by Joanne Fluke
“It looks like it.” Doug caught her meaning immediately. “I told them I’d drop you off first.”
“I’ll go along. It’ll save time that way.”
“Are you sure?” Doug looked concerned. “They said it was pretty bloody. You won’t get upset, with the baby and all, will you?”
“No, I’ll be fine. I’ve been at crime scenes before.”
“Okay.” Doug nodded. “I may be there for a while, but after things have calmed down a little, one of my team can drive you home.”
The waitress rushed over with the bill, and Doug glanced at it. He handed her some money, told her to keep the change, and then helped Jill out of the booth.
Jill glanced at the woman in the next booth. She was still staring at Jill’s rounded stomach, and she wore a very disapproving look.
“It was a lovely date, Doug.” Jill took his arm and smiled at the woman. “In my condition, I don’t get asked out very often.”
* * *
Doug had laughed when Jill had explained about the disapproving woman in the next booth. When he’d apologized for calling her his date, Jill hadn’t told him that she’d been secretly pleased by the term he’d used. And of course she hadn’t mentioned that if her situation were different, if she hadn’t been married to Neil, she would have loved being referred to as Doug Lake’s date.
As they approached the scene of the homicide, they were stopped at the corner by a uniformed patrolman. Doug flashed his badge, the yellow crime tape was lifted, and they were allowed to drive through. Doug parked in front of the church and turned to her. “Are you sure you want to go in?”
“I’m sure.” Jill unbuckled her seat belt. “There won’t be a problem with clearance, will there?”
“No. I might have a problem if I brought you in as a civilian, but you’re with the DA’s office. Just stick close to me and don’t touch anything.”
Jill nodded and followed Doug as he climbed the steps of the church. On the drive over, he had told her the victim was a minister, a Harold Woodard. His carotid arteries had been severed, and he had a series of multiple stab wounds. Reverend Woodard’s wife had found him when he hadn’t come to the rectory for dinner, and she had called the police. Mrs. Woodard had been hysterical when the officers had arrived; the family doctor had sedated her.
The sight that greeted them as they walked up the center aisle was bloody. Jill felt like turning around and running back to Doug’s car, but she forced herself to look at the body on the altar. Someone had covered Reverend Woodard with a sheet, and she was grateful for that.
While Doug questioned the first pair of detectives who’d arrived on the scene, Jill glanced around the church. At seeing that a trail of wet footprints led to the altar, she began to frown. Although she was careful not to touch the footprints, she leaned over to examine them closely. Not blood. It looked more like water, as if someone had come out of a swimming pool without a towel.
“Water.” Doug arrived at her side so silently, Jill almost jumped. “The reverend had a baptism scheduled for late this afternoon.”
“Do you know who was baptized?”
Doug nodded. “His wife said it was a woman named Crystal, but she couldn’t give a description because she’d never met her.”
“Did you check the register?”
“The register?” Doug’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What’s that?”
“It’s where they record the names of new parishioners. I had a friend who joined this church, and she said that the reverend wrote her name and address in the book.”
“Thanks, Jill.” Doug turned to one of his men. “Check with the doctor. He’s still next door with the reverend’s wife, and he’s a member of this church. Ask him where they keep the church register.”
Jill waited until the detective had rushed off. “There’s something else. My friend told me this church believes in total immersion and there’s a pool behind the altar. I think she said there were two dressing rooms, one for the women and one for the men.”
“They checked that out. There’s nothing in the women’s dressing room, but the reverend’s clothes are still in the men’s.”
“Of course. After she murdered him, she got dressed and left. I don’t suppose there were any witnesses to the baptism?” Doug shook his head, and Jill sighed. “Where do these footsteps lead?”
“From the pool to the reverend’s office. And then back here to the altar. But there’s only one set of footprints coming from the pool.”
Jill thought for a moment. Then she shrugged. “The reverend wouldn’t have gone into the pool if he hadn’t had anyone to baptize. But there’s only one set of footsteps?”
Doug nodded. “That’s right.”
“Then he must have carried her from the pool to his office.”
“Right.” Doug seemed pleased by her reasoning. “Why do you think he’d do that?”
Jill shrugged. “She could have gotten sick during the baptism. Or maybe she hurt herself in the pool. It’s possible she swallowed some water and started choking. Total immersion, remember?”
“Greg?” Doug motioned to one of his team. “Check out the office. We’re looking for a woman’s fingerprints. The couch would be a natural, but dust everything in the office and the women’s dressing room.”
When Greg had left, Jill turned to Doug with a frown. “How about the murder weapon?”
Doug shook his head. “They didn’t find it.”
“Then it’s just like the last time. She must have taken it with her.”
There was the sound of a siren outside and Doug put his arm around Jill’s shoulders. “That’s the coroner’s team. I’m going to be busy. Is it all right if I have someone take you home?”
“That’s fine.”
Doug walked her to the front of the church, where two uniformed patrolmen were guarding the door. “I don’t need two men here. Would one of you take Mrs. Bradley home? She’ll give you her address.”
“I’ll do it.” One of the officers motioned to Jill. “Come with me, ma’am.”
