad lifestyles. Like crime and drugs.

"Sorry I'm late!" Malcolm announced as he slid breathless into the seat across from Raven. Raven glanced at her finished food. He was 35 minutes late. "I went to the wrong Panera!" A lie. Malcolm himself had specified over the phone the exact address of the Panera he wished to meet Raven at. "And I apologize for this inconvenience, but I have to leave in 25 minutes for another appointment with the Graham University President." Another lie. Raven had checked his schedule before and after their meeting and Malcolm only had two night classes which didn't start for another 3 hours. How did this boy expect to be a lawyer if he showed up late to an important meeting and kept lying?

Raven folded her hands. "I'm very sorry about your loss," she began. She noticed Malcolm's eyes tear up. Raven started to pity him, chalking up his lies to stress at losing his girlfriend, until she remembered how he kissed Danny the previous night.

"It's been rough," he said. "I loved her so much."

Oh really?

"Where were you when she was killed Tuesday at 6 pm?" Raven inquired, no longer finding Malcolm attractive.

"I was doing a project for one of my classes, American Government and the Modern Society. If only I had been there to stop it..."

"How far do you live from Sadie?"

"10 minutes walking. Which was great during our relationship. I would always surprise her with flowers." Malcolm smiled at the memory.

"Who did she hang out with most of the time?"

"She hung out with her Little Danny a lot— "Seems like you did too, Raven wanted to add "—and she spent a lot of time doing Graham Ambassadors stuff. She wasn't as active in the sorority this year. She kind of had a falling out with Bree and her Big, Charlotte. Something about her winning Vice President and not prioritizing the sorority."

"How long had you two been dating?"

"Almost 7 months."

"And does the name Andrew Kingsley ring a bell to you?"

Malcolm looked confused. "No...?" he mused.

"Do you have a job?" Raven continued.

"No. Never had one. I've interned in a law firm in D.C. a few summers, though, if that counts."

"So how did you have $4200 to turn into the bank at Wells Fargo last week?" Raven shot at him.

Malcolm froze. "How did you— "he began, his eyes dark. Then he cleared his throat. "As student body president, I am in charge of the school's finances. I was depositing the money into a school account. We had a fundraiser to raise money to add transgender bathrooms in the dorms. We set up a carnival and people had to pay for each event." Malcolm lowered his voice. "Graham's finances are nobody's business. The Graham Board of Directors only trust me with the money since I am the student body president," her murmured.

Raven nodded, not fully believing him. She did see people campaigning on Graham University lawn for transgender bathrooms, though. And posters about the Transgender Awareness Carnival littered the campus. "I read that you came from a low-income household," she pried deeper. "How can you afford Graham tuition if you didn't have a job?"

Malcolm looked repulsed. "First of all, my family's financial situation is none of your business."

"Actually, it is. I am a detective," Raven retorted, despising Malcolm's pretentious attitude.

"And second," Malcolm added, ignoring her comment. "I receive financial aid in addition to being a National Merit scholar."

"And what was the incident with you and Danny last night?" Raven asked, whipping out a picture of Malcolm kissing Danny, both of their faces in clear view. "If you really loved and missed your girlfriend, why were you kissing Danny?"

"She forced herself on me!" Malcolm shouted a little too defensively, forgetting to ask Raven what she'd been doing at a Theta Kappa party. People at the surrounding tables turned and Malcolm gave them a thumbs-up. "She attacked me at that party," he said a little quieter. "We used to date before I dated Sadie. Sadie doesn't know about Danny and I. It was a really long time ago, when I was a senior in high school and Danny was a freshman. Nothing happened while I was dating Sadie, I promise. Danny was just wasted last night."

"And you kissed her back," Raven stated flatly.

"Well yes, I did." Malcolm scratched his head awkwardly. "I felt bad for her."

"Hm," Raven pondered, giving Malcolm a smug smile. She realized that Malcolm hadn't gotten any food the entire time they had sat at Panera together.

"I have to go," Malcolm blurted. "Nice talking to you. And please, please find the killer. I really miss my Sadie and I don't want the killer to go unpunished." He rose, shook Raven's hand, and pushed through the door to his Toyota Camry.

Raven waited a few moments, then followed Malcolm. She slipped into her car moments after he started his engine, watching him edge his way out of the parking lot. Then she trailed him as he drove first down the main highway away from campus, exiting onto a country road, and finally making a left into a sketchy neighborhood. Malcolm slowed down, stopping in front of a shabby house with the roof caving in and bars on the windows. Raven stopped her car a few houses down and out of view. Malcolm got out of his Camry, locked it and walked into the house, a backpack slung over one shoulder. He emerged several minutes later, the same backpack over his shoulder, only it looked a little fuller and Malcolm had a fearful tint to his expression. He got back in his car and was about to drive away when a dark-skinned man with braids darted out of the house. Malcolm rolled down his window, the man said something, and Malcolm handed him money. Raven quickly captured a picture of the scene. The man smiled as Malcolm sped away, stroking the dollar bills in his palms.

Raven peered at the man, at his devilish grin, his greedy eyes, the 3 tears tattooed down his cheek.

Travis.