What? Who, Me? (Murder 101)

Disclaimer:

This is a piece of fan fiction for the Hallmark series “Murder 101.”? I do not own the characters of Jonathan Maxwell, Mike Bryant, Kelly Fogelle or Samantha the Cat.? They belong to Robert Halmi Films, Hallmark Television, Dean Hargrove Productions and their producers and creators.? I did create the following characters:? Napoleon “Whoop-De-Do” Bourbon, Veronique Bourbon, Jean-Paul Bourbon, Amelie Bourbon Peterson, Marie-Noelle Bourbon Cornish, Dr. Patricia Albert, Dr. Jim Porcello, Dr. John Bozanich, Eddie Collins, Emmett Spencer, Bryce Evans, Charles Monroe, Lt. Paul Martinez and other minor characters.? “Murder 101: College Can Be Murder” gave Jonathan and Mike a much closer relationship than had first been indicated, so I have done likewise.? We have never been told where Jonathan did his graduate work, so I picked a place—University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign which does have a criminology department. The American Society of Criminology does exist and would be one professional organization to which Jonathan would belong.? The Doubletree Hotel and Executive Meeting Center is real and is located at the Berkeley marina, as is Cesar Chavez State Park.? Any named Internet service and attendant logins and passwords are purely products of my imagination.? None of them exist.? Naturally, I receive no remuneration from this story; I just write for pleasure.? I hope that anyone who reads it will find equal enjoyment.? Please remember that this was begun before the third movie.?

Chapter I

Graduation Day!? A nice Saturday in June, warm but not hot!? Mike Bryant was sitting in the stands of the football stadium, among the proud moms, dads, siblings and other assorted relatives of the graduates who would receive the beloved “sheepskin.”? Actually those diplomas were no longer sheepskin, if they ever were, but tradition dies hard in academe.? Mike heard the opening notes of “Pomp and Circumstance”--couldn’t they find another march?--and focused his attention on the grand entrance.? First the president and university administrators, then the faculty—where the heck was Jonathan?—and then the graduates—all of them marching tall and proud.? Well, maybe they weren’t all marching tall and proud; Mike remembered his own graduation ceremony—Jonathan smiling and bursting with pride, Jonathan’s wife and daughter, and his own mother proud as a peacock.? He, however, was having surreptitious pen fights with the kid in front of him.? That, too, was college tradition!? He finally noticed that the faculty had mounted the portable stage and caught sight of Jonathan; only Jonathan would take a page from the students and tape the name of his cat, Samantha, on his mortarboard! ??Finally the ceremony began; the speeches droned on and on and Mike shifted in his seat several times.? Finally came the presentation of diplomas, and Mike noticed Jonathan’s pride each time one of his students came forward and, once again, he recalled the look on Jonathan’s face when he had received his.? It was a nice memory.? The ceremony ended and the recessional music started.? Mike knew that he had to meet Jonathan, so he left and headed for the faculty dressing area.? Jonathan was just hanging up his gown as Mike entered.

“Hi, Mike, did you enjoy the ceremony?”

“Hi, Jonathan! ?Graduation ceremonies are graduation ceremonies, but I must admit it brought back nice memories.? Tell me, do they ever pick another march?”

“Not often and not here.? I couldn’t miss graduation this year.? All of my students were honor graduates:? four, cum laude; two, magna cum laude and one, summa cum laude.? That’s a big number for one department.”

“I know and that’s one of the reasons I enjoyed it.? You looked proud as a peacock up there.? Not at all the sage and stuffy professor.”

“Me?? Sage and stuffy?? When have I ever been sage and stuffy?”

“During class when it was important.? During my stay here, I seem to remember a few cutups for whom the Jonathan Maxwell bell tolled.”

“Ah, yes, I do remember them.? As I recall, the ringleader was some joker name of Mike Bryant.”

“Bryant, Bryant.? Don’t remember a Mike Bryant.? But, of course, I was perfect.”

“Yeah, sure you were.? Let’s go; I have a flight to catch.

They got into Mike’s Porsche and drove off campus.? The trip to Jonathan’s home was quiet, and Mike could tell that Jonathan was deep in thought again.? Graduation ceremonies always gave him pause, and caused him to take stock of his career.?? Had he chosen well?? Would he do it again?? Mike knew that Jonathan’s answer to those questions was always “yes,” but it always made Mike wonder.? Had he made Jonathan proud?? This was, after all, the man who became his surrogate father and helped him grow to manhood.? ??As he pulled up in front of Jonathan’s house, Mike stopped the car, looked to his right and questioned:

“Thanks, Jonathan.”

Knowing exactly what he was thinking, Jonathan replied:? You’re welcome, Mike; it was my pleasure.? Now, let’s get inside.? I have to get ready for the conference.

Chapter II

They entered the house and Jonathan went immediately to the kitchen to feed his beloved Samantha.?

“Here, Samantha.? Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.”

As Sam cam running into the kitchen, Jonathan continued:

“Did you have a good day?? Come on, here’s your dinner.? Mike, you’ll remember to come by twice a day and feed Samantha?? And stay for a while to pet her?”

“Yes, Jonathan.? Why are you catching a flight to Oakland today?? I thought the conference started on Monday.? And, by the way, did you remember to rent a car?”

“The conference does start on Monday, but I want to get up to Berkeley today.? And, no, I didn’t rent a car?”

“Did you forget?? Or are you going to try the Bay Area Rapid Transit system?”

“No, smart aleck, I didn’t forget.? And, no, I’m not going to use public transit.? Whoop-De-Do is going to pick me up in Oakland and I’ll stay with him and his wife tonight. ?Tomorrow afternoon we check into the hotel and then have a reception.? I always enjoy those; it’s nice to see old friends again.”

“Whoop-De-Do?”?

“Yeah, you remember my Cajun friend; I know I told you about him.”

“Oh, yeah.? Let’s see, Napoleon uh, uh, Bourbon.”

“Yep, that’s him.”

“How the heck did he ever get a nickname like ‘Whoop-De-Do?”

“We met in graduate school at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.? One night we went to a neighborhood bar and it was polka night.? The band started to play ‘Whoop De Do.’? Then the singer started and Napoleon laughed like crazy when he heard the words.”????????????????????

Mike looked puzzled and questioned:? “The words?”

“Yeah.? ‘Whoop-de-do, whoop de do, I hear a polka and my troubles are through.’”

“OK, now I get it.”

“Anyway, Napoleon looked up and said, a little sarcastically actually. ‘Well, whoop-de-do,’?? I couldn’t resist calling him that and it stuck.? He grew to like it.”

“Thanks, that’s a great story.”? Mike looked up and caught Jonathan’s attention.

“Mike?? What are you thinking?

“After hearing the story, I was just thinking about the graduation.? I saw how proud you were of your students, especially the new Ph. D.”

“Miguel?? Yes, I am proud of him.? In fact, he’s going to turn the profession on its ear.”? After a waiting a moment, Jonathan continued:? “Mike, as proud as I am of all my students, I’m proudest of you.? After all, you’re the closest to me.”

“Thanks.? Now, let’s get you packed.”? Mike started off toward Jonathan’s bedroom when he noticed a suitcase already in the hall.? “I see you’re one up on me.? Ah, but did you remember everything?? You can’t exactly come back for it.”

“Yes, Mike, I remembered everything.”

Picking a file folder off the coffee table and holding it toward Jonathan, Mike continued:? “Uh, Jonathan, what’s this folder?”

“Oops, it’s my paper for the conference.? I was finishing it up last night.? I guess I’d better get it in my briefcase.”? Jonathan took the folder and dropped it into his briefcase as Mike looked on.

“Very good, Jonathan.? Now, plane ticket and ID?”

“Yes, right here in my jacket pocket.”

“Jonathan, where is the conference?”

“I thought I told you.? It’s at the Doubletree Hotel and Executive Meeting Center at the marina in Berkeley.”

“Whew!? That must be costing the university a bundle!”

“Not so bad.? Everyone is staying there so with the meeting discounts and all, it’s not a bad price.”? Jonathan took at slip of paper from his jacket pocket and handed it to Mike.? “Here’s the hotel’s main phone number.? I’ll call you Sunday night to give you the room number and direct phone.”

