by Laina Turner
“I get it. I do. So just tell me what to do now.” I looked at him for advice. As much as I didn’t want going to the police to get Candy’s husband killed, I didn’t want not going to the police to have the same outcome.
“Let me call the detective on the case.” Don picked up a business card that sat on his desk and then his cell phone, punching in a number.
“Hello, Detective Rodriguez. This is Don Harding from campus security at Spencer University. I came across some information about the Stoddard case that you will want to hear. Please give me a call back as soon as you can.” He hung up and looked back at me.
“His phone went right to voicemail and you heard what I said. Now don’t talk to anyone about this and you tell Candy not to talk to anyone about this either. Not until I get back to you with what the detective says. Understand?”
“I understand.”
His face softened. “Olivia you know I’m not trying to be mean, but when processes aren’t followed, that’s when things fall through the cracks and things get missed. If he has been kidnapped, that could make things very bad. The police really do have the best skills and resources to handle these things.”
“I totally get it. I know you’re busy right now and I have plans with Polly for dinner later. But you want to meet for coffee in the morning?”
“I’d love that. Your usual spot?”
“Yep. Eight a.m.” I walked around the desk and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before I walked out.
Chapter 9
As I walked down the hall on the way to my office the next morning, a tall, handsome man leaned against my door. He was dressed in jeans and a sport coat and looked to be in his thirties with thick brown hair, so definitely not a student and it seemed clear he was waiting for me
“Can I help you with something?” I asked as I put my key into the lock to open my door.
“Are you Olivia Little?”
“Yes.” I’d unlocked my door, but I didn’t walk in; instead I looked up at him. Wondering who he was and what he wanted. Before I could ask his name, he offered it up.
“I’m Detective Rodriguez,” he said and held out his hand to shake mine, after which he pulled out his wallet and showed me his ID. Putting it back in his pocket after I glanced at it, he continued. “Do you have a few minutes? I’d like to talk to you about President Stoddard.”
“Of course. Come on in.” He obviously had got Don’s message from the night before so I shouldn’t be surprised he showed up to talk to me. I wondered if he’d already been to see Candy. She hadn’t called to yell at me, so maybe not.
I motioned for him to take a seat at my small table in the corner and I set my stuff down on the desk before joining him. He’d shut the door before sitting down and it made me a little nervous, not because I was afraid of what he was going to say but more what the heck was he going to ask.
“So how can I help you today Detective Rodriguez?” I said with a lightness I didn’t feel.
“I’d like to talk to you about your relationship with Candy Stoddard,” he said, opening up a notes app on his phone. “Do you mind if I take notes?”
“Sure, that’s fine. Nice to see the police are so high tech,” I said, making conversation and nodding at his phone.
He chuckled. “Trust me, I was a holdover from pen and paper. But once I realized I didn’t have to transcribe my chicken scratch, I became a convert. Back to you and Candy.”
“Honestly, I don’t have a relationship with Candy. I barely know her. Our interaction up to now has been mostly in passing at faculty events she attended with her husband.”
“Then why would you be the first person she’d call to look at a ransom note?” he asked, never taking his eyes off mine, which was a little disconcerting. I started to feel guilty even though I had nothing to feel guilty about. He had a point. It seemed strange to me so of course it would seem strange to him.
“Your guess is as good as mine. Of course I knew Candy. I’ve been around her in social settings, but we never hung out. After her husband went missing, she showed up at my office and asked for my help.”
“And why would she do that?”
“She said it was because I helped solve the murder of David March from last year and she felt I could help her find President Stoddard.” I knew when Candy asked me to help, I should’ve said no, I thought to myself. While I hadn’t done anything wrong, this whole conversation made me wish I hadn’t got involved.
“Oh, that’s right. I remember seeing that in the case file I reviewed when I took this case. Are you wanting to join the police force?” he asked. I knew he was teasing, at least I assumed he was, but it kind of riled me anyway. It wasn’t my fault Candy asked me to help. For that matter, last year a student had asked me for help and I just happened to stumble across the information that helped lead to the murderer. Neither time had been about me. It was about helping.
“No. I rather like my job as a psychology professor,” I said evenly, knowing that to get into an argument with him about my motives would be pointless. Plus, he was just doing his job.
He seemed to take in what I had said and paused for a second before continuing to speak. “So, what are your thoughts about Candy? Do you think she had any involvement in her husband’s disappearance?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I can’t really tell you why, I don’t have proof of any kind, but my gut tells me she didn’t do it.” I expected him to make some crack about my gut feeling but to my surprise, all he did was nod.
“I never underestimate a gut feeling. In my line of work, though, I need facts to back it up. Back to the note. What’s your take?” He leaned back in his chair.
I was puzzled by him asking me another question. “I thought you didn’t think I should be playing detective?”
“Actually, that’s not what I said. I asked if you were planning on joining the police force,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. I couldn’t tell if he was making fun of me or not, but I had to admit he was very disarming.
