The Professor's Predicament

by Dianne Harman

  Kat gave Deborah her home address and then went downstairs to boil water for a pot of tea. She had just set the teapot and tea cups on the coffee table in her great room when the doorbell rang.

  Looking at Deborah as she stood on Kat's front porch, Kat could tell from what she was wearing that she'd only gone through the motions of getting dressed while her mind had been elsewhere. She wore jeans and a pale gray sweatshirt emblazoned with the name of the university, quite a change from the perfectly put together image she usually presented to the world. Her eyes were red and puffy, and the only makeup she had on was a trace of lipstick.

  "Come in," Kat said, leading Deborah into the great room where she sank heavily onto Kat's sofa. Jazz and Rudy, sensing Deborah's emotional distress, gently nuzzled her legs and settled down on the carpet by her feet.

  Kat poured two cups of tea and handed one to Deborah. "There's sugar, honey, lemon, and cream here for you if you'd like any. Now, tell me what's happening," she said, sitting down on the couch beside her.

  "The chief of police and one of his officers just came to our house," Deborah began. "Geoffrey and I were both working from home because neither of us had any meetings or classes until after lunch. They told us they were investigating the murder of Courtney Adams. She's the one I told you about yesterday, the student Geoffrey had been having an affair with. The officers asked him if he knew her. He told them she'd been a student in one of his creative writing classes, and that she assisted him with grading test papers and other projects outside of class time."

  "Did they ask him if he was having an affair with her?" Kat asked.

  "Not directly, but they implied they'd heard from some of Courtney's friends that she had an unusually close relationship with her creative writing professor, that being Geoffrey. He neither admitted nor denied anything outright. I hope that doesn't come back to haunt him. The police didn't arrest him, but it was clear he's a person of interest in their investigation into the murder of Courtney Adams."

  Kat wasn't sure how to respond. Although she'd only met Geoffrey a few times, she couldn't imagine him going to such drastic lengths as murder, but then again, she'd seen a lot happen lately in Lindsay that she never before could have fathomed.

  "How can I help, Deborah?" she asked. "Is there anything I can do?"

  "Kat, you were instrumental in solving Judge Dickerson's murder and clearing your husband's name in the process. Could you please help us with this situation? I don't know how you did it, but I'd appreciate any ideas you might have. My husband may have had an affair, but I don't think he's capable of committing murder, and I don't want him to go to prison for something he didn't do. No matter what happens to our marriage in the future, I could never forgive myself if I don't try to do something."

  Kat was quiet for a moment. She recalled her earlier conversation with Blaine and how he'd told her he didn't think it was a good idea for her to get involved in Courtney's death, but how could she say no to her friend?

  Even so, she hesitated. "Deborah, you know I'm not a professional investigator, and I'm not sure I really could add that much. Blaine's brother has a private investigation agency, and his firm gave me so much assistance when I was tracking down a couple of murders that circumstances led me to be involved in solving. Perhaps he could get involved. Would you like me to give you his phone number?"

  "No." Deborah was adamant. "I don't want to work with a stranger, even if he is Blaine's brother." Her teacup wobbled in her hand. "Kat, I need your help. You were able to clear your husband's name. Please help me clear my husband's name the same way you helped Blaine," Deborah implored as tears streamed down her cheeks.

  Kat was quiet for several moments and then said, "I don't know what good I can do, but I'll give it a try. You certainly helped me with Judge Dickerson's case, so yes, I'll see what I can do, although I can't make you any promises."

  "Oh Kat, thank you so much. I really appreciate it," Deborah said.

  Kat pushed the thought of how Blaine would react out of her mind. She would have to deal with that later. "Why don't you start by telling me what questions the police asked you while they were there?" Kat asked.

  "They wanted to know where Geoffrey was at the time of the murder. They estimated that Courtney was killed around six or six-thirty yesterday evening after walking home from the library."

  "Did he have a solid alibi?"

