by Judith Mehl
She breezed into her office with purpose. Though the carpet muffled the sound of her strappy Vera Wang high heels, they still punctuated her approach. Maybe it was the way she swung her leg forward from the hip like a weapon, but whatever it was, she caught everyone’s attention with no less force than a shot from a Colt .45. While her thoughts moved ahead to ways she could combine invitations to a science lecture with a little prodding for information, she didn’t notice her effect on those in the office.
Nick noticed. He always noticed when she walked. It sometimes took his breath away. Today he watched the reaction of others. Soothed by their inability to return to their tasks either, he also recognized the jealousy seeping in as he studied their interest in her. It was more than those long legs. She walked with a unified grace, her willowy legs just one part of the whole.
Kat broke the mood with a blast of activity and commandeered two student workers and the common work area to run her invitation-writing production line.
“Jake, Carla, put aside the clippings for now. I’ve got something new and different for you. It’s called Penmanship 101. We’re hand writing invitations to some of the faculty and staff.” As she spoke, she wrote out her sample and handed it to Carla. ‘
“Photocopy this so Jake can have one. The invitations are here; address the envelopes with the intercampus addresses.”
Carla had worked with Kat for two years. She was used to it and just laughed at the turn of events and headed to the copy machine. Jake, newer and more bewildered, had been one of the leg-watching crowd when she arrived. He was willing and able to assist the cause for her sake, no questions asked. Nick, still watching from his office, shook his head in amazement and returned to his computer.
Kat drew up the list of names on little sheets of paper, giving one to Carla, then one to Jake. The committee had loved her idea. They’d also talked her into organizing it. Now she planned to use it to invite everyone who could possibly be connected to the murder and it didn’t feel like such a burden.
She started on the next sheet. She’d been reviewing the possible motives. Kat knew people seldom died for ideals. Too many possibilities remained. Greed was one, if someone was after the research. But she also knew that people killed, and died, because they’d been caught up in something sweeping over them, out of control.
Who on campus fit that criterion? Abner maybe, Maria possibly, depending on how ill she was at the time. That still merited attention. All the invitations were signed “The Science Lecture Committee.” Kat wrote Maria and Abner herself, along with a handful of others on campus, adding a personal note of welcome to them.
Who else? There was the student who was upset about his grades. But from Maddy’s report the student hadn’t been as keen on a medical career as his dad had hoped. That didn’t leave too many known suspects. Kat added all faculty members in the college of science to her list. The students were carefully penning notes to the vice presidents and other dignitaries on campus.
Carla ambled quietly into Kat’s office, unlike her normal convivial self, and apologized for interrupting. “I have this rash on my hand. Last time I went to the health center the doc said it was a dermatitis and gave me some hydrocortisone crème. It worked for a while, but then the rash came back. I heard you sometimes have natural remedies for things. Is there anything I can use that would stop the itching?”
“Well, one of the easiest to find and most effective astringent I know is witch hazel. It was proven almost as effective as hydrocortisone and you can find it in any drug store. You could try it and see if it helps. It shouldn’t harm in any way. Or you could find some plantain outside and rub the leaves on the rash. It has anti-itch properties.”
“How do you know all this stuff?”
“Well, it’s picked up here and there. Witch hazel is rather common. The plant grows outside around here as well. The leaves are dropping now but it displays beautiful yellow flowers in late autumn. Interesting plant. Look around for it near the woods, though it’s easier to find at the pharmacy, and very inexpensive.”
“Great, thanks a lot!”
Kat looked out as she left and couldn’t help but see Nick in the student workroom giving her the thumbs up while shaking his head in disbelief. She waved, smiled, and finished her notes.
She approached the science building with a certain amount of trepidation, but her reporting instincts snapped into place quickly. She made a systematic sweep of all the students leaving the building, mentioning who she was and that she was anxious to speak with anyone who had been in the building the evening of October 9, the day of the murder. She said to pass the word and that if anyone felt uncomfortable talking with her, but felt they had some information, would they please contact Detective Burrows?
She moved inside, passing the same message. The number of students dwindled, her mind absently moved to Nick, trying to guess his reaction to what she was doing. Then her mind freely wandered to Nick and the times they’d spent together, only to be roughly bumped head-on as she rounded the corner. Knowing it was mostly her fault she grinned sheepishly at the student and apologized.
“Oh, hi, Robin, sorry about that. My mind was elsewhere.”
“That’s OK, Ms. Everitt,” he said. “I was looking for you. Joe said he’d seen you head in here a few minutes ago and that you were asking for information about the night of the murder. Got a minute?”
She glanced at her watch and steered Robin to the slate seats outside the building. Surrounded by the newly blooming chrysanthemums and the showy end to the hardy annuals, the seats were a pleasant and popular location. They were empty at the moment and reasonably private.
“You look worried, Robin. What’s up?”
“I need to talk to you about Dr. Abbott. I don’t know who else to ask.”
“I’ll help if I can.”
Robin leapt off the bench and stood in front of her. Was it uncertainty or fear she saw reflected there? She speculated while he seemed to work at forming his words. Eventually he spurted out, “I think I was there when he was killed!”
