Sandra Ploughman was a teaching assistant for Professor Laska in 2007. She was a third year graduate student. Her date of departure was the same year. Status upon leaving: missing. What in the world?
Alicia was so engrossed in her research for Elizabeth that the knock on her office door startled her.
“Come in,” Alicia called out.
A petit, buxom blond wearing lots of eye makeup walked through the doorway.
Connie, a secretary at the police department, wore a short black sequined skirt, a long gray sweater, and short black heeled boots. “Are you ready?” she asked.
Alicia was surprised. “For? Oh, my God, I've totally forgotten our lunch date. Is it that time already? I've been so busy doing this... Connie, would you mind terribly if I, I don't join you? I would like to finish this.”
“How many times have I had to cancel myself because of that Bill Murphy asking me to handle something at the last minute?”
“You're the best. You might be able to help me. You see, I've come up with some astounding news. I was looking through old H.R. records from the college in regards to information on three past graduate students here at the college.
Two of them are deceased. One seems to have vanished into thin air. I was wondering if you had anything over at the Police Department on a Sandra Ploughman, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The other two are Mike Carson, from Eau Claire, and Daniel Fellman, from La Crosse.”
“I'll see what I can do,” Connie said as she wrote down the names. “Let me look through the files. If I find anything, I'll fax it over to you.”
“Thanks, Connie.”
“By the way, those were great costumes you and Jim wore at the Halloween Ball. You guys deserved to win. And you sounded just like Sonny and Cher.”
“Thanks. It was a fun evening. I'm sorry about lunch.”
“Don't worry about it. Another time,” Connie said as she left.
* * * *
Early that afternoon, Alicia received a fax from Connie in regards to Sandra Ploughman:
September 18, 2007. A missing person’s report has been issued for Sandra Ploughman, age 27, a teaching assistant at Sudbury Falls College in Sudbury Falls, Wisconsin. Her roommates report that she didn't come back at the end of a school day on September 16th. She attended classes that morning. No one had seen her since.
Notes included in the fax indicated Ploughman’s parents came several times to the police department and offered a reward for any information as to her whereabouts. The case went unsolved.
* * * *
Elizabeth sat at the reference desk. She had just finished helping a student find a journal when the phone rang. It was Alicia.
“Elizabeth, what time are you done with work today?”
Elizabeth smiled at the student as she left the reference area. “Five o’clock. Why? Did you find out something?”
“I'll come over at four then. I found out information about all three students.”
“So they all were students here?”
“Right. What's the real story on these people?”
Alicia must have found out something interesting. Elizabeth looked around to see if anyone was close by and said in a low voice, “Why, what did you find out?”
“The two men, Daniel Fellman and Mike Carson, are deceased. They died tragically, and a woman, Sandra Ploughman, went missing. All three were graduate students in the Agriculture department. I printed out the records for you.”
Elizabeth knew about Fellman. “Missing? And how did Mike Carson die? How did you find that out?”
“I looked into his contact information, his home town. I searched online on and found an article in the newspaper. He died in a car accident on the way home for spring break. His brakes failed. Sandra Plough—”
“Who did they work for?”
“Two under Professor Laska and one under Professor Murphy.”
Elizabeth glanced around her again and said quietly, “He isn't, by any chance, related to Bill Murphy, is he?”
“He's Bill Murphy's older brother. I went to school with him. Hadn't thought about him in years. By the way, the dates you gave me were the years the students either died or disappeared.”
“This is great information, Alicia. Thank you.”
“I have more. I talked to my friend Connie, you know Connie Rudd, over at the Police Department. She's a secretary there.”
Elizabeth’s blood pressure went up. “You what— What did you call her about?”
“She faxed over a sheet on the missing student.”
Elizabeth picked up a pencil and started fidgeting with it while her heart raced. She hoped Bill Murphy didn't find out. “Alicia, you...you shouldn't have gone to all that trouble. I didn't want you to contact the police department over this.”
