by Clea Simon
‘That you are so upset about Mina.’ It was a lame save, but it was the best she could do. In the meantime, she dabbed at her mouth with her own napkin, hoping that would camouflage any obvious embarrassment.
To add to her confusion, he nodded again, and when he looked up, he had tears in his eyes. ‘I just hope I’m wrong about it all. It’s just so terrible.’
Dulcie nodded. It was terrible. Terrible that a young man could get so obsessed about his girlfriend that he would hurt her rather than lose her. Terrible that he would take some connection between their ancestors so seriously. Unless, it occurred to her, the distant connection had just been an excuse. Maybe Mina had wanted to break off from this chubby, awkward man. Maybe she wanted to accept someone else’s attention. Emily had said that Josh was very attached to Mina – not vice versa.
‘Were you trying to get the chart from Emily?’ Dulcie kept her voice soft. She didn’t want to give anything away, but she did want to get at the truth. ‘Is that what happened last night?’
‘What?’ He shook his head. ‘Last night? No. We spoke, remember? I taped Lukos’s talk. There’s another one tonight, right?’
She nodded, remembering what Josh had said. How Josh had assumed his girlfriend wasn’t attracted to the dashing professor. ‘Does Mina hate Renée Showalter, too?’
He shook his head. ‘No, all that connectedness stuff? She loves it. She says she really likes to see the author as a person. I guess that’s not considered a good thing in the English department any more. That’s one of the reasons why she … Why she …’ He buried his face in his hands.
Dulcie had to resist the urge to comfort him. Instead, she waited.
Finally, Josh looked up. ‘It’s been so hard,’ he said. ‘They aren’t allowing visitors. She’s still unconscious, and they say they don’t know if … When …’ He reached for another napkin and blew his nose. ‘But I know Mina. She’s tough. She’s from hardy stock.’ He smiled, as if at a private joke, and Dulcie found herself shrinking back. Everything he said: about fury, about toughness, it all could be interpreted against him. And she’d been about to pet this monster’s hand.
She needed him to say more. To dig himself in deeper. ‘Anyway,’ he was still talking. ‘I wanted to ask if maybe you could help me get those notes. I know Mina would want them to be safe.’
Dulcie was confused. If this was a scheme to enlist her help in destroying the family tree, it was pretty elaborate.
Josh kept talking. ‘I don’t know the details, but there’s something important she’s found. A letter or something – she called it a primary source – about a woman, about her family history. She wanted to get some advice about it. Not from Lukos; you know what she thought of him. But she thought if this other professor, the one speaking tonight, gets the position, she might be more open to helping her with it. Maybe she’d even switch back to English.’
‘Hold on.’ He was getting off track, and Dulcie needed to rein him in. ‘She found out something about herfamily history?’ She paused, letting him reconsider his own words. ‘Or yours?’
Josh shook his head in apparent confusion. ‘I’m not explaining it well,’ he said. ‘It has something to do with blood.’
‘And Emily?’ Dulcie tried to quell the shiver that word – ‘blood’ – sent through her. She had to be strong about this, if she was going to get him to say something – anything – that was real.
‘Oh, Emily doesn’t understand any of it.’ Josh was shaking his head. ‘She just doesn’t get why Mina cares, so I’m hoping to keep this quiet.’
‘Keep it quiet?’ She was close to a confession; she could sense it. But even as she phrased the words, she heard a familiar ring. Her phone. And even as she dug into her bag to turn it off, she caught the looks from her fellow diners. ‘Hang on,’ she opened her bag, hoping to find the offending instrument. When she did, the number of the incoming call reminded her of what she had promised.
It was time for some fast thinking.
‘Detective Rogovoy!’ She looked at Josh as she spoke.
‘No, Dulcie. This is Chris.’ Her boyfriend, on the other end, sounded mildly confused.
‘Detective Rogovoy, how good of you to call.’ She’d explain later. ‘I’m having the most interesting conversation with Josh Blakely at Lala’s Café in the Square, but I was thinking of calling you.’
Just as she suspected, Josh froze, his pink cheeks turning white as he shook his head. ‘No,’ his lips formed the word, silently.
‘Dulcie …’ Chris was talking, but Dulcie had more of her charade to play.
