by Carol Cox
Kate gave her friend a lopsided grin. “But it means I now have a whole new stack of books to wade through, right?”
“Not exactly. I don’t believe we have any books specifically on that topic.” Livvy’s forehead puckered. “I’d love to help you dig into this, but I’m afraid I have to run off and leave you on your own again.”
“It’s all right,” Kate said. “I’ll start looking into it as soon as I’m finished with this book. If I don’t find any books that help, I’ll try checking online. Thanks, Livvy. You’ve already helped a lot, just by letting me talk it through.”
Looking relieved, Livvy winked and headed off toward the stairwell. “Thanks, Kate. And happy researching.”
Kate leafed through the pictures in the last book without success, then moved the heraldry references into a stack at one corner of the table. A quick check of the library catalog didn’t yield any books on school or military crests, but Kate did find several titles that listed colleges and universities. She located those volumes and carried them back to her table in the corner.
After a cursory glance at the first two books, weariness swept over Kate. Was she following a promising lead or setting out on the wild-goose chase of the year?
The listings only contained a brief entry for each school. To find more information, she would have to look up the Web site for each one, and the sheer number of schools was overwhelming. She couldn’t possibly check each one individually.
There had to be a way to narrow the field a bit. Maybe she could start close to home, then widen her scope, moving out in a pattern of concentric circles.
Kate reopened the first book she’d looked at and turned to a section that organized schools by state. The list of colleges and universities in Tennessee was daunting but not impossible. Feeling somewhat encouraged, Kate picked up the book and started toward the library’s Internet computers.
Halfway there, a low cough caught her attention. She shifted her gaze and gasped when she spotted Millie poring over a book in the nonfiction section.
Millie looked up, and their eyes met. Kate gave a smile, but Millie only frowned, slammed the book shut, and jammed it back onto the shelf. Without a word, she stalked past Kate and headed for the stairs. Kate’s heart sank when she noticed that Millie still favored her right leg.
Chapter Eight
Kate stared after Millie, stung by the woman’s abrupt departure. This kind of behavior was over the top, even for the prickly secretary. Maybe she should talk to Paul. Kate hated to be a bearer of tales, but if Millie’s attitude was spilling over onto everyone who came into the church office, Paul ought to be made aware of it.
Trying to shake off the encounter with Millie, Kate settled herself at one of the computer stations. She opened the reference book to the list of Tennessee colleges and typed the first name into the search engine.
The names of several Web sites popped up in the results listing, and Kate clicked on the official site of the college. While the page loaded, she wondered again whether she had embarked on nothing more than a fool’s errand. What exactly did she expect to find? She made a quick survey of the home page but didn’t see anything that resembled the engraved crest on the cuff link. Maybe she should admit defeat and try to think of a more productive avenue of investigation.
But the idea of a school crest did seem plausible, after her talk with Livvy. Kate squared her shoulders and decided to press on. If she hadn’t turned up any likely leads by the time Livvy finished with her grade-schoolers, they could try to come up with another approach.
She continued down the list, scanning Web sites and checking one school after another.
Kate typed the next name into the search engine and selected the school site from the list of results. When the page opened, she sucked in her breath and stared at the design in the top right corner. Telling herself to remain calm, she pulled the sketch toward her to compare the two.
“That’s it!” she breathed. Sure enough, the crest displayed on the Web page was the same one she’d seen on the cuff link. But instead of a simple line drawing, this one glowed with vivid tones of red and gold.
Kate wanted to whoop out loud, but remembering where she was, she tried to contain her elation. She looked at the name of the school again: Haywood College. Further reading told her that it was a small, liberal arts college in Chattanooga.
And Chattanooga was only an hour’s drive away. With a quick glance to make sure no one was watching, Kate punched her fist into the air and uttered a subdued “Yes!”
She leaned forward and studied the image on the monitor, as if expecting the page to somehow yield up the very clues she sought then and there. Clicking on the navigation links took her to pages that told about campus life, the admissions process, and financial-aid options. The numerous photos displayed showed a tree-lined campus with stately red-brick buildings. Students strolled along the winding pathways and sat in groups on beautifully manicured lawns.
On a page titled “Explore Haywood,” Kate spotted a link marked “Faculty” and clicked on it. The next page showed a roster of alphabetized names. Kate’s eyes widened, and she picked up her sketch again. The initials she had seen on the cuff link were RWM. Kate held her breath and scrolled down to the M’s.
There were entries for Patricia Marsden, Brent Middlebrook, and Stephen Murphy, but nothing with a first name beginning with R. Kate’s shoulders slumped. She had felt so sure she was making progress.
Wait a minute. The letters on the cuff link weren’t just initials, they formed a monogram, with the W larger than the other two letters.
And in monograms, the initial of the last name appeared in the middle, flanked by the letters representing the first and middle names. Kate perked up again and moved down the page to the W’s. Her mouth went dry when she glimpsed the listing she sought: Dr. Roger M. White.
Another click of the mouse brought up Dr. White’s title (associate professor of philosophy); an impressive list of the institutions where he had received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees; and the courses he taught.
