The Case of the College Conspiracy in Las Vegas: A Cozy Tiffany Black Mystery by A.R. Winters

Author:A.R. Winters [Winters, A.R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-10-25T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

We continued searching the office. A few things out of place gave the impression that it had been searched before. Not very thoroughly.

“Guy sure liked his tea,” Rosie said, holding up a tea chest.

“That looks like a good hiding spot,” I said. “Check it out.”

There were other books on his desk, including a familiar one. It was Dr. Crane’s new book. I opened it. Even on the introductory page, criticisms in red ink jumped out at me.

Boring!!!!! Underlined a score of times. Unoriginal. Could dryer prose be conceived? Reiterated.

I paged through, finding angry red scrawls on most of the pages. If I had to guess, I’d say Professor Hargrove didn’t like the book.

“Here we go,” Rosie said. “Found it under the Darjeeling.”

I glanced up. “A little black book. Girlfriends’ names and numbers?”

Rosie read for a moment. Turned a page. “Nope. More like evil plots.”

I closed Dr. Crane’s book.

“Promo to PE,” Rosie read. “Physical education?”

“I don’t think so,” I said. “What else is there?”

“On the next page, there’s a header that says Deal With: It’s followed by a list.”

I took a look.

The first few items on the list were crossed off. Library Grant, Library Entry Display—

“Cassius Reed?”

Rosie nodded. “Seems like having it out for the guy was part of some larger plan.”

“It’s between Library Entry Display and Office Reno.” It made me shiver. “That’s a human being in there. How cold was this guy?”

“Dr. Crane isn’t crossed off yet,” Rosie said.

“Archie Vale, the wealthy alum, is underlined a bunch of times. Dean Rutherford is circled. This guy loves his red pen. Huh. Wonder why he needs to deal with them?”

Rosie checked her phone. “We’re running out of time. Let me get some photos.”

Her flash lit up the room as she moved around the office, shooting. It made me notice the new tile on the floor and fresh paint on the walls. The windows looked like they were double-paned. One still had a sticker on the glass. New.

My phone rang, nearly making me jump out of my socks. Stone.

“Time’s up,” he said in my ear.

“We still have ten minutes,” I said.

“No, you don’t. There’s another campus cop pulling up. I can stall him, but you and Rosie need to get out of there right now. Go out a door on the other side.” He disconnected.

“Trouble?” Rosie looked up. She’d pulled out the desk drawers to photograph the contents.

“We need to run. Come on.”

“What about the tea chest? The little black book?”

“Leave them. They’re evidence. It would be silly to hide it again.” We ducked back under the crime scene tape. Rosie reached for the light switch.

“No, don’t. If the light goes off, they’ll know we’re up here.”

“Won’t they know because it’s on?”

“People leave lights on all the time.” We moved into the hall and headed for the stairs. “If the cops see it go off, they’ll know for sure.”

Our footfalls echoed crazily in the empty building. On the second landing, we paused, listening.

Voices, distant, indicated that the cops were inside. Stone was probably one of them.

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