‘You’ll be right down, Detective?’ She wasn’t letting the young man out of her sight. ‘Is that what you said?’
‘Dulcie!’ A little louder this time.
Josh, meanwhile, had gone silent, though she could see him shaking his head and repeating the word: ‘No.’ As she watched, he raised his hands and stood up. She stood too. ‘Not yet,’ he said, and started backing away. She stepped around the table, still holding the phone. For a big man, Josh was moving quickly through the crowded room.
‘Miss? Oh, Miss?’ She turned. The waitron was standing over her table, a peevish look on his face. ‘Did we forget something?’ He was waving her bill, and she reached back into her bag for her wallet.
‘Dulcie Schwartz!’ The voice in her ear startled her as she threw a five on the table. Chris sounded angry. ‘Didn’t you promise me you weren’t going to mess with this? Isn’t that what you promised me just last night?’
‘Yes, but …’ She looked up. Everyone in the café was staring at her. And Josh Blakely was gone.
TWENTY
‘Chris, it’s not what you think.’ Taking her phone out to the sidewalk, Dulcie tried to placate her boyfriend. ‘I’ve been trying to disengage. You see, I had just spoken to Emily.’ She heard him start to interrupt and cut him off. ‘She’s my student, Chris, and I just dropped by to make sure she was okay.’
‘Just dropped by?’ Chris knew her too well. ‘And, what, you couldn’t talk her into going to the cops?’
‘Well, no. And she really should have.’ Dulcie gave up any pretense. ‘But I left it at that. Honest, Chris.’ The silence on the other end of the line reminded her that he didn’t know everything. ‘She did say something that made me wonder about her room-mate’s boyfriend, though. And then I ran into him – I was at Lala’s and he walked in. He sat down at my table, Chris. So I pretended you were the police. And it worked – he took off.’
‘Was he threatening you? Dulcie, this is why I didn’t want you to get involved.’
‘He wasn’t threatening me, per se.’ Dulcie thought back over the brief, strange interaction. ‘He just wanted me to help him with something. I think he wanted me to get something for him out of Emily and Mina’s suite.’
‘Dulcie, I don’t like this.’ In the background, Dulcie could hear an aggrieved ‘mew’. Maybe Esmé was chiming in. More likely, Chris had been distracted from filling her food dish.
‘I don’t either, Chris. I said I wouldn’t do it.’ Pedestrians were weaving around her. ‘And he started to get weird. That’s why I pretended you were Detective Rogovoy.’
That’s when Chris surprised her. ‘Maybe you should really call him,’ he said. ‘I mean, if this guy is dangerous and he thinks you’re talking to the cops, well, Dulcie, I didn’t want you to get in deeper. But maybe you already are.’
‘I don’t know.’ Dulcie heard what Chris was saying with a sinking feeling. She didn’t want this to be happening. Now that their brief, strange conversation was behind her, she found she still couldn’t see Josh as a violent man.
‘Dulce, don’t tell me it’s because you’re still thinking … you know.’ The sidewalk was getting loud, and Chris’s voice trailed off.
‘What?’ Dulcie put her hand up to cover her other ear. ‘Did I miss something?’
‘You know, your other theory? About Thorpe being some kind of, I don’t know …’
‘A were
wolf, Chris?’ A woman stopped at that, which caused the bearded man behind her to plow into her. Dulcie turned to face the wall. ‘Weren’t you trying to convince me there were no werewolves?’ If there were other pedestrian pile-ups behind her, Dulcie didn’t want to see them.
‘Yes …’ Chris sounded tentative. ‘I didn’t know if it had worked, though.’
‘Well, something was odd.’ Dulcie thought of the howls she had heard – and of Thorpe’s disheveled appearance. ‘But the attacks happened over the last two nights, and neither of those were the full moon.’
‘They also weren’t fatal attacks.’ The voice, so soft and yet so close, caused Dulcie to spin around.
‘… thinking rationally.’ Chris had started to respond.
‘What? I’m sorry.’ Dulcie turned back toward the shelter of the wall. ‘It’s noisy out here.’
‘I just said, I’m glad that you’re using your brain, Dulcie. That you’re not letting Lucy get to you.’ Chris paused, and Dulcie knew she was supposed to respond. ‘Dulcie, you’re not are you?’