At that moment Sam entered the living room and rubbed against Jonathan.”

“Samantha, I won’t be gone long.? I’ll be back on Wednesday evening.”? Samantha still rubbed against him.

“Now, now, Samantha, Mike will come by every day.? You won’t be alone.”? Sam whimpered.

“Samantha, not now.? I have a paper to give.? Be good, please.”? He looked at Mike, who glanced up and knew what was coming.

“Mike, please, could you stay with Samantha??? You’ll have the run of the house.? Just no loud parties!”

“Well, I don’t know,” replied Mike, smirking.? “What’s it worth to you?”

“Mike, I’ll bring you a T-shirt from UC Berkeley, what do you say?”

“Oh boy!”? Mike then laughed and said:? “Yes, Jonathan, I’ll stay.? I figured this might come up so I brought my bag with me.”

“Thanks, Mike.”

Mike glanced at his watch and picked up Jonathan’s bag and briefcase:? “Time to leave Jonathan.? You know it’s around two hours getting through security.”

“You’re right, let’s go.? Bye, Samantha.”

They got into Mike’s Porsche and drove off.? When they reached the airport, Mike left Jonathan off at the entrance closest to his airline and they said their good-byes.? Mike drove off and Jonathan went into the terminal to check in.? After taking about an hour to get through security, Jonathan found himself at his gate.? About thirty minutes later, his flight was announced; he boarded and found his seat.? For some reason, he was looking forward to seeing “Whoop-De-Do” and his wife Veronique again.? Although Napoleon taught at Berkeley, they didn’t see each other often.? This conference would be a good one.? He had a paper that would set the conference humming.? He knew his conclusions were correct, but he’d have to check it once again Sunday night.? He felt the airplane start to taxi; it soon reached airspeed and was off the ground.? Once again Jonathan thought:? “Berkeley, here I come.”?

Chapter III

One hour and ten minutes later, Jonathan’s flight touched down on a runway at the Oakland International Airport.? After taxiing for some time, during which Jonathan prepared to deplane, the 737 reached the gate.? Jonathan left the plane with a song in his heart and a bounce in his step, and headed for baggage claim where he would meet Whoop.? In due course, Jonathan found his way through the airport and downstairs to baggage claim.? Luckily, the luggage from his flight was already coming up.? He grabbed his bag and looked around.? There he was!? He spotted Whoop and Veronique and waited just a moment before hailing them.? He studied Whoop for a moment and noticed that he looked a little older, but then, so did Jonathan.? He could see a tall, balding man with a lovely fringe of white hair, the signature glasses and the sparkling eyes.? He was wearing a nice pair of Dockers and a white Polo shirt.? Jonathan could see mischief in those eyes from twenty paces and he was eagerly awaiting their meeting.? He noticed that Veronique was as beautiful as ever, as tall as Whoop, beautiful white, short hair and with her own sparkling eyes, and very becoming in a pale yellow sundress.? He decided that he’d better announce himself:

“Whoop, over here!”

Napoleon looked around and spotted Jonathan.? “Jonathan, good to see you again!? As they greeted each other, Jonathan said:

“Whoop. I’ve been looking forward to this conference.? I have a paper that should set the place humming.”

“I don’t doubt it a bit.? Now, no more work.? Tonight and tomorrow we celebrate!”

“Good idea!? Veronique, you look wonderful!? How are you?? How are the kids?”

“I’m fine, Jonathan.? Good to see you.? Jean-Paul is teaching at Louisiana State, Amelie and her family are at UNC Chapel Hill, and Marie-Noelle and her family are at the University of New Mexico.”

“So, how many grandchildren?”

“Three and a half.”

“Three and….? Oh, when’s the big day.”

“Sometime in August.? We’ll call you as usual.”? And Jean-Paul has finally found someone.? She’s a great girl.”

“That’s good.”?

Whoop interrupted:? “Let’s go.? We can catch up on the way home.”? And they left the airport.

Whoop pulled into his driveway at about 5:00 p.m., Saturday evening.? They went inside; Veronique showed Jonathan to the guest room and then left him to freshen up.? After finishing, Jonathan went to find Whoop and Veronique.? He found them on their deck, just setting up drinks and snacks.?

“Sit down, Jonathan, and tell us about yourself,” greeted Whoop, handing him a glass of lemonade.

“Well, Whoop, it’s about the same as usual.? Sometimes it even gets a little boring.? The students change but the classes stay the same.?? Sometimes it’s a little hard to change the way I present material, just to keep me from getting stale.? You know how it is; you tend to give the same lecture over and over.? I try to re-write them just to keep them fresh.”

“I have the same problem, Jonathan.? Even Jean-Paul tells me that he’s already feeling it and he hasn’t been teaching all that long.”

Veronique passed Jonathan a dish of chips and dip and inquired:? “Jonathan, how is that darling Mike Bryant?? I heard that he quit the police force.”

“Yes, he did, Veronique.? During an undercover operation, he discovered the identities of several highly-placed, dirty cops.? The result was a very big ‘oops’ for the Department.? He’s a private investigator now.”

“Oh, that can be a dangerous business,” added Whoop.

“Yes, it can,” Jonathan replied, “but Mike is doing very well.? Still hasn’t found the right girl yet, but he’s enamored of a reporter from the local paper.? She’s impulsive and they make a good fit.”

“Is he coming to the conference?”

“No, Veronique, he doesn’t have a reason to come.? Besides, he’s home with Samantha.”

“Ah, Samantha, you still have her?”

“Of course.? She’s company for me.? What about you, Veronique?? Still keeping busy?”

“Yes, Jonathan.? I gave up typing term papers, arthritis, you know; but I still manage to keep busy.”

“Good, we should always keep occupied.? What smells so good?”

“Ah, dinner, my friend.? I thought we’d have a Cajun dinner to celebrate.? Shrimps, andouille, rice and, for you, a mufaletta.? Memories of home.”

“A mufaletta!? It’s been years, Whoop.”

“Good,” replied Veronique, “let’s eat.”

The dinner conversation was nothing special and, yet, very special.? Jonathan, Whoop and Veronique talked about their lives, career choices and laughed over the funniest times.? They stayed on the deck until around 10:00 p.m.? It started to get chilly, so they went inside.? Whoop turned to Jonathan and said:

“Jonathan, tomorrow we’re going on an old-fashioned picnic.? Let’s call it a night.”???????????????????????????????

“Where are we going?”

“Just out to Cesar Chavez State Park on the bay.? There are some great picnic areas and a beautiful view of the water.? I like to go a little earlier than most people.? Then we can take time to savor the view and have a nice lunch.? We can also get back before it gets too hot, freshen up and leave for the conference.”

“That’s OK with me; Veronique, how about you?”

She smiled and chuckled a bit before answering:? “It’s fine with me, Jonathan.? We’ll have a wonderful time tomorrow and you’ll both have a superb conference.? Now, off to bed with you!”

Chapter IV

Reveille was comparatively early on Sunday morning.? Everyone was up at 7:00 and dressed by 7:30—all in shorts and tops.? In fact, serendipity directed that Jonathan and Whoop would resemble twins—both in light tan walking shorts and light blue tops.? Veronique, looking absolutely stunning in matching pale green walking shorts and top, prepared a breakfast of waffles and bacon.? Jonathan was half-way through his waffle when he looked up:

“Veronique, you still make the best waffles I’ve ever tasted.?? How do you do it?”

“I use a regular waffle batter, but put in some cinnamon and apples.? It’s not particularly hard or revolutionary, Jonathan.”

“Perhaps, Veronique, but they’re still the best I’ve ever tasted.”

“Thank you, Jonathan.”

After they had finished breakfast and read the Sunday paper, Whoop arose from the table and announced:

“Jonathan, come with me.? We have to pack the car.? We thought we’d take our portable grill and make an ‘all-American’ picnic—hamburgers, toasted buns, all the trimmings.? I made some lemonade and Veronique made some cookies for dessert.”

Arising from the table, Jonathan followed Whoop into the garage, while Veronique cleared the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher.? When they returned from the picnic, she’d have enough for a full load.? Perfect.

