Hannah. (Van Den Bosch #7)

Chapter 12

12

Johan

Astrid looks as happy as ever, at least on the outside, as she drives us back to Cambridge. But from the corner of my eye, I can see her looking over at me time and time again, and there is this sort of hollowness to her gaze that has me second-guessing myself.

She was so lovely last night, so eager to have me, that I quickly lost track of how strange her behavior really was. It makes me feel like a fool, led by my sex drive and not my mind. But it’s a new day, and I don’t want to pressure Astrid any more than I already have to try and get her to open up to me. Not when I think we both need some more time to think this over.

Spending time with her has always felt like spending time with a good friend with whom I just so happen to have great sex with. Looking back, I realize I might have been drawn to Astrid because she reminds me so much of Hannah. I saw in her the same spark, the same determination, the same taste in oddities, and maybe, just maybe, that's why I fell for her so quickly. At first, I thought I might be in love, but I never craved any sort of commitment with her. I didn’t care for any official title. I thought maybe one day I’d change my mind, but I never did.

I didn’t want to admit it, but now that Hannah is back in my life, there is no denying it. Those feelings for Astrid have never really come to life because of Hannah’s shadow hanging over me. While I care for Astrid, I’ve found myself obsessed with Hannah. Now she’s back in my life, in my country, attending the school I attend and work at, and… she has rejected me. I want her, but from what she said, she doesn’t feel the same.

And I think that’s a damned lie. I can see that she wants me too—it’s everywhere, in how her body seems to gravitate towards mine and how her eyes go soft when we look at each other. Damn…I don’t know what to do. I gave her the opening, and she turned it down.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that it would be because of Hannah’s relationship with Astrid…but here we are. Hannah cares about Astrid enough to spurn me, and how in the hell am I supposed to get past that? Their friendship seems genuine and full of potential…if I had just acted sooner and messaged Hannah back that first day, maybe this never would have happened. But is it wrong of me to wish they had never met, never become such fast friends? Yeah…I can’t deny that it is. They both deserve a good, true friend.

That doesn’t mean that it makes me feel any better about things. I was sure I would set things right with Astrid this weekend and figure out where Hannah and I stand. Instead, I’m right back where I started with Astrid and even farther from Hannah. Not a single part of me is convinced that Astrid is fine with being as casual as she says. I know what she wants hasn’t changed, but the fact that I can’t be the one to give it to her hasn’t changed either.

We’re close to home when Astrid glances at me once more and gives me a small smile. “You look like you’re lost in thought.”

“No,” I lie, not wanting to get into all of this with Astrid when all my thoughts are still so tangled up. “Just a little tired after last night. I need to rest before we return to the real world tomorrow.”

“It did turn into quite the party last night, didn’t it?” Astrid's voice is high and cheery.

“It definitely did.” We’re only a few minutes from my apartment, and if I want to try to talk to her again, now is the time. “Astrid, are you sure…?”

“Darling.” She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “We’ve already settled this. Let’s not open up this topic again so soon, hm?”

Frustration bubbles up, but I push it down. She’s right. There's no need to talk about it again so soon. “Okay, sure thing.”

She pulls the car up to the curb outside of my building, and like we’ve done so many times, I rotate in my seat enough to kiss her goodbye. It feels easy, but when my lips are about to touch hers, I have the strongest urge to pull away. But I don’t, giving Astrid a quick peck and telling her goodbye. She seems just as happy as she has for the entire car ride, but I’m still not sure I believe her.

Spontaneously, I tell her, “You’re a wonderful woman, Astrid.”

Surprised, she blinks a few times and gives me an airy laugh. “Oh? Thanks, Johan. That’s very sweet.”

Grabbing my bag from the back seat, I heft it onto my shoulder and head into the building. It’s a relief to be back in my own space, without the eyes of so many people who are both important and strangers bearing down on me at all times. God, it’s so good to be alone in my apartment. I wipe the remnants of Astrid from my lips as I walk through my front door, something I’d never felt the urge to do previously.

Throwing my bag on my bed, I need something to settle myself, so I make my way back out to the kitchen and put the kettle on for some tea. Flipping through the different choices, I settle on an orange spice. Leaning on the counter, I flip through my socials while waiting for the water to boil.

