One of Those Faces (51)

I tugged my collar up to my ears and faced toward the window, hoping he wouldn’t recognize me. My phone buzzed in my hands.

Iann (10:03 p.m.): Just checking in. Are you feeling better? You left so quickly earlier.

I glanced at Jeremy staring down at his phone.

(10:04 p.m.): All good. Just needed to sleep, I think.

Several stops later, Jeremy shot up as the train screeched to a halt. When we got out, I recognized the building across the street. Advocate Medical Center. I stayed back at the crosswalk, watching as he entered the hospital. He had clinic hours at the same place Iann did? It made sense, but I tried to recall if Iann had ever mentioned running into Jeremy there. He was always saying he only saw Jeremy at school.

“What are you doing?”

I jumped, nearly dropping my phone.

Wilder appeared beside me, pinching a cigarette between his thumb and index finger, the light from the changing walk sign flashing against his pale hair. “You shouldn’t be here.”

My pulse was still racing from the shock of seeing him out here. How long had he been behind me? Was it possible I just hadn’t spotted him on the train? “Why are you here?”

He nodded toward the hospital. “Willing to bet the same reason you are,” he said. “I thought you were afraid of this guy. I’m a little surprised to see you seeking him out.”

I shoved my hands in my pockets. “I’m worried about my friend. You said there wasn’t enough evidence. Why are you trailing him?”

He glanced at me. “There isn’t enough evidence about Holly, but I’m fairly certain he’s caught up in something else here. Only a matter of time before I can connect the two.”

Here? At the clinic?

Ask Iann.

I shook my head as if that’d somehow dislodge the nagging thought. “I don’t understand. What’s the medical center have to do with anything?”

“Go home.” Wilder crushed the cigarette under his shoe. As the light began to change again, he stepped toward the curb. “I mean it. And leave this alone. Let me do my job.”

I watched his back as he walked away, my feet stuck to the spot.





CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE


The world was quiet on this side of Erin’s cold shoulder treatment. Her mood didn’t improve the next night, and she said only three words to me at the studio: “Clean up tonight.”

As much as Erin’s usual chattiness grated on me, I was starving for conversation by the time Iann stopped by my apartment after work. “What are you working on?” He nodded to my drafting table and set his backpack by the bed.

“Book cover.” I’d picked up another job online as soon as I’d returned home after class. I wasn’t sure how many more of my classes Erin was going to give away on a whim, and rent was due soon.

Iann ran a hand through his hair, tousled by the windy walk from the Robey. “I can’t stay long, but I brought you something.”

“Oh, where are you going after this?” I hoped it wasn’t the clinic. Seeing Wilder homing in on Jeremy had somehow both alleviated and antagonized my creeping doubts about Iann.

“The library. I have a test on Friday, so I need to get at least a couple of hours in before.” He fished through his backpack, then produced a small paper box and handed it to me.

I sat beside him on the bed. “What’s this?”

He grinned. “I stopped by that new cookie place you mentioned last week.”

I’d told him in passing that the late-night bakery was always closed on my way to the studio and then I always forgot to stop by afterward. He’d remembered that?

“Sorry, some of them probably got crushed, but I’m sure they’re still good. That place smells amazing.”

I opened the box and stared down at the cookies, the warm sugary smell wafting through the room. I felt guilty. As much as I told myself Erin was messing with me, I couldn’t get her comments out of my head.

He nudged my arm. “Go ahead and try one.” He laughed.

I let the flimsy lid fall shut. The knot in my stomach wouldn’t stop twisting. “Did you know Jeremy worked at the same clinic as you?” I blurted out, avoiding his gaze.

His smile faded. “What? Yeah, of course.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell me that he worked there?”

“I don’t know . . . it never really came up. And it doesn’t matter. I mean, he and I don’t work together there. A lot of people in our department go there to volunteer.” He seemed surprised but not upset. The lines in his brow deepened as he closed his hand around mine. He was looking at me like I was crazy. “What’s this really about?”

“Erin said something the other day. She made it seem like you knew that Holly and Jeremy still hung out after they broke up. But when I mentioned Holly the other day, you acted like you’d never even heard of her.” My entire body tensed as I watched his face, but there was nothing. Not even a flicker or a glance to the side.

“I don’t know why Erin would say that, but I’ve never met Holly, or at least I didn’t realize it. Not to sound like a jerk, but Jeremy’s usually around a lot of different girls at one time. It’s hard to keep track.”

But he would’ve remembered Holly. She shared a face with his girlfriend. “I’m sorry. I guess I’ve just been . . . I don’t know, this whole thing with Jeremy and the police has really messed with my head.” I slipped my hand from his and stood up, then set the box of cookies on the nightstand. “That detective followed Jeremy to Advocate Medical, and I freaked out. I didn’t realize he worked there too.”