As Jonathan and Whoop packed the car, Jonathan turned to him and said:

“Whoop, how are things in the Department up here?”

“Oh, Jonathan, you know Berkeley.? We have some real rows now and then, but, all in all, it’s a good department.? Our professors are some of the very best and our students, top notch.? Some of our newer students are on the conservative side, which makes for good class discussion.? We’ve managed to keep the discussion on a scholarly level.? I notice that some of the more strident graduate students on both sides have learned to listen.? It’s amazing!”

“That’s good to hear, Whoop.? We just turned a new Ph. D. loose on academe and he’s going to set the study of criminology on its ear.? Watch for the name of Miguel Morales in the next couple of years.? His dissertation is due to be published next year, and I think you’ll like it.”

“I’ll do that, Jonathan.? Perhaps we’ll take a look at him; Harry Roberts is going to retire within the next year or so.? Or was that what you hoped I’d say?”

“You know me too well, Whoop.? I think he’ll be a good fit up here.? He has a lot to say.”

“Are you two talking shop again?? I should have known.? Now, get that grill in the car and that cooler in the kitchen!”

Both Jonathan and Whoop turned toward the door to see Veronique standing there, shaking her head.?

“Yes, dear,” replied Whoop.? “Jonathan, take this into the kitchen, please.”

“Certainly, Whoop.? Coming, Veronique.”

Jonathan entered the kitchen and placed the cooler on the table.? Veronique handed him two bags of ice which he placed in the bottom.? She then handed him the package of frozen hamburger patties, a bag of buns, packs of pickles, onions, cheese.? Next they added mustard and ketchup and a small container of mayonnaise.? Just as he closed the cooler lid, Whoop entered the kitchen.

“Come, come, now!? Let’s get a move on, folks!”

Veronique turned and replied:? “Calm down, Napoleon!? We’re ready.? Whoop, get the cooler; Jonathan, you get the jug of lemonade and I’ll get the bag with the chips, plates and utensils.”

“Oui, Madame!” replied Jonathan.? Allons!”???????

“Cute, Jonathan, cute.? Veronique, do we have everything?”

“Yes, Whoop.? Let’s get out of here.”

They trooped out to the car and placed everything in the trunk.? They got into the car, Whoop and Veronique in the front and Jonathan lounging in the back.? Off they went toward the Marina and Cesar Chavez State Park.? It didn’t take long to reach the park, and they found it quite empty when they arrived.? Whoop found a nice parking space not far from a picnic table with a lovely view of the bay.? Before unloading the car, they took a stroll along the water’s edge.? Jonathan was impressed with the park as well as the bay and turned to Whoop:

“I never imagined it would be quite this beautiful up here.? I guess I’m used to Los Angeles and the beaches near there.”

“It is pretty—and cooler here than on the beaches in L.A.”

“You’re right, it is cooler.? Just the place for a nice, brisk walk before lunch.? Race you, Whoop!”

“Are you two crazy?” intoned Veronique.? “You’re worse than children!”

Jonathan and Whoop started off along the beach and managed to run about 100 feet before slowing down.?? “Well,” said Whoop, “I guess we’re not as young as we were, are we?”

Jonathan looked up with a huge grin on his face and replied:? “No, I guess we’re not.? But that did help me work up an appetite.? Let’s catch up with Veronique and unload the car.? I don’t want anyone appropriating our picnic table.”

“Good idea.”

Veronique reached the picnic table they intended to use and sat down to claim it.? She looked back and noticed that Whoop and Jonathan were not far behind.? She laughed to herself and thought:? “Those two are incorrigible when they’re together.? And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”??

Her two men-children caught up with her and sat down to catch their collective breath.? After no more than one minute, Whoop and Jonathan went to the car and unloaded it.? Finally, everything was on the picnic table, so Whoop lit the coals.? Veronique set the assorted chips on the table, while Jonathan poured the lemonade.? As they snacked, Whoop and Jonathan began a discussion on teaching.? They took a walk down memory lane—their days in graduate school and working their way up the academic food chain.? Jonathan smiled and said:

“Whoop, even after all these years, all the trying times, all the students, I wouldn’t change a thing if I had to do it again.”

“Jonathan, I feel the same way.? We were both meant to be in the classroom.? I was just thinking the other day about how many students we launched, and I realized that we couldn’t count them all.”

“You’re right.? But, I must admit to a favorite.”

“Mike, right?”

“Naturally.? I grew up with his father as you know.? Sometimes I almost wish he had become a teacher; I hate to see him in danger.? But, of course, I’ll never tell him that.”

“Why, Jonathan?” questioned Veronique?????????? .?????????? .

“For two reasons, Veronique: first, he sometimes wonders if he’s disappointed me by not taking the Ph. D., and, second, both of us keep the banter light.? I don’t know why we do, but we do.? But both of us know that our relationship is closer than that.”

“I take it that you’re essentially pleased that he didn’t enter the teaching profession.”

“Yes, Whoop, I am.? He needs action, adventure in his life.? He is meant to be on the streets upholding the law in his own way.? And, as I’ve told him, I want him in Los Angeles, near me.? You know that he would have ended up who knows where if he’d taken the Ph. D.”

“That’s true,” mentioned Veronique.? By the way, boys, the coals are ready.? Get with it, oh most high cook!”

“You want me to cook, Veronique?” questioned Jonathan.

“Very funny.? Excuse me, I’ll be more specific.? Get those hamburgers on the grill, Whoop!”

“Yes, dear.”

Within about fifteen minutes, the hamburgers were almost ready.? Veronique put the buns on the grill to toast.? Finally, it was time to eat!? They made short work of the hamburgers, chips and veggies.? The conversation was light, and Veronique captivated Jonathan with tales of the antics of her grandchildren.? They finished the meal and put everything back into the cooler.? Veronique brought out the cookies and they toasted their friendship with more lemonade.?

“Veronique, Whoop, this was a great picnic and these cookies are terrific.? Just the thing for a BBQ.”

“Thank you, Jonathan,” replied Veronique.?

Whoop glanced at his watch and motioned to Jonathan.?

It’s time to start heading home, Jonathan.? Registration starts at 4:00 and we have to be there.? Since Berkeley is hosting, I have some work to do at the registration table.? By the way, I have your packet and badge with me; you can skip the registration hassle.”

“Thanks, Whoop.? I’ll take our bags and check in to the hotel for both of us.? Or was that the idea?”

Whoop reddened a little and admitted:? “Yes, that was the idea.”

“Good idea, Whoop.”

Veronique interrupted:? “Gentlemen, if we’re going to go, let’s start cleaning up.”

“Yes, dear.? Jonathan, would you take the garbage over to the waste cans, while Veronique and I put the grill and coolers in the car?”

“Certainly, give that to me.”

Jonathan was back in record time; they took one final look at the water and got into the car.? They started off for home.? Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into Whoop’s garage, unloaded the car and Whoop took the grill outside to clean it.? Jonathan and Veronique took the jugs and the cooler into the kitchen and did the same.? When everything was finally cleaned and stored, Jonathan and Whoop each spent time giving their speeches a final check.? They dressed and Jonathan pulled Veronique into a short hug and said:

“Good-bye, Veronique.? Thank you so much for last night and today.”

“Jonathan, you know you’re welcome here any time.? You’re coming back for a final dinner on Wednesday after the conference, aren’t you?”

“Of course.? I’ll fly back after dinner.”

“Good.? Have a good conference, boys!? Keep the high jinks to a minimum!”

Jonathan and Whoop answered in unison:? “Yes, mother.? We’ll be good!”

With that, they were off to the hotel.? ?

Chapter V

As Whoop pulled into the Doubletree Hotel and Executive Meeting Center near the Berkeley Marina, he saw a very nice welcome on the hotel’s reader board:? “Welcome, American Society of Criminology.”? He and Jonathan had only a moment to enjoy the greeting, when Whoop suddenly stopped the car and moaned:

“Oh, great two of my least favorite people!”

Jonathan, still looking at the sign, inquired: “Who?”

“Patricia Albert and Jim Porcello.”