Jill started to leave, but Doug took her arm. He leaned close, so the two officers couldn’t hear, and whispered in her ear. “Thanks. You’ve been a big help. And just in case you have any doubts, you’re the best date I ever had!”
* * *
Connie was snuggled under the covers, holding Alan’s picture close to her heart. She’d just finished telling him about what she’d done, and she gazed at his face a bit apprehensively. “Was that all right?’
Alan seemed to smile, and Connie drew a big breath of relief. Then she held the picture to her ear and listened while he talked to her.
“Of course, darling.” Connie hopped out of bed and turned on the bedroom television. “You’re absolutely right. They must have found him by now.”
The ten o’clock news had just started, and she and Alan watched as the music swelled and the logo flashed on the screen. The anchorman was handsome and his woman colleague was beautiful, but they both looked very serious as they faced the camera.
“Murder in the place you’d least expect it.” The anchorman shook his head. “Police were called to the Evangelical Church located on the two hundred block of Hiawatha Street, the site of a violent homicide.”
The camera moved in to show his woman colleague, who took up the story. “The body of Reverend Harold Woodard, forty-one years old and leader of the Evangelical Church, was discovered by his wife, Miriam, at shortly after seven this evening. The motive and identity of Reverend Woodard’s assailant or assailants is unknown at this time. Police have launched a citywide search, and they are asking for your assistance.
“If you have any information about any person or persons who may be involved in the murder of Reverend Woodard, please call the number on your screen.”
The anchorman took over again as the number flashed on the screen. “We have a reporter live at the scene, and later in the broadcast we hope to bring you interviews with several members of Reveren
d Woodard’s church.”
As the station went to a commercial, Connie sighed and snuggled a little closer to Alan’s picture. Alan had told her she’d done everything right. There were no clues to link her with the murders, there was no way for the police to find her.
“There’s one name left, darling.” Connie reached for the list on the bedside table and glanced at it. “He should be a perfect candidate. He’s a professor at the university, and I’m going to try to contact him tomorrow. He’s the man who got your eyes.”
Connie listened as Alan spoke, and then she nodded. “You’re right. I wasn’t being completely accurate. He received your corneas. “What was that, darling?” Connie listened again, and then she smiled. “I remember. I’ve heard you say that before, and I believe it. The eyes are the windows to the soul. That’s the reason I’m so excited about this. Right now there’s a man who’s walking around, looking at the world through a part of your eyes.”
As Connie settled down to watch the news, she made a vow to herself. This time she’d be very careful, and she would succeed. It was their last chance, Alan was counting on her. She was young enough to fit in on the university campus. There was nothing to set her apart from the other coeds. She’d have her hair colored, a shade of dark blond would be nice. She’d wear it pulled back very casually, and pick up a pair of studious-looking glasses. She would blend in beautifully. No one would suspect that she had an ulterior purpose for contacting the professor.
“I’m going to do it, Alan. You’ll see.” Connie clutched his picture to her chest and smiled self-confidently. The first thing tomorrow, she’d drive to the campus and get a copy of the class schedule. Then, when she’d perfected her role of serious student, she’d enroll in a class taught by Professor Neil Bradley.
CHAPTER 28
There was a smile on Connie’s face as she rushed across the quad. She was going to the campus café to get Professor Bradley a sandwich for lunch. Over the past six weeks she’d made herself indispensable, running errands, reading to the professor, and attending every one of his lectures.
When she had gone to the admissions office, she’d discovered that she was ineligible to enroll. Since she’d left home at sixteen, she hadn’t finished high school and the college entrance exam wouldn’t be given again until the fall semester.
That hadn’t stopped Connie. She’d gone straight to Professor Bradley’s office and told him that she was testing the waters, trying to decide if she should take her entrance exam and enroll as a full-time student. He’d been kind enough to let her sit in on his class as an observer, and because she wasn’t being graded, Connie had become his unofficial assistant.
The professor taught only one class a day. That was fine with Connie. She was attending only one class, and that class was his. She’d told Professor Bradley that she’d saved enough money from her secretarial job to spend several months on campus, but he’d pulled some strings and now she was earning a small stipend for reading to him and helping him correct his exams.
She’d made sure to stand in strong sunlight so he could see how attractive she was, but so far Professor Bradley hadn’t even suggested that they become more than student helper and teacher. That wasn’t surprising. She was only with him four hours a day and an hour of that time was spent in a classroom with twenty other students. The other three hours were spent in his office, but they weren’t alone then, either. Professor Bradley kept his door open so his students could drop by to ask for advice, and the other professors in the department were always sticking their heads in the doorway.
“Don’t worry, Alan. It’ll happen, sooner or later,” Connie whispered. “I just need to arrange more time alone with him.”
A student she’d never seen before was manning the takeout counter. Connie smiled at him as she approached, and his face began to turn red. She knew she looked good in her tight green sweater because he seemed unable to take his eyes off her chest.
“I need a club sandwich for Professor Bradley.” Connie managed to keep from laughing at the flustered student. “He wants mayo instead of thousand island dressing, and a side of coleslaw.”
“Sure. It’ll be up in a minute. Uh . . . do you want anything for yourself?”