Astrid has posted some pictures from the party, and I can’t help but notice Hannah and Conrad talking closely in the background of so many of them. It makes my pulse pound in my head as my blood pressure rises. I think about my friend and the girl, and I can’t get off my mind being romantic with each other. She went home with him in his car, dammit, they could be doing anything right now.

Did she invite him up to her dorm? Or maybe Conrad is now making her tea or coffee in his apartment. Will she be sitting on his couch, and will he join her, putting his hand on her knee and leaning into her space?

Would Hannah let Conrad kiss her after she rejected me?

I have this undeniable urge to check in on her, to give myself some peace of mind. My finger is hovering over Hannah’s Instagram account when a knock on my door scares the shit out of me. Feeling guilty for no reason, I shut the app and go to answer the door. I don’t even need to look through the peephole to know who it is—Conrad makes it pretty clear.

“Let me in, man,” he calls from the other side. “It’s just me.”

I’m hit by a wave of selfish happiness that he isn’t with Hannah, and I pull open the door for him. “Come on in, then.”

He’s still dressed in the same clothes as what he wore leaving Astrid’s estate this morning, with his hands shoved in his pockets and a weirdly mischievous look on his face. “Hello, Johan.”

“Er, hello, Conrad. I just finished making tea if you’d like a cup.”

He follows me inside and to the kitchen, and I pour him and myself a cup, but Conrad still looks like he has something anxious to say. “What’s up with you?” I ask.

Conrad smirks, leaning back against the cabinet. “Well, old friend, I just so happen to know your secret.”

My first thought is that he somehow knows how I feel about Hannah, but I quickly tell myself that it’s not possible. Conrad seems amused, so I keep my energy the same. “Oh, yeah? Which one?”

He takes his time, pacing around until we leave the kitchen. Then he sits at my dining room table and takes a long sip of his tea. “You know Hannah way before Astrid did. She’s Elise's sister—that girl you liked a few years ago. You went to her home estate a few times, and Hannah would have definitely been there.” He throws his hands out to the side triumphantly. “See? I can solve any mystery.”

Dammit…of all the things he could know, this should have been the most obvious, but it’s still making me panic a little internally. I grab one of the other chairs from the table, turn it around, and sit in it to talk to him. “Oh, so Hannah told you?”

“Not directly,” he admits before taking another sip. “We just got on the subject when she told me her surname. I recognized it right away.” Conrad taps his head with his finger. “Mind like a steel trap. I remember everything.”

I don’t think Conrad is lying, but I specifically asked Hannah not to mention her surname, so she’s not completely innocent in this situation. I feel a thread of amusement thinking about Hannah and the way she will never take any shit from anyone, so this is probably just a little bit of revenge for getting back at me about the tea thing. I thought it was funny at the time, but now I’m not sure if it’s worth the trouble it has caused.

“Whatever happened to Elise?” Conrad continues, seemingly content to hang out here even if I didn’t offer.

“She–” I’m cut off when my phone begins to ring. I expect it to be Astrid or someone from my family, but I’m surprised to see that it’s one of my colleagues from the research department. It’s odd that they’re calling me on the weekend, and as soon as I see the name on the screen, I start to worry.

“Lukas?” I ask when I pick up. “What’s going on?”

“Johan, I’m so sorry for calling you on a Sunday, but I think you should just go ahead and come into the department.” He sounds concerned. “Something is up, but I’d like you here before I take any other steps.”

“Alright, I’ll be right there.” After hanging out, I look back at my friend, totally oblivious to the alarming call I just got, and stand up. “Conrad, finish your tea and see yourself out,” I tell him as I go grab my jacket. “Something has come up, and my team needs me.”

“But it’s a Sunday,” he complains, turning around to face me. “Can’t it wait? I hoped we could talk more about our adventures with the ladies yesterday.”

I shake my head once, unsettled about what I’m about to find once I get to the department. “No, it needs to be handled right away. We’ll catch up later, okay?”

“Fine.” Conrad finishes his mug, standing. “I’ll just leave at the same time, then. But we aren’t done talking about our mysterious Dutch girl.”