Jonathan looked up to see two middle-aged, people walking across the parking lot.? The woman was tall with gray hair and thin; the man was tall with white hair and thin.

“Well, you knew they would be here.”

“I know, but I was just hoping to run into them later rather than sooner.? Let’s get inside; I have to get to the registration tables.”

Upon entering the lobby, Jonathan took their bags and laptops and headed for the hotel registration desk.? He soon checked both of them in and went to their room—344, supposedly with a view of the marina and water.? Jonathan fumbled with the key card but finally managed to insert it properly and open the door.? He put the luggage on the luggage racks and their laptops on the desk; then he pulled the drapes and saw what an incredible view Whoop and he had.?

“Perfect!? This will be a terrific conference—good discussion, good food and a beautiful, comfortable haven from the hustle and bustle.? Oh, that reminds me, I’d better call Mike.”

He picked up the phone and dialed Mike’s cell.? It rang a couple of times and then Jonathan heard:

“Mike Bryant.”

“Hi, Mike, it’s Jonathan.”

“Hi, Jonathan.? I see you made it there.? Didn’t lose your way?”

“Cute, Mike, cute.? The phone to my room is the main hotel number and then ext. 344.? The desk clerk told me that you’ll have a chance to dial it yourself.”

“Good, thanks, Jonathan.? How are things up there?? How’s Whoop-De-Do?”

“He’s fine.? I told you I was spending the night with them; we had a nice dinner and a great picnic today.? Oh, did I mention that I was having dinner with them after the conference?”

“No, but what about your flight?”??????????

“It’ll be fine.? The conference ends at 4 so there will be plenty of time.? They know what time my flight leaves.”

“All right.? See you when you land.? I’ll meet you at baggage claim.”

“OK.? How’s Samantha?”

“She’s fine.? Kelly says hello.”

“She’s there?”

“Yes.? Don’t worry; we’re being good little children.”

“Sure you are.”

“Hi, Professor Maxwell.? I have Mike on a short leash, so to speak.”?????????????????

“Hi, Kelly.? I told you to call me Jonathan.? Good for you.? Keep him on that leash.”

Laughing, Kelly replied:? “I will.? Just a minute, Mike wants to speak with you.”

“Jonathan, call me after the big speech and let me know how it went.”

“I will, Mike.? Take care.”

“Knock ‘em dead!”

“Mike!? What kind of encouragement is that!? You should know better than to tell a criminologist to knock ‘em dead!”

“Sorry, but I couldn’t resist.”

“Michael Bryant, what am I going to do with you?”

“You know you love it!”

“Bye, Mike, Kelly.? I’ll talk to you tomorrow night.”

“Bye, Jonathan.”

Jonathan hung up and decided to wander down to the conference registration area to find some of his friends.

Whoop was sitting at the registration table section marked “A-E.”? He had just registered one of his friends and looked up to greet the person next in line.? He heard a low voice:

“Well, if it isn’t the great Professor Bourbon.? I see your fine hand in this reservation setup!? Still running people’s lives, huh?”

He looked up to see a tall, black-haired man and replied:

“Welcome to the ASC meeting, Professor Bozanich.? Here are your registration packet and conference badge.? Enjoy your stay.”

“Well, still made of steel, I see.? Tell, me, Napoleon, don’t you ever change the registration procedure?”

“Do you know a more efficient one?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Good! The next time we have a conference, volunteer.? And tell me about it after our conference ends, because if it is a really good way, I’ll certainly use it.”

“You just won’t give in, will you?”

“John, you know I did you no disservice.? That paper was incomplete.? What did you expect a peer review to do?”

“You cost me a shot at tenure!”

“John, that was ten years ago.? You got it the next year and the paper was one hundred times better.? You were even hired by a more prestigious university.”

“Fine.? Is Jonathan here?”

“Yes, you know that he has a paper to present.”

“Naturally.”

“John, I won’t sit here and argue with you.? Please move along.”

“All right, but we’re going to talk about this again.”

Bozanich left and went to check in.? While seeking out hotel registration, he ran into Jonathan.”

“Jonathan, hello.”? Bozanich was polite but hardly friendly.

Jonathan replied with friendliness in his voice:? “Hello, John.? Glad to see you here.? How is your research on the comparison of male and female thieves?”

“I’m surprised you asked, but it’s coming well.? Will you be attending the meeting?? I think that you’ll enjoy my paper.”

“I’m sure I will.? I have a paper to deliver myself and if I have no conflict, I’ll be there.”

“Thank you.? Tell me, why couldn’t Bourbon have asked about it?”

“Did you give him a chance?”

Bozanich didn’t answer and Jonathan continued:

“I thought so.? John, let it go.? You got a better paper and, in fact, a better job.? You know he did you a favor.? Thank about that.? I’m going to find Whoop; I’ll see you later.”

“All right, Jonathan.? I really do think you’ll be interested in the research.”

“I look forward to the book.”?????

As Jonathan wandered into the registration area, he saw Whoop just finishing his time at the desk.? Jonathan approached and said:

“Whoop, are you finished?? I thought maybe we’d take a walk before the reception.”

“That’s a good idea, Jonathan.? It’s a pretty stroll along the hotel’s boardwalk.”

As they left the hotel, they saw Professor Patricia Albert and Professor Jim Porcello approaching.”

Jonathan looked up and smiled:? “Hello, Patricia, Jim.? How have you been?”

“Fine, Jonathan,” said Patricia.

Jim responded:? “Very well, thank you.? Professor Bourbon, good day.”

“Hello, Jim, Patricia.? I understand that you both have some new research on recidivism.”

“Yes,” replied Patricia, “we’ll be presenting it Tuesday evening.? Will we see you both?”

“Certainly,” replied Napoleon.

“We’ll see you, then,” replied Jim, and they left.

“Jonathan, could you feel the ice?”

“Yes and that is sad.? They’ve both done so very well.? Prestigious universities, books and papers aplenty.”

“I know, but I don’t think Pat will ever forgive me for beating her out here.? She was very much into women’s liberation and she thought that a position here was a done deal for her.? And Jim will never forget that I voted against him the first time he tried for tenure.? He doesn’t seem to realize that he’d forgotten the other half of being a college professor.? Indeed, one has to publish but one also has to teach.? He improved his teaching and I supported him two years later.”

“Oh well, I suppose that’s the way it goes—here and in business.? Now let’s not let anything spoil our walk.”

“Right.”

They walked for about one mile, down the walk and through the marina.? They returned to the hotel just as the reception was beginning.? Both Jonathan and Whoop refreshed themselves and entered the banquet room.? They were both pleased with the food and the bar.? Each took a glass of wine and headed for the hors d’oeuvre table.? Jonathan rubbed his hands with obvious glee while choosing his favorites:? crab cakes, stuffed mushrooms, and tiny, beef sandwiches.? Napoleon looked at his plate and chuckled:

“Jonathan, I’ve never seen someone so delighted at reception tidbits.”

“Sure you have, Whoop!? Yourself!? Just take a glance at yours.”

“True, true.? I see Evans and Monroe from Illinois.? Let’s go talk with them.”

“Good idea, Whoop.”

They approached the table and greeted their friends.? Jonathan said:

“Bryce, Charles, good to see you.? May we join you?”

Bryce replied:? “Certainly, Jonathan, Whoop.? It’s good to see you, too.? We’re looking forward to your paper, Jonathan.? I hear it’s going to have the conference humming.”

“I’d like to think so, Bryce.”

“Sit down,” interrupted Charles.? You can tell us all about it.”

“Whoop, how is everything?”

“Everything’s fine, Bryce.? We expect a productive conference.”

“Good, Good.? Now, let’s eat.”

Everyone laughed and Jonathan and Whoop sat down.? A waiter with more wine offered it to them.? Jonathan and Whoop declined, but the others each took another glass.? The four friends talked about anything and everything.? As they were eating, another waiter came by with mushrooms to offer.? They all took additional helpings of the delicious fungi, and the waiter went on his way to replenish his tray.? At the opposite end of the banquet room, someone was taking stock of the festivities.?

“A typical conference reception.? I never thought I’d get this lucky.”

