The Boy with the Blind Eyes

TWENTY FOUR

'Oh, my God. It's her. It's her!'

Tamsin was pacing in front of Lina. They were back in their old dorm room, where they knew they wouldn't be disturbed. It was still being thoroughly cleaned and monitored for any extra evidence, but it would do for now. It was the only place that they would be safe from being overheard.

Lina sighed, massaging her temples. It was something she did when she needed to think. But, strangely, when Tamsin had spilled the news about her suspicions of Eliza being the one who ransacked their room, Lina had remained completely calm. She probably thought Tamsin was crazy—and maybe she was. She didn't know what to do about this or who she could trust anymore. Eliza? It was a pretty far-fetched assumption, just because she was wearing a coffee-coloured sweater. Anyone could have a sweater like that. And she had told Tamsin that she came from a family of money, so it wasn't unusual for her to own clothes that expensive. It was completely reasonable. But there was something off about the look in her eyes, and the way she had been almost too interested in what Tamsin was holding behind her back...

'Tamsin, calm down, okay? You're making me...more...not calm.' Lina interrupted her thoughts abruptly.

Tamsin froze mid-step. 'Are you kidding me? You're being a little too calm about this.' She narrowed her eyes. 'Why is that?'

'Don't get all Veronica Mars on me,' Lina rolled her eyes impatiently. 'There's just got to be a better explanation than Elizabeth Crayton. Don't get me wrong, I hate the girl. But do you really think she'd be desperate enough to break into our dorms in the dead of night—the worst time possible—to steal objects she could easily buy for herself?'

Again, Lina made a good point. The evidence at hand was clearly pointing elsewhere. Maybe it wasn't Eliza. Maybe Tamsin was just imagining things in her mind, because she wanted to find this person so badly. That was the most rational analysis she'd done all day.

'I don't know,' Tamsin huffed, defeated. She dropped down next to Lina on the bed and ran an impatient hand through her messy ponytail. 'I don't know what we're going to do.'

'Should we tell someone?'

'Like who? Detective Gray?' Tamsin scoffed. 'Think about it. He'd never believe us in the first place. We don't even know whose done this and we have no way of finding out ourselves.'

'Yeah, but the school will be able to track whose dorm it is.'

'They won't believe us either. They'll think we're pranking them or something. Let's say hypothetically that they did believe us—you think that the person in dorm 75 would hide the watch in such a terrible place like under the bed? It's kind of moronic. No. They've got to have some kind of agenda.'

'A potential agenda we should tell the police about!' Lina hissed, her wide green eyes insistent.

'That's what this person wants us to do. There's something else going on here, Lina. They knew that there would be a chance of being found out, and yet they still hid the watch there. We've got to find out what else they're planning.'

Lina sighed, exhausted. 'I don't want to argue about this. But I really think this is information the school and the police need. It could solve the whole investigation.'

'Look, do you trust me?'

'Of course!'

'Then trust that I honestly believe keeping it to ourselves a while longer is the best thing to do for right now. We don't want to rush into anything. Besides, I took the watch from the room. What if they find out I took it and it turns out to be a different person's dorm? Then it'll look like I stole something and it'll go on my permanent record.' Tamsin sighed, frustrated. 'We can't tell anyone.'

'The school wouldn't hold it against you for taking a watch you believed was stolen.'

'You'd be surprised.'

'I'm not promising that I won't say anything,' Lina said firmly. 'This is about my stolen belongings and it's my business. I know you want to know who it is because they hurt you, but Tamsin, you're not going to achieve gaining that knowledge alone. We need help and we need it from the authorities.' Lina stood up from her bed and walked towards the door. She paused before opening it. 'This is going to be the best thing to do. You'll see.'

---

Later that night, Tamsin was back in her temporary dorm with Johanna, who was making tea. The girl was always making tea, it seemed like. She knew the best remedies for stress. Of course, she didn't know what kind of stress Tamsin was really under, but close enough.

'So, do you want to talk about it?' She asked sweetly, handing Tamsin a thick, yellow mug full of steaming peppermint tea and taking a seat across from her on the bed.

Tamsin screwed up her nose and accepted the tea gratefully. 'Not really. It's just something I need to work through alone, you know?'

Johanna nodded. 'I get it. But that doesn't mean you can't ask for help, either. I'm always here if you need help. Remember that,' she said firmly.

'I promise that I will.'

'Good. So, onto better news. I...I kind of, um...scored a date with Angus.' She bit her lip, grinning.

Tamsin almost spat the tea right out of her mouth. Wiping her mouth in a very unattractive and un-ladylike way, Tamsin managed to sputter out only one word: 'What?'

Johanna laughed; a happy, clear sound. 'Don't act so surprised! When you missed the lesson earlier today we got to talking, and...I dunno. I just sorta asked him if he wanted to go to dinner with me tonight, and uh, he didn't say no!' She laughed again.

Tamsin smiled, but for some reason, it didn't feel real. She forced herself to hold it while she sipped the burning tea. Grimacing, she set it in her lap and avoided looking at Jo, afraid she'd see through her...odd mix of feelings. Tamsin knew that she and Angus were only partners on an assignment, and their relationship was strictly professional, other than at parties when they'd exchange polite conversation. But she couldn't help but feel a strange pull toward him. Suddenly, guilt flooded through her. Brett was her boyfriend. She did really like Brett, anyway. It wasn't something fake between them; it was definitely real. She was attracted to him physically, and liked his matureness even more when it came to dealing with issues, like her brother. But there was something about Angus that unsettled her. She was sure that he must have felt it at least once before, too...

'That's great, Jo. I'm happy for you.'

'Thanks.' Johanna beamed. 'I really hope tonight goes well. I'd hate for it to be awkward or something.'

'It won't be,' Tamsin assured her. 'Just, um, be yourself. Everyone likes you, J.'

Johanna laughed. 'Speaking of relationships...how are things with Brett going? He really likes you.'

'I really like him, too.' Just not enough to feel a solid connection yet? Ugh, Tamsin. You're pathetic.

'I know it's a new relationship and all, but...you guys seem like you were made for each other. You look so comfortable with one another already. It's inspiring.'

Tamsin blushed a little. 'Inspiring?'

'Definitely! I love the fact that you've been together only for a week and you're already...I dunno. So relaxed.'

'I wouldn't say relaxed...'

'What would you say?'

'I'd say...' Tamsin's smile froze on her face. 'I'd say, that, um...he's a really nice guy. And I like him. We like each other. It's not serious or anything yet.'

Tamsin continued to sip her tea, pushing aside her discomfort at the thought of Angus and Johanna having dinner together. She was with Brett, and she liked him a lot. She really did.

So why was she feeling so apprehensive about everything?

---