Taken aback, Kat attempted to keep a calm exterior. Her relief that here was finally a breakthrough was counteracted by her concern for Robin. She asked, “You don’t know for sure? How’s that?”
“I was in my lab and I heard some shouting and some breaking glass.”
“Why didn’t you tell the police this right away?”
Robin dropped his head shamefully. “I couldn’t. I had my girlfriend, Kelly, in there with me. I didn’t want her involved. And I sure didn’t need to be raked over the coals on it. You know the rules. I shouldn’t have had Kelly in there.”
Kat wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say but Robin simplified the matter somewhat. “I don’t feel right about keeping quiet, Ms. Everitt, but we didn’t see anything. It’s not like we could help at all. What do you think I should do?”
“Robin, we’re not really qualified to determine whether you know anything worthwhile. I’m sure Detective Burrows will keep your information in strict confidence if at all possible. But you need to talk to him. Let me know what you decide and if I can help. I’d be happy to take you over there. Decide soon though. There’s a killer out there.”
“OK, Ms. Everitt. Thanks. I’ll try to call you later today.”
A lone brown leaf skittered across the still-green lawn and pounced the sneakers of the man starring after Robin. Allowing a discreet distance, he followed carefully.
Kat didn’t notice. She drew a calming breath and enjoyed the autumn day. It seemed to her that people left for California seeking less gold than is found glistening in the treetops on an October day in these mountains. As the leaves swirled past on a gust of wind, She turned toward her office to fine-tune her feature article. Though it wasn’t a campus feature she was allowed to do her other work whenever she could fit it in since the university had commandeered most of her time.
Maddy popped into her office a few minutes later. “Hey, are you up for Chine
se tonight? I’m going out on the town.”
“Well, since neither one of us can cook Chinese, town is a logical solution. Any special reason?”
“Jack and I broke up. Before there was anything to break really. Sure glad I didn’t get carried away over that oaf. Can you imagine dating two other women at the same time and not thinking I’d care! ‘He est un mort!’ my Grand-mère said, but then she doesn’t like any man.”
Kat laughed and tucked her article away to work on that night. Spending time with Maddy was more important. They’d been friends ever since Maddy blew into town on a lilac-scented breeze. She was born in America but raised by a very French grandmother. Her sayings were ultimately abominations of both languages and Kat loved her dearly.
They settled down for a heart-wrenching chat about Jack, and life, and men. Kat confided a little more about Nick, feeling free to talk since there was, for once, no one else in the office area. Finally, she returned to the original question. “I’d love to have Chinese with you but my plans are uncertain at the moment. I’m waiting for a student to call me. We’re supposed to go visit Richard Burrows as soon as possible.
Maddy wouldn’t let that slip by. With an interrogation worthy of the inquisition she pulled what details she could from her friend. She didn’t mind terribly. Some considered Maddy nosy, but most considered her concerned and caring. She knew Maddy was trustworthy and confided in her, revealing her fears, her nagging suspicion that someone was trying to harass her with hang up phone calls, and her worries that Charlie was not mourned.
“We must get this murder solved. I will help!” Maddy declared forcefully. She chewed on her lip, contemplating plans of attack. “Let’s list the possible suspects again and discuss each one.”
“The problem with that, Maddy, is that we’ve been through it before with no success.”
Maddy paced in the confines of the small room. “Do it anyway! We must have missed something!”
To pacify her, Kat started. “Well, there’s Gerald. He was in the building at the time, but he didn’t do it.”
“How do you know?”
“Come on Maddy! Gerald?? Besides, I was with him.”
“OK, OK, let’s move on to the rest.”
“You eliminated Sean. Steven Downings and Professor Billings are out of the area and not likely candidates, though Burrows is checking into them. Santora and most of Charlie’s students had alibis.”
Kat tugged on her earlobe, removing her ruby earring and soothing the spot with her fingertips. She added, “One loose end. The journal is still missing. That could be our biggest clue.”
Maddy settled down and Kat took up the pacing where she left off and continued her list. “Burrows cleared Kauffman, the student who was supposed to prepare for the lab that night. People aren’t even speculating, unless you count Louise’s thought that it could have been Maria, if she hadn’t been so ill recently.”
“It’s always Carlos that gets to me. Why Maria?”
She explained about Maria’s arguments with Charlie over sponsoring interns. “But back up a minute. Why does Carlos get to you? Has he done something?”
“From what you taught me about handwriting he’s not functioning smoothly. Here’s a sample of his writing. See what you think, then give it back. I shouldn’t be sharing.”
Kat’s conscious attacked. “Are you sure you want to get involved?”
“You jest? You of all people? Who helped you with that mystery you solved last year? Who steered you toward the right person, and incidentally kept you from the astronomical blunder of accusing the mayor’s assistant?”
“OK, OK. You win.” She studied the handwriting.
”You’re right. It doesn’t flow. It indicates he’s not functioning smoothly. He writes tight and has tics at the beginning of his words. He must have some deep inner frustration—maybe from anger?”