Kate grabbed a pencil from a holder on the desk and scribbled down the professor’s name. A quick scan of the personal information at the top of the page revealed the name of the building where his office was located. Kate wrote that down as well.
Certain that she was onto something at last, Kate continued searching the site and found a map of the campus. She moved the cursor to the printer icon at the top of the page and clicked the mouse button. The printer attached to her computer whirred into action.
“Find something?”
Kate pivoted around to see Livvy standing behind her. “I’ll say. That hunch about the crest being connected with a school paid off.” She navigated back to the home page and pointed at the emblem at the top. “Take a look.”
Livvy pursed her lips in a silent whistle. Then her mouth widened in a grin that indicated she was every bit as excited as Kate. “I knew you could do it!” She bent over the monitor and looked at the page more closely. “Haywood College? I’ve heard the name, but I don’t know a great deal about it. That cuff link must have some connection with it, though. The crests are identical.”
“Wait,” Kate said. “There’s more.” She went back to the page showing Dr. White’s name. “His initials are a match for the monogram engraved below the crest.”
Livvy bounced on her toes. “That’s wonderful! Did you get the phone number? Are you going to call him?”
“Better than that.” Kate pulled the paper from the printer tray and held up the campus map. “I’m going to go see him. I want to talk to him in person and see his reaction when I tell him about the cuff link.”
“That’s a great idea! And you really think this is tied in to our mystery girl?”
“I’m not sure,” Kate said slowly. “I won’t know for certain until I talk to the professor, but finding the cuff link in the same restroom where I found that note seems like more than just a coincidence.”
“I agree,” Livvy said. “It’s definitely worth checking out. No, wait a minute.” Her face grew solemn. “What if this guy turns out to have something to do with the girl getting hurt? You need to be careful.”
Kate nodded. “I agree, and I’m not planning to do anything foolish. I just want to see if I can confirm that the cuff link belongs to him and let him know where he can retrieve it.” She pressed her lips together. “And try to learn how a Chattanooga professor’s cuff link wound up in the ladies’ room of a campground near Copper Mill.”
“When are you going?” Livvy asked.
“As soon as possible. I’ll talk to Paul and see what he thinks about me driving over there this afternoon.”
“Better yet, why not ask Paul to drive over with you? I don’t like the idea of you going there alone, especially when you’re not sure whether the professor’s connected in any way to the girl.” Livvy reached out to give Kate a quick hug. “I hope you find all the answers you need. I’ll be praying for you.”
“Thanks.” Kate smiled at her friend as she gathered up her handbag and the campus map. She turned to leave, then paused. “There’s something else that’s puzzling me, Liv. Have you seen much of Millie lately?”
Livvy drew her eyebrows together and shook her head. “Not really. She stops in here every once in a while, but we don’t stand around and chat when she does. Why?”
Kate hesitated, then plunged ahead. “Would you say she’s been acting strangely?”
“No more than usual.” Livvy clapped her hand over her mouth, and her eyes grew round. “Oh, I should never have said that. It just popped out of my mouth. But you know what I mean, don’t you? Millie has a lot of strengths; she’s probably the most organized, efficient person I know. But she’s so crotchety sometimes that it makes it hard to deal with her.” Livvy gave an apologetic smile and shrugged. “So is there any special reason you’re asking?”
It was Kate’s turn to shrug. “She’s been at Faith Briar a lot longer than Paul and I have, and she’s always been a little overbearing about the way she thinks things ought to be run. But lately I get the feeling she has something against me in particular.”
She recounted finding the scratch marks on the floor of the restroom and her deduction that Millie had skidded on the cuff link instead of a puddle of water, then added, “She won’t let me talk to her long enough to explain, and I get the feeling that she still holds me responsible.”
Livvy pressed her fingers against her lips, but she was too late to stifle a giggle. Kate looked at her inquiringly.
“I’m sorry,” Livvy said. “A fall like that is nothing to laugh about, but from the way you described her sliding across the floor, I keep getting a mental image of one of those luge events they show in the winter Olympics.”
Kate smiled in spite of her concern. “It did look a little like that,” she admitted. “I just wish I could be sure she didn’t sustain an injury and is too stubborn to admit it.”
“I’ll make a point of talking to her the next time she comes in,” Livvy promised. “I can’t guarantee anything, but maybe I can get her to open up enough to find out what’s really bothering her.”
The offer lightened Kate’s burden a bit. “Thanks, Livvy. I appreciate that. And your help in figuring out where the crest came from.” She folded the map and slipped it inside her handbag. “I’ll keep you posted.”
Kate exited the library with slow steps, her mind focused on the information she had gathered. If the cuff link turned out to belong to Dr. White, at least part of the mystery would be solved.
And it might very well be the connection she needed to learn the identity of the injured girl and satisfy her curiosity about why the girl had mentioned her name. With a renewed spring in her step, Kate started across the parking lot.
Chapter Nine
I really appreciate you coming with me this afternoon,” Kate told Paul an hour later as they drove south on the interstate toward Chattanooga. “When I saw your truck parked outside the diner, I only planned to go inside and ask when you might be able to get away. Sharing lunch and then having you volunteer to join me was an unexpected bonus.”
