Empire of Deception (Harry Styles AU)

Chapter 44

I hesitate before the door leading into Louis' room, and for a split second I imagine that when I walk in I'll see him in there, on his computer or reading a book and I'll realize that his death had been a dream. That is not the case. Victoria waltzes right in, unfazed by the death of our friend and I look at Zayn who gives me a nod of encouragement. We both enter and I honestly don't know what I expected. Everything looks exactly the same. Victoria is already at Louis' desk, rifling through papers and I go over and stand beside her. I catch glimpses of his notes on the events that led to his death, and I also see notes to many other things.

"Son of a bitch," Zayn chuckles under his breath, picking up some of the papers and taking a quick glance at them. "I swear justice runs in the Tomlinson blood," he continues, smiling. It's nice to see him smile. I wish I could too.

Victoria suddenly stops rummaging through everything, as if she was reminded that she is handling the last things our friend touched before he was murdered. Her movements become gentle and deliberate, and she holds each item she comes across as if she was holding Louis' life in her hands. I wonder if he would have liked her. "Found it!" she exclaims, holding up a key that was hidden beneath the mass of papers on Louis' messy desk. She inserts it into one of the drawers and turns the key, opening the file cabinet before her. She finds the file with ease and paperclipped to the folder is an address to a Wilfred Pritchett. "Megan's uncle," says Victoria triumphantly.

When we get outside my cell phone begins to ring and it is a number I don't recognize. I answer anyway. "Hello?"

"Umm. I am calling for Harry Styles," says a quiet female voice on the other end. It's breathy and sounds nervous. Zayn gives me a puzzling look like 'who is that' but I hold my hand up.

"Yes, this is he. How can I help you?"

"My nam—My name," she says, this time a little stronger, "is Steph... I'm erm... I'm a friend of Miriam Wesley's. She told me about you... Gave me your number in case I ever felt like talking. Which we do, sir. We're just... Scared. I'm terrified, really," she says with a chuckle but I can hear the tears in her throat.

"I will keep you safe, I promise. Can I meet you somewhere?"

"I don't know. I don't know what to do. I can't sleep, I can't eat, I am on the verge of getting kicked out of my university because I'm failing."

"Tell me what you want me to do, Steph," I say but all I hear is shallow breathing.

Victoria rolls her eyes and takes the phone from me, unable to endure the fact that nothing was getting solved. "Steph? Are you there?" she asks, putting the phone on speaker so I can hear as well. "Where are you right now?"

"In my dorm—but you can't come here! People will see! I think they are catching on... The people that live on my floor."

"Where can I meet you, then?" she demands.

"No where... I'm scared the others will see. There are others here on campus and I don't want them to see me with you. I don't know what they would do."

"Who? Other girls? Can you give me the names of these other girls, please."

"I can't... I only know a few. But they should be registered. Listen... I was there. I was there the night Ryan Bartolo overdosed." Victoria inhales sharply and looks at both Zayn and I. "Before it happened, I mean. We were... He was one of my regulars and we had finished but he seemed... He seemed more distant than usual because he didn't try to talk afterwards. I asked him if he was okay and he shrugged and said that he was nervous about his work and about... Everything. He was mumbling about some woman who had approached him... Who asked him about his hopes and his dreams and his strengths and how to eradicate his weaknesses and make him into some sort of... weird pureblood that could potentially help her rule London. He laughed and said she was crazy but he also said that he was really scared of her and would rather kill himself than face her again."