Whispers and snippets of conversations floated around campus. Each group checked their phones one by one.

A group by the fountains huddled, whispering conspiratorially.

“Did you hear about that girl who was seen with Garrett the other night?” she whispered. Her voice was a mix of intrigue and concern regarding the newest scandal to hit campus.

“Yep!” her friend replied, leaning in as close as she could get. “Turns out, she’s the Fallon Montgomery. As in The Montgomery group. My roommate saw her name on some of her class materials yesterday. She’s been keeping a low profile for some reason, and maybe this is connected somehow. That won't be the case much longer, though.”

Fallon Montgomery was indeed the sole heir of the Montgomery group. The elites kept things tied together in their little world of business, safely sectioned off from anything and everything that would bring them down. She might be the first to fall in the face of federal investigations, or not. Whoever fell first didn’t matter.

It would be better if they all fell at once.

Someone else chimed into the conversation. “And she’s been hanging around Garrett quite frequently. With this news–and the rumors we’ve already known–you have to wonder what else could be going on. Are their families connected or in cahoots together? Shouldn’t she be leading her dead mom’s company at some point? Garrett’s family has never smelled too great; they’ve got white collar crime written all over them.”

​

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​Chapter 17

Fallon

Kicked back and relaxed, Kelly and I were mid binge fest watching our favorite horror movies. A knock on the door gave us both a jump scare, sending popcorn sailing across the living room floor. We looked at each other, clearly surprised we’d be easily jump scared like that.

“This had better be a masked murderer and not Brent at ten or I swear...” I mumbled, getting up and surveying the new popcorn decor.

“Or you’ll what? Sleep with him?”

I threw the now empty bowl at her and went to check the peephole.

It was covered until I opened the door to see him leaning on the door frame–in a different jacket. His face looked weird, more serious than normal and I wondered if he was here for an actual life or death reason.

There was no humor or teasing on his face. “Can I come in?”

I stepped back and gestured for him to come in. “I guess I better make good on my word, then. Welcome to my humble abode.”

He stepped through easily, unlike when he forced himself in the last time.

“Kelly,” he nodded, sizing her up. Was he...making eyes at Kelly? There was no way that happened.

Maybe I saw something that wasn’t there. Like a ghost.