Murder at Cold Creek College

by Christa Nardi

  I must have been very engrossed, because I didn’t realize Brett was standing there until he said, “Are you ready to take off or do you need more time?”

  “I am very ready to go,” I answered with a smile as I stood up and grabbed my bag.

  “Okay, then let’s go. My car is in the faculty lot where you park. Do you think they ticketed me?” he asked with a smile.

  “Uh, is there any way they would know it was the car of a Statey?” I asked, teasing him.

  “Well, it is my personal vehicle because otherwise it would be inappropriate for me to drive you to dinner, but I did leave a VERY large placard stating who it belonged to and why it was there, so I can hope. Of course, the College security could have decided a ticket was their way of making me feel welcome,” he suggested with a smile and shrug as we walked down the stairs.

  “How about if I follow you to your house, so your car isn’t sitting here? Or would you be more comfortable leaving your car here?” he asked. I appreciated the reasoning behind both choices and hadn’t thought about it.

  “You might as well follow me. I live close to the highway leading to Altavista. No point in driving back onto campus or leaving my car here,” I answered.

  I wasn’t sure it mattered, but at some level, it would seem more like a date if he drove me home instead of back to campus. Effectively, it would help keep the campus and work separate from our dinner. I don’t know if he felt the same way, but he seemed to relax with my answer.

  At the parking lot, he walked me to my car and I gave him basic directions and made sure he had my cell number and the street address in case we got separated in traffic. It was approaching the five o’clock hour and the campus was emptying out. He cheered when he got to his car with no ticket. Like me, he drove a Honda, though his was a newer model.

  Once at my house, I asked if he’d mind if I let Charlie out and he indicated that was fine. I invited him in, and introduced him to Charlie. Charlie seemed to like him but wanted to get to the backyard or go for walk. She got the backyard. I fed her when she came in, and we were off to Altavista.

  Altavista was about 25 miles from Cold Creek, and we made relatively good time despite increased traffic. On the way, Brett commented on the older neighborhood I lived in and the vast difference in the houses from one neighborhood to the next in Cold Creek. That led to a discussion of the old money and southern society component in Cold Creek as compared to the rest of us. I pointed out it had been the old money who initiated the boarding school. It also was that group or their descendants who made up the country club crowd. The same group made endowments that kept Cold Creek College able to maintain state-of-the-art educational services.

  We covered the basics of how my day went including my short conversation with Officer Hirsch. I commented that if Hirsch’s interview with me was any indication, the Chief was not exactly getting a wealth of information. Brett shook his head. I also mentioned my meeting with Jim the next morning. I shared my dread that he was going to give me something else to do. He teased me, pointing out that he was the last ‘something else to do’ Jim gave me. I smiled. Obviously, not everything Jim dumped on me turned out onerous.

  The Steak House was past the center of town. It was one of the few nicer restaurants, with ambience that could be professional or romantic. Not small, and not large, it had several sections, as well as a bar. Once we got there and parked, Brett walked around to get my door, and he put his arm around me as we walked in.

  Thankfully we were seated right away, and at a corner table for two away from most of the traffic, in one of the smaller, cozier sections. The hostess seated us and gave us menus, and the waitress came by with the wine list and lit the candle on the table. This time there was no doubt we were on a date.

  “So, Sheridan, are you a wine drinker or would you prefer something else?” Brett asked. As with any first date, neither of us had a clue what the other preferred.

  “Wine is good, but I have to tell you I’m not a big drinker, so unless you’re going to drink a lot, we’d probably do better ordering by the glass,” I responded. “Basically, I’m a one glass drinker.”

  “Do you have a preference?”

  Given that we were at a steak house, we discussed the cabernets and the merlots. Then we went on to discuss the various other wines on the list. I decided on a cab and he did as well. He studied the menu and asked what I recommended. I shared with him what my favorite was, and then told him what other dishes I had heard were good. The Steak House was obviously best known for its steaks, but they did a great job on the pork loin as well.

  Salads and entrees ordered, Brett asked, “So do you eat here very often?”

  I couldn’t tell if he was making conversation or trying to figure out how often I dated and came here, but I answered as honestly as I could. “This is one of the restaurants of choice whenever there is someone here for an interview, or we have a guest speaker, or someone is celebrating some special occasion. Kim and I usually treat each other to dinner here on our birthdays. In all, I probably eat here about once a month or every other month. So, yeah, I eat here often, but not often enough to know the wait staff, like at the Grill.”

  He smiled and nodded. “Seems like a nice place and the reviews are good. I checked.”

  I laughed and commented, “Well, I hope it lives up to those reviews!”

  Our salads arrived and gave us an excuse not to make conversation. When we both had finished, I asked, “So, you mentioned you had only been in Appomattox for about a month. I think I may have driven through when I moved here but I didn’t pay much attention. Have you gotten settled in?”

  “More or less. I have a small condo in a settled neighborhood that is pretty much all families. It isn’t located in the historical section or anywhere near the various attractions that draw tourism to the area. It’s in the more newly developed area and much quieter. The neighbors are pretty friendly, but seem to keep their distance.”