I step into the Archaeology Department, my usual intellectual haven, greeted by the scent of old books and the buzz of academic life. The shelves filled with artifacts and dusty tomes are as familiar as my own apartment, but today, the tranquility is disrupted by an event that requires my presence.

When I arrive, I find Lukas unpacking, cataloging, and putting away the pieces from last week's exposition. He looks uneasy, then paces nervously, his eyes scanning the room.

“What's the deal?” I ask, concern filling me. He looks very distraught.

He sighs, adjusting his frame on his nose. “Johan, we've got a problem. During the inventory check, a crucial piece of jewelry decided to play hide-and-seek.”

Frustration flares up within me. This department is our sanctuary, and the things we care about are genuine treasures. The idea of theft is almost unthinkable—how could this have happened?

“Have you retraced your steps?” I suggest a flicker of hope in my voice.

Lukas nods. “I’ve combed through every nook and cranny. It’s like the watch vanished into thin air.”

Trying to contain rising anger with the entire situation, I suggest, “Well, let’s do it again, then. Two sets of eyes are better than one, I suppose.”

I join the quest for the elusive piece, methodically scanning each cluttered shelf. The warm glow of antique desk lamps casts an inviting aura on the artifacts. Still, as we continue to turn up, nothing shows up, and I find myself wishing for the harsh overhead lights that some of the scientific departments have.

Lukas and I have reached the end of the path we’ve been retracing, and nothing has been found. As a last resort, I suggest checking the security cameras for a more detailed investigation. Lukas, eager but awaiting my authorization, proposes we head to the security department now. “I couldn’t go without your permission, but do you care if I tag along?”

“Not at all,” I assure him. “You’re the one who noticed it missing, after all.”

We navigate through the corridors while I fight off a wave of anxiety and finally arrive at the security room.

The security agent grants us access after checking my ID to make sure I am who I claim to be. I fill out the necessary paperwork and sign the authorization, and the security agent allows us into the nerve center of surveillance.

After searching through a few files to find the right night, the guard plays footage from the gala evening. I realize there is much to look through, and I sigh, turning to Lukas. “You might want to go get us some drinks. We might be here a while.”

As Lukas and I scrutinize the footage, he directs my attention to a crucial moment, pointing with urgency. “This is where the piece was located.” His finger highlights a specific frame in the digital narrative. I lean in to confirm what he’s telling me, and satisfied, we focus on this specific portion of the room.

We continue our meticulous examination of the footage, my focus intensifying as the pixels unfold a scene from the past. And then, there she is—Hannah, radiant in the glow of the gala. My heartbeat quickens involuntarily at the sight of her. God, even the digital picture of her shakes me to my core.

She was so painfully beautiful that night. I thought I was in some dream when I turned my attention from Astrid to see that the friend she had brought was none other than the woman who had been on my mind for years.

I fixate on Hannah's every move, captivated by her grace as she navigates the exhibition. She scans the surroundings, a picture of elegance amid the crowd. My mind briefly detours from the investigation, drawn into the memory of that night when she shimmered like a beacon, igniting my obsession for her all over again.

Her journey through the gallery leads her to where the jewelry should be. I watch her turn her head slightly to the left and then to the right as she moves. When she reaches the display where the jewelry is located, she shares the space with two other men I don’t recognize. She isn’t speaking to them but lingers for a long moment, looking at the artifacts for longer than I would expect.

As Hannah departs, the two men remain, becoming the focus of my scrutiny. Suspicion creeps in as they stand in proximity to the display. They eventually vacate the scene, leaving behind the void where the jewelry once resided.

“Did you see that?” Lukas asks. “After those two guys left, the piece was gone! Do you think they could have been the ones to steal it?”

I don’t answer him right away. A puzzle takes shape, the pieces aligning in a sequence of suspicious events. But as much as it seems like the two men must be guilty, having been the last ones on the scene, I’m transported back to the Van den Bosch estate years ago.

In the deep recesses of my mind, a memory resurfaces—the time when Hannah opened the door to her private world, unveiling her collection of odd objects and treasures that I still remember so vividly.

It’s like a snapshot from years ago when the reserved girl Hannah invited me into her personal space. Her bedroom, a sanctuary of secrets, carried whispers of stories held by trinkets and treasures scattered across shelves and tables.

