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What Janie Saw(94)

By:Pamela Tracy


                Rafe sat next to Janie. His eyes went from her bruised wrist to her black eye. He looked concerned and protective.

                It was the protective that gave Janie goose bumps.

                And for the first time in days, it wasn’t the scary kind of goose bumps. What a time to start noticing—really noticing—the opposite sex.

                Finally, as if convinced she wasn’t going to pass out right at the dinner table, he took out a recorder and said, “Let’s hear it. I want you to repeat the whole conversation you had with Max Carter.”

                “What about the conversation I had with Detective Williamson, and the fact that they found Amanda’s art book at Patricia’s?”

                “Complete waste of time,” Katie muttered.

                “We’ll talk about that later.” Rafe was back to being all cop. He pulled a tiny notebook from his pocket and while Janie spoke and the recorder taped, he added notes.

                Katie ate in silence, listening to every word. Every once in a while, her lips pursed together and Janie knew her older sister was just dying to add something to the account. Rafe ate his dinner with one hand, making notes with the other.

                When Janie finished, he played back the recorder. “Did you leave anything out? Want to add anything?”

                Janie shook her head.

                Rafe silently nodded. “Something Max didn’t share with you, apparently, is that he did ask Brittney out for a date. She turned him down.”

                “He didn’t mention that.”

                “I think,” Rafe said, “after seeing you in the hospital this morning, he realized just how serious this whole mess is. Nathan had him at the station for a second go-round of questions. He came up with a few more details.”

                “You did offer him counsel,” Katie said, more a statement than a question.

                “I’m sure Nathan did.” Rafe opened the briefcase he’d carried in with him and slid over a second stack of papers and a red pen. “Here’s a list of students who could have been in the area before and after you were pushed, taken from the witnesses and from class rosters. For almost every name we have, we’ve managed to get an accompanying picture. Nathan’s already looked into who was absent and where they were. He’s also got someone squirreling out who was meeting friends before and after class. The instructors are listed there, also. I want you to put a star by any name you recognize and then make a brief note of how you know them. Circle any picture that seems familiar. I’ve also included a few eyewitness accounts. Read them. Note any names not on the rosters.”

                “Eat while you go through those names,” Katie ordered.

                Janie glanced at her plate of cold ham and wilting green beans. Not a chance. Nothing tasted right. Rafe didn’t seem to mind. He dished out a second helping while Janie examined the pictures and names.

                There were more than three hundred names. Janie only recognized eleven, including two professors.

                “Rebecca Townsend is a full-time English teacher. She’s considered the resident complainer. CeeCee Harrington is an adjunct. She’s been teaching English for a full year and wants to be full-time. I think she has money problems. She’s always talking about going to different grocery stores to get the best prices, and once she said that the power company turned off her electricity. I don’t recognize anyone else. Being part-time and working nights means you come, teach your class and go home.”