Page 64 of Haunting the Deep

Susannah touches her bottom lip. “They could be working with someone.”

“Also, I know you guys said that he’s not a Descendant, but don’t you find it weird that Wardwell was involved in pushing a dance theme?” I ask. “Not only did he support it, he convinced the history department to teach it. Seems extreme.”

Alice pulls up to the curb in front of my house.

“I was just thinking about that,” Susannah says. “Especially after how you said he told you about the dog collar.”

I open the Jeep door and get out. My dad’s car isn’t in the driveway. “If Niki and Blair are connected, doesn’t it make sense that he could be, too?”

Alice walks next to me up my brick driveway. “At this point, I don’t know what I know.”

Mary’s face scrunches up. “Weeell, he does have a weird story.”

“Also true,” Susannah says.

I open my door for the girls and lock it behind us.

Mary stops in the foyer and looks at me. “This is what happened. Wardwell was some hotshot museum director and moved to Salem ten years ago or so. He immediately started dating his now ex-wife, and they got married super fast. She thought he was a Descendant because of his last name, but two years later it came out that he actually had no relation to the Trials. It was this big scandal, and it destroyed their relationship. They divorced, and that’s when he became a teacher at our school.”

“You’re saying he pretended to be a Descendant? And that his wife actually cared that he wasn’t?”

Mary nods. “It was all really dramatic.”

“Could he have a grudge against Descendants because of it?” I ask.

“I’ve never noticed that from him,” Susannah says. “But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t. Heisa history teacher who used to be a museum director. Plus, his love for theTitanicis obvious.”

“And he’s in our school; he has access to all the people we have access to,” I say.

“My instinct is still to say no, but I just said that about Niki. And as Mary so wonderfully pointed out, I was wrong,” Alice says.

I pause. “Oh, shit. You know what? He came to my house once. A long time ago. Vivian said he was repairing my window….He could’ve seen Myra and Henry’s painting then and known who they were.”

“Then we definitely need to look into him,” Susannah says.

“It’s way more risky than sifting through Niki’s room,” Mary says.

“Not necessarily,” I say, even though I hate that I’m suggesting this. “I could ask Elijah.”

They all look at me.

Susannah turns for the stairs. “Okay, then. We’re gonna head upstairs and start researching Myra and Henry.” The girls follow her, with Mary stealing glances at me over her shoulder.

I rub my hands over my face. How am I going to start this conversation after I told him I didn’t want his help?

I walk into the living room, mumbling to myself, and stop so fast I almost trip. Elijah’s already there, standing next to the fireplace with his hands behind his back.

For a second I just stare at him. “So you were listening to our conversation?”

“There is no need to make this more difficult,” he says.

“Memake this difficult?” I fake-laugh.

“I will do it,” he says. “Investigate Wardwell.”

“Fine.”

He turns so that he’s facing me. “We can have this conversation as an argument if you so choose, but it is not the most effective option for someone so concerned about time.”