Extra! Extra! Dead All About It

by Amanda M. Lee

  That hadn’t occurred to me. “So your students are spread out at various campaign headquarters, huh? It’s not just the county commissioner race in Macomb?”

  “I almost didn’t send any of them to the county commission race because I didn’t think it was a big deal,” Schultz explained. “I live in Oakland County, so I wasn’t initially up on the intrigue the race might garner. Then I read a few articles – most of which you wrote, mind you – and I realized that the race could turn into a circus.”

  “Did you send students to every candidate?”

  “No. I sent students to the top four candidates. It was two students to each candidate, so a total of eight students.”

  “Were there any arguments about who would end up with which candidate?”

  “Yes.”

  His honesty surprised me. “I thought you’d deny that.”

  “I don’t see the point,” Schultz said. “We put the candidates’ names in a hat and the students drew them. They couldn’t trade – I wouldn’t allow that because it became a nightmare the one and only year I allowed trades – and they were stuck with the name they picked.”

  I licked my lips as I debated how far to push things. “Tad Ludington doesn’t exactly have a stellar reputation in the county.”

  “No, he doesn’t.”

  “Were you worried about sending students to work for him?”

  “No. I knew about his reputation, of course. He’s not well liked in any circle that I can find. He’s hated in most of Macomb County’s levels of government. Still, I thought it would be a good learning experience for my students.”

  “Even though he’s an idiot?”

  Schultz chuckled. “Because he has a reputation for being difficult, I thought it was important for my students to at least learn what it was like when things didn’t go their way. I knew the students who ended up with Mr. Ludington wouldn’t have an easy time of it. Of course, I never thought one of them would end up dead.”

  “Well, one of them did.”

  Schultz rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “I’m not sure what to say about all of this. Terry was a good student. He kept to himself and never made waves. I am devastated by his death, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to say to you about it. I didn’t know him all that well.”

  “That’s okay. I’m basically looking for insight. How often did the students check in with you?”

  “Never.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “Never?”

  “Not unless they had a problem and they thought I could help. This was something of an independent study course. They weren’t graded. It was a pass-or-fail situation. They’re to turn a paper in the Friday after the election and … that’s it.”

  Hmm. I wish college had been like that when I was a student. That pass-or-fail thing sounded nifty. “Did Terry ever contact you with any problems?”

  “No, he did not.”

  I found it interesting that Schultz didn’t mention Honor. I was in a predicament because I promised not to rat her out … and I intended to keep that promise. I also wanted more information. “What about the other candidates?”

  “I can’t give you dirt on the other candidates. I believe you know that.”

  “I do,” I confirmed. “That’s not what I was asking. Did the other students fare better than the ones under Tad?”

  “I’m not sure I understand what you mean,” Schultz hedged.

  “I’m going to guess the other candidates were more professional than Tad.” I decided to push things as far as I could. “The thing is, I know him. I know him much more personally than I like. He’s a complete and total douche nozzle … and I mean that in the most insulting way possible.”

  “I’m not sure there’s a non-insulting version of that term.”

  “There probably is, but I don’t have time to think about it. The thing is, because I know him I have an idea how things went down in that office. Tad is the sort of guy who likes looking at women but thinks only men have the answers he’s looking for. I’m guessing there was something of a sexual gap under his reign.”

  “I can’t comment either way on that.” Schultz kept his face impassive. “I was not present for any of the discussions between Mr. Ludington and his volunteers.”

  Oh, this guy was good. I freaking hated that. “You’re not going to admit that Tad was mistreating his aides, are you?”

  “I don’t know that he was. I can’t prove something when I have nothing to back up certain claims.”

  “Ha!” I extended a finger, internally crowing when Schultz jolted at my increase in volume. “You just admitted there were claims.”

  “I did nothing of the sort,” Schultz protested.

  “Oh, but you did. Don’t worry about it, though. I have other sources when it comes to that stuff. I’m simply here because I need to know if Terry Brucker ever voiced concern about his relationship with Tad.”

  “Terry was not a complainer. He was a good student and he worked hard to make sure everybody liked him. I was secretly glad when he got Mr. Ludington’s name, because Terry is a people pleaser. I figured he had the sort of personality that would serve him well if the rumors about Mr. Ludington were true.”

  “And he didn’t confirm any of those rumors for you?”

  “He did not.”

  That figured. “Well, I guess I was hoping for too much when I came here. I thought for sure you would want to stand up for your student in death.”

  Instead of being abashed, Schultz shot me a dark look. “That won’t work on me. I know how you operate, and I won’t let you enrage me to get what you want. I’m sorry that I can’t give you what you came for, but I really have nothing to share.”

  I didn’t believe that. Schultz knew more than he was saying. How much more was the question. Still, we were done for today.

  I pushed myself to a standing position and offered a challenging smile. “Thank you for your help.”

  “That’s it?” Schultz didn’t bother hiding his surprise. “I thought for sure you’d grill me a bit longer.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that. This is only my first visit. Things get rougher as they progress.”

