Mountain Peril

by Sandra Robbins

  SEVEN

  Danielle looked down at the steak on her plate, laid her fork aside and glanced at the customers in the restaurant. Soft conversation drifted from the young couple seated next to them. She smiled at the looks the two directed at each other. You could always tell when two people were in love—they seemed more interested in each other than the food.

  Across the table Nathan pointed to her plate. “Aren’t you hungry, Danielle?”

  She sighed. “I suppose I got too interested in studying the customers. I love this restaurant, Nathan. Thanks for bringing me here tonight.”

  He pushed his plate back and leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “I should be thanking you. It’s been a nerve-racking week, and I couldn’t stand to think about eating alone tonight. Thanks for joining me.”

  In the three years since she’d been back at Webster, she and Nathan had often gone to dinner. Usually they discussed school business, but when he’d asked her today, the sad expression on his face told her he needed company. She’d agreed to dinner in the hopes of helping a friend.

  In her heart, though, she knew there was another reason. One she couldn’t understand. She missed Jack Denton, but in the week since their conversation in Tricia’s room he’d made no effort to contact her. Now she sat with another man who’d been her friend for years.

  She reached across the table and covered Nathan’s hand with hers. “I know it was difficult, but you did a great job of addressing the student body and faculty when we resumed classes on Monday. Your words comforted all of us and got everybody back on course.”

  He smiled. “I hope so. I didn’t know if I could hold up. This horrible situation is a nightmare.”

  Danielle nodded. “I know. I’m sorry it’s presented you with so many problems. I’m here to help you any way I can.”

  He smiled, but sadness showed in his eyes. “Maybe tonight has helped you, too. You’ve stayed to yourself too much since you’ve been back, Danielle. You need to get out more. You have to face Stan’s death and get on with your life.”

  Jack’s face flashed into her mind, but she pushed it away. She drew her hand back and picked up her coffee cup. “I don’t suppose I’ll be getting out much until after Christmas. The fundraiser is going to take up most of my time.”

  “I know. I really appreciate you taking that job.” He smiled. “You know I’ve always told you that you do a better job than any previous Dean of Students we’ve ever had.”

  Danielle laughed and waved her hand in dismissal. “No need to butter me up now. I’ve already agreed to help with the fundraiser.”

  The waitress stepped up to the table and pointed to Danielle’s plate. “Would you like for me to get that out of your way?” When she’d picked up the dish, she smiled down at Nathan. “Would you care for dessert? Our crème brûlée is very good tonight.”

  Nathan looked at Danielle. “Want some?”

  She shook her head. “Just coffee, thanks.”

  The waitress returned with a coffeepot and poured some in their cups. As Danielle took her first sip, Nathan spoke again. “Detective Denton came by to see me today.”

  Danielle gulped and tried to keep from choking. “H-he did? Did he have any news about the investigation?”

  “No. He said they haven’t heard from the lab reports on Tricia yet. When they do, they may know more.”

  “Why would it take so long for the medical report to come back?”

  “I asked him that, too. He just laughed, or rather grunted I guess you could call it, and said we weren’t dealing with a television show that gets its medical results in hours. The Webster Falls Sheriff’s Department has to rely on the state lab, and they stay so backed up it could be weeks before they know anything.”

  Danielle traced her finger around the top of her cup. “How was Detective Denton?”

  Nathan set his cup back in the saucer and thought for a moment before he answered. “I don’t know. I can’t tell much about him. He’s a very private person. It’s like he doesn’t want anybody to get too close to him.”

  “I had that impression, too.” Nathan didn’t say anything, and she glanced at him. His dark eyes studied her. “What is it?” she asked.

  He frowned. “You’re not interested in him, are you?”

  Danielle tried to laugh, but it sounded more like choking. “Where did you get that idea?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe it’s how you looked at him the night of Tricia’s murder. And the two of you did leave together.”

  Danielle straightened. “You’re imagining things.” She reached for her purse. “I really need to get home, Nathan.”

  He grasped her hand. “Be careful, Danielle. This man will only hurt you. He’s not for you.”

  Her eyes widened, and she stared at Nathan. “You don’t have to worry. The last thing I need is to get mixed up with a man like Jack Denton. And besides, he isn’t interested in me, either. So you have nothing to worry about.”

  Nathan relaxed his hold and smiled. “Good. You know I only want what’s best for you.”

  She nodded. “I know. If it hadn’t been for you, I don’t know how I would have made it through these past few years. Thank you for bringing me back here where people care about me.”

  “It was my pleasure and the university’s gain.”

  She checked her watch. “I really do need to go home now.”

  “I’ll get the check.” He waved at the waitress, and she headed toward their table.

  Suddenly Danielle felt hot. The news that Jack had been at Webster, and the fact that he’d ignored her for the past week made her feel faint. She had to get out of there. “I need some air. I’ll wait for you outside.”

  Before Nathan could respond, she rushed through the restaurant and out the front door. Once on the sidewalk she leaned against the side of the building and gasped for breath. Tears burned her eyes, and she thought she might burst out crying any moment. What was the matter with her? She barely knew the man, but in the few times she’d been with him, she sensed something special in him.