  He laughed and then added, “I guess it’s because I sometimes bring the State vehicle home, and they are afraid I somehow know about the stop sign they ran or the speed limit they exceeded.” He smiled and shook his head.

  “Well, maybe it will take some time. Eventually they’ll figure out you’re not psychic after all,” I replied. “So where do you stay when you are down here in Cold Creek or wherever you end up going?”

  “This trip, I’m staying at a hotel in North Shore. Last week, I stayed at the hotel in Cold Creek. It was a little small and, I don’t know, too close. I think the manager kept track of my every move.” He continued, “I wanted a little distance and the opportunity to check out North Shore this visit,” he explained.

  “So is this the norm for a Detective? Spending a lot of time in hotels?” I asked, wondering if that may have contributed to his divorce. He certainly seemed like an attentive person.

  “Unfortunately, it happens. Most times, I could probably drive back and forth, but that gets tiring, and makes for long days. And with an otherwise empty condo to go home to, the hotel thing works for now. I’ll stay over tonight, and unless something breaks and requires me to stay longer, I will head back to finish up some other cases. I’ll come back down when I need to.” Speaking a little softer, he added, “But it’s only an hour from Appomattox to Cold Creek, so it’s not a daunting distance.”

  I smiled, the warm feeling back again, and wasn’t quite sure of a good response to his comment. I was saved by the arrival of our food. Conversation waned while we ate. As I finished eating, I smiled as I watched him finish his steak. He smiled and leaned back, watching me. Instead of making me nervous or self-conscious, it felt good. Despite the occasional first date awkwardness, he was easy to be with, comfortable.

  I raised what little was left in my wine glass and held it toward him. He raised his to mine and they clinked. “To great beginnings!” I offered. He smiled and took my other hand in his. We looked at each other, smiling.

  Eventually, he asked, “So h
ow will you spend the long weekend coming up?”

  “I haven’t given it any thought, actually. With the first week of school, I am going from day to day here. I may sleep the whole weekend, but hopefully I will get to at least go for a run in the park,” I answered. “I remember you said you spend long weekends with Madison. This weekend one of those?”

  He looked pleased I had remembered and answered, “Yes. I will head over to Richmond Friday afternoon, and then we’ll head to Appomattox. It will be her first visit to my condo, and we’ll spend part of the weekend getting stuff for her room. We’ll find some other things to do, too. I’ll try to get a history lesson in with all the historical homes and Courthouse Square. Madison likes the outdoors, so we’ll take rides and go running. I’m sure she will discover other things she wants to do. She might like some of the quaint shops. And then on Monday, I’ll drive her back to Richmond.” He sighed as he finished, obviously wishing he could spend more time with her.

  “Well, I bet she’ll enjoy fixing up her room. She’s at the age when that is kind of important.” I didn’t want to think about what was going to happen when she got a few years older and weekends were for friends, not for dads.

  “I hope so.” He laughed and then added, “’Course I also hope she doesn’t want something too trendy or out there that has to get redone in a few months.” Shaking his head, he continued, “Sometimes she has some crazy ideas. She mentioned wanting a 42” flat screen television so she could watch her favorite reality show and wanting to paint the room black. I already set some limits. I wonder if she is testing me to see how far she can push or if she thinks those are reasonable requests.”

  I laughed and told him I tended toward her pushing limits. We chatted a bit about teenage girls and kids in divorce situations. I was impressed as he seemed very grounded.

  “It’s still early. So, is there anything interesting here in Altavista to do?” he asked when we’d finished dinner.

  “Uh, not really, but it is a nice night if you feel like walking around. Some of the stores may still be open and some of them are interesting. They try for quaint in case there’s any tourist traffic. There’s a pretty good ice cream and frozen yogurt shop around here somewhere. Maybe by the time we find it, it will look good,” I suggested.

  “Sounds good,” he responded, squeezing my hand. He paid the check and we went for a walk. Brett’s arm around me felt good, and as we walked we were in sync. We each pointed out different things on the storefronts and started getting silly.

  At one point as we looked in a store window and tried to guess who would buy pots with flowers on them or pots that glowed in the dark. We laughed at the odd combinations one could come up and Brett leaned over and kissed me lightly. Then he kissed me again, not as lightly. His eyes looked heavy when we parted.

  We looked at each other for a few minutes, and then Brett turned me around and we walked back toward where we parked the car. At the car, as he opened my door, he faced me and rubbing both my arms, he kissed me again. I put my arms around his neck, responding to his movement, and we moved a little closer. Then he stepped back, and finished opening the door. I was definitely feeling warm, and the outside temperature was dropping to the 60s so I knew it wasn’t the weather.

  He got in, started the car, and asked what kind of music I liked. I was trying to think of which groups to suggest, and he commented, “Don’t think so hard Sheridan, I see the steam.”

  He chuckled and directed me to the CD case in the console. There were a number of them I had and I picked a few and fed them into the CD player. He looked at me and smiled as my choice of a country singer who tended to be on the easy listening side registered. I smiled back.