“Touché. I don’t know anything about ransom notes except what I’ve seen on Law and Order. I guess it seemed, I don’t know, plain?”
“Plain?” His eyebrows raised.
“Yeah. I know that sounds odd, plus why did it come a week after he went missing?”
“Okay, so what does that say to you?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“Well, you do have an advanced psychology degree, plus I’m curious as to what your gut told you.”
I thought about that for a minute. “Even though the note demanded money and to not go to the police, it didn’t seem that threatening. It felt amateurish.” My face grew hot as I spoke. As the words came out of my mouth, I realized how stupid they must sound to him. However, the expression on his face didn’t change. If he thought I was nuts, he was too polite to say so.
“I think I have everything I need for now, but I may be reaching back out to you,” he said and handed me his card. “Call me if you think of anything else.”
I took his card and nodded as he turned and walked out.
Later, I was in my office working when my phone vibrated, and I saw it was Candy. I assumed she was calling because Detective Rodriguez paid her a visit. He told me that was where he was headed when he left my office about two hours ago, so I’d been expecting her call and not looking forward to it.
I hesitated to answer the phone because this could go one of two ways: either she’d be mad at me or she’d be happy we had help. Somehow my gut told me she was going to be angry.
“Hi, Candy,” I answered cheerfully, hoping my cheerfulness would help defuse the situation if she was angry.
“I told you not to tell the police!” Candy snapped without as much as a hello.
So much for that wish. “I’m sorry, but they needed to know. They can help,” I stated firmly, because it was the truth. She couldn’t do this alone. With or without my help.
There was silence on the other end of the phone,
and I stayed silent, too. I didn’t know what else to say. I finally heard her sigh loudly.
“I know you’re right. I’m just so scared. What if these kidnappers hurt my Thaddeus because they find out I didn’t follow their instructions?”
“That’s exactly why the police need to be involved. They’ll know what to do.”
“I guess. At least this detective was nice. Not like the police the other night. He seemed to actually believe me.”
“He wants what we want. President Stoddard back safely.”
Candy gave a forced chuckle. “I think you can start calling him Thaddeus. President Stoddard is a mouthful.”
It was, but I felt so weird calling him by his first name.
“Did you call that list of names I gave you?”
“Not yet, but I plan on it today.” What would it hurt? Who knows, maybe I would find out something to share with the police.
Chapter 10
Don might not want me to get involved, but I couldn’t help it. Even with that and my better judgment reminding me of all the ways getting involved could backfire. I felt obligated to help Candy since I’d told her I would. And to be honest, my curiosity was getting the best of me. I wasn’t exactly sure what to do next, but I knew someone who might know how to get more information on President Stoddard, or rather Thaddeus, as Candy wanted me to call him. I would pay a visit Chloe. As a lawyer, well former lawyer turned professor, she would have a better idea than me of where to start. If she was willing to help me. I wouldn’t blame her if she told me to forget it. I probably would in her shoes. She was new to the school and had already been involved in drama. She probably wanted to have a quiet year, not get involved in another mystery.
I felt a little bad asking her since I didn’t know her that well, but what was the worst she could say? No? I headed over to the law school, hoping she was still in. I could have called first, but I felt better asking her in person rather than calling out of the blue. The whole situation would probably be easier to explain in person anyway. When I finally found her office, I was in luck and she was there working on her computer. I knocked on the door and she looked up and smiled.
“Hi, Olivia. So nice of you to stop by. Come have a seat. Good timing, I was ready for a break.”
I took a seat, feeling a little nervous which was silly. It wasn’t like I was going to ask her to rob a bank with me.
“It’s so nice of you to come visit. I had a great time at girls’ night at the Taco Shack,” she continued.
“Oh good. I’m glad. We get together a couple times a month and usually at the Taco Shack. We all have a bit of an obsession with Mexican food.”
“I love it, too. Can’t get enough. What brings you to this side of campus?” Chloe asked.
“I have a favor to ask and you can totally say no. I wouldn’t blame you for saying no. No pressure,” I said, rushing my words.
She got a confused look on her face, no doubt because I was babbling like an idiot.
“I’m sorry. I know none of that made sense.”
Chloe laughed, putting me at ease a little. “No, not really.”
“Let me back up. You know how the president is missing? President Stoddard,” I said. clarifying even though it probably wasn’t necessary.
She nodded and it didn’t appear she thought I was crazy. Yet anyway, since I hadn’t told her what I wanted.
“His wife Candy came to me for help because she thinks he’s been kidnapped and the police aren’t taking her seriously. Although that was before she received a ransom note so they might have changed their minds now. Anyway, I was wondering if you knew how to find out where he last used his cell phone.”
Her expression changed to one of confusion. “You’re trying to find him?” she asked slowly. I couldn’t tell if she thought that was a bad idea or if she was intrigued. Right now, I preferred to think she was intrigued.