  "He did, thankfully," responded Deborah. "He told them he was on his way home from campus around that time. One of his students called his cellphone asking for help with an assignment. He'd pulled over to the side of the road, so he could talk to her. From what he said, they talked for about twenty minutes, and then he came home."

  Kat's eyes narrowed. "Do you know if that's true? Did he really do that?"

  "Yes, apparently he did, and the police can look at his cellphone records to confirm it."

  "Okay. That's a good start," Kat said as she poured more tea into each of their cups and then leaned back on the couch.

  "I just can't believe all this is happening," Deborah moaned. "Last night I confronted Geoffrey about his affair, and he assured me it had been a one-time thing, and he'd already broken things off with Courtney Adams. He told me that neither one of us would ever have to see her again. I'm sure he had no way of knowing that she'd be killed."

  Deborah started crying again, and Kat handed her a box of tissues from the side table next to the couch. When Deborah had composed herself, Kat said, "Listen, I hate to bring this up, but the moment the police figure out that your husband was having an affair with Courtney, there's a really good chance they're going to want to talk to you."

  "Why would they want to talk to me? I didn't have anything to do with the murder or the affair. What could I possibly know?"

  "Because from what Blaine has told me, typically in cases like this, the spouse of someone who was cheating is generally considered to have a motive for murder and is usually deemed to be a person of interest."

  Deborah gasped, her eyes widening. "Oh, Kat, I never thought of that. You're probably right, and I don't have an alibi. I was home alone around the time Courtney was murdered. I changed clothes, fixed dinner, and read a magazine. I didn't talk to anyone, not even on the phone. No one saw me except Geoffrey when he arrived home a little later in the evening."

  "Well, a motive is only one piece of the puzzle. They also have to have evidence, and often that's the hard part," Kat said.

  Deborah began to cry. "Who knows what they might find? Kat, please, I need your help before I end up getting arrested. I can't go to jail. And I want my husband's name cleared."

  Kat patted her arm and tried to calm her emotionally distraught friend, who was clearly in shock and no longer speaking rationally.

  "I know how trite this will sound, but try not to worry, Deborah. I'll do whatever I can to help you and Geoffrey, I promise."

  After being reassured by Deborah that she was calm enough to drive home, Kat said goodbye, her heart heavy with sad feelings for her friend.

  CHAPTER 13

  Not ten minutes after Deborah left, Kat's phone rang again, and she thought, this is getting old. How am I ever supposed to write a book when I keep getting interrupted by the telephone? She looked at the screen and saw the caller was her daughter, Lacie.

  "Hi, sweetheart, taking a break from studying?" Kat asked when she answered the phone.

  "Not really. I just wanted to touch base with you. I suppose you've heard the news."

  "If it's about the death of the young woman who was murdered last night just off campus, yes," Kat said.

  "And I suppose you've heard that a newswoman is saying that rumor has it that there's a good chance she was murdered by a professor at the university who was having an affair with her."

  "I didn't hear it directly, but I just got off the phone with my friend Mitzi, and she told me about it. Are there any other rumors circulating around the campus?"

  "Yeah, and given your feelings about guns, you're
probably not going to be real happy about this."

  "You're carrying a machine gun?" Kat said with a nervous laugh.

  "Mom, of course not, but you're not far off."

  "What are you talking about, Lacie?" Kat asked with an obvious sound of alarm in her voice.

  "Well, I just got back from my morning classes, and while I was walking back to the sorority house, still on campus, I was approached by a man who wanted to sell me a gun."

  Kat could hardly believe what she was hearing. People were selling guns on the campus? Wasn't that illegal? Something is very wrong when guns are on campuses.

  "Mom, are you there? Did the call drop?"

  "No honey, I'm just having a hard time thinking about you walking on campus and seeing people with guns. I thought that was illegal."

