Sweet Dreams Boxed Set

by Brenda Novak

  Both Baldwin and Taylor were starting to get the idea that Susan may have felt more than “like” for Jill Gates, but neither of them pushed the issue.

  Baldwin continued trying to draw a mental picture of Jill. “So what did you guys talk about when you hung out? Class? Professors? Anything you can think of would be helpful.”

  Susan teared up. “I don’t know anything else. Do you think Jill is dead? All of us were in class together with Dr. Lucas. And Shelby and Jordan are dead. Am I next?”

  Sixty-Three

  Taylor’s heart was galloping in her chest. They needed to wrap this up and go investigate who the hell Gabriel Lucas was.

  “Susan,” she said soothingly, setting a hand on the girl’s pudgy arm. “I’m sure you’re fine. But we need to get an idea of what Jill was like, to see if there’s anything we need to look into. Did she ever go off like this before, without telling anyone where she was headed?”

  “Well, sure, every weekend. She said she had a boyfriend down at Sewanee, and they met there every Friday afternoon, and she stayed until late Sunday night.”

  “Did anyone else know about this?”

  “No, she swore me to secrecy. She really didn’t talk to anyone else about her personal life, you know?” Susan’s chest had puffed with a small sense of pride, and Taylor felt for the girl. The secret keeper always was made to feel like the most important person in a woman’s life, especially if the person was a shade too nerdy and harboring some more than friendly feelings toward her friend. Women could be used that way, and it was starting to look like Jill Gates had been taking advantage of Susan’s affections from the beginning. She realized Susan was still talking.

  “…Jill was kind of intense, you know? Like when you’re talking to her, she like, leans into you, like she really cares about what you’re saying. There was this time…” Susan reddened, and both of them could understand completely her embarrassment.

  “It’s okay Susan. I think I’m starting to understand how you felt about Jill.” Taylor handed the girl a tissue. She accepted it gratefully and hid behind it for a moment.

  “Yeah, well, she wasn’t into me like that, but I didn’t mind. I think she knew, but she was good enough never to mention it, you know. Like she didn’t hold it against me or anything.” Susan’s voice had gotten bitter, but she smiled and went back to her story.

  “I don’t really know how to explain it. She was so intense, so interested that sometimes it was a little creepy, you know? Like she wanted to turn my mind inside out. She just looks right into you. And I told her things I’d never admit to anyone. Dreams, feelings. Not about how I felt for her, but about dealing with life feeling different. And she understood so much. I know she’d never felt like she didn’t fit in, but she made me feel like she understood it completely. So I poured out my deepest darkest secrets, my biggest fears, like about my parents finding out I’m not their perfect little girl. And she understood, you know, she really understood. I know she really cared about me in her own way.”

  “Susan, think carefully. Was she like that with anyone else?” Baldwin was starting to get the picture.

  “Well, she was like that with a lot of people. I guess I’d like to think that she was special friends with me alone, but she was, you know, kinda intense with a lot of people.”

  “Was she intense with Shelby Kincaid or Jordan Blake?”

  “No, not Shelby. She was a little mouse. But she did hang out with Jordan, partied with her some. They went their own way after a while. Jordan got picked up by Tri-Delt, and Jill just wasn’t into the sorority scene. Me, neither.”

  Taylor gave the girl’s hand a quick squeeze. “Susan, you’ve been a huge help. Thank you so much for your time and for being so honest with us.” They stood to leave. Susan looked back.

  “Will you let me know if you find Jill? I just want to make sure she’s okay, you know?”

  Baldwin gave her a long look. “We’ll do our best.”

  She smiled sadly and hoisted her backpack on her shoulder, half waved goodbye, and wandered off toward the food court.

  Taylor and Baldwin sat back down.

  Taylor spoke first. “What do you think?”

  Baldwin was running his hands through his hair. “I don’t know. There’s definitely a link with all the girls through this Gabriel Lucas character. Mary Margaret audited the same Classics class Susan was talking about. But Lucas isn’t on our list, right?”

  Taylor was already dialing Fitz’s cell. He picked up quickly.