Hannah's collection defied easy categorization. It was an eclectic mix of antique heirlooms, expensive pieces, and nearly worthless trinkets. It was visually captivating, with all of her little things carefully chosen and displayed. But now, thinking back, it’s all too clear that some items exuded an air of expensive rarity, just like the piece that is suddenly missing from my department.

Seconds pass as Lukas rewinds the footage to look at it again, and a disconcerting thought emerges. Could someone with such a captivating collection also be capable of theft?

No, it can’t be Hannah. Why in the world should she steal something like that?

The question hovers, challenging the fond memories I associate with Hannah. She had seemed so vulnerable showing me her collection, something she insisted she never shared with anyone. It almost feels like a betrayal, imagining that all of her little things could be the result of theft, but the similarities are too obvious to ignore.

No matter how much I don’t want to consider her, my rational mind keeps nudging me with reminders of Hannah's past escapades, like the covert exploration of her grandma’s private office at Andries’ wedding. I remember thinking it was odd then that she would pick things up and shuffle through drawers without a second thought. I shake my head, attempting to redirect back to the two men on screen. Without the knowledge of Hannah’s collection, they are the obvious suspects, so why not just focus on them?

“It must be those two guys,” I assert, agreeing with Lukas. Turning to the security guard, I inquire, “Is there a way we can identify them?”

“I will work on that,” the security guard assures, “It might take me a few days, but I’ll get right on it.”

Lukas seems to be waiting for me to add something else, and when I don’t, he asks, “Johan…shouldn’t we involve the police, too? I mean, this is a serious crime. They stole an antique object.”

“We're going to try to retrieve it without the police first. I wouldn’t want their presence disturbing the rest of the students.” I clap the security guard on the shoulder. “Our friend here is going to try to identify them, and if he can't, then we will go to the police and report them.”

Lukas seeks a timeline, asking the security guard when we can expect an update. The guard contemplates his next steps.

“I’ve got to speak to my boss so we can open an investigation, but I would think we’d have an answer in a few days. If I can’t finish it, I’ll let you know as soon as possible. We need a complete list of the attendees.”

I nod. “Lukas will give it to you. And anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.”

With that, there isn’t much else we can do about the stolen jewelry for the moment. I’m stressed beyond belief–what if the security guard decides Hannah is the thief? How can I possibly protect her…or, I guess the real question is, should I even try to protect her?

Exiting the security department, Lukas lets out a low whistle. “I’ve never dealt with anything like this before. It’s just crazy to me that someone would go to the trouble of attending a private event to steal from it. Sure, that watch is worth money, but it’s far from being the most expensive object there. I’d even say it doesn’t break the top ten! So why risk getting into such trouble?”

“Some people are like that,” I tell him, my thoughts trailing back to Hannah's peculiar connection with items of value and the looming uncertainty I’m reluctant to confront. “It’s not always about money, I guess. Sometimes, it’s just about the power or the thrill.”

Lukas checks his watch and winces. “Hey, I hate to bail during all this, but I have a meeting to get to.”

“No problem,” I assure him, giving him a shoulder pat. “Just keep me in the loop if you find anything else out.”

With nothing else to do and too unsettled by the prospect of Hannah being involved in something so sinister, I decide to do a final inventory check to make sure there isn’t something Lukas might have missed.

I roll up my sleeves and dive into the artifacts, feeling their cool surfaces under my fingertips. Each touch reassures me that almost everything is where it's supposed to be. But in the back of my mind, the missing antique weighs on me. I scan every nook and every shelf, determined to spot anything out of place. The watch is still missing at the end of my search, but I’m not surprised. It’s not like life has been easy for me lately.

I’m just starting to clean up when something disrupts my concentration—quick and purposeful footsteps echoing beyond my line of sight. I freeze, my senses heightened. I almost call out for Lukas but decide against it, not wanting to make myself known if it’s someone who shouldn’t be here.

Logic wrestles with the irrational. I step into the corridor, expecting to see someone, but it's just me, alone with the quiet hum of the department. The elusive and ghostly footsteps are gone, leaving just me, the adrenaline rush leaving my body and my racing pulse.

Who the hell could it have been?