The reception continued for another couple of hours.? More of Jonathan’s and Whoop’s friends joined them, and they finally appropriated another table.? Everyone enjoyed the food, the drink and the conversation.? It was close to 9:00 p.m. when the waiters began the last service of the evening.? Jonathan’s tablemates took a few more hors d’oeuvre, and the conversation began to wind down.? Jonathan noticed that people were beginning to leave the reception, so he stood and said:

“I’m going to call it a night.? I have to review my paper once again and then turn in.? Whoop, are you coming?”

“No, Jonathan.? I’m going to take a short walk and then I’ll join you.? Good night, all.”

Everyone said their good-byes and started toward the exit.? As Whoop neared the door to the banquet room, a waiter carrying a tray of what appeared to be coffee approached him.?

“Sir, we are offering tastes of our flavored lattes as a nightcap.? Would you care for one?”

“That sounds wonderful but I’m just leaving.”

“That’s all right, sir.? Just leave the cup in your room and the housekeeper will get it tomorrow.? We have our almond flavor this evening.”

“Thank you, I believe that I will,” replied Whoop as he took the cup he had been offered.

“Good evening, Sir.? Enjoy your conference.”

“Thank you.? Good evening.”

Whoop went out to the boardwalk and sipped his drink as he took a short stroll.? After about ten minutes, he turned and headed for his room and a good night’s sleep.

Chapter VI

Jonathan awoke about 7:00 a.m. Monday morning. ?He noticed that Whoop wasn’t there, but he was groggy enough not to give it any thought.? He showered, dressed and was about to go find Whoop and have breakfast when there came a loud knock on the door.?

“Jonathan, Jonathan!? Are you there?? Open up!? Jonathan!”

Jonathan recognized the voice of Bryce Evans and replied:

“Just a minute, I’m coming!”

Opening the door he said:

“Bryce, what is the matter?? You’re shrieking like a banshee!”

“Jonathan, you have to come outside!”

“Why?? What’s wrong?”

“It’s Whoop!”

”What about Whoop?? Is he ill?? I noticed that he wasn’t here when I woke up.”

“Jonathan, just come with me.”

“All right.”

Jonathan followed Bryce outside to the boardwalk.? He noticed a crowd watching something and he turned to his friend:

“Bryce, what’s going on?? Is it….?”

Suddenly Jonathan knew, and he muscled his way through the crowd.? As he approached the scene he stopped short:? “Whoop!? Oh my God, Whoop!”

As he started toward Whoop’s body, someone in a suit stepped in front of him in order to impede his progress:

“Sir, please step back.? You must step back.”

“Get out of my way!? That’s my best friend lying there.? I’m going to him.”

“Sir, I’m afraid that I must insist.”

“Who are you to insist?”

The man pulled out his identification and shield and replied:?

“Lt. Paul Martinez, Berkeley Police Department.? And you are?”

“Dr. Jonathan Maxwell, professor of criminology.? Whoop is my best friend.? I have to tell his wife.”

“Whoop?? The deceased is Dr. Napoleon Bourbon, professor at UC Berkeley.”

“Whoop is a nickname, Lieutenant.? I have to tell his wife.”?

Jonathan looked pale and was shaking as Bryce came up to him.? Lt. Martinez also noticed Jonathan’s condition and turned to Evans:

“Sir, are you also attending the conference?”

“Yes, Lieutenant.? I’m also a friend of Dr. Bourbon.”? Turning to Jonathan, Bryce said:? “Jonathan, come with me.? We’ll sit down.”? Turning to the police officer, he continued:? “Lieutenant, would you please find us before you leave for Dr. Bourbon’s home?? It really would be better if Dr. Maxwell were with you when you tell Mrs. Bourbon.”

“Yes.? Thank you both.”

Bryce started to shepherd Jonathan toward the hotel lobby, but Jonathan resisted.? He turned to the lieutenant and said:

“Lieutenant, I want to know what happened.? I’m going to help you with the investigation.”

“Dr. Maxwell, I give you my word that we’ll find out what happened.? Please stay out of it, and let us do our work.”

“Lt. Martinez, I am going to help you.? Don’t fight me on this.”

“Dr. Maxwell, you might be great in the classroom, but this is the real world.? What ...

Evans noticed Jonathan’s temper rising and interrupted before he answered the police officer:

“Lt. Martinez, I’m afraid that you just ticked off Dr. Maxwell.? You obviously have never heard of him, which is unfortunate.”

“Dr. Evans, of course I’ve heard of Dr. Maxwell.? His textbooks are still used in college criminology courses, and his other books and articles are must-reads for any serious student.? But this is the real world, not the classroom.”

Jonathan interrupted before Bryce could reply:

“Lt. Martinez, do not dismiss me.? I have been assisting the Los Angeles police for many, many years and I will be helping you. ?Now, get on with your work here and then find me in the lobby.? We should tell Mrs. Bourbon as quickly as possible.? And be prepared to fill me in completely.”

“Dr. Maxwell…”

“Lieutenant, now.”

Jonathan and Bryce left the scene, entered the lobby and noticed that everyone was milling around, discussing the incident outside.? It was quite clear to them that the crowd did not know what had happened.? Jonathan started to move toward the crowd when he heard a familiar voice:

“Well, I see we haven’t started on time.? In fact, it doesn’t appear that we’re even ready.”

Jonathan turned, his anger showing fully in his face:

“Well, Professor Bozanich, I see you brought your mouth with you today.? Too bad.”

“Oh, come on, Maxwell.? We’re obviously running late.? What’s the matter?? Did Bourbon oversleep?”

Jonathan glared at Bozanich and deigned to reply:

“No, he died.? We’ll probably be even later.? Good bye.”

Bozanich mumbled: “I’m sorry,” and walked away.? He decided to seek out Pat Albert and Jim Porcello.?

Jonathan and Bryce went to chairs near the entrance and sat down.? Jonathan dropped his head into his hands to hide the tears.? After about five minutes Jonathan looked up, turned to Bryce and said:

“Sorry.? I had to let it go if I’m going to be of any use to Lt. Martinez.”

“Jonathan, I understand.”

“Thank you, Bryce.? Why don’t you go tell Charlie Monroe?? He’ll want to know.”

“Are you sure?? Will you be OK?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine.? Go.”

“All right.? I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“That’s OK.? I’m going to call a friend of mine and then go back outside.? I want to make sure that Martinez doesn’t leave without me.”

Bryce left in search of Dr. Monroe, while Jonathan opened his cell phone and called a very familiar number.? Mike and Kelly were just sitting down to breakfast when his cell rang.? As he pulled it out of his pocket he intoned:

“Oh, terrific!? I can’t even eat in peace.”? Glancing at the caller ID, he continued:

“It’s Jonathan.? There must be something wrong!”

“Why must there be something wrong?”

“Because it’s the first day of the conference and it should have started.? He wouldn’t be calling me now.”? Mike flipped on the phone and answered:

“Hello, Jonathan, what’s wrong?”

“Mike, how did you know it was me and what makes you think something is wrong?”

“Caller ID on my phone and you should be in a conference session by now.? What is it?”

“Mike, Whoop’s dead and I’m suspicious.? I want to help but I need you up here.? Can you come up?”

“Of course, I’ll leave in about fifteen minutes.? I’m going to drive and that will take around six hours.”

“Can’t you fly?? It’s quicker!”

“I know, Jonathan, but I don’t want to hassle with airport security about my gun, and I don’t want to leave it home.? I hate for you to be alone so long…? Wait, Kelly can fly up and be with you.? What do you say?”

“Mike, that’s a great idea.? I’ll make a reservation for her at the hotel.? What about Samantha?? Who’ll watch her?”

“Just a minute, Jonathan.? I’ll ask Kelly.”

“Kelly, do you know anyone who’ll house- and cat- sit at the same time?”

“Yes.? She works at the paper and her name is Elena Johnson.”

Mike gave Kelly a puzzled look:? “Elena Johnson?”

“She got married.? Her husband’s deployed overseas and she’s at loose ends.? I’ll call her; Mike, she’s completely trustworthy.”