  “Hey, it’s me. I need you to check a name for me. Gabriel Lucas.” She was quiet for a moment, listening. “Okay. Find him. We’ll check it out.”

  She hung up and pulled out a cigarette. Baldwin gave her a look that she waved off. She lit it and stared off into space, coughing a little.

  Baldwin was getting impatient. “Well?”

  “Gabriel Lucas wasn’t on their list because he’s taking a sabbatical this semester. He’s taken some time off to write a book of his experiences with the Greco-Roman culture.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  Taylor took another drag, then squashed the butt under her shoe. She raised an eyebrow at him.

  “An expertise in Greco-Roman culture fits our profile about a person intimately familiar with the ancient customs.”

  “It sure does. The way Susan talked about him, and the connection he had with Jill…we need to find this guy and have a nice long talk with him. Fitz is tracking him down. Also, Sam called in to tell us there was aconite in the teacups found at the church. Definitely the same killer, Baldwin.”

  Baldwin’s mind was spinning. Shelby, date raped. Jordan, pregnant with another man’s child. Jill, at least seven months gone and having a secret affair. So where did Mary Margaret, the priest and Mona Lisa fit in to all of this? He didn’t know the answer, only knew they had to find Jill.

  Sixty-Four

  Their interviews with Professors Lear and Professor James had yielded nothing. Professor Lear was physically incapable of committing the crimes. A paraplegic since birth, his wheelchair would have made it difficult to manage the stairs at the Parthenon at the very least. Though he did remember all of the students, he couldn’t say he knew anything about them outside of his classes.

  Their interview with Professor James hadn’t gone any better. Though young and physically fit, he was openly gay. Much to Taylor’s amusement, he had flirted his way through the entire interview, going so far as to ask Baldwin for his phone number, which Baldwin genially declined.

  They asked both men about Gabriel Lucas. Lewis had nothing but kind words for the man. James, on the other hand, made his dislike clear, but couldn’t give any solid reasons for it. Taylor assumed he’d been turned down and was harboring a grudge.

  Taylor and Baldwin sat on the grass under a huge oak tree and talked it through. Either man could have hired a killer, but that scenario didn’t make sense. Baldwin was sure their suspect was on a personal quest; the murders were too intricately woven, too symbolic to have been committed on contract. Between Professor Lear’s infirmities and Professor James’ sexual orientation, neither man fit into what Baldwin was looking for in their suspects. Taylor’s cell rang. She clicked it on, hoping it was the man who had just hung up. But it was Fitz, eager to share their latest discovery.

  “Taylor, we just ran back through Mary Margaret’s records. Two of the classes she audited were taught by…ready for it? One Professor Gabriel Lucas.”

  Her heart was pounding. “Excellent. This has to be our guy. But where the hell is he?”

  “I’m looking. Got one more little morsel for you. Our priest, Father Xavier? The rector at St. Catherine’s called. Didn’t know if it would help the investigation at all, but since it was related to Vanderbilt, he thought we should know that Father X conducted the community breakfast there last month.”

  “There’s our last link. We’re on it. Thanks, Fitz!”

  She gave Baldwin a huge smile, her teeth flashing in
the sunlight. “Check this out…”

  Taylor and Baldwin barged into the office of Vanderbilt’s Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. His secretary hedged when they walked in the door, telling them that the dean was out of the office on business, but she didn’t know exactly where he was. She was trying to talk them into an appointment much later in the afternoon when the dean walked through the door. He had two men with him, both dressed elegantly and wearing grimaces on their faces. Taylor could tell they were simply being polite while he jovially tried to amuse them. He stopped short when he saw Taylor and Baldwin.

  Taylor stuck out her hand. “Dean Royce? Lieutenant Taylor Jackson and Dr. John Baldwin. We need to speak to you about—”

  He cut her off. “Oh yes, my dear, I know all about it. If you would give me a minute here.” He addressed his secretary. “Janet, please see Ms. Jackson and Mr. Baldwin into my office and get them something to drink. I won’t be a moment.”

  He turned and put his arms around the shoulders of his reluctant companions. “Gentlemen, I can’t tell you how much we appreciate all you’ve done for Vanderbilt. I’ll be in touch as soon as I can. If there’s …”

  Taylor lost the conversation as the men entered his office.

