Chapter 9 - Part 3
Autumn Berry – POV
Rhea clapped her hands together.
"Pairs for interrogation," she announced. "Autumn and Dorielle. Liam and Theo. Quinn, you'll observe and assist as needed."
Quinn's eyes widened. "What? That's not fair! Autumn and I are buddies like this (show crossed fingers) – why can't I go with her?"
Rhea raised an eyebrow. "Because this is a test of your individual skills. You'll manage."
Quinn huffed, muttering something about "dictatorial leaders" under her breath. I just sighed, not wanting to argue.
Dorielle nudged me with her elbow as we approached Alex, sitting alone in the campus garden, staring at his paper cup like he was expecting judgment. His eyes were puffy, red-rimmed, and clearly he hadn't slept much. Even with that, his posture was defensive, tense.
"Ready, partner?" Dorielle whispered, her tone too cheerful to be innocent.
"Not exactly," I muttered, but squared my shoulders.
We sat down across from him. Dorielle smiled at him, warm and inviting, but there was something sharp behind it.
"So, Alex," she began smoothly, "fourteen days without seeing Selene. Must be rough."
He swallowed hard. "Yeah… I thought she needed space. I—I didn't know she'd be gone this long."
"Seven days with no contact?" I asked, leaning in. "You tried reaching her?"
"Yeah… I sent messages," he said, voice breaking slightly. "She… she didn't answer."
Dorielle tilted her head. "And when she didn't, you waited another week? Wow. Boyfriend of the year."
His jaw clenched. "I didn't think— I mean… she said she needed quiet."
"Quiet doesn't mean vanishing off the earth, Alex," I said. "Did anything happen before she disappeared? Fight? Misunderstanding? Break-up talk?"
He exhaled shakily. "We… argued."
Bingo.
Dorielle leaned forward like she smelled blood. "whats the topic?"
"She got jealous," he muttered. "Thought I was—" he faltered, rubbing his eyes "—talking to someone else more than her."
Dorielle smiled sweetly. A dangerous smile. "Were you?"
"No!" He slammed a palm on the bench, voice cracking. "She assumed things. I told her she was suffocating me. Maybe I said it wrong. I was stressed— she was stressed— I didn't think she'd… disappear."
His voice broke again.
It could be grief, or guilt. Hard to tell.
Dorielle crossed her legs, tone suddenly sugary. "Aw. Poor you. Must be so hard when your girlfriend goes missing after an argument and you look incredibly guilty."
He looked genuinely shaken. "I swear— I had no idea. I didn't… do anything."
I studied him carefully.
Shaking hands. Raw grief. Sleeplessness.
Suspicious, yes – but also possibly just a boy terrified he already lost someone he loved.
Dorielle leaned closer to me, voice low but venomous-sweet. "You know, Autumn… watching you interrogate is interesting. You're like a carbon copy of Rhea. Almost predictable. Cute, though."
My stomach tightened. "Uh-huh."
Then her grin widened. "Kidding. That's just my humor. Don't overthink it."
I didn't. I focused on him instead.
Alex blinked between us, confused. "Are you two… good?"
"We're great," Dorielle chirped. "Sparkling teamwork."
She turned back to him, voice sugar-coated steel.
"Where were you the night she disappeared?" Dorielle asked casually.
He exhaled, trembling. "In the dorm lounge… studying. People saw me. You can check."
"Good," I murmured. "We will."
"And if you're lying," Dorielle added, "I'll personally glue your eyelashes together and donate your hair to a taxidermy club."
I stared at her. "That's… oddly specific."
She winked. "Creative threats are my love language."
Alex just blinked rapidly, traumatized.
Dorielle leaned back, smiling in that dangerous way of hers. "Cute. If you're innocent, fine. If not… well, don't get too comfortable, okay?"
Alex's voice cracked. "If you find her before I do… just tell her I'm sorry. Even if she hates me."
I swallowed hard. Something real was in that sentence. He might be guilty. Or he might just be terrified of losing her. Either way, it mattered.
As we stood to leave, Dorielle nudged me. "Remember, Autumn… tears don't make someone harmless. And don't let that charm fool you."
I nodded silently, staring at him a moment longer before walking away.
Selene's message was still encoded somewhere, hidden and private to the club. No one else knew what we knew. But Alex had already become *our focus* — suspicious, desperate, and possibly dangerous.
And Dorielle… well, she made it clear she'd enjoy watching me figure it out.