His voice cracked and Connie leaned over the counter, deliberately brushing her breasts against his hand. He pulled back as if he’d been burned, and his face turned even redder.
“I mean . . . to eat. You know. Did you want to order any more food?”
“Not for me.” Connie shook her head. “I’m dieting today. Gotta watch the figure, you know?”
“Yeah. Uh . . . sure.”
He was so embarrassed Connie was afraid he’d get the order wrong. “I’ll be waiting outside. Just wave at me when it’s ready. Club sandwich, mayo instead of thousand, and a side of slaw.”
“Got it!”
He scribbled the order on a pad, and Connie watched to make sure it was right. Then she walked outside and drew a deep breath of the sweet spring air.
It was beautiful weather. Early May was usually quite chilly in Minnesota, but today she was almost too warm in her sweater. Two girls walked past her in shorts, and Connie grinned as she noticed that one of them was shivering. Professor Bradley had told her that last February, when the thermometer had climbed to the high twenties, several bikini-clad girls from the dorm had stretched out on reflective blankets on top of a snowbank to work on their suntans.
The student at the counter was beckoning to her, and Connie went back inside. She picked up the sandwich, paid for it with the money the professor had given her, and hurried across the quad to his office.
The door was closed, so she knocked softly. She heard a giggle, and then Professor Bradley called out to her.
“Just leave it outside the door, Connie. I’ll pick it up later. I’m having a . . . uh . . . a student conference.”
“I see.” The professor had sounded out of breath, and as Connie set down the sandwich, she heard another giggle. If Professor Bradley was counseling a student, they were certainly having a lot of fun! “Do you want me to come back, Professor Bradley?”
“Yes. In an hour. I should be through by then.”
Connie was amused as she walked away. It hadn’t taken long for her to hear the gossip about Professor Bradley. He was married, but he’d had several well-known affairs with his graduate students. Even more encouraging was the news that his wife was pregnant. It meant that he was capable of fathering Alan’s child. But now it seemed she had a rival for the professor’s affections. She had to find a way to monopolize his time.
The coffee room was deserted, and Connie hurried in. She shut the door, then sat down on a chair, pulling Alan’s picture from her purse. A whispered conversation in her head wouldn’t do. She needed Alan’s advice, and it was best to speak with him directly.
“What shall I do, Alan? I need to spend more time with him, and now there’s another woman on the scene.”
Connie listened, then smiled as the faint, beloved voice told her exactly what to do. Alan had a plan, and it was brilliant. She’d follow his instructions to the letter. They would be bound to work.
Less than a minute later, Connie knocked on Professor Jenkins’s open door. “Hi, Norma. I just stopped in to see if I could do anything to help you.”
“Come in.” Norma motioned to her. “Your timing is perfect. I’m so tired of correcting these miserable exams, my eyes are blurring.”
“Relax. I’ll do it.” Connie pulled up a chair and reached out for the answer sheet. She’d made friends with Professor Norma Jenkins her first day on campus. Now they were on a first-name basis. Norma knew everything that happened in the department, and she wasn’t above a little gossip.
“So why aren’t you working for Neil?” Norma looked curious.
“Professor Bradley has a student conference. I don’t have to be back until two.”
Norma raised her eyebrows. “A student conference?”
“That’s what he said.
It was one of the girls. I heard her giggle . . . twice.”
“But you didn’t see her?” Norma began to frown.
“No. The door was closed when I brought his lunch, and he said to leave it in the hall. He told me he’d be through in an hour.”
A full minute of silence passed while Connie busied herself, correcting exams. She knew that Norma wouldn’t be able to stand the silence for much longer.
“Connie?”
“Yes.” Connie stacked another corrected exam on the pile of completed tests.
“If I tell you something, will you promise not to repeat it to anyone?”
“Of course.” Connie nodded. “What is it, Norma?”
“Neil’s not having a student conference. I saw who went into his office, and she’s not a student. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that she’s still there.”
“Oh. I get it!” Connie made herself blush. “I should have known it was Mrs. Bradley. He sounded . . . uh . . . very out of breath. I probably interrupted a romantic lunch.”
There was another moment of silence, then Norma sighed. “It wasn’t Mrs. Bradley. Lisa Hyland is back in town. She used to be Neil’s teaching assistant. He was having an affair with her. Lisa almost broke up his marriage.”
Connie’s mouth dropped open in pretended surprise. “I promise I won’t say anything, Norma. I wouldn’t want Mrs. Bradley to hear about this, especially in her condition.”
“Good girl! Poor Jill’s got enough to worry about—with her job and the baby and the problem with the housekeeper.”
“I knew she was pregnant.” Connie nodded. “Professor Bradley told me. And Mrs. Bradley is a lawyer, isn’t she?”
“She’s not just any lawyer. She’s the youngest Assistant DA the city’s ever had. Jill’s very bright, and she’s a dear.”
“You mentioned something about a housekeeper?” Connie seized the opportunity to pump Norma for information.
“Yes. I talked to Jill on the phone last night, and she said their housekeeper quit. This is the seventh one they’ve gone through in less than six months.”