  He came through the door a moment later, mopping his brow with a handkerchief. Taylor had taken an instant dislike to the man. He was all smiles and handshakes. He politely offered to pour the tea, prattling about the overwhelming support the college was receiving from their donors, segueing into his distress over the fate of his students. But Taylor read the look in his eyes as he got himself settled behind his desk. He was not happy to see them. Homicide detectives and FBI agents combing his campus for murder suspects was not good publicity for the school.

  Taylor started fidgeting in her chair, trying to find a good place to interrupt. Baldwin wasn’t as polite.

  “Dean Royce, please. We need to speak with you about one of your professors. What can you tell us about Gabriel Lucas?”

  “Gabriel? Great man. Entirely devoted to the school. Came to us several years ago from New Mexico, I believe. He’d finished his doctorate in Ancient and Modern Hellenistic and Greco-Roman Cultures. Had a stunning dissertation on Plato, argued that Plato’s philosophy was the first divine revelation. Made an excellent case for Hellenistic philosophy as the basis for the Bible. Absolutely amazing work. I read all the dissertations of our professors personally, you know,” he puffed. “Something of a hobby for me, that’s why I remember it so well. We grabbed him up as soon as we talked with him. Took him after the first interview. Brilliant man, Gabriel, simply brilliant. Why, he was—”

  Baldwin cut him off again. “We understand he’s taking a sabbatical this semester?”

  The Dean sat back in his chair for a moment. “Certainly you don’t think he had anything to do with these murders? That’s preposterous. Gabriel is a gentle soul. And I know how much he loves his students.”

  Taylor raised an eyebrow at him. “Any students that he loved in particular?”

  Royce started sputtering. “Ms. Jackson…”

  “You can call me Lieutenant, Dean Royce.”

  He flushed and took a deep breath. “Lieutenant. Vanderbilt University holds its students and faculty to the highest standards of conduct. Dating a student here isn’t simply frowned upon; it is grounds for dismissal. So to answer your little insinuation, no. Gabriel was not involved with any of his students. It simply wouldn’t be allowed.”

  Baldwin smiled. “You’ve never seen anyone break the rules, Dean? I mean really, in this day and age? A bright young professor, whom we’ve heard was quite handsome, wouldn’t have any social contact with any of his female students?”

  “No, Mr. Baldwin, he wouldn’t. Especially not in the past months.”

  “Oh? Why’s that?”

  “Because Gabriel is ill. Very ill. He’s taken the semester to…recuperate.”

  Sixty-Five

  Taylor stood and went to his window. “Dean Royce, we talked with two of your Professors, Edward Lear and Barry James, from the Classics department. They weren’t aware Professor Lucas had any physical problems. They were under the impression that he was taking a sabbatical to work on a book.”

  “No, they wouldn’t know the whole story. Gabriel and I decided to keep it from as many people as we could. It was such a shattering blow to him, and he wanted time to sort things out. Such a shame. Incredibly bright man. Though he was starting to act a little erratic. He’d had a revelation, he said. Kept talking about the revelation that was changing his life. Wouldn’t tell me what it was though. I told him to write it down. You know how it is, publish or perish,” he chortled. “That’s why we decided it was best for him to simply take a sabbatical. Didn’t want the students to see him that way, see him acting different, if you know what I mean.”

  Baldwin was getting a little fed up by the Dean’s dance. “Dean, what exactly is the nature of Professor Lucas’ illness?”

  “Really, officers, you can’t think that Gabriel is involved in theses crimes in any way.” He started to get out of his chair, but Taylor snapped at him.

  “Sit down. Of course we can. We know that Jill Gates, Jordan Blake and Shelby Kincaid all took his classes. We know that Mary Margaret de Rossi audited two of his classes. That’s four of our victims that Professor Lucas was at the very least familiar with. That’s a lot for us to go on right there. So I suggest you start cooperating before I haul your ass in to the station and charge you with obstruction of justice. Now, what is wrong with Lucas?”