  “Stop it, Danielle,” she hissed. She was acting like a stupid, emotional woman, not a self-assured college dean.

  She froze at the touch of a hand on her arm. “Danielle?”

  Shock ripped through her body at the sound of Jack’s voice. She whirled to face him and then fell back against the side of the building. “Jack, what are you doing here?”

  “I came to pick up something to take home. I didn’t expect to find you out here alone.”

  She straightened and pulled away from him. “I needed some fresh air.”

  His gazed roved over her just like when they had coffee. “Let me take you back inside,” he said.

  She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. You surprised me. That’s all.”

  “It’s good to see you. How have you been?”

  “Fine.”

  “I’ve thought about you.”

  If he had thought about her, why hadn’t he called? “Nathan told me you were at the university today.”

  “For a few minutes.”

  Rain had begun to fall, but she ignored it. “You didn’t have time to say hello?”

  In the glow from the streetlight, she could see his face, but no emotion betrayed what he was thinking. “I was in a hurry when I left.”

  Puzzled, she stared at him and shook her head. “I don’t understand you.”

  He frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “Since I met you, we’ve had coffee, been to dinner and been swept into a murder investigation. Yet you act as if we hardly know each other. I thought we were on our way to becoming friends, but I don’t think you want that.”

  He jammed his hands into his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels. “I’m not good at friendship, Danielle. I don’t think you’d be interested in being friends with a guy like me.”

  The door to the restaurant opened, and Nathan stepped outside. He looked from Danielle to Jack as he walked toward them. “W
hy, Detective Denton, imagine meeting you here.” He turned to Danielle. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine, Nathan. Jack just stopped to say hello.” She pasted a big smile on her face. “It was good to see you. Maybe we’ll meet again soon.”

  She pushed past Jack and strode toward Nathan’s car. He caught up with her and reached around her to open the door. “What was that all about?”

  She slid into the seat and shook her head. “Nothing. We were just chatting.”

  Nathan closed the door and crawled in behind the steering wheel. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  Danielle nodded and pulled the seat belt across her. What was it about Jack Denton that intrigued her and infuriated her at the same time? Maybe she felt drawn to him because he seemed so lonely, and she wanted to help him. On the other hand, she was probably better off not becoming friends with him. People close to her tended to end up dead, and she didn’t want to lose anyone else.

  As the car pulled away, she glanced toward the restaurant. Jack, the pouring rain beating down on him, still stood on the sidewalk. She turned her head and looked the other way.

  Jack hardly noticed the rain dripping down his face as he watched the car pull away. Danielle faced straight ahead and didn’t turn to glance at him, but he could see her profile. The set of her jaw and the tone of her voice when they’d spoken told him he’d offended her by his seeming indifference.

  He slicked his wet hair back and glanced at the restaurant door. Suddenly he wasn’t hungry anymore. Instead emptiness filled him and left him feeling more alone than ever. In the last week he’d come to know that sensation well. It came over him every time he thought of Danielle Tyler.

  He shook his head. It was better for her if he kept his distance. He would only hurt her like he had everyone else in his life.

  Glancing at the restaurant once more, he turned and walked back to his car. He didn’t want to enter and see couples enjoying their time together. Even being alone at home was better than that.

  A groan rumbled in his throat. Alone. That’s what the future held for him, and it was all his fault.

  It had been a restless night for Danielle, and it had been all she could do to drag her tired body out of bed this morning. She pushed the door to her office open, hurried inside, and was about to drop her briefcase on her desk when she saw it. Another red rose with a white ribbon tied around it lay next to her computer.

  Her hands shook as she picked up the flower. An envelope lay beside it, and she laid the rose back down, slid the letter opener under the flap, and pulled the card out. Your eyes warm my heart.

  The phone rang, and she jumped in surprise. The flashing buttons indicated the call was coming from a campus number. She picked up the receiver and held it to her ear. “Hello.”

  “Dr. Tyler,” Jeff’s assistant said, “Mr. Webster has called a meeting of the advisory board in Dr. Newman’s office.”

  She glanced back at the rose and swallowed. “When do I need to come?”

  “Right now. I’m about to call Landon.”

  Danielle hesitated. Should she tell someone about the flowers? She’d told Jack, and he’d seemed unconcerned. Perhaps she should keep it to herself for the time being. “I’m on my way.”

  She replaced the phone in the handset and wondered why they were meeting again today. Hopefully it wasn’t about the fundraiser. She had a lot of loose ends to tie up before she could answer many questions about the event.

  After giving the rose one last glance and shoving the card in her desk drawer, she trudged from her office and entered the president’s reception area. Betty, involved in a phone conversation, motioned for her to go on inside. Pushing the door open, she jerked to a stop. Jack Denton stood to the right of Jeff’s desk. His steel-blue eyes reminded her of frosted glass, and she shivered at the scrutiny of his cold gaze.

  Jeff turned from talking with Nathan and smiled as she walked in. “Come in, Danielle. Landon’s on his way. We’ll start whenever he gets here.”

