Heroes & Hayrides (The Dominion Point Mystery Series Book 3) by Isadora Brown & H. C. Cardona

Author:Isadora Brown & H. C. Cardona [Brown, Isadora & Cardona, H. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grey Star Publishing, LLC
Published: 2025-07-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Fourteen

Ifollowed Celeste’s directions, my heart racing as I made my way across campus. The sun had risen higher in the sky, casting a golden hue over everything. Students milled about, their laughter echoing against the ivy-covered buildings, while the crisp autumn air filled my lungs with the scent of fallen leaves and freshly baked pastries from the nearby café.

As I walked past the library, I spotted a group of friends tossing a football back and forth, their carefree shouts mingling with the distant hum of music coming from the quad. I envied their lightheartedness; they seemed untouched by the events that had unfolded just yesterday.

The Administrative Building loomed ahead, its imposing stone façade contrasting sharply with the vibrant colors of autumn that surrounded it.

I took a steadying breath and approached the open door of Toby Raines’s office. Papers scattered everywhere, creating a chaotic landscape on his desk. It looked like he had been buried under a mountain of graded essays, each sheet filled with notes in red ink. An untouched coffee cup sat off to the side, evidence of his focus on anything but self-care.

His glasses rested precariously on his messy hair as he flipped through yet another paper, tapping his pen absently against the desk. Did he even know he lost his badge? The thought lingered in my mind, heavy with curiosity.

I hesitated before knocking. I had planned to drop off the badge and leave—quick, clean, done. But standing there, something nagged at me. Why was his badge in the corn maze last night?

The thought spiraled through my mind like a leaf caught in an updraft. Had he been there for a reason? Had he seen something? The questions piled up like fallen leaves around my feet.

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, glancing around as if expecting someone to jump out from behind a tree or pop out from an unseen corner of this busy campus. My heart pounded in my chest; it felt wrong to just drop off this badge without understanding its significance first.

Taking a deep breath, I raised my hand to knock, but hesitated again. Would he even be receptive? What if he dismissed me or brushed off any questions I had? Or worse—what if he didn’t want anyone prying into whatever had led to his badge being left behind in that chaotic scene?

I cleared my throat, trying to summon some confidence. “Professor Raines? I think you dropped this at the festival last night.” I said, still outside despite the open door. I held up the badge, its silver gleaming under the dim light of the office.

He glanced up, blinking in confusion as if trying to piece together what was happening. The moment stretched until recognition dawned on him.

“I’m not a professor, just an assistant,” he replied, his voice slightly sheepish but tinged with a hint of annoyance.

Oh.

The awkwardness hung in the air between us like a dense fog. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, not quite sure how to proceed now that I had made such a blunder.

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