She could see the twinkle in Paul’s blue eyes when he shot a sideways glance her way. “So you aren’t complaining about having a passenger along?”
“Hardly.” Kate laughed and glanced away from the road ahead long enough to exchange a quick smile with him. She felt a rush of love surge within her. Paul’s quiet strength always made her feel more at peace.
Paul grinned and touched the fingers of his right hand to his forehead in a mock salute. “Happy to be of service, madam. Your wish is my command. Besides,” he added with a wink. “I’ve been wanting to visit Nehemiah. It’ll be easy to stop off and see him once we’ve talked to this professor.”
“You know, I’ve been thinking,” Kate said. “It seems to me that Dr. White may be more forthcoming if I go in there alone. I don’t want him to feel like we’re ganging up on him and giving him the third degree. Maybe I should drop you off to see Nehemiah before I head over to the college.”
Kate knew that Paul valued the times he spent with his old mentor and the former pastor of Faith Briar. Nehemiah now spent his days at Orchard Hill, one of Chattanooga’s assisted-living centers.
Paul didn’t seem convinced. “I’m not sure I like the idea of you going there on your own. I think Livvy had a valid concern about this guy being potentially dangerous.”
Kate considered a moment, then shook her head. “I can see your point, but I think he may be willing to speak more freely if he’s only talking with one person. And I honestly don’t think there will be a problem. After all, I plan to visit him in his office. What could happen in a building full of people? Besides, this will give you more time to visit with Nehemiah.”
When Paul only frowned, she added, “It’s going to be fine, you’ll see. I’ll be sure to call and let you know if I’m delayed for long so you won’t have to worry.”
“All right,” Paul conceded. “We’ll do it your way. It’s been a while since I’ve checked in on Nehemiah, and I don’t want him to feel that I’m neglecting him.”
“I don’t think that would ever cross his mind. He knows you too well.”
“I’m glad you think so.” Paul gave her the lopsided grin that always warmed her heart. “He’s a very special man.”
“So are you, Paul Hanlon,” Kate whispered. “So are you.”
Twenty minutes later, she pulled into a parking space near the entrance of Orchard Hill. Paul opened his door, then leaned back toward Kate.
“Do you have any idea how long you’ll be?” he asked.
“Not really. It depends on how quickly I can locate Dr. White. I know where to find his office, but he might be teaching a class now. If that’s the case, I’ll have to wait until he’s finished to talk to him.”
Paul’s eyebrows soared toward his hairline. “He doesn’t know you’re coming? I assumed you called before we left Copper Mill.”
Kate shook her head. “It’s important that I see his reaction when I tell him about the cuff link. I didn’t want to lose the element of surprise.”
Paul folded her in a hug. “Spoken like a true detective,” he chuckled, then dropped a quick kiss on her forehead. “I’ll see you when you get back, then.”
Pressing her head against Paul’s chest, she returned the hug. “Look on the bright side,” she told him. “If I have to wait awhile, it’ll give you more time with Nehemiah.”
While Paul walked to the entrance, Kate reached over and pulled a street map of Chattanooga from the glove compartment. She studied it until she had the route to Haywood College fixed firmly in her mind, then she put the Honda in gear and drove off.
Thankfully, the traffic was light, and it wasn’t long until Kate turned into a tree-lined drive that led to the central part of the campus. She pulled into a parking spot under the spreading arms of a walnut tree, then got out and locked her car.
&
nbsp; She stood beside the Honda for a few minutes, studying the scene. The view was very similar to the photos she had seen on the college’s Web site. Stately trees and banks of flowers dotted the well-kept lawns and softened the lines of the imposing red-brick buildings. Away from the noise of city traffic, a sense of peace pervaded the air.
She opened her handbag and pulled out the campus map she had printed at the library. The building directly in front of her bore the name Bentley Hall. Kate located it on the map and marked the spot with her finger. Next, she found the symbol for the parking lot where she stood. That meant the faculty office building, where she hoped to find Dr. White, was over...that way, she decided, looking toward the east.
Still holding the map, she set off along one of the neatly tended pathways. Birds chirped in the branches overhead as a light spring breeze ruffled Kate’s strawberry-blonde hair with a gentle touch. In the distance, she could hear the faint hum of a lawnmower, and she caught a hint of the scent of newly mown grass.
Another building stood on her right, and Kate consulted the map. That ought to be the theater, she thought and looked for a sign over the massive doors. Yes, there it was: Morton Theater.
Pleased with her navigational skills, Kate looked at the map once more. According to the diagram, the Fleming Building ought to be a little farther ahead on her left.
And so it was. Kate spotted the low brick building exactly where she expected it to be, standing at an angle to the path she was on. She tucked the map back into her handbag and moved ahead briskly, following the gentle curve of the path.
Kate walked up the granite steps and pushed open the heavy oak doors. Inside, the lighting seemed dim, and it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust after being in the sunlight outdoors.
She passed several students as she wandered down the hallway lined with office doors. A plaque on the wall next to each door gave the name and title of the person the office belonged to. Underneath each nameplate was a neatly printed placard listing the faculty member’s office hours.
