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Back Vortex Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. Epilogue
  57. Epilogue
  58. Acknowledgments
  59. About the Author
  60. Also by Catherine Coulter
  61. About the Publisher

Serena, Mia’s best friend for three years at Godwyn. She looked wildly happy and wildly drunk. Mia felt a horrible punch of loss, of rage. She managed to get hold of herself, swallowed her tears, and concentrated on the man standing next to Serena. A profile, but she could see he was gesticulating with his hands. “Gail, do you recognize the man talking to Serena?”

“No. Remember, Mia, there were lots of grad students who crashed the rave, hoping to find an undergraduate hookup, or at least get laid. This guy could even be from another college. The Godwyn Delta Rho Phi raves were legendary.” She paused. “You told me Godwyn canceled every rave on campus after Serena disappeared. Mia, do you know someone who could work some magic on these photos? Help identify all those people, especially that man with Serena?”

Mia’s heart was pounding. Finally, after all these years, seven years to be exact. Maybe now, just maybe. “Yes, I do. His name is Dirk Melcher, the Guardian’s photographer. He’s a pro’s pro, has a gift, really, and if anyone can sharpen up these pictures digitally he can. Now, the guy she’s talking to, I can tell he’s not that much taller than Serena, which makes him maybe five foot ten, eleven. And look, Gail. Do you see the other man standing off to the side? We see only his profile. He’s wearing jeans, a black tee. He’s much taller, at least six foot two. Look closely, Gail. Isn’t he reaching his hand out toward those drinks on the table? And he’s got a bracelet on his wrist.”

Gail said, “I don’t know him, either. You think he might be roofieing Serena’s drink?”

“Maybe. Gail, look at the bracelet.”

“Okay, he’s wearing what looks like a chunky silver chain on his left wrist. I never knew any Godwyn boys who wore a bracelet like that.”

“Me either. Even blurry, you can recognize lots of people, right? Even if you’ve forgotten their names? But this guy talking to Serena, and the other one standing off to the side—Gail, I don’t think they belong there. One of these guys might have drugged her, took her, maybe even set the fire to get her out.”

“Lots of maybes, Mia. Don’t jump the gun. Maybe this Dirk Melcher can sharpen the photo enough so we can identify them. Then maybe the police can contact them, speak to them.”