Stork Raving Mad(81)

But as allies in university politics—yes, that made a lot of sense. It explained how Dr. Wright could get away with her abuse of drama students. Any of them who tried to protest would fall victim to the dirty-tricks campaign.

And why was Blanco helping Dr. Wright? If he shared her irrational hatred of the drama curriculum, the persecution would probably continue. But it was looking increasingly likely that his actions were just part of his campaign to ingratiate himself with as many powerful people as possible. He probably played golf with The Face, tennis with the dean of the business school, and bridge with the chair of the math department. And in between singing madrigals with the chair of the history department and hymns with the dean of the religious studies program, he helped Dr. Wright persecute drama students. If that was the case, his opposition to Ramon’s play and degree would probably evaporate overnight. Or at a minimum, he’d scramble to stay neutral on all theater issues until the dust settled and he knew how Dr. Wright’s eventual replacement felt about the subject.

Which gave us—Abe, Art, and Michael, that is—a priceless opportunity to convince Blanco that it was in his self-interest to support the concept of an independent drama department.

Of course, how could we do that without stooping to his level?

“Anyway, I have this,” Danny said, bringing me back to the present. A small sheaf of papers. “I can work on it some more when I get a chance. That kind of depends on whether they put me in jail or not.”

If that was a plea for help, at least it was subtle enough that I could ignore it.

“May I see that?” the chief said, stepping forward and holding out his hand for the papers.

“Sure,” Danny said. “I made two copies, ’cause I figured you’d want one. It would be great if someone would look into what they did. Maybe clean up some people’s lives.”

The chief took the papers and did a rapid but thorough comparison between the two sets. Apparently both contained the same things and neither had any secret messages for me. He handed me one copy and tucked the other under his arm.

“Thanks,” I said to the chief. “And to you, too,” I added, to Danny.

Danny mumbled something that might have been “You’re welcome,” and slouched out. I could see the tall deputy escorting him down the hall.

The chief stood scribbling in his notebook.

“You said you were arresting Kathy Borgstrom, too,” I said. “What about her?”

He sighed and closed his eyes. I waited him out.





Chapter 26


“The DA wants me to hold Ms. Borgstrom as a material witness in Mr. Oh’s case,” he said finally.

“Not murder?” I asked.

“He’s probably going to want me to arrest her for the murder once the tox results come back. This way we can make sure she doesn’t disappear before then.”

“If you think she’s a flight risk, you must think she did it.”

“Your daddy would quote Sherlock Holmes at you,” he said with a faint smile. “And tell you it was a capital mistake to theorize before you have data.”

“But you have some data,” I said.

“Yes, and what I have doesn’t look good for your friend,” he said. “We found some belongings of hers in your library, near the desk.”

“She’s been out here before,” I said. “She must have seen two or three rehearsals this week alone.”

“And did you know she was once a graduate drama student?” he asked. “Gave up in the middle of her doctoral program, about ten years ago.”

“Here at Caerphilly?”

He nodded.

I hadn’t known. I’d heard a rumor that Kathy was ABD—all but dissertation—but I’d never asked her about it. And ten years ago would have been before Michael was there.

“Was Dr. Wright at the college back then, pulling the same kind of stunts?”

He nodded.

“I suppose that gives Kathy a motive,” I said.

He frowned.

“I suppose it does,” he said. “Especially since her academic career ended due to an accusation of plagiarism on a paper she wrote for one of Dr. Wright’s classes.”

“Plagiarism? Kathy?”

He nodded.

“You were unaware of the incident?” he asked.

“Completely,” I said. “And it was before Michael’s time, but Art and Abe were here ten years ago. If they thought she had committed plagiarism, I doubt they’d let her work in the department.”

“I suspected as much,” the chief said. “I’ll be asking them about it. I wondered if it was generally known.”

“No,” I said. “And I’ll bet anything it was a frame. And I don’t believe she was the killer either.”