‘What? No.’ Not Lucy, but that voice …
‘So, maybe you should go talk to Rogovoy? Since you’re involved anyway.’
Unless Josh really was innocent, and someone – or something – else was responsible for the attacks. ‘I don’t know, Chris.’ Dulcie couldn’t tell him what she was thinking. Not yet. ‘Maybe you were right the first time. I should just let it be.’
He didn’t sound happy, but he had let her go, and Dulcie found herself wandering back toward her office, mulling over what she’d learned. Emily had been shaken up. Scared. That was true. But because of that, she might not be the best judge of character right now. And no matter how you sliced it, genealogy wasn’t a likely motive for attempted murder. Was it?
Halfway through the Yard, Dulcie stopped. She’d intended to get back to work. She hadn’t yet entered the strange fragment from this morning’s research into her computer, and tonight she’d be going to hear the second Newman lecture. But maybe, just maybe, this time, work could wait. In truth, she knew little about the initial attack, and none of it first hand. She’d gone to visit Emily this morning. Was there any reason she shouldn’t try to see Mina? Josh hadn’t been able to see her, but that didn’t mean the same prohibition would still apply – or, at any rate, apply to a non-suspect like Dulcie. Maybe the girl would be talking by now, and all of this would be cleared up. At the very least, maybe Dulcie could get some answers. Then she’d be able to concentrate on her own mystery: the puzzle of that tantalizing manuscript.
‘I’m sorry.’ The orderly on duty didn’t look apologetic. ‘What did you say your name was?’
Dulcie had made it up to the fifth floor of the university health services. It didn’t look like she was going to get any further.
‘Dulcie. Dulcie Schwartz.’ She repeated for the third time. ‘I’m Mina Love’s section leader and … a friend.’ If the girl were healthy enough to rebut this, then Dulcie would gladly retreat. ‘I was hoping to visit her.’
The orderly looked at his clipboard. ‘You’re not on the approved list.’
‘There’s a list?’ Dulcie tried to peek, but the blue-clad man held the clipboard to his chest.
‘Family and approved visitors only.’ He glared at her. ‘By order of the university police.’
‘Oh, of course.’ Dulcie hadn’t thought of that. Whoever had attacked Mina once might be looking to finish the job, and if no one person had been officially charged then the police would have to keep everyone away. ‘But maybe you can tell me how she is? I mean, how she’s doing?’ She put on her best winsome smile.
Another scowl told her it wasn’t working. ‘I’ll have to check.’ He backed away. ‘I’m not sure if we’re releasing status updates.’
With that, he walked away, leaving Dulcie to wonder if she should even wait. Within a minute, however, he was back, accompanied by a grey-haired woman in a white coat whose mouth fell open the moment she saw Dulcie.
‘Excuse me, are you—?’ Whatever the woman was about to ask Dulcie was interrupted by the orderly, who grabbed her arm and whispered in her ear. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said after he was done. ‘I didn’t know you weren’t family. I’m afraid we’re keeping aspects of this case confidential.’ Her smile softened the words, but Dulcie still felt frustrated.
‘Can you tell me how she’s doing?’ She bit her lip, unsure of how to ask. ‘If she’s going to … you know …’
‘We’re doing everything we can for her.’ Another smile, this one a little sad. ‘And she’s a strong young woman. I’m afraid at this point, we all have to wait.’
Dulcie nodded. ‘Thanks.’ She turned to go when the doctor called to her.
‘Wait.’ Dulcie turned back. ‘You’re a friend?’ she asked.
‘Well, she’s one of my students.’ Something about the doctor compelled honesty.
The doctor nodded, as if confirming something to herself. ‘May I give you a bit of advice?’ Her voice was warm and soft, and Dulcie nodded. ‘Please take care of yourself. Someone hurt this young woman, very badly, and he – or she – is still out there. If he sees you, well … he might get the wrong idea and come after you, too.’
