The Reveal: A Detectives Seagate and Miner Mystery (Book 6) by Mike Markel Read Free Book Online

back?”
    “No,” she said slowly, like that was unusual. “He
didn’t.”
    “Hmm.” I put on my concerned face. “What’s your
name, please?”
    “Linda.”
    “Linda, let’s go in his office, okay?”
    She didn’t like that idea. “I don’t really feel
comfortable—”
    “It’s all right. I’ll tell him I made you do it.”
I gestured her inside Sorenson’s office, then Ryan and I followed her in. “Sit
down, Linda.” She took one of the two upholstered office chairs in front of the
big desk. I took the other. Ryan melted into one of the tall steel bookcases
that ringed the office. The room smelled faintly of old paperbacks.
    “Linda, we’re working on a case involving Virginia
Rinaldi. Can we talk to you a minute while we wait for Professor Sorenson to
get back?”
    Linda looked a little flustered. “Yes, I guess
so.”
    “You get along okay with Professor Rinaldi?”
    She took a deep breath. “I … I don’t really have
that much to do with her. One of the other girls works with her on her special
projects. You know, budgets for the speakers’ series, her travel. The
arrangements, publicity. That sort of thing.”
    “We heard she can be kind of a handful.”
    Linda looked like she wanted to talk but knew she
shouldn’t. “She likes things done her way, you know? She can get a little
impatient when they’re not.” She scrunched up her face. “Which happens
sometimes.”
    I nodded. “Professor Sorenson get along with her?”
    “Daryl tries real hard to get along with everyone.
He’s really good that way.”
    “But there’s been some tension.”
    Her eyes darted toward the door. Then she turned
back to me. “You’re talking about that department meeting.”
    I was now. “Yes. What really happened?”
    She exhaled. “I’ve been at the university a lot of
years. Things get said. It’ll blow over. It’ll take some time.”
    Just then Daryl Sorenson appeared in this doorway.
He pulled up short when he saw us sitting in his office.
    Linda and I stood up. I walked over to him, my
hand extended. “Professor Sorenson, I’m Detective Karen Seagate, Rawlings
Police Department.” I introduced Ryan and put on a smile. “I forced Linda to
let us in while you were gone. Hope you don’t mind.”
    Linda left the room, head down, glad to escape.
Sorenson walked around his desk and lowered his tall frame into the chair. I
caught a whiff of cigarette smoke as he passed me. He waved his hand
dismissively to tell me he was fine with Linda being in his office. He gestured
for us to sit, then raised his eyebrows to signal me to talk.
    “We want to talk to you about Virginia Rinaldi.”
    He ran his broad palm over his shaved head with
some force, turning the scalp white for a moment. “The provost phoned me ten
minutes ago.”
    Shit. “We’re sorry for your loss.”
    He nodded, the loose skin at his neck giggling.
    “What did the provost tell you happened?”
    “She told me that Virginia was dead. That she had
fallen down the stairs in her house.”
    “That’s right.”
    “But that wouldn’t explain why two detectives are
sitting in my office.”
    “It’s routine.” I switched on my official smile.
“When a person in apparently good health dies, we need to conduct an
investigation. You know, to determine the cause.”
    “You suspect someone killed her?”
    “We have no reason to believe that yet,
Professor.”
    His red-rimmed eyes were focused on me directly. “Can
you tell me why you think it might be murder?”
    “We don’t. Like I said, it’s just a routine
investigation.” I held his gaze. “But I’m curious. Do you know of anyone who’d
want to hurt her?”
    He paused a few seconds. “No, I don’t.”
    “Were you close?”
    “No.”
    “Was she close to anyone in the department?”
    “Not that I’m aware of.” Daryl Sorenson stroked
his white goatee twice, hard.
    “Tell us about her. You hired her, right?”
    “Yes and no.” He looked down at his hands for