“All right.? Thanks, Kelly.? I really appreciate you going up there.? You’ll get the inside story when we get back so maybe you can get the paper to cover your travel.? I really hate the thought of Jonathan being alone until I get there.”

“You might be right about the story, but I’d go anyway.? He helped me and he’s a dear man.”

“Yeah, he is.? Call and make your reservations.? Jonathan said he’d get you a room.? Don’t know how long we’ll be there.? I’ll be staying with Jonathan.”

“Will do.? Drop me at the airport?”

“You know it.? As I told Jonathan, I should be there in five and a half to six hours.”

“Jonathan, thanks for waiting.? Kelly’s arranging for a friend from the paper to sit with the house and Sam.? Her name is Elena Johnson and is completely trustworthy.? Kelly will catch the first flight she can and be there soon.”

“Thanks, Mike.? Thank Kelly too.? Tell her I’ll cover her travel expenses.”

“No need, Jonathan.? I promised her an exclusive so she’ll try to get the paper to cover it.”

“Still, tell her that if it doesn’t work, I’ll take care of it.”

“I will.? Now, where shall I meet you?”? ?

“The hotel.? Once you get to Berkeley, it’s not hard to find.? Check in and let them know you’re here and then go to my room.? Tell Kelly the same.? If I’m not there call me; I might be with Veronique or the police.? Looks like the investigating officer is one Lt. Paul Martinez and he and I got off on the wrong foot.? I forgot that he wouldn’t know that I consult with the LA police. If I’m not back, maybe you can nose around.? By the way, tell Kelly to be careful.? I’d ask you to tell her not to investigate but I know that’s a lost cause.”

“You’re so right, but I’ll tell her to be discreet and not to talk with too many people at first.? Do you have any friends there who can help you until we get there?”

“Yes, Mike.? In fact they’re good … were good friends of Whoop.? They’ll probably tag along.? Be careful driving and I’ll see you when you get here.”

“See you, Jonathan.”????

Mike hung up and turned to Kelly:

“Kelly, let’s get a move on.? Are you ready?”

“Yes, let’s go.? I’ll have a car waiting for me at the Oakland airport.? I’ll see you there.? Now, we have to go by the office to give Elena the key and then we’re outta here.”

“Good thought.? I’d forgotten about the key.”

They left Jonathan’s house; on the way to the newspaper office, Kelly spoke with Elena and gave her a set of instructions.? Elena was outside when they pulled up; they gave her the key to the house and Elena wished them good luck.? They drove off heading for the airport.? It took about twenty minutes to reach LAX.? Mike stopped at the airline’s departure terminal, gave Kelly a peck on the cheek and left.? Kelly smiled and headed for her departure gate.? During the flight, she decided that, after she checked into the hotel, she’d make herself inconspicuous, hang around the lobby and check things out.? Maybe a cup of coffee in the restaurant would be an even better idea; then she could ask a few questions without seeming to be anything more than a curious guest.? Yes, that would do it.? She sipped her cola and nibbled on the pretzels while making further strategic plans.? Before she realized it, the plane started its descent.? Once on the ground, Kelly picked up her car and took the freeway toward Berkeley and the hotel.

After dropping Kelly at the airport, Mike wasted no time finding the entrance to The 5 where he began his trek north.? “I really have to get there in less than five hours, but, then again, it won’t help Jonathan if I get tagged for speeding.”? He took the first exit and pulled into a gas station.? He filled the car and programmed his GPS.? “Now, I won’t have to stop for a while, and the car will tell me which exits to take.”? He re-entered the freeway planning to stop only when necessary, for gas and some coffee.? Well, maybe something to eat.? But that would be all.?

Chapter VII

After Jonathan terminated his call to Mike, he approached the hotel desk and asked if there were a free room for Kelly; he was lucky so he made the reservation, telling the clerk that she would be arriving within a couple of hours.? He also told the clerk that Mike would be staying with him.? As he turned from the desk heading for the hotel entrance, Jonathan noticed Bryce and Charles jogging toward him.?

“Bryce, Charlie, over here.”

“Jonathan, are you OK?”

“Yes, Charlie.? I’m doing fine, but I’ll be much happier when we know what happened.”

“I know, so will we.”? Bryce continued:

“Jonathan, we’re going to have to start the conference.? I know that you probably won’t be around but we can’t delay any longer.”

Jonathan looked around and noticed the conference attendees milling around and responded:

“You’re right.? Why don’t you two go talk to the organizers and start.? Bryce, will you give my paper?? I really don’t feel like standing up in front of everyone.? Besides, I have more important work to do.”

“Yes, Jonathan.? When?”

“One this afternoon.? The room number is at the head of the paper.? Here’s my key card, just return it to the desk.”

Bryce took the card, saying as he did so:

“Thanks, Jonathan.? I’ll be sure it’s there before you return.? Give our condolences to Veronique, and tell her we’ll visit as soon as we can.? Good-bye, Jonathan and keep us posted.”

“Bye.? I will.? Now, I’m off to find Martinez.? I’m not going to let him get away.”

Charlie looked around saying:? “He’s just coming through the door now. ?Go, Jonathan.? We’ll take care of your paper for you.”

“Thank you both.? Oh, I forgot, two friends are coming up from LA to help in the investigation.? You remember Mike Bryant, don’t you?”

“Yes.? He’s a cop, right?”

“Not any more.? I thought I told you.? He uncovered a few highly-placed dirty cops and, after the trials, he left the Department.? He’s a PI and is driving up.? He’ll be here in about five hours.? My other friend is a journalist who’s also a pretty fair investigator.? Her name is Kelly Fogelle; she’s blonde, effervescent and … well you’ll know her when you see her.? If I’m not back, fill them in.”

“Will do.? Now, off with you.”

“I’m going, I’m going.” Jonathan turned and saw Lt. Martinez approach him:? “Lieutenant, let’s go.? It’s time to tell Mrs. Bourbon before she hears it on the newscasts.”

“Don’t worry about that, we haven’t made a statement yet.? But the news hounds are gathering.? Are you sure that you want to do this?”

“Yes, it’s the very least I can do.? They’re good friends of mine.? I hope her children can get up here.”

“Where will they be coming from?”

“North Carolina, New Mexico and Louisiana.”

“Well, the one coming from New Mexico shouldn’t have a problem.? Perhaps you should stay with Mrs. Bourbon.”

“Nice try, Lieutenant.? There are others who will be more than happy to be with her.? I will be assisting you.? Just so you know, my friend who is a PI will be joining us.”

“A PI?? Just what I …”

“Don’t start.? He’s a former cop who left the force after uncovering a nest of highly-placed dirty officers.? We’ll be fine.? He’s on his way.”

“We’ll talk about that later.? Let’s go.”

They entered the lieutenant’s car and drove to the Bourbon residence.? Jonathan dreaded telling Veronique, but she would need him.? And, besides, he could be more understanding than Martinez.

Chapter VIII

Veronique had just finished vacuuming and was starting to dust when she heard the doorbell.?

“Hmm!? Who could that be?? I’m not expecting anyone.? Well, Veronique, don’t stand here wondering, answer the door!”

She opened the door and was shocked to see Jonathan standing before her, accompanied by an unknown gentleman.?

“Jonathan, what are you doing he….?? Is it Whoop?? Oh, come in.”

“Veronique, you are too perceptive.? Yes, it is Whoop.”

Jonathan started to tell Veronique when he realized that he’d not introduced Lt. Martinez.?

“Veronique, this is Lt. Paul Martinez, Berkeley police.”

“Lieutenant, nice to meet you.? Now, Jonathan, what’s going on?”

“Mrs. Bourbon, nice to meet you.? Dr. Maxwell--.”

“Veronique, Whoop was found dead just outside the hotel this morning.? I don’t know what happened, but it strikes me as suspicious.? Lt. Martinez is investigating.”

Veronique looked straight at Jonathan, tears forming in her eyes.

“Jonathan, no!? How?? Why?”

“Mrs. Bourbon,” answered Martinez, “we don’t know what happened.? As Dr. Maxwell said, he was found this morning.? I’m just beginning the investigation.? There was an empty cup near him that looked like it had contained coffee, but that’s all we have.? It’s been sent to the lab.? We’ve taken your … Dr. Bourbon’s body to the coroner’s office, and we would like to perform an autopsy.”