  "'Fraid not. Mom, the Kansas legislature has made it legal to carry concealed weapons on campuses. Since there have been two recent murders in our small college town in the last couple of months, everyone's afraid now, and some people are trying to make money from their fears. Like what else is new? Actually, it seems to be working. I have a couple of sorority sisters who bought guns today."

  "Oh, Lacie. That's just wrong. I mean, those girls who bought them probably don't know anything about the proper safe way to handle a gun, much less how to shoot it. What concerns me is that people will be shooting guns who don't have a clue what they're doing. And if they bought them today, I rather doubt they've had any training."

  "True, but everybody is really scared. I mean, like I just said, this is the second murder on the campus, or pretty near it, in just a couple of months in our small town. None of us wants to be the next one."

  "I can understand that, Lacie, but surely the university can beef up the campus security."

  "They're trying. They've posted flyers all over about never walking on the campus by yourself, particularly after dark. I've gotten several text messages from the university this morning about being "street smart" and to report anything or anyone who looks suspicious, but do you want to know what I think?"

  "What, honey?" Kat asked.

  "I think the whole thing is going to work to the advantage of a bunch of people who will twist and turn it to their benefit. If you didn't like someone, all you'd have to do is call security and report them behaving in a suspicious manner. Seems to me to be an easy way to get back at someone you had a grudge against."

  "I think the whole thing is lousy," Kat said. "Talk about unintended consequences. I wonder how many people who don't know a thing about guns will get hurt in the process. When your father got me a gun, he took me to the shooting range I can't tell you how many times, until he felt I knew how to handle a gun as well as use it for protection and shoot if I had to."

  "Mom, you never told me you had a gun. Do you still have it?" Lacie asked.

  "Yes, but I was properly trained, and that's what really worries me about what you're telling me."

  "Then you're probably not going to be very happy when you hear the next thing I'm about to say."

  "When you put it that way, I can practically guarantee I won't. Okay, hit me with it."

  "The sorority's alumnae advisory council is paying for an expert in guns to speak to the sorority at our meeting tonight," Lacie said. "They think every member of the sorority should have a gun on them at all times."

  "You have got to be kidding me. It's not as if the campus is in the middle of some drug infested area with all kinds of criminals running around. We're in Kansas, for Pete's sake. I mean this is the home of the Wizard of Oz, not some drug cartel where murder is commonplace."

  "Maybe you better sit down for the final part, Mom."

  Kat sighed. "I already am. I'm not sure this could get much worse, but you probably better tell me."

  "There's a notice on the bulletin board just as you come in the front door of the house where things are posted that are the primary things the alums want you to be aware of. The notice that went up an hour ago says that the alums will pay for each girl to have a gun, if they can't afford to buy one on their own." She stopped talking, waiting for Kat's reaction.

  She didn't have to wait long. "That's about the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Talk about a knee-jerk reaction to something," Kat said, getting up from her seat at the computer and starting to pace around the room. "Why doesn't the sorority bring in some martial arts experts and give everyone classes for free? That would be a lot safer for everyone, plus it's something they could take with them when they leave college, but buying guns for the girls? That's utterly ridiculous."

  "Yeah, but a lot of my sisters say their parents will be all for it. I'm just letting you know. I already guessed what your reaction would be."

  Kat's mind was racing, and she tried to think straight. If the college authorities were behind this, maybe there was something to it. "Lacie, I'd like to let this settle for a few days. If the murderer hasn't been caught, and if you feel you need to carry a gun, I not only will buy one for you, against my better judgment I might add, but I will make sure that you have the best instructor I can get for you to teach you about gun safety. That part is not negotiable."

  "That sounds fair, Mom. To tell you the truth, I'm not real crazy about carrying a gun, but if everyone else is, I probably should get one, too."

  Kat stared out the window. The quiet suburban street outside gave no indication of danger or a need for guns. A mother pushed her baby in a stroller along the sidewalk past older children who were playing with a ball. "I don't think I've ever said this, but I'm kind of glad your father is not alive. I hate to think how he'd feel about his beloved campus being overrun by gun-toting students. It boggles the mind."

