Part 22 (1/2)
Smart cop.
Kris found Inspector Johnson at her elbow within a minute of her arrival. No surprise there. Nelly was taking the raw feed from the Marines and anything else they could capture from the police and pa.s.sing it along to Kris. It wasn't much.
Rather than wait for the local cop to say something inane, Kris said, ”What do you think?”
Johnson rubbed his chin. ”Hard to say. Could be related to those two attempts on your life. Then again, it could be some local campus issue. Heavens knows, General Trouble has made enemies in his long life of terrorizing whoever he was paid to. His evil past could be catching up with his wife.”
Terrorizing whoever he was paid to. Did the inspector actually think that was a soldier's job? Did he suppose it was because it was his job? Kris filed that away and asked the easy question, ”That what you're going to put in your report?”
”It would certainly make it easier for me.”
”You know she is my great-grandmother?”
”I think I read that somewhere.”
”I want her back.”
”No doubt.”
Kris did not like the att.i.tude she was hearing from the local cop in charge of her handling. She turned to face him and chose her words with a club.
”I want my gramma back. I will have my gramma back. I will not face my great-grandfather when next I see him and try explaining why I was not able to get his wife back to him.”
”We'll do everything we can” might have sounded good. But the vagueness around Johnson's eyes gave Kris no comfort.
”You will do more. You will get Ruth back. Alive.”
The cop scowled at Kris's demand. ”May I remind you that Eden operates under the rule of law?”
Kris snorted. Her father made the laws of Wardhaven...and occasionally ignored them. ”Make sure this is one time that the rule of law works for the victim.”
”We shall see,” Johnson said.
Kris didn't have time to waste repeating demands that should be clear to a concrete block...and that blockhead's boss. She turned her back on the inspector and strode away.
”Captain,” she said, coming up beside DeVar.
”Your Highness.”
”Are you busy?”
He looked around as if hunting for some killer to throttle. He scowled at the nothingness. ”Not at the moment.”
”Captain, if you could afford me the help of a few good Marines, Jack and I are about to pay a visit to the dean of graduate studies at this place.”
”Isn't he the one that helped Mrs. Tordon hire some protection?” Jack asked.
”The selfsame.”
”I was hoping to have a quiet discussion with him,” Captain DeVar said. He signaled half a dozen marines in full dress blues and reds...and long rifles at the ready.
The small group moved purposefully across the campus, staying as inconspicuous as possible. That is to say that anyone who saw them took one look and quickly scurried off to find something important to do elsewhere.
A glance over Kris's shoulder showed that several had added themselves to her visitation team. Abby she understood. Chief Beni and the kid, and his girl were there, too. Kris made a note to see about cutting down on the menagerie following her. If she wasn't careful, she'd end up with a full zoo.
No, make that worst zoo.
The dean of graduate studies had a top floor corner office in an old brick building. Kris took the stairs two at a time. Only Chief Beni ended up huffing and puffing.
”You better take up jogging, Chief,” Abby upbraided him, ”or one of these day Kris will take off and you're going to get left behind.”
”You really think so?” He sounded more hopeful than repentant.
Kris led the charge into the dean's front office.
”Do you have an appointment,” a middle-aged secretary said, trying to interpose herself between Kris and the door marked Dean of Graduate Studies in gold leaf.
Kris got to the doork.n.o.b first. ”The Dean has an appointment with me,” Kris said as she let herself in. A very tight-lipped light brigade charged right behind her.
”I'm sorry, Professor Rosemon, I tried to stop her.”
Kris quickly crossed the distance to a wide wooden desk. She used the name so kindly provided and offered her hand.
”Good afternoon, Professor Rosemon. I am Princess Kristine of Wardhaven, and a major stockholder in Nuu Enterprises. You know the company. I think we fund several research projects your university is working on.” Battle armor might not melt in Kris's mouth, but b.u.t.ter definitely would. It seemed like a good way to start with a man who spent his days in a wood-paneled office, lined with rows of leather-bound books.
She could switch to lasers and tongs later.
”Ah, yes, yes,” said a man with graying hair, bow tie and suit coat on even at his desk, alone in his office. He stood and took Kris's offered hand across a pristine desk. No clutter here.
Kris clamped on to his hand and stepped around the desk. The man seemed surprised, but his eyes were on two Marine sergeants. They were cleaning under their fingernails with very large knifes. Professor Rosemon looked shaken. Maybe even afraid.
Then he looked at Kris and knew terror.
Kris used his hand to back him into his chair. Now Kris towered over him, putting every inch of her six feet to good use. The Marine captain and the two sergeants, knives still out, moved to completely surround him.
Mouth hanging open, the professor looked like he had finally grasped that he was mortal and might die some day.
Like today.
”Professor, we need some answers from you,” Kris said, trying to warm the cold in her words with a smile. But the smile was mostly teeth.
The professor blanched and tried to make himself smaller in his seat. Eyes locked to Kris's, he muttered, ”Yes, yes. What can I do for you?”
”Mrs. Ruth Tordon is on your staff, a visiting professor,” Kris said.
”Maybe. I don't know. There are so many visiting professors.”
”Yes, I imagine there are,” Kris agreed. ”But few are the wife of General Tordon, known to most as Trouble. She's also my great-grandmother. Remember her now?”