  Before long we were almost back at my house, and I started to panic. I wasn’t sure if I should invite him in or not. Being honest with myself, I wasn’t sure I could handle too many more of his kisses. I wasn’t sure what to do when we pulled in the driveway. I didn’t know if this qualified as a date.

  He came around and walked me to the door. I started to ask if he wanted to come in, with a lot of trepidation. I hadn’t gotten beyond the “Do you..” and he leaned over and kissed me again. Then, he put his finger on my lips, and said with what seemed like great effort and a thick voice, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Let’s not rush things.”

  I nodded, feeling both relieved and disappointed. I think I sighed and he chuckled. I smiled, and said, “Thanks for a great night. I enjoyed it.” He nodded, kissed me one more time. He let go of my hand and he walked toward his car.

  I unlocked the door, but watched him drive away before I went inside. I closed the door and leaned back against the door. Charlie looked up at me with her head cocked to one side. Letting her out, I noticed it was getting late and decided to call it a night. As I got into bed and looked around the bedroom, it occurred to me I might need to be a little neater in the future. I was kind of glad I hadn’t had to make a decision about inviting Brett in tonight.

  Chapter 11

  I slept well and was on campus early. I even had a few minutes to appreciate the fountains before I went in. I was certainly back in my office in plenty of time for my Tuesday morning class. Starting a little later, this section of intro was a little larger. I was re-checking to make sure I had everything and printing out the roster when Kim stopped by. She looked like she was bouncing back from Adam’s death and the extra work load, but still a little haggard.

  “Morning! How’d your day go yesterday?” I asked her, remembering her panic.

  “Morning yourself. Wasn’t as bad as I expected, but it was late by the time I went home. After I ate, I soaked in the tub for about an hour. I needed that,” she answered. “How did your first day go with all three classes?”

  “Oh, it was hectic for sure, and Jack was his usual self, extending his seminar half-way through mine,” I answered. I didn‘t mention the evening or Brett on purpose.

  “And last night was your dinner!!! I completely forgot! Did he like your dress? Did you have a good time?” Kim was full of energy as she fired off her questions.

  Trying for some composure, I answered, “It was good. We ate dinner and walked around for a while.”

  “Do you realize you are blushing, Sher?” she teased with a smirk and we both started laughing. I didn’t have an answer for her. Worse, each time she looked at me, I could tell I was blushing again.

  Looking at her watch, she commented, “Time to rock and roll. I’ll catch up with you later for more details!” I blushed again and she turned away, still laughing. I grabbed all my materials and went to class as well.

  Class over, I grabbed a cup of coffee and walked back to my office. I gulped some of the coffee, and headed to Jim’s office. I was right on time, but his door was closed. Checking with Terra, she said he had gotten a phone call, and he’d told her to have me wait. She shrugged and said she still didn’t have a clue.

  I looked over to Ali’s desk, and she wasn’t there. Terra explained that she had a bookkeeper training meeting. We chatted a little bit, and I tried to find out if Joe had any new information and if Officer Hirsch was as brief with everyone as he had been with me. Other than Ali, it seemed we all got the same few questions. I wondered if his extra time with Ali was less related to the case and more related to his interest in her. I was about to tell Terra to call me when Jim was ready and head back to my office, when his door opened.

  “Come on in, Sheridan. Sorry to keep you waiting. This whole thing is playing havoc with my schedule,” he explained as I entered his office. He closed the door and took a seat on the other side of his conference table. He looked tired and more stressed than usual. I nodded, but didn’t say anything. This was his show.

  “So, how are you holding up? A lot of students coming to see you and Mitch?” he asked. He had a pad of paper in front of him, and was fiddling with it. I couldn’t tell if this was why he asked for the meeting – to get an update – or if he was stalling. I was betting on the stalling p
art.

  “I’m doing okay. As for students, some of the juniors and seniors are a little upset, but that is understandable,” I answered. I didn’t want to get into Adam’s inappropriate behavior, since it was no longer an issue with him dead.

  “Sheridan, there are some rumors floating around and we need to talk about them,” he said, not quite making eye contact.

  Not being prone to volunteer information, I simply responded “Okay” and waited for him to continue.

  “Max apparently told some people Adam was involved – inappropriately involved – with students. Is that correct?” he asked, still avoiding eye contact.

  “It does appear he was involved with at least one female student, yes. She believed their relationship was serious.” I hesitated, and added, “It isn’t possible to know if there were others. It’s not exactly good form to ask the students en masse.”

  “Sheridan, people are upset that this may have happened. I am not going to confirm it did happen. Students have had crushes on him and on Jack for years. I’ve even reviewed the sexual harassment policy with both of them before. But, with all the talk and his murder, I am being asked to explain how this could possibly have happened in my department on my watch,” he said, his voice getting a little louder.

  There wasn’t much I could say, so I waited for the other shoe to drop. It certainly sounded like he had some sense this was going on not only with Adam, but also with Jack. I would have to pay more attention to my colleagues. Issues with Jack over classroom space I was familiar with, not inappropriate behavior.

  “I am getting pressure from above to do something to make sure this type of faculty-student relationship doesn’t happen in the future. In case it ever did happen, you understand,” he continued.