  "Yeah, I agree. Dad wasn't the type who'd be very happy about it. I've got to go Mom, but I just wanted you to know what's happening."

  "Thanks for calling, Lacie, and I'm not angry with you in the least, but I am angry that people would react so quickly and irrationally to a situation like this one. I agree that the two incidents are unfortunate, but they're surely not a reason for mass panic. I hope cooler heads will prevail, but that probably won't happen. Give me a call when you have time. Love you."

  "Love you, too, Mom."

  CHAPTER 14

  After she'd finished talking to Lacie, Kat called Blaine's brother, Nick, who owned a private investigation agency. Nick and his colleague, Dave Bradley, had been invaluable resources for her in the past, and she hoped they could help her with the situation involving Geoffrey and Deborah White.

  When Nick's receptionist answered the telephone, Kat asked, "Is Nick available? It's Kat Denham calling."

  There was a pause while the call was transferred, and then Kat heard Nick's cheerful voice on the other end of the line.

  "Kat, it's great to hear from you. From what David and Blaine have told me, it sounds like you never got a chance for a proper honeymoon. At least I don't think being involved in a murder and a honeymoon are synonymous," Nick said with a laugh.

  "You know how we like to spice things up, Nick, although I have to admit I could have done without the murder excitement and had more of a traditional honeymoon. Anyway, we're just glad things have settled down. How was your trip to Peru?" Kat asked.

  "It was incredible. Over a period of several days we hiked the Inca Trail until we got to Machu Picchu. Then we explored the ancient city. Since we went after peak season, we weren't swamped with other tourists which we'd heard could be a problem. I highly recommend it. It was really something."

  "That's great. I'm so happy you enjoyed it, and I can't wait to see your photos."

  Nick paused. "I appreciate you asking about the trip, Kat, but I rather doubt that's why you called. What's the real reason?" he asked.

  "Nick, it looks like I need your help again. I have a friend whose name is Deborah White. She's a professor at the university. Her husband, Geoffrey, is also a professor there. It seems like he was having an affair with one of his students, and the girl was murdered last night. T
he police have already questioned Geoffrey, and Deborah is worried that as the spouse of someone who was having an affair, they might consider her to be a person of interest. Could you look into the situation and see what you can find out?"

  "Sure thing. You know, since I'm kind of on the outskirts of law enforcement, I did hear about that murder. It came over the wire. From what I understand, one of the girl's fellow students found her body. Apparently she was killed with some kind of an unusual type of knife the police aren't familiar with."

  A shiver traveled down Kat's spine. "I can't imagine coming home to such a sight. I really feel for her and the poor student who found her body," she said. "If you have a little time, I'd appreciate it if you would see what you can find out about Deborah White, Geoffrey White, and Courtney Adams. I believe that was the name of the girl who was killed."

  "That's her name, and I'll get right on it, Kat. I'll call you back as soon as I have something to tell you," Nick replied.

  When the call had ended, Kat booted up her computer and picked up where she'd left off on her novel-in-progress. After spending the afternoon writing, she stood up to stretch, and realized she needed to make a little more effort than that to get rid of the kinks and tightness in her muscles. She figured Jazz and Rudy could use a little exercise as well, so she went downstairs and leashed the dogs for a walk through the neighborhood. After spending half an hour at the local dog park, Kat, Jazz, and Rudy returned home so she could get dinner started.

  When Blaine arrived home from work, he walked into the kitchen and gave Kat a warm hug. "What's for dinner, my love? Is that fresh fish I spy on the counter?"

  "Sure is. I've been marinating some mahi mahi fillets that I'm going to let you barbecue in a few minutes. We're also having garlic roasted tomatoes and a warm spinach salad to go along with the fish. While I'm fixing dinner, would you please feed Jazz and Rudy?"