“I didn't mind. There's not much else to do. Plus, it was starting to get interesting. I also saw Professor Laska in the hallway. I asked him about the students, if he remembered them.”
“What did he say?”
“He said the names sounded familiar, but he had so many students over the years, he couldn't place them.”
Elizabeth cupped her hand up to the phone. “Not even Fellman? Strange. That wasn't so long ago. Alicia, you shouldn't have done all this.”
“I figured you would want to know. I'll see you at four.”
* * * *
At the police station, Deputy Chief Bill Murphy saw a copy of the fax that Connie sent over to the college. His eyes narrowed as he read it. He hastened over to Connie's desk and demanded, “Connie, who requested this information?”
“Alicia Miller over at the college.”
“Did she say why she wanted it? Did she have the necessary request forms to receive this information?”
Connie swallowed and looking sheepish said, “No...no, she didn't. She's a friend of mine. I wanted to help her out.”
“Connie, you can't give out police information to just anyone. Remember that next time.” Connie squirmed under Murphy's glare. He sighed. “Is there any coffee left?” Connie leapt out of her chair and more or less ran to the coffee pot.
* * * *
That afternoon, in another part of town, another conversation took place.
“We have a problem. I think I may know who our mystery person is.”
“I was beginning to think we were in the clear. We had hoods on,” Dr. Anders said. “On the other hand, I did say eventually that person was going to talk. Who is it?”
“Alicia Miller at the college has been asking questions.”
“We'll deal with the problem.”
* * * *
Alicia left South Hall just after four o’clock to meet with Elizabeth at the library. Most of the classes were over this late in the day. She walked up to the crosswalk. A car slowed down to yield to her, which was typical on campus. Alicia was in the middle of the crosswalk when, all of a sudden, the car accelerated, hitting her on her side. Alicia spun around before hitting the ground. The folder and her purse flew out of her hands. The car sped away.
* * * *
The small E.R. at Sudbury Falls Medical Center was overflowing with activity when Alicia was pushed through the double doors on a gurney. “Code Blue. Code Blue. Room One.” The hallways were congested, and it was difficult to maneuver down the hall. A patient in the first room had just coded. The many responding doctors and nurses were rushing to that curtained room in the hallway.
Alicia's face was pale, except for the abrasions. Her clothing was a torn and bloody mess. “Ms. Miller, I'm Nancy, one of the nurses here. Do you know where you are?”
Alicia's eyes took in her surroundings. “The emergency room.”
They rolled Alicia into a curtained room down the hall. Nancy and another nurse took over helping her out of her clothes. “I'm going to do a brief exam of your injuries,” Nancy said. She methodically looked Alicia over while another nurse looked on. “Her leg is bleeding. Put some pressure on the wound.” Then she looked back at Alicia and sai
d, “Dr. Anders is going to be handling your care. Is there someone we can call for you?”
Alicia gave them her husband's contact information. Soon Dr. Anders came in and examined her. He ordered an IV and x-rays stat and proceeded to suture her leg after numbing the area.
“Ow. I don't know what hurts more, my head or watching you stitch up my leg,” Alicia said in a shaky voice, attempting a joke.
Dr. Anders smiled. “I'll order a pain medication for you.”
When Dr. Anders finished, a technician from radiology came into the room pushing a portable x-ray machine.
Thirty minutes later Jim Miller burst into the room. Alicia was sitting up in bed talking to the police. Dr. Anders stood in the corner of the room writing in her chart.
“Do you know of anyone who would want to cause you harm?” the Deputy Chief of Police asked her.
“No—”
“Alicia, are you all right?” Jim cut in. He looked over at Dr. Anders. “How is my wife, Doctor?” he demanded.
“Your wife has been through quite an ordeal. She's most fortunate that her injuries are so minor. She has some soft tissue damage to her arm and leg and a mild concussion, but no bones are broken. Things could have been much worse.”