“Does that make him a murderer?” Maddy’s voice rose with her intensity and her green eyes deepened to emerald.
Kat frowned at her chunky heeled shoe then rhythmically flicked it on and off, nervously. “No, but it does make one suspicious. Besides, he was always a loner.”
Maddy grabbed the pencil from Kat and jabbed the air to emphasize her point. “It took him years to get around to asking Maria to marry him. Sometimes I think she married him just to have him handy to rush through her grants.”
“Maddy! You go too far!”
“All right. I exaggerate. He was good at what he did but she was always pushing for more. They worked well together. He had always been such a straight arrow that no one questioned the ethics of their working together. Eventually he worked up the courage to ask and they’ve been married for several years.”
“And this makes him dangerous because…?”
“She’s been on more trips then ever this past year. He’s grown more and more inward. Everyone thought she would pull him out, but instead he seems even more morose.”
“And this makes him dangerous because…?” Kat prompted again with a long-suffering intolerance of Maddy’s round about ways.
“I think he’s going off the deep end is all. I don’t know that that makes him a murderer. Can’t think of a motive. But I bet his recent handwriting would show he’s loosing it.”
Maddy switched gears. “What professors didn’t have alibis?”
“Apparently Abner didn’t.”
“Do you think he did it?”
Kat fished around in the piles on her desk and finally produced a slightly wrinkled handwritten paragraph. “Here, he gave me this for the curriculum brochure.”
She pointed out key spots. “He’s got a stable, far-rightward slant. That means he’s emotional, ardent, sensitive, even demonstrative. But it’s definitely stable, which means that passionate nature won’t get out of control.”
“Does that mean he didn’t murder Charlie?”
“Don’t rush me.” Kat went back over each line looking for details. “He has a secretive loop in his ovals which means he’s hiding something but probably not murder.”
Maddy was never sure how seriously to take Kat’s analysis. “Does it say what kind of toothpaste he uses?”
“Oh ye of little faith. I’ll ignore that. Well, his writing is on the small side, but well-formed, pretty typical of scientists. My guess is no. It’s not Abner. We’ll look elsewhere.”
“Like where?”
“I’ll think about it. Meanwhile, I’ll have to let you know about dinner. Why don’t I call you when I get back? If it’s getting late, and you haven’t heard from me, go without me. Sound fair?”
“OK. Gotta fly.” Mandy fled the room, that whiff of lilac trailing behind her.
Chapter 17
Edgar Allen Poe, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Charles Dickens, George Sand and Albert Einstein became known handwriting analysts.
“Elements of Graphology” by Barry Branston
“How’s it goin’ Kel? Everything OK with you?”
“Sure Rob, but I haven’t seen you much lately. What’s the problem?”
“Kelly, I know this may sound paranoid, but I think I’m being followed.”
‘What?!”
“I didn’t want to involve you. Do you think it could possibly be connected with the other night?”
“It does seem a little weird. Did you talk to someone about going to the police?”
“Yeah, I’m going to do it. I’m not going to bring up your name though. I’m sorry I ever brought you there, but it’s time for me to confess.”
Robin called Kat and arranged to pick her up. He insisted on driving so he could show off his car, a 1957 Chevy with a two-tone paint job.
Dusk enveloped the car as she twisted around to inspect the repaired upholstery in the back that he’d been bragging about. The falling sun backlit the golden leaves in a blaze of glory that she admired with envy, bemoaning her lack of ability with brush and paint. She wondered if everyone felt that same tightening, that need to capture a scene as if seei
ng it for the last time.
Robin sped down the lane and hooked a left onto an unpaved road, surprising Kat and juggling her twisted body back to the forward position.
“What’s up, Robin? Where are you headed?”
“Honest, over to the police station. These back roads are easier traveling than the main highway since it’s still rush hour.”
“OK, but it’s right to the police station. I told Burrows we’d be there about now.”
As they traveled through the tunnel of overhanging trees, Robin kept glancing into the rearview mirror.
“Now what?”
“These roads are curvy so it’s difficult to be sure, but there’s this car that’s been following us for a while.”
“So, maybe he likes the back roads better too.
“I’ve been driving slower and slower thinking he might catch up and overtake us and he still seems the same distance behind. I can only see him on the long stretches. It’s like he’s hanging back on purpose,” he said.
Kat twisted around again and eventually saw the car before they turned the next curve and lost sight of it. She wondered if maybe Robin was spooking a little too easily.
“Maybe it’s just one of your friends following you.”
“None of my friends have a car like that. It’s a Chevy Cavalier.”
“Meaning?”
“I’ve got a friend with a Jag, and even one with a rebuilt Caddy, but a Cavalier? Get real.”
“Oh, excuse me.” As she started to castigate his reverse snobbishness he veered into a swift left and raced down what couldn’t have been more than an old logging road.
“What are you up to now?” she yelled and grabbed his arm in alarm.
He seemed to realize her fear, but on his part almost relished the chase. He gently shook his arm free and said, “I’ve been spooked for days thinking someone was following me. Now I can know for sure. Only a complete fool would travel on this road. If he’s still behind me, it could only be because he’s tailing.”