Read Online Cast a Blue Shadow by P. L. Gaus - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: P. L. Gaus
Ads: Link
signs of blood when we tested the foyer floor. You’ve surely gotten some of it on you, too. We can type-test and get a DNA profile from even the slightest trace. They call that the Polymerase Chain Reaction, or the PCR. Now I couldn’t tell you for a minute what that means, but if you left even the minutest trace, we’ve got you. Both of you.”
Jenny looked contemptuously at Robertson and then stared at the cup and saucer resting in her lap.
“How did you get her upstairs?” Robertson pressed, a little more sternly. “There’s a blood trail up the steps and into the master bedroom.”
A vacant stare from Radcliffe.
Slowly, Robertson got up from the chair. Reaching around to his hip pocket, he took out a wad of little plastic evidence bags, and at the vanity, he scooped the two pipes into one of them. Back in front of Jenny Radcliffe, he held up the pipes and said, “Get dressed. You’re going into town.”
When Branden joined him out in the back hall, the sheriff whispered, “Sonny Favor has already told us that Sally and her mom had a fight on the parlor carpet last night because Sally is a lesbian. The way Favor’s head is cracked open, looks like they had another fight later, on or near the grand staircase. That leaves hauling her back up to bed and cleaning up the foyer floor.”
“You’re checking for blood in the sinks, and bloody rags? That sort of thing?” Branden asked.
“Yep. Clothes and such in the house, and all over the grounds outside.”
“You haven’t gotten anything from either Jenny or Sally yet?”
“Just like what you heard, Mike. But it’s Sonny who’s been talking. A regular little gabber, that one, so far. I can pretty much tell you everything that happened here last night, and the butler’s right. A good twenty people have motive. But the girls are lesbians, and Juliet Favor spat acid over that last night, from what Sonny has said.”
“At best, Bruce, Sonny Favor is a confused and frightened kid,” Branden said. “I ought to know, since I’m his academic adviser. Whatever you’re getting from him will be shaky.”
“He’s just a freshman. How you gonna know a kid that well, this soon?”
“He’s in my seminar class.”
“Great! Liberal indoctrination! You guys don’t trust kids to do college work until they’ve had your propaganda course.”
“You know very well that the purpose of the Freshman Readings is to help get them adjusted to college-level expectations, while letting at least one professor get to know them well as their adviser.”
“Whatever you say, Mike, but I’ve read your list of Freshman Readings topics, and you guys gotta be somewhere left of Mao or something.”
“Not everyone, Bruce,” Branden said.
“OK, what’s your topic?”
“The Real Causes of the American Civil War.”
Robertson rolled his eyes.
“Look, Bruce. I just try to get the students thinking from each of the various perspectives. So they’ll realize that historical events are subject to many interpretations.”
“Why? It was slavery that caused the Civil War.”
“It helps them become better thinkers.”
“Whatever.”
“Look, Bruce. It’s really Sonny we’re talking about, and I can tell you that whatever he’s saying this morning, he doesn’t yet really understand what has happened.”
“You’ll have to let me be the judge of that.”
“Let me talk with him, Bruce.”
Robertson studied the professor’s face intently. Frowning, he motioned for Branden to stay put. At the east end of the hall, he poked his head into Sonny Favor’s bedroom and spoke a few sentences to someone inside. Soon, a deputy came out with Captain Dan Wilsher, and the three men whispered at the end of the hall for several minutes. Occasionally, one of them glanced back down the hall at Branden. Wilsher and the deputy then went down the rear staircase, and Robertson motioned Branden into Sonny Favor’s room.
12
Saturday, November 2 8:50 A.M.
BRANDEN entered Sonny
Jenny looked contemptuously at Robertson and then stared at the cup and saucer resting in her lap.
“How did you get her upstairs?” Robertson pressed, a little more sternly. “There’s a blood trail up the steps and into the master bedroom.”
A vacant stare from Radcliffe.
Slowly, Robertson got up from the chair. Reaching around to his hip pocket, he took out a wad of little plastic evidence bags, and at the vanity, he scooped the two pipes into one of them. Back in front of Jenny Radcliffe, he held up the pipes and said, “Get dressed. You’re going into town.”
When Branden joined him out in the back hall, the sheriff whispered, “Sonny Favor has already told us that Sally and her mom had a fight on the parlor carpet last night because Sally is a lesbian. The way Favor’s head is cracked open, looks like they had another fight later, on or near the grand staircase. That leaves hauling her back up to bed and cleaning up the foyer floor.”
“You’re checking for blood in the sinks, and bloody rags? That sort of thing?” Branden asked.
“Yep. Clothes and such in the house, and all over the grounds outside.”
“You haven’t gotten anything from either Jenny or Sally yet?”
“Just like what you heard, Mike. But it’s Sonny who’s been talking. A regular little gabber, that one, so far. I can pretty much tell you everything that happened here last night, and the butler’s right. A good twenty people have motive. But the girls are lesbians, and Juliet Favor spat acid over that last night, from what Sonny has said.”
“At best, Bruce, Sonny Favor is a confused and frightened kid,” Branden said. “I ought to know, since I’m his academic adviser. Whatever you’re getting from him will be shaky.”
“He’s just a freshman. How you gonna know a kid that well, this soon?”
“He’s in my seminar class.”
“Great! Liberal indoctrination! You guys don’t trust kids to do college work until they’ve had your propaganda course.”
“You know very well that the purpose of the Freshman Readings is to help get them adjusted to college-level expectations, while letting at least one professor get to know them well as their adviser.”
“Whatever you say, Mike, but I’ve read your list of Freshman Readings topics, and you guys gotta be somewhere left of Mao or something.”
“Not everyone, Bruce,” Branden said.
“OK, what’s your topic?”
“The Real Causes of the American Civil War.”
Robertson rolled his eyes.
“Look, Bruce. I just try to get the students thinking from each of the various perspectives. So they’ll realize that historical events are subject to many interpretations.”
“Why? It was slavery that caused the Civil War.”
“It helps them become better thinkers.”
“Whatever.”
“Look, Bruce. It’s really Sonny we’re talking about, and I can tell you that whatever he’s saying this morning, he doesn’t yet really understand what has happened.”
“You’ll have to let me be the judge of that.”
“Let me talk with him, Bruce.”
Robertson studied the professor’s face intently. Frowning, he motioned for Branden to stay put. At the east end of the hall, he poked his head into Sonny Favor’s bedroom and spoke a few sentences to someone inside. Soon, a deputy came out with Captain Dan Wilsher, and the three men whispered at the end of the hall for several minutes. Occasionally, one of them glanced back down the hall at Branden. Wilsher and the deputy then went down the rear staircase, and Robertson motioned Branden into Sonny Favor’s room.
12
Saturday, November 2 8:50 A.M.
BRANDEN entered Sonny
Similar Books