  “That is something I never thought I’d hear from you … or any reporter, for that matter. It’s mildly frightening.”

  “You have no idea.”

  12 Twelve

  “And then they had the audacity to say I was being a baby and that I wanted special treatment,” I spewed an hour later as I paced in front of Eliot’s store counter. “Can you believe that?”

  “I honestly can’t believe this conversation has been going on for ten minutes,” Eliot admitted.

  I planted my hands on my hips and glared at him. “I’m talking here.”

  “Like anyone could miss that,” Fawn muttered as she dusted shelves in the far corner of the store.

  I ignored her and remained focused on Eliot. “Hey, I came here for sympathy. If you’re not going to give it, I’ll find someone who will.”

  Eliot’s expression reflected amusement. “And who would that be?”

  “I don’t know, but I’ll find someone. People are attracted to me left and right … and up and down … and over and under … and close and yonder … and everywhere.”

  Eliot grinned. “Close and yonder, huh? It sounds as if you’ve already had a busy day.”

  He had no idea. “The political science professor at Oakland University was one step away from jumping me he was so excited when I walked into his office.”

  Eliot’s smile slipped. “What do you mean by that?”

  “I mean that he almost swooned when he realized who I was.” That was a bit of a stretch, but a little jealousy never hurt anyone – except maybe a few random killers, but they’re the exception rather than the rule – and I was desperately in need of some ego stroking. “Little hearts popped out of his eyes and everything.”

  Eliot stared at me for a long moment. “I’m going to need more information.”

/>   Uh-oh. He sounded serious. I wasn’t expecting that. “Well, for starters, when I walked into his office and said my name, he knew exactly who I was.”

  “Why? Is he tied to Ludington? Does he want to hurt you?”

  Oh, good grief. And here I thought he was going to be jealous or something. All he cared about was my safety. That was getting so old. “No. He said that my name pops up in news stories all the time and he actually uses me as a teaching aid for his students so they know what a good reporter looks like.”

  Eliot’s shoulders relaxed as his smile returned. “I see. I’m not sure what to make of that.”

  “I wasn’t sure what to make of it either. He seems to think I’m funny, yet he won’t dish dirt on his students and their relationships with the politicians they’re volunteering with.”

  “Sounds like an ethical sort of guy.”

  I fixed him with a dark look. “If I wanted ethical people to interview I’d hit a convent. He’s in politics. He’s supposed to be slimy and weasily.”

  “Good point.” Eliot moved the stack of receipts he was tallying to a money bag. “What’s your next plan?”

  “Well, I was going to spend another five minutes complaining about how Jake and Derrick screwed me, but you’ve apparently lost all interest in that conversation.”

  “I don’t believe they screwed you … and I’ve now listened to you tell the same story twice.”

  My eyebrows flew up my forehead. “Excuse me?”

  Eliot didn’t back down. “You heard me. It’s not as if they lied or caused you to miss deadline. They simply followed their own internal rules and announced the cause of death at a conference rather than giving you a heads-up before everyone else. That’s hardly screwing you.”

  Oh, well, my day kept getting worse. “So … you’re taking their side. That’s what you’re saying, right?”

  Eliot recognized the danger he was in when it was too late to opt for a different course. “That is not what I said in the least.”

  “Oh, that’s what you said.”

  Fawn croaked an annoying laugh in the corner, clearly amused by the turn of events.

  “Avery, I didn’t say I was on their side,” Eliot argued. “If I was on their side, would I have spent the last ten minutes listening to you complain about them? The answer is no. I wouldn’t have done that. I’m always on your side.”

  I wasn’t in the mood to listen to lies. “Yeah, right. I forgot.” I took a step away from the counter. “It’s after one. The friendly crew is probably back at their desks in the clerk’s office. I need to get going.”

  Eliot’s expression was dour when I forced a tight-lipped smile. “Don’t turn this into a thing,” he warned. “I did not say I was on their side.”

  “No, you merely argued their side.” I shuffled toward the door. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

  “You’ll definitely see me later because we live together,” Eliot shot back. “In fact … text me before you leave the office tonight. We have family dinner at the restaurant and I think we should ride together.”

  That sounded like pure torture. “I’ll text you later.” I averted my gaze. “I have things to do this afternoon. I might not be able to make family dinner.” That was mostly wishful thinking, but I was fine with that.

  “Avery, don’t even think about ditching me with those people tonight,” Eliot warned.

  “Those people are my family.”

  “And you don’t like them half of the time, so don’t get all whiny.” Eliot rested his hands on the countertop. “I’m sorry if you’re upset … .”

  “Oh, I’m not upset.” I narrowed my eyes. “I should’ve known that you would take Jake and Derrick’s side. That’s how men operate, right? They’re always right and women are always wrong.”

  Eliot was flustered. “How did this turn into men versus women?”

  “You know.”

  “I don’t.”

  “You do.”

  “I don’t.”

