Murder in the Dorm by C.G. Prado Read Free Book Online

likeliest answer was that the third party had supplied startup money and that he or she also supplied crucial information that led McDermott to particular financial sites on particular days. That seemed to fit.
    Charlie was surprised to see that it was nearly one o’clock. He’d overlooked lunch. He settled for a sandwich and coffee from the cafeteria and decided on doing some work before calling DeVries. That way, things would settle in his head and he’d be more coherent. It might be better, too, if they met rather than talked on the phone.

Chapter 8
    The Second Thursday

    Charlie met DeVries for an early breakfast as they’d arranged the previous afternoon. The diner was one where she and Charlie had met during the Barrett Wilson case and he remembered that the coffee was particularly good.
    “Okay, Charlie, tell me what’s on your mind.”
    Charlie kept it brief, laying out his idea that Kelsey’s apparent knowledge about the stock market and his and McDermott’s computing expertise were what had yoked them together and were no doubt the basis and means for some scam involving computers and the stock market or financial institutions. He thought there was a third party involved in the scam who had shot McDermott.
    DeVries was silent for a couple of minutes, mulling over what Charlie had told her.
    “So, Kelsey and McDermott had expertise in areas that would enable them to be part of a lucrative scam. They apparently did have serious, private conversations about something. We can assume that there were difficult choices to make with respect to whatever they were doing. Somewhere along the line Kelsey and McDermott had a bad argument and McDermott struck Kelsey, killing him. It’s possible the third party killed Kelsey but let’s say it was McDermott for the moment. Finally, the third party decides that McDermott is a liability and shoots him.”
    “Right.”
    “What do you think should be done next?”
    “What I’d do is find that external drive McDermott bought and their computers.”
    “I agree with that part and both of those things are being worked on. We’ve got a very good guy going through McDermott’s apartment right now. In the meantime, I believe it could be useful for you to pursue your efforts to find out more about McDermott and Kelsey from your colleagues and students. Someone might know something suggestive of just what they were up to.”
    With that DeVries checked her watch and hurried out, telling Charlie she didn’t want to be late for a meeting. Charlie had another cup of coffee and wondered what else he could do about talking to people regarding Kelsey and McDermott.
    In his office Charlie looked over his notes and gathered what he needed for his epistemology class. He sat for a bit turning his mind from his talk with DeVries to the subject matter he was to discuss. Once in class he was quickly absorbed in that day’s topic and welcomed the questions it prompted from the students. The time went quickly and all too soon class was over and he took his books and notes back to his office.
    At lunch there was a new face at the Club table. A man in his late fifties, casually dressed in a blazer and open-collar shirt, sat next to the historian Evan Jones.
    “Charlie, I want you to meet Richard, Richard Baynes. He’s the past chair of Computing Science and has some information you’ll find of interest. Richard, this is Charlie Douglas from Philosophy.”
    “Charlie.”
    “Good to meet you, Richard. So you’re in computing?”
    “Was, Charlie; I took early retirement when my term as chair ended last Summer. I met Evan here at a welcome party for new members of staff and we discovered we’re both avid concert fans. But to get to the point, Evan tells me you’re helping the police with the deaths of Kevin Kelsey and Lawrence McDermott.”
    “Well, I’m trying to provide them with information. Did you know Kelsey and McDermott?”
    “Mainly Kelsey. I spoke with McDermott a few times,