“His wife did come to me for help and I admit I’m curious. I know, I know; it’s a bad idea but still. Can you help me?”
There was a brief pause as she thought it over and then she shrugged. “Sure. I have connections that can do that.”
“Really?” To be honest, I figured she would either laugh at me because what I was asking was dumb and impossible or she wouldn’t want to get involved. All reasons I would understand.
“I’ll help you on one condition,” she said, a twinkle in her eye.
“And that is?”
“If we find out useful information and you’re going to try and track him down, I want to help.”
“Really?” I said again, not really believing what I heard.
“Yeah. What kind of faculty member would I be if I didn’t help find our esteemed president?”
I smiled. Having a partner in crime, or maybe that was anti-crime, would be fun. Don and Polly were always trying to get me to mind my own business; it would be nice having someone who felt differently.
“Where do we start then? What do you need from me?” I asked.
Chloe grabbed a legal pad and a pen from a stack of stuff on her desk.
“I need his phone number and Candy’s, if you have it.”
I opened the contacts on my phone to President Stoddard’s and showed it to Chloe. After she wrote it down, I found Candy’s. “I also have a list of his friends he was at the conference with before he went missing. Candy gave it to me and wanted me to call them, but I haven’t yet. I’m not sure what to say.”
“Those might come in handy later but for now, we’ll start with theirs. I’m surprised you have his cell number.”
“He prided himself on being accessible to all of us; you would have gotten it at this meeting. I can’t say I’ve ever used it. We’re not texting buddies, but it is nice that he is approachable. The last university I worked for, that wasn’t the case.”
After writing the numbers down, Chloe went to her laptop and started typing furiously.
“Okay, sent. Now we just have to wait.”
I looked at her in amazement. “It’s that simple?”
“It is if you know the right people.” She smiled.
Chapter 11
I finally made it to school to find Chloe standing outside my office.
“You should have texted me you were here. I hope you weren’t waiting long,” I said, unlocking the door and then we both walked inside.
“Nope. Just got here a minute ago. I have the cell phone records,” she said, waving a sheath of paper in front of my face.
“Already?”
“I work fast or rather my friends work fast.”
“Should we grab a coffee first?” I asked, pointing to my Keurig I rarely used because normally I walked over to the cafeteria for coffee. Not that I needed more coffee. I’d had plenty at home, but for some reason I was a little nervous.
“That would be great. Can never have too much coffee.”
“That’s how I feel. Come on in.”
Chloe followed me into the office. I set my stuff down and proceeded to make us each a cup of coffee. Luckily the Keurig was fast because I was dying to know what she found out.
After what seemed like forever, I set two cups of coffee down in front of us and sat down.
“So spill!” I said impatiently and she smiled conspiratorial-like. I really liked her.
“His last two phone calls were last Thursday to Candy. Just as she said was the last time she talked to him. The calls originated in Philadelphia where he was supposed to be for that conference he was supposed to be attending.”
“So, everything checks out.” I slumped back in my chair, disappointed.
“Not so fast. It checks out up to that point. Now Candy told you she tried calling him several times over the weekend, right?”
“Right. She said while he didn’t always check in frequently, the longer she didn’t hear from him, the more worried she got even though she assumed he was just busy.”
“Well, that’s where this gets interesting. She never called him.”
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My jaw dropped open and Chloe smiled and nodded. She knew she’d surprised me.
“Seriously? Candy told me she’d called him dozens of times and left him voicemails.”
“Yep. There is no record of her number calling his and if she’d left a voicemail it would be in the phone record. So, unless she called from a different phone every time—and really, what are the odds of that—she didn’t call.”
“So, she lied.”
“That’s what it looks like. The only way to know for sure is to ask her. Maybe she had an explanation?”
“Oh, I’m sure she’d love that. Us questioning her story,” I said dryly.
“Her reaction will tell us a lot and it would be the fastest way to get to the bottom of things. After all, she wanted your help,” Chloe said and raised her eyebrows.
“Then let’s ask her. I’m free after three. What about you?”
Chloe checked the calendar app on her phone. “I’m good after two, so three it is. Meet me in the law school parking lot and we’ll drive over together?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Do you know where she lives?” Chloe asked as she turned to walk away.
I nodded. “Yeah. Been there several times for faculty parties. Do you think we should call and make sure she’s going to be home?”
“I think the element of surprise might be the best way to go.”
The rest of the day flew by and soon I was sitting in the law school parking lot waiting for Chloe, who texted me that she would be down in just a minute. I said I’d drive since I knew the way and was sitting in front of the building, hoping that campus security didn’t come around and give me a hard time for being parked in a no parking zone with my hazards on. Though they probably had more pressing things to deal with right now than a campus traffic violation.
I saw Chloe walking out the front doors and didn’t see any security cars, so I was in the clear. Chloe opened the door and slid in the passenger side.