Facing Bill Murphy, Jim asked, “Who did this to my wife? Did you get the person?”
“No one saw the license plate number or the make of the car. A student coming out of the union saw what had happened and dialed 9ll on her cell phone. She said the car was silver in color. Probably some irresponsible kid anxious to get to where he was going. The car was only going about ten miles an hour when it hit your wife, but it was fast enough to inflict injuries.”
“We would like to keep your wife overnight for observation,” Dr. Anders said. “We have started the admission process and will be moving her up to a hospital floor soon.”
“Mr. Miller, can you think of any reason someone might have wanted to hurt your wife?” Bill Murphy asked. “Anything unusual happen lately.”
Jim Miller looked over at his wife. “Not that I can think of. Everyone likes Alicia.”
* * * *
Jim Miller sat with Alicia all evening in her room, talking and watching television. Much to Alicia’s dismay, the IV was left in her arm. She hated needles. Dr. Anders said he wanted to keep it in, just as a precaution. Her leg had a large bandage over the laceration the doctor had sutured. At ten o’clock, the nurse suggested Jim leave so Alicia and her roommate could get some rest. After Jim left, another nurse came in to take both of their vital signs. Then, she turned off the light and closed the door.
* * * *
The hospital was eerily quiet at night. The halls darker, the air colder, the clock on the wall by the nurses' station moved slower and ticked louder. Just after midnight, Alicia had a late night visitor. He watched Alicia stir in bed, sighing in her sleep, her roommate rhythmically snoring in the next bed. Alicia awoke with a start and said, “What are you doing here so late at night?”
The visitor smiled and put his finger up to his mouth and said, “Shh,” and pointed to her sleeping roommate. He took a syringe out of his pocket and stepped toward the bed. She recoiled a bit but said nothing as he plunged the needle into her IV port.
“Goodnight and pleasant dreams,” he whispered.
Alicia's lids grew heavy. She laid back and closed her eyes.
The man deposited the spent syringe into the receptacle on the wall and peered out of the room. The halls were empty. He pulled the door closed behind him with a gloved hand and strode off down the corridor, unnoticed by anyone.
Chapter Thirteen
Tuesday, November 8
While we waited for Deirdre at the end of my driveway, Elizabeth told me what she had found out about the three graduate students and what Alicia told her over the phone yesterday. “She never showed up at the library with the information. I tried calling her. Even went over to her office.”
“Strange. And now?”
Elizabeth let out a sigh. “I’ll call her today. I can run over and pick it up.”
We saw Deirdre speed-walking over to us. Elizabeth looked at her watch.
“Sorry I'm late,” Deirdre said, looking at Elizabeth. “Did you listen to the morning news?”
“No,” I said.
Deirdre took a deep breath. “Alicia Miller was struck down by a hit and run driver.”
“That's terrible. When?” Elizabeth asked.
“Yesterday afternoon on campus.” Deirdre shook her head. “I don’t know. I get a feeling this isn't...”
“Accidental?” I finished her thought as I looked over at Elizabeth. Elizabeth's eyes went wide, But she said nothing.
“How's she doing?” I asked.
“Dead. She’s dead!” Deirdre blurted out. “She was taken to the hospital and died there sometime during the night.”
Elizabeth's jaw worked silently before she spoke. “Oh my gosh!” Elizabeth sat down on the grass. “I was just telling Kay that I saw Alicia yesterday. Asked her about those three names. She was supposed to bring me the information. She was probably on her way.” It was clear the news hit a raw nerve in Elizabeth. “This is crazy. Too crazy!” she added.
“She must have found out something. I wonder what. But, I get a feeling that’s why she’s dead,” Deirdre said.
“Oh, no, her poor husband. Jim adored her so,” Elizabeth said.
Elizabeth proceeded to tell Deirdre about the three graduate students in the Agriculture department and how Alicia had asked Connie Rudd from the police department for information.