  “Fine. He has cancer. Brain cancer. A tumor of some sort. He took the semester off to have it treated. Are you happy now? I’ve broken the confidence of a man who begged me to make sure no one at the school found out about his condition. Thank you for teaching me how to compromise my morals. I’ve told you all I can. Now, I think you should leave.”

  Taylor ignored him. “Have you spoken with him lately?”

  The dean was red in the face and looked close to blowing a gasket. “No, I haven’t spoken with him in about a month. He came to the monthly community breakfast. He told me he would be out of touch for a while, and was talking about having a new experience. I just assumed it was a medical advancement that he couldn’t receive here in town and he was seeking treatment elsewhere. We only spoke for a few minutes. The speaker started moments after we greeted each other, and after the presentation he was gone.”

  “Would that speaker have been Father Francis Xavier from St. Catherine’s Church?”

  The Dean face crumpled. He put his face in his hands, and all the defensiveness left his body. “Oh, my God. It can’t be. He couldn’t have done any of this. It has to be a coincidence.”

  Baldwin spoke quietly. “There are no coincidences, Dean Royce. We need to speak with Professor Lucas. Can you get us his address and phone number?”

  “Janet!” he bellowed. The diminutive woman came scurrying into the office. “Janet, I need you to give the detectives Professor Lucas’ address.”

  Janet was obviously a little afraid of her boss and squeaked her answer like a mouse. “I’m sure I have it around here somewhere. I think he moved recently. I’ll probably have to call down to records, and Melinda is out sick today, so there’s only a student working the desk. It may take a little while.”

  “Ma’am, go on down to records yourself and pull the address for me.” Taylor handed her a card. “The minute you have it, I want you to call me on my cell phone. Do you understand?”

  The woman nodded and started to bustle away. Taylor grabbed her arm. “Hold on a second. Do you have any pictures of Professor Lucas?”

  “Well, of course, dear. We have the annuals right here.” She motioned to the bookshelf behind her boss. Taylor went to the bookshelf and pulled the most recent annual. She looked in the back for Lucas’s name, found he was pictured on several pages. She started flipping through until she found one of him alone.

  Taylor had to admit he was a handsome man. Square
jaw, heavy silver hair, green eyes, full mouth, three days of stubble. A rebel-without-a-cause attitude spilling from his smile. She could see why some of the girls would want to take his classes.

  Baldwin turned back to the Dean. “Mr. Royce, do you happen to know which doctor was treating the professor?”

  The dean had gathered himself and was a little more willing to cooperate.

  “Surely, surely. A doctor named Hoyt, I believe. Steven Hoyt, over at Vanderbilt. Great man, loves the college. Did his undergrad here, I believe. Before my time, though.”

  She stood and stuck out her hand. “Thank you so much for your time. Can I take this with me?” She pointed to the annual.

  “Of course, of course, anything I can do to help, just give me a call. Though I’m sure you’ll find our poor professor has had nothing to do with all this tragedy. At Vanderbilt…I’m sure you understand that we cannot be held responsible for any actions any of our students or faculty take outside of campus. We’re terribly upset by these deaths and want to cooperate however we can.” Taylor rolled her eyes at his spin as he saw them to the door, then shut it behind him.

  Taylor and Baldwin made their way back to the car. Taylor lit a cigarette, a grimace on her face.

  “Smarmy old dope. He gave me the creeps.”

  Baldwin started laughing. “Gave you the creeps, huh? He wasn’t the friendliest person I’ve ever met.”

  “Ick. Didn’t you love his quick CYA? Always gotta cover your ass.” She picked up her phone and called in to the office. “Hey, it’s me. Is Lincoln there?” She waited a moment. “Link, I need you to do your magic. Get a number and address on Gabriel Lucas…Right…Cool. Let me talk to Marcus…Hey, puppy, how ya holdin’ up…Oh, you poor baby. Do me a favor. Get on the phone with a doctor named Steven Hoyt. He’ll be with the oncology unit at Vanderbilt. We need all the records he has regarding treatment of Gabriel Lucas. Brain cancer. See if he has anything we can use for DNA. Yeah, we have a live one. Thanks.” She hung up and lit another cigarette.