Veronique had steeled herself and looked to Jonathan.

“Jonathan, this is overwhelming.? What should I do?? Should I let them do the autopsy?? What do you think?? Oh, I have to call the children!? I can’t think what to do first!”

“Veronique, slow down.? Everything will fall into place.? First, yes, let them do the autopsy.? As I recall, Whoop had no health problems.? Is that right?”

“Yes, you’re right, Jonathan.? Whoop had a little arthritis like me, but nothing that would cause him to collapse.”

Turning to Martinez, Veronique said:? “Lieutenant, go ahead with the autopsy.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Bourbon.? You’re sure that your husband had no medical conditions that could have caused this?”

“Lt. Martinez, I am sure.? I am certainly familiar with my husband’s health!”

“Mrs. Bourbon, I apologize, but I was just trying to be certain.? Although there is always the outside possibility of a sudden heart attack or stroke, that now seems unlikely.? I’ll treat this case as a homicide until we get the results of the autopsy.? Is there anyone you can call to stay with you, Mrs. Bourbon?”

“Yes, Lieutenant, Professor Harry Roberts’ wife, Ellie.? I’ll call her now.”

As Veronique dialed Ellie’s number, Jonathan turned to Martinez:

“Lieutenant, I think we should stay until Ellie gets here.”

“I agree, Dr. Maxwell.? I’m not as unfeeling as you seem to think I am.? As I said earlier, your books and articles are must-reads.? I didn’t read them all and learn nothing, you know.? And call me Paul.”

“Touché, Paul.? I really hope the autopsy shows an unknown medical condition.? Oh, and call me Jonathan.”

“So do I, but I think that’s about as likely as pigs flying.”

Jonathan laughed and replied:? “You should never say things like that, Paul.? We never know what those scientists will think up next.”

“True, I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Veronique hung up the phone and turned to Jonathan:

“What was so funny?”

“Sorry, Veronique.? It’s just that Paul was discounting the possibility of pigs flying.? I told him never to underestimate the scientific community.”

“Good counsel, Lieutenant.”

“I know, Mrs. Bourbon.? I hate to ask this now, but may I look through your husband’s home office and take his computer?”

“Why?”

“If I treat this as a homicide, I have to check to see if there have been threats against him.”

“Oh.? You can check but there haven’t been any that I know of.”

Jonathan interrupted:? “Veronique, he might not have wanted to worry you.”

“I see what you mean, Jonathan, and you’re probably right.? Go ahead, Lieutenant.? Jonathan, would you go with him?? Whoop’s office is down the hall.? You know where, Jonathan.”

“Yes, I remember.? Let’s go, Lieutenant.? I believe Mrs. Roberts should be here shortly.? If I remember, they live close by, don’t they?”

“Yes, they do.”

Jonathan and Martinez entered Whoop’s office and found it as neat and tidy as Jonathan had expected.?

“Paul, I’ll check the desk, why don’t you check the bookcase.? He might have hidden something there.”

“All right, Jonathan.? You have the mind of a cop, you know?”

“Yes, I do.? I told you that I often assist the LA Police.? Now, let’s see what we find.”

They searched the office thoroughly but found nothing.

“Jonathan, do you think that Mrs. Bourbon knows her husband’s computer login and password?”

“I’ll ask.”? He returned to the living room and asked:

“Veronique, do you know Whoop’s computer login and password?”

“He didn’t use one except for his e-mail accounts.? I don’t know anything about his university account.? I’ll write our house account down for you.? It’s trickier that it sounds.? We’re on a local service, Internetberkeley.com.”? She wrote:

E-mail:

Password:? JeAn+Ame-Noe%*

“Thanks, Veronique.”

Jonathan returned to Whoop’s office and sat down at the computer.? He informed Paul that they should be able to get into the files and the personal e-mail accounts, but not Whoop’s university accounts.? They would have to get the university’s help for that.? Jonathan booted up the computer; he and Paul checked the files and found nothing of interest except a completed manuscript for Whoop’s new book.? Jonathan noted this for future reference so that he could help Veronique get the book published.? He then launched Whoop’s e-mail and retrieved the new mail as well.? Their thorough check revealed nothing of interest so they shut down the computer and unhooked the CPU.? They would take it to see if the police IT staff could find anything they might have missed.? Returning to the living room, Jonathan mused:

“Paul, could you have the IT people transfer that book file to a CD before they go through it?? I want to get it published for Whoop.? It shouldn’t be too hard, I’m sure the publisher is waiting for it.”

“Sure, we can do that.”

“Thanks.”? Upon returning to the living room, Jonathan turned to Veronique to hear her question:

“Jonathan, did you find anything?”

“No, we didn’t, honey.? I did find the file for his new book, though.? Do you know which house he’s writing for?”

“Yes, he’s writing for UC Press this time.? They’re putting out a series of books by senior faculty members.? His rep is Allen McQuarie.? I know him.? I suppose I should give him a call.”

“Yes, if you’re up to it.? If not, I’ll do it.? I want to get it published.? Do you know how far along he is?”

“He’s finished.? He was going to tell you after the conference.? That’s what our dinner was for—to celebrate its completion.? I’ll call Allen; there shouldn’t be a problem.? Would you write a foreword for it?? Whoop was going to ask you, and I would appreciate it.”

“I’d be glad to.”

“Thank you.? Oh, here’s Ellie now,” remarked Veronique as the doorbell rang.? She opened and Ellie entered.

“Ellie, you remember Whoop’s friend Jonathan Maxwell, and this is Berkeley police Lt. Paul Martinez.”

“Hello, Jonathan; it’s nice to see you again.? Lt. Martinez, good to meet you.? Jonathan, why the police?? You just told me that something happened to Whoop.? I thought you meant he had gotten sick and you just wanted some company.? What’s going on?”

“Ellie, Whoop is dead.? He was found this morning outside the hotel.? We don’t know what happened, so it’s being treated as a homicide.? We’ll know more after the autopsy.”

Martinez turned to Veronique:

“Mrs. Bourbon, Jonathan and I really should be going.? I want to thank you for your cooperation.? We’ll take your CPU to see if our IT staff can find something.? I’m very sorry to disrupt your house this way.? It is necessary, though.”

“I know, Lt. Martinez.? Thank you and thank you, Jonathan.? Please find out what happened.”

“I will, Veronique.? You should know that this is going to make the newscasts.? There’s no way to avoid it.? The conference was big news, and the reporters were already nosing around before we came.”

“Thanks for letting me know.? I’ll be prepared for it.? Ellie, would you answer the phone and tell them no comment until the kids get here?”

“Yes, I’ll be glad to.”

Veronique turned to Jonathan and Paul:

“Thank you for everything.? I’m going to call my children now.? Please keep me informed.

“We will, Mrs. Bourbon.? Good-bye.”

“Good-bye.”

Chapter IX

Lt. Martinez pulled up to the entrance of the Doubletree; Jonathan turned to him and said:

“I’m going to check on the conference and then see if I can connect with my friends.? I think we should plan a short memorial to Whoop at the end of the conference.? What are you planning to do?”

“I’m going back to the station and get the autopsy going.? Also I’m going to have that cup tested. ?It probably doesn’t have anything to do with this, but you never know.”

“That’s true.? I gave you my cell number, didn’t I?”

“Yes, Jonathan.? I’ll give you a call.”

“Thanks, Paul.”

The Lieutenant drove off the hotel campus, and Jonathan entered the lobby.? He was going to check to see if Kelly had arrived when he saw a blonde having coffee in the coffee shop.? “I’d know that hair anywhere,” so he approached her booth:

“Hello, Miss. May I join you?”

Kelly started to deliver a response amounting to buzz off when she looked up:

“Oh, Jonathan!? You startled me.? Of course you may join me.”

“Thank you.”? Jonathan eased into the booth and Kelly noted that he looked worn out.

“Jonathan, are you OK?”