TWENTY-ONE
Great. Just great. Dulcie was trembling a bit as she headed back toward the Square, despite her efforts to dismiss this latest pronouncement. It wasn’t like the doctor had said anything new; Rogovoy had already told her that she looked like Mina Love. But to hear it from another person, a stranger, made it more real. Of course, she had had the resemblance confirmed by Josh – the way he had done a double take when he’d first seen her …
She stopped in her tracks. Could that be why Josh had approached her at Lala’s? Was he following her? Obsessing about her, in Mina’s absence?
Dulcie started walking again, a little faster. If he was fixated on her, he’d done a good job of hiding it. The young man who had sat at her lunch table had seemed utterly focused on his girlfriend. Then again, if Josh had attacked Mina, and if Emily’s chart was why, then he might do anything to get his hands on it. But why approach her? Did Josh know that she had just visited Emily? Maybe he’d been watching the room-mate’s entrance. Maybe it hadn’t been a coincidence that he’d wandered into Lala’s right after she did. He’d said that he’d been glad he found her; he didn’t say whether or not he’d been stalking her.
Suddenly, the idea of descending into her lonely basement office lost its appeal. There was a security gate in place, but anybody with a valid student ID could get in. And if Lloyd weren’t there, she’d be alone.
Maybe this would be a good time to make use of her privileges at the departmental office. She could undoubtedly find a corner to work in. At the very least, Nancy would be there, and her presence was always comforting.
But the departmental secretary wasn’t her usual self when Dulcie greeted her. Instead of calmly making one of the endless pots of coffee that the grad students relied upon her for – or even sitting tranquil and a little resigned behind her desk behind
reams of paper – the stout secretary was hurrying to and fro, moving chairs and looking rather as if she had lost something important.
‘Nancy, what’s up?’ Dulcie dropped her bag by the stairwell and rushed over to the older woman. ‘May I help?’
‘What?’ Nancy looked at her over her half-glasses. ‘That chair, dear. Do you think it needs a pillow?’
‘The chair?’ The furnishings of the small student lounge were of an age that made Dulcie wonder if they had ever been comfortable. They were, however, the same as they’d always been. ‘Why? Do we have new pillows?’
‘No, no.’ Nancy looked despondent. ‘No, we don’t.’
‘Nancy?’ Dulcie stepped in front of her and took her hands. ‘Why don’t you have a seat?’
She led the secretary over to the threadbare couch and sat down next to her. ‘What,’ Dulcie asked, once it was apparent that no explanation would be volunteered, ‘is bother
ing you?’
‘I don’t like to say.’ Nancy’s voice had dropped to a whisper.
Dulcie took her hands again. ‘Nancy?’
‘It’s Mr Thorpe,’ she said, finally, in a near whisper. ‘He’s very upset.’
‘With you?’ Dulcie started to rise. Thorpe might yell at her. After all, he was her adviser. But Nancy Shelby was not only the highly efficient hub of the department, she served as its den mother as well – supplying endless caffeine and sympathy. ‘Thorpe has no right …’
‘No, no, please. Sit down.’ Only Nancy’s agitation caused Dulcie to settle back onto the sofa. Her face, however, must have revealed her intent. ‘It’s not his fault. It’s the whole situation.’ She looked around as if the acting chief might have appeared in the last moment. ‘The Newman lectures.’ She was whispering now. ‘I’ve been trying to set up, and yet not bother him. And the place is a mess. And he’s been, well, agitated all day, and it’s only getting worse.’
‘He’s here?’ Dulcie started to rise again; only this time Nancy grabbed her arm and pulled her down.
‘Don’t go up there.’ Her whisper had an urgency to it, and Dulcie thought she heard the edge of fear. ‘He’s gone wild, Dulcie. I swear; he was really quite brusque.’
‘He has no right.’ Dulcie repeated. She felt protective of Nancy. All the grad students did, but there was something else nibbling at her consciousness. Something Nancy had said. ‘So, what? He’s barricaded himself in his office?’
Nancy nodded, a little too eagerly, Dulcie thought. ‘He said he is not to be disturbed, at any cost. And that he might be there all night.’ She sighed, some of the tension coming off her. ‘I guess he really doesn’t want to hear about the lecture. But we’ve got the reception afterward, too, and I really don’t know what to do.’
‘Keep everyone downstairs, I guess.’ What was it? ‘Though I don’t know how you’ll do that. If tonight is anything like last night, you’ll have your hands full.’