Sneak Peek

Here's a glimpse of what's coming up next in Show me a Garden:

Jasper reached the administration building and found Esme’s desk abandoned. Though he’d been told to go straight in, he tapped on the door to Dr. Harper’s office and waited for him to give permission before he entered.

The Dean was seated behind his desk. Jasper took one of the chairs facing the mahogany monstrosity, windows behind the Dean showing a peaceful campus as students rushed between classes.

“Dr. Whitlock, I just received a very disturbing call from James Hunter, saying that you assaulted him in your office.” He looked at Jasper sternly, his arms folded in front of him on the desk.

“Yes, sir,” Jasper answered, thinking that James was fast to cover his tracks. “Did he explain why?”

“Something about you attempting to seduce his girlfriend, Dr. Swan. That you were not responding well to her denial of your affections and when he tried to remove you, you assaulted him.” Dr. Harper was trying to maintain a poker face, but Jasper could sense the rage within the man as the corners of his mouth twitched. The Dean had to know how bogus that argument was, given Jasper’s history.

“Ah. Would you allow me to clarify what happened, sir?” Jasper remained seated at attention. “I’m sure you will be able to find someone in the building to corroborate my story.”

“By all means,” the Dean responded with a wave of his hand.

Jasper quickly recounted his story of the events, with a bit of narration to describe how he’d noticed Bella fading away from her group of friends and family, and how she’d begun to look desperately frail in the last several weeks. By the time he’d finished, Dr. Harper looked visibly angry, though Jasper could tell none of that anger was directed at him.

**

I hope to update on Thursday or Friday again this week!