The dog was immediately named Buddy by Larissa, to which only I objected.

“That’s not a dog’s name...” I had told her.

In any case, the name hadn’t really been creative. But you couldn’t argue with Larissa. If that were the case, I’d be snuggled up in my bed with a good book right now and not out here snooping around the university director’s office in this storm.

The moon was shining brightly, but that was of little use to me because it was still pitch black.

The room was surprisingly large, and the gigantic windows reminded me of those in a castle.

Larissa had simply thrown me into the lion’s den. All I needed was scary piano music, and I wouldn’t be able to control my fear.

I was in the office of my English professor, who was also the university director and one of the Copelands, which didn’t make my situation much better.

Grace had warned us about the Copelands yesterday, even though the excuse about the drugs had been really bad. Larissa did not believe that for a second, I was sure of it.

Knowing that Professor Copeland was one of those hairy beasts made my goosebumps break out again. I hated knowing all this. It scared the shit out of me at that very moment.

I slowly walked across the wooden floorboards of the large room.

The ceiling was very high, and I wondered what the room had originally been built for. Had this always been a university?

Suddenly it became brighter.

I stopped and stared in horror at the candles in the room, whose flames gradually lit up.

What the...

I blinked. Once. Once more.

This wasn’t normal. Nothing in this town was normal.

I tried to ignore the dimmed candlelight and kept walking.

My gaze fell on the two-step stone staircase that led down to seating and a fireplace decorated with stone serpents.

Of course. Snakes everywhere. Ornaments everywhere. The building had many unusual mixes of architectural styles. But everything at Vanderwood University radiated a certain glow, something almost mystical and fairytale-like.

To the left and right of the room, the walls were decorated with green exotic plants and bookshelves, as was the wall at the end where I was standing.

The candlelight shone on the bookshelves, which contained numerous first editions.

Just like in this witch’s house, my curiosity grew, and I walked around the solid oak desk with its velvety emerald green armchairs and the dark-brown leather office chair on the other side. Everything looked so classy, almost antique and yet in good condition.

I stroked the covers.

Of course, they were classics that everyone must have heard of. Middle March by George Elliot or Bleak House by Charles Dickens. But other, lesser-known works by authors I hadn’t heard of before also immediately caught my eye.

Tack.

I glanced at the door, where a clock was hanging, which suddenly began to play a soft melody. The hands of the clock showed me that it was already midnight.

The candles flickered and cast far too large shadows through the dim office.

As if it wasn’t ironic enough to be searching for student files in an old building at witching hour, I could hear a wolf howling in the distance.

I felt woozy, so I tried to focus on the mission to get out of here as quickly as possible. And as long as Larissa was out there, I shouldn’t worry.

My eyes fell on the large desk.

Come on, Bayla, where would you put the student files if you were a professor?

I pulled the first drawer.

It was locked.

“God...”

The one underneath was open, but only filled with elegant pens and quills, as well as countless inkwells.

I was fascinated by the professor’s aesthetics. That immediately gave him a sympathy point on my list, because in the age of cell phones and throwaway pens, who still wrote with quill pens and ink?

However, the minus point came for the next closed drawer.

I pulled out my cell phone to text Larissa to come in and do her job, but she didn’t answer.

This girl was always on her cell phone, and right now she wasn’t responding.

I sighed.

A low whistle, accompanied by a breeze, made me glance around. The windows here were definitely not completely airtight.

I quickly pulled the nearest drawer. With success. A row of files came into view and I pulled the drawer out further until its entire length was touching the bookshelf.

Wow, I wanted a desk like that.

Second sympathy point for Professor Copeland.

I read the little labels that stuck out. When I read the dates, I knew I was in the wrong place.

1960 to 2000. I was unlikely to find Julie’s mysterious admirer there.

I pushed the drawer back into its holder with a crash and squinted.

“Damn!” I cursed as quiet as possible.

Why did old things always have to make so much noise? Larissa was probably wondering if I was taking the professor’s office apart.

I hurried to get to the other side of the desk without tearing anything off the table, and pulled out the bottom drawer.