  Nathan pulled a chair forward. “Sit here, Danielle.”

  Without speaking, she eased into the chair to Jeff’s left and glanced at Jack across the desk. He directed a half smile at her, and she wondered what kept his stony face from cracking into a hundred pieces.

  The door opened, and they all turned to see Landon walking in. “Sorry, I’m late. I couldn’t get away from some students.”

  Jeff pointed to a chair in front of his desk. “That’s quite all right. Detective Denton came to see me, and I decided all of you need to hear what he has to say.” He sat down and motioned for everyone else to sit.

  Danielle glanced around at the group. She had ended up on Jeff’s left with Nathan beside her and Landon on the far side of him. Jeff took his seat behind his desk, but Jack continued to stand.

  When everyone had settled, Jeff spoke. “I’m going to turn this meeting over to Detective Denton now. There are some developments he wanted to share.”

  Jack cleared his throat and stood beside Jeff. “I brought a piece of information to Dr. Newman’s attention, and he wanted you informed.” He held the same notebook Danielle had seen that first morning, and he looked down at it. “Our tech guys have located the origin of the encore message left on Carter’s Web site.”

  Danielle scooted to the edge of her chair. “That’s wonderful news.”

  He shook his head. “You may not think so when I tell you where it is.”

  She tilted her head and frowned. “What do you mean?”

  His gaze drifted over each of them before he answered. “The message was sent from this school.”

  Nathan bolted from his chair. “What? Are you telling us the killer used one of our computers to send that message?”

  Jack nodded. “Yes. Our tech people traced the ISP to Webster University.”

  Nathan fell back into his seat and gripped the arms of his chair. “Oh, this is horrible news. There’s a killer among us, and we don’t know who it is.”

  Danielle reached over and covered Nathan’s hand with hers. “I think we knew this might happen. Now we have to help the police find out who it is.”

  He glanced down at her hand on his and smiled. “Thank you for that voice of reason, Danielle.” He looked up at Jack. “We’ll cooperate with you any way we can to catch whoever sent that message.”

  Landon leaned forward in his chair and nodded. “What do we need to do?”

  Jack picked up his notebook from Jeff’s desk and stuck it under his arm. “We’d like to bring in some experts to check out all the computers on campus. Our guys tell me that even when a message is erased from a computer, it can still be retrieved. With any luck we can locate the one where the message originated. Maybe then we can find witnesses who were nearby at the time.”

  Danielle let go of Nathan’s arm as he stood. “Bring in whoever you need,” he said. “You’ll have our full cooperation.”

  Jack nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Webster. I’ll call the department and see when they can get here.”

  He stepped to the side of the room and pulled out his cell phone. Turning his back on them, he punched in a number and raised the phone to his ear. Danielle stared at his broad shoulders for a moment before she turned her attention back to Nathan.

  “If you don’t need me anymore, I’d better get back to my office.”

  Nathan grasped her hand and directed an anguished look toward her. “It appears I’m going to need you to do an even better job with the fundraiser, Danielle. This news could devastate our income.”

  She swallowed and squeezed his hand. “You can depend on me.”

  “Good.”

  He released her, and she glanced across the room. Jack had turned back around and was staring at her and Nathan. Embarrassed, she nodded to Jeff and Landon and hurried from the room.

  Once in the hall, she took a deep breath. She didn’t understand why she was upset that Jack had seen her holding Nathan’s hand. After all, he was an old friend who needed her no
w more than ever, and she wasn’t going to let him down. If Jack Denton had a problem with that, then it was just too bad.

  She couldn’t even start to decipher all the strange signals that Jack gave off when they were together, and she was tired of trying. He was nothing like Stan, and yet she found herself thinking about him at odd times. She was going to have to do something to get her mind off the remote policeman. Perhaps the fundraiser was just the distraction she needed.

  EIGHT

  Jack struggled with the conflicting emotions tearing at him as he left Jeff Newman’s office. He’d told himself before coming to Webster it didn’t matter if he saw Danielle or not. When she walked into the room, he knew that wasn’t true. She was even more beautiful than she’d been last night when he happened upon her outside the restaurant.

  Hoping to see her again, he checked up and down the hallway. Four students clustered in a circle at the far end of the building, and their laughter drifted toward him. It seemed life had returned to normal around Webster. Tricia’s death had probably become old news, and everybody was moving on with their lives. He couldn’t believe Danielle had.

  He stopped in the hallway and stared at her closed office door. He moved closer and read the sign on the wall. He touched her name and skimmed his fingers over it—Dr. Danielle Tyler, Dean of Students.

  Without warning the door jerked open, and Danielle, looking over her shoulder, charged into the hall. Before Jack could move out of the way, she plowed into him. He grabbed to steady her, and her expression changed from scared to surprised. She pulled away from him. “Jack. I didn’t mean to run over you.”

  “I was just about to knock.”

  She regarded him with a skeptical stare. “Did you want something else?”

  “Not really.”

  She took a deep breath. “In that case, I’m very busy. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help the tech people when they come.”