Chapter 8 - RACHEL’S OWN CASE
Rachel received an interim university conduct notice.
Not for searching for Emma.
For accessing Emma’s account without authorization and impersonating her in a message to Vanessa.
She read it twice.
Then got angry.
Then got less angry.
The notice was fair.
Her attorney from student legal services explained:
“Emma being your sister doesn’t make the account yours.”
“I know.”
“You caused a current subject to believe a missing person had returned.”
“I know.”
“You may also have triggered Mick Avery to enter a restricted tunnel.”
“I know.”
“Stop saying you know like it makes the sentence disappear.”
Rachel looked at her.
Right.
The university issued temporary mutual no-contact directives among Rachel, Vanessa and Brooke.
Rachel protested only the wording.
“Mutual makes it sound equal.”
Her attorney answered:
“It’s an administrative boundary, not a moral ranking.”
Fine.
Vanessa still faced a separate assault review.
Brooke too.
Rachel’s defensive actions would be evaluated from video.
Nobody got to convert the entire fight into one word.
Then Lieutenant Brooks told Rachel something worse.
Her fake message may have destroyed the best chance anyone had to contact Emma.
Mick had been waiting below West Walk because he believed Emma was returning.
He had brought the original paper facilities log.
The real one.
When campus police arrived, he fled through the south corridor.
Not empty-handed.
The log remained with him until his attorney surrendered it later.
Good.
But if Emma truly planned to return—
she never did.
Rachel’s impersonation had created a false meeting.
Maybe Emma had never intended one.
Maybe Vanessa’s message scared her off.
Maybe nobody knew.
Rachel went home.
Opened Emma’s old bedroom.
Their mother had left it untouched since disappearing.
Rachel sat on the floor.
For eighteen days she had used anger to avoid one simpler question.
Why had Emma not called her?
They talked almost every day.
Even when fighting.
Especially when fighting.
Rachel had always assumed:
Someone prevented her.
Now Mick had a voicemail proving Emma was alive six days after leaving.
She had chosen not to call Rachel.
That hurt more than Vanessa’s garbage.
Then Rachel found something under Emma’s desk.
Not hidden well.
A legal pad.
One page:
IF THIS BLOWS UP
Then names.
Vanessa.
Brooke.
Mick.
Paul Lang.
Leah.
Beside each:
One sentence.
Vanessa — lied because she thinks one lie keeps the rest survivable.
Brooke — has original footage. scared of V.
Mick — changed log. will confess if protected from being sole fall guy.
Lang — opened south door?
Leah — do not publish without her permission.
Rachel stared.
Then beneath everything:
RACHEL — DO NOT INVOLVE. SHE WILL GO AFTER THE WRONG PERSON.
Rachel sat very still.
Her first reaction was anger.
Then embarrassment.
Emma knew her.
Then Rachel noticed a page had been torn out beneath it.
Pressure marks remained.
She shaded lightly with the side of a pencil.
Three words appeared.
SECOND DEAD DROP
Then:
EAST SERVICE
Rachel took a photograph.
Did not go there.
May you like
She called Lieutenant Brooks.
Progress.