“She also talked to Dr. Laska. I didn’t ask her to do any of that. Only to look up the names in the H.R. files.”
“What are you saying? The hit and run was an accident, or someone wanted to stop her from spreading this information around?” I asked, although I agreed with Deirdre, someone wanted to stop her.
Elizabeth looked miserable. “I don’t know what to think. I feel responsible.”
“First the professor, and now Alicia. How big is this ginseng conspiracy?” I said to no one in particular. Deirdre and Elizabeth stood silent, contemplative for a few moments.
Deirdre shrugged her shoulders and looked up. “Perhaps Alicia’s being hit had nothing to do with any conspiracy.” All of a sudden she switched her position. She seemed to be trying to make Elizabeth feel better.
“Too much of a coincidence. If I hadn't gotten her involved—”
“Seems like we're suffering one setback after another,” I said. When I looked up, I saw the other two looking at me a bit hard. “Didn't mean it like that. Alicia's death is tragic.”
Elizabeth looked at the ground, her face flushed. “Damn it! These people have gotten away with Sherman's death. Now Alicia's.” She clenched her fists.
I shook my head. “This afternoon, I'm going over to see Margaret. At Al’s, she sounded like she could use someone to—”
“Spill her guts to?” Elizabeth said. “Good. It’ll be good for her to get all this off her chest and good for us to figure out her connection to this motley crew. In many ways, she doesn’t seem to fit in with them.”
“I'll mention Alicia. See what kind of reaction I get.”
“Margaret must have a heart of stone,” Deirdre said shaking her head. “I don’t get her. She knows, and yet she does nothing?”
* * * *
After lunch, I walked over to Margaret’s home. I rang the bell, and Margaret answered the door without a smile. She had a disheveled appearance, her eyes dull and lifeless.
“Hello, Margaret. I haven’t talked to you for a while.”
“Since you returned the costumes and before that at Marissa's.” Margaret stood leaning against the door frame, having only opened the door a little.
I took another step toward the door, holding a paper bag in front of me in offering. “Speaking of Marissa's, I picked up some scones on the way over. Thought you might enjoy them.”
Margaret seemed to wilt a little. “You're such
a sweetheart, my dear. Come in. I'll put a pot of coffee on. The house is a little messy. Haven't had the energy to take care of the place lately.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked, entering her living room. Sure enough, the place looked somewhat untidy, with used dishes resting here and there on the various coffee and end tables, along with some tissues on the floor by the sofa.
I followed her over to the sofa and put the bag of scones on the coffee table. “I was just thinking about my Earl. Life seemed more vibrant when he was... Life is so short. The times we had. Not the same without him.”
“I'm sure, what, with your acting career,” I said, trying to be positive.
“A fascinating time, my dear,” Margaret smiled, looking wistful. “The rehearsals, discovering the soul of a character, the costumes, the parties...all of it. Earl enjoyed his farm. But he enjoyed me the actress, too. Well, we enjoyed each other. We made our own little world! My sweet Earl.”
“Margaret, I would have loved to have seen you on stage.” She smiled. I decided to encourage the new direction in which the conversation had turned. “John Stewart manages your farm now. So at least that’s not something you need to worry about, knowing he’s taking care of things for you.”
“My land besides his own. But you know what? I'm thinking of selling. Quite tired of it. John Stewart, the ginseng.” The last word seemed to leave a bad taste in her mouth. Her expression grew sour. “I'll get that coffee.” She rose, picked up some dishes that were on the coffee table, and took the bag of scones into the kitchen.
I decided to switch topics when Margaret returned with a coffee urn, cups, and Marissa's red currant cream scones on a tray. I noticed she had put on a little blush and lipstick. “I work tonight at the free clinic with Dr. Anders,” I said, watching Margaret pour the coffee.
“That man. There’s more to him than meets the eye.” She flipped her hand in the air.
“I don't understand.”
The Ginseng Conspiracy (A Kay Driscoll Mystery) Page 15