  “I know,” Fawn offered, shooting her hand into the air. “She turned it into a men-versus-women thing because she’s difficult to deal with and isn’t happy unless she makes everyone around her miserable.”

  Instead of being angry, I snorted. “That sounds exactly right.”

  Eliot pursed his lips, frustration practically rolling off him. “I won’t allow you to turn this into a fight.”

  I stilled with my hand on the door. “It’s probably already too late for that.”

  “Don’t you even think about skipping dinner, Avery. I will track you down if you try.”

  “Thank you for the warning.”

  THE DEPUTY CLERK behind the desk when I arrived was both helpful and unhelpful. She had to check with her boss, Mary Winters, before agreeing to help me with my rather difficult task.

  “I can’t match the document for you – that sounds like way too much work – but you can do it yourself.”

  Katrina Witherspoon (that’s what the nameplate on her desk read) looked bored and annoyed by my presence. I was already in a bad mood, so that wasn’t exactly what I’d call a winning combination.

  “Are you supposed to do this for me if I ask?” It wasn’t a “gotcha” question. I really didn’t know if it was part of her job description.

  Katrina made a face that was part haughty smile and part “go away or I’ll call security.” I instantly knew I was about to be disappointed. “I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” I rolled my neck and momentarily stared at the ceiling. “You’re saying all the campaign finance documents for each candidate are not only filed with the clerk’s office but also scanned and put on the web, right?”

  “They are. That’s part of campaign finance law.”

  “But there’s no way to search the records, so I have to go through each page individually.”

  “Correct.”

  That sounded like a lot of work. “Well … great. Thank you so much for your time.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Katrina went back to staring at her computer. I had a feeling she was playing solitaire or something, but I didn’t press her on it when I turned away from the desk.

  I was so lost in thought – the mere idea of wading through thousands of campaign records causing my stomach to threaten revolt – that I didn’t notice the man behind me until I was already crashing into him.

  “I’m so sorry,” I offered, struggling to maintain my footing. “I didn’t see you.”

  “You should be careful,” the man said. “You could be seriously hurt if you don’t watch where you’re going.”

  It took me a moment to recognize the voice, and when I jerked up my head and gave the man my full attention it took everything I had not to sneer. “Mr. Aiken.” I kept my voice even as I allowed my gaze to roam his expensive suit. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  “I have to drop off some documentation before the election,” Aiken supplied, his expression placid. “It’s Friday and the election is Tuesday. I figure I’ll be busy Monday, so it needed to be done today.”

  I lost interest in his answer two seconds in, but kept that tidbit to myself. “Well, it sounds like you have everything figured out.”

  “Yes. I’m a planner.”

  We awkwardly stared at each other for several beats.

  “Well, I should probably be going.” I moved to leave, but Aiken stilled me with a hand on my arm. The gesture was friendly, almost intimate, and it made my skin crawl, so I stared at his fingers until he removed them.

  “Ms. Shaw, I wonder if I might have a few moments of your time.” Aiken almost looked pained to make the request. “I believe we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot and I would like to remedy that.”

  As uncomfortable as Aiken made me – and the itchiness I felt in my armpits was profound when he was around – I couldn’t pass an opportunity like this. “Sure.” I pointed toward the side door and the tables resting in the shade on the other side. “How
about we head that way? We can have some privacy out there.”

  Aiken nodded curtly. “Absolutely.”

  I picked a strategic spot, one where I could have my back to the stone wall and my eyes on the street, and settled. Aiken was clearly as uncomfortable as I felt as he sat across from me, but he did his best to appear charming. It was a wasted effort where I was concerned, but he expended the energy all the same.

  “So, how have you been?”

  The question caught me off guard. “Busy,” I replied. “The festival eats up a lot of my time. I’m covering Terry Brucker’s death. I also have to focus on the election this weekend.”

  “Oh, you’re covering the election?” Aiken’s expression reflected mild surprise, but there was something else floating along the surface, something I couldn’t identify and he shuttered quickly.

  “I am. My editor cut me loose from the human interest train and told me to dig up whatever I can on every candidate. I’m really looking forward to digging.”

  Aiken’s forced smile was more of a grimace. “I see. I didn’t realize you were so interested in the county commission race.”

  “Oh, I’m interested in anything that causes upheaval. A special election for the county board that could tilt control between parties is definitely something that interests me.”

  “And are you rooting for the Democrats or Republicans to take control?”

  “I don’t care about that.”

  “What do you care about?”

  “The fighting that will occur once the election is over,” I answered honestly. “You see, if the Republicans retain control it will be interesting because the Democrats came so close and they’ll be bitter. They’ll be obstructionists, and that’s always entertaining.

  “If the Democrats win, then all the Republicans will lose their precious individual board chairmanships, and that will make them bitter and turn them into obstructionists,” I continued. “It’s bound to be entertaining on all accounts.”

  “I would never have considered in-fighting entertaining, but I’ll take your word for it,” Aiken said dryly. “Still, this is only the primary. We won’t know if there will be a shift in power until the general election in November.”