Asylum (Asylum, #1)(44)

The operator insisted he stay on the line, and while it was probably just a moment or two before the police arrived, it felt like a lifetime. He kept his hand on Yi’s shoulder, telling him over and over again that it would be okay, that he’d be okay, that everything was all right. After a while, Dan knew he was babbling, words tripping out of his mouth as he tried not to panic. He tried not to notice that one of Yi’s ankles was neatly crossed over the other leg, as if Yi had just sat down on the stairs to take a rest. Finally, the police officers arrived. One of them helped Dan up, patted him on the back, and told him to wait downstairs.

More cops arrived, and more, and then the paramedics. Dan answered their questions in a daze. No, the stairs weren’t slippery; no, he hadn’t moved Yi at all; yes, he’d called the second he found him. No, he didn’t know anyone who would want to hurt Yi. They sat him down on a bench in the front hall while the police secured the doors. Nobody from outside was allowed in, and police posted to each floor told the students still in their rooms to stay exactly where they were.

Through the windows in the entrance hall, Dan could see students gathering around outside and peering in, trying to figure out what was going on. By the time he thought to look at his phone, he had six missed text messages, all from Abby.

Police just freaked out and went inside. Where r u?



and

Dan? r u ok? What happened? Do u c the cops in there?



The messages became increasingly panicked, until the final one was just a mess of exclamation points and question marks.

“I’m fine,” he texted back. “Found Yi. He fell down the stairs or something.” Dan glanced up from his phone. The paramedics were carrying Yi on a stretcher, a blanket wrapped tightly over his chest. “Taking him to ambulance now.”

As soon as the paramedics reached the doors, two cops sprang forward to usher them out and control the crowd waiting to get a look. The noise that flooded in from outside was deafening, one mass of shouts and crying and the blare of ambulance sirens.

Abby texted back in a flash.

Whoa! Poor Yi! I c them taking him to the ambulance now. u holding up ok?



Dan was grateful for her concern. “Fine,” he shot back, even if that was only half-true. Because while the police questioned him and paced around and questioned him some more, all Dan could think was that Yi had looked so still, still as a sculpture.

From their questions, it became clear that the cops didn’t feel Joe’s murder and this incident were related. For one, Yi was still alive, and for another, the apparent murderer was in their custody. But gazing around at the faces of the students outside, Dan knew they were all thinking the same thing—Brookline wasn’t safe.

“Son?”

Dan’s eyes lifted slowly from his cell phone to the police officer standing in front of him. He didn’t remember his name, although he knew the officer had introduced himself at some point during the questioning. Dan simply didn’t have the energy to remember.

“You’re free to go,” the officer said, nodding to the doors. “We want everyone out for now. They asked that you all gather in the dining hall.”

Abby was hovering right outside the dorm, dodging officers who were trying to herd her away. When she caught sight of Dan, she came running.

“Hey! You . . . you’re really okay?” She gave him a big hug.

“That helps.”

Nobody was doing a very good job of getting people to leave the scene. There was simply too much commotion. Dan looked into the blaze of siren lights, finding that even professors and townsfolk had been roused by the excitement. Clusters of students whispered under the trees, and Dan spotted a few familiar faces—among them some hall monitors and professors, including Professor Reyes, and—wait, what the hell—Sal Weathers’s wife. Her gaunt face was even more ghostly under the blue flashes of the police car lights. Professor Reyes was pushing through the crowd and flagging down an officer. She seemed to be shouting at him, arguing. When Dan tried to spot Sal’s wife again, she was gone.

They joined the stream of kids going into Wilfurd.

“It’s all just too awful to think about,” Abby said. “Do you think he’ll be okay?”

“I don’t know. I mean, he was breathing, but he was unconscious. It could’ve been a fall, I don’t know. I just hope he’s all right.”

Inside, students zoomed around helter-skelter. Some of Abby’s art friends raced up to them, bombarding Dan with questions. Oh, right. I was there. I found him. Of course everyone knows. Finally Abby intercepted, asking them to give him space.

“Thanks,” Dan said to her when they left. “I’m not sure I could handle more questions right now. The police already grilled me.”

The hall monitors had moved the ice cream inside, and set it up on the buffet table so students could help themselves. There was also a young woman in a crooked hairnet who was making milk shakes.

“Is this supposed to make us forget?” Abby asked, rolling her eyes. But then she spied Jordan standing alone by the windows. She pinched Dan’s elbow. “Let’s get him something. He and Yi are close. He must be devastated.”

“He wasn’t so thrilled to see me when I went to visit,” Dan said. “In fact, I got the impression he was really pissed off at me.”