“Yes and no Kelly.? I just returned from telling Whoop’s wife.? That was hard because we’ve been such good friends for so long.?? Lt. Martinez and I had to ask some hard questions and then take her CPU.? The police will be looking for threats in files we might not have been able to get into.? Whoop has the new book in the files and I’ve asked them to transfer it to a CD.? I hate to have it destroyed.? I want to get it published for him.”

“Who’s Lt. Martinez?”

“Oh, sorry.? He’s the Berkeley homicide officer who’s running the investigation.”

“Thanks, I always like to know the cast of characters.? I’m glad you’re going to get the book published.? Maybe I can help; I have some contacts in the publishing industry.”

“Luckily, he already has the publisher, UC Press; the only thing to be done is getting it ready for printing.? Well, anyway, that comes later.? Now it’s time to find out what happened.? Have you been here long?”

“About 15 minutes.? I’ve been hanging out here, so I can ask tourist questions and perhaps overhear something.”

“Any luck??

“Well, everybody’s talking about it.? When the conference people come in for their breaks, they’re talking, wondering, but nothing more than you expect.? There were three people talking about your friend as if they didn’t like him.”

“Yes, that would be Patricia Albert, Jim Porcello and John Bozanich.? They don’t like him and I’m sure they’re shedding no tears.”

“Gad!? What was their problem with him?”

“Jealousy.? Whoop beat Albert out for a position here in the sixties.? She thought it was a certainty because it was the time of the big Women’s Lib Movement.? Bozanich is still upset because Whoop was the peer reviewer of a paper of his and sent it back for revisions because it was incomplete.? Whoop vetoed Porcello’s tenure because he was too research oriented.? The thing is, they all got better and more prestigious positions because of Whoop’s actions, yet they never forgave him. Strange.”

“Very strange.? You think it’s suspicious; why?”

“Well, Whoop had no known health problems and, although it could have been one of those freak heart attacks or strokes, my gut doesn’t think so.? There was a cup near the body when we found it.? Martinez is having the contents analyzed; we might get something.? We’ll know more after the autopsy.”

“OK.? Shall we go back to your room, or would you like me to hang out and see what I can see?”

“Come back with me, Kelly.? Maybe we can brainstorm until Mike gets here.? How long do you think it will be?”

Let’s see, it’s 1:00 now.? I think another couple of hours.? He could make it faster, but he wasn’t going to drive so as to attract the attention of the CHP.? Then he’d really have some explaining to do.”

“True.? Let’s go.”

Kelly and Jonathan walked out of the coffee shop and were heading to his room when someone blocked their path.? Jonathan looked up:

“What do you….?? Harry, glad to see you.”

“Jonathan, Ellie just called.? She’ll be with Veronique tonight.? Is there anything I can do?”

“Not really, Harry, at least not now.? Maybe later.? I would like to organize a short memorial on the final night.? Maybe you could take care of that with Bryce Evans and Charlie Monroe?”

“Be glad to.? I’ll talk to them over the next couple of days.? I’m in a few seminars with them.? If you need anything else, ask.”

“Come to think of it, Harry, can you get permission for Lt. Martinez and me to get into Whoop’s university computer files.? I’m hoping we don’t have to do it officially.”

“Probably not, Jonathan.? Our IT people are really hardnosed about that.? Better just get the warrant.”

“OK. Thanks.? See you later.? Oh, Harry, I’d like you to meet a friend; Kelly Fogelle this is Harry Roberts.? He’s on the faculty here at Berkeley.? Kelly is a reporter for a paper in LA and is a friend of mine.? Mike’s driving up and will be here in a couple of hours.”

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Fogelle.?? It will be good to have Mike here.”

“Nice to meet you, too, Dr. Roberts.”

“For now, good-bye to both of you.? See you later, Jonathan.”

“Good-bye Harry.? Let’s go, Kelly, I want to think.”

They entered Jonathan’s room and found the phone’s message light blinking.? Jonathan picked it up and was transferred to the voice mail.? He heard:

“Hi, Jonathan, it’s me.? I’ll be there around 3.? I’m going to stop for gas around 2:30 and I’ll give you another call.? If you’re there you can give me what you’ve got.? Oh, by the way, the GPS on this car is great.? No thinking, just follow the instructions.? Bye.”

Jonathan hung up the phone and sat across the small table from Kelly.? She looked up:

“Mike, I assume.? What did he have to say?”

“Not much, honey, just that he is on the way and would call around 2:30.? I think I’ll stay here until he calls.? Somehow I’d like to hear his voice.”

“Yeah, I like hearing his voice, too.”

“Why, Kelly!? Do I sense an attraction?”

“I’m afraid so.? I swore I’d never get “involved” until my career was established, but … I don’t know.”

“Let me guess, there’s something about him.”

“Yes, I admit it.? But it’s too soon to take anything too seriously.? Besides, I’m not sure he’s ready or even interested in anything more than a friendship.”

“Oh, I think he’s just looking for the right girl.”

“And you think that’s me?”

“You never know.? But you’re right, just take it slowly and enjoy whatever comes.”

“We will.? Now—on to more important things.? Why is your gut telling you that Dr. Bourbon’s death isn’t due to natural causes?”

”Aside from the fact that he had no health problems, I don’t know.? Maybe it’s because of the cup that was nearby, although that in itself doesn’t mean anything.? It just strikes me as odd.”

“Well, I admit that it is odd.? But, after the murder in LA, I’m betting on your gut.”

Jonathan smiles and put his hand in hers:? “Thanks, honey.? And I’m betting on your investigative talents.”

Kelly smiled:? “Investigative talents?”

“Yes, you have a way of finding out things we need.? I was thinking that you might look into a few backgrounds?”

“Sure, whose?”

“Well, for starters, Albert, Bozanich and Porcello.”

She turned Jonathan’s laptop around and verified that it was connected to the hotel’s Internet plug.? She noticed that Jonathan had stretched out on the bed, and she hoped that he’d nap for a while.? He needed the rest.? She had been gathering information for about an hour when Jonathan awoke:

“Kelly, why did you let me sleep?”

“Jonathan, you needed a little rest.? Mike should be calling soon, and once he gets here we won’t have time for naps.? Just then the phone rang, and Jonathan picked up the receiver:

“Mike?? Where are you?? Are you almost here?”

“Hi to you, too, Jonathan.? I’m about one-half hour away.? Just filling the tank for the last time. So I won’t have to do it when I get there.”

“OK.? Kelly’s been here and she’s gathering information on three people who didn’t like Whoop.? But I really can’t believe they hated him so much that they would kill him.”

“It’s officially a murder?”

“No, Mike, not yet.? It’s just that my gut tells me Whoop’s death wasn’t from natural causes.? Still waiting for the results of the autopsy.? I just thought I’d get started on some research.”

“Fine, let me talk to Kelly.”

Jonathan handed over the receiver.

“Mike, it’s Kelly.? What’s up?”

“Nothing, just act normal.? He OK?”

“Yes, everything’s fine.? Miss you, too.”

“Message received.? Thanks for being there.? See you soon.? Bye.”

“Bye, Mike.”

She handed the receiver back to Jonathan who hung it up.

“So, why did Mike ask if I was all right?”

“What makes you think he did?”

“Because I know him.?? And I would have done the same if the situation was reversed.”

“Terrific!? And here we thought we were so clever.”

“When will he learn?”

“Oh, probably never.? And you wouldn’t want him to, would you?”

“No, not really.? Now, what deep, dark secrets did you uncover about our three professors?”

“Well, not much.? They all have fine résumés and excellent reputations at their universities.? I did find information about their early years teaching, but no more than what you told me.”

“I thought as much.? I wish Martinez would call.? He must have some …”

The phone rang at that moment and Jonathan answered:

“Jonathan Maxwell.”

“Hi, Jonathan, this is Paul.? We have the results of analysis on the cup.? It contained coffee, cream, almond flavoring and rat poison.”

“Any results on Whoop’s autopsy?”

“Yes, preliminary results say poison.? We don’t know what kind yet, but I think we know what the final report will say.”

“Yes.? I knew it!? The next problem is why.”

At that moment someone knocked on the door.

“Just a minute, Paul, someone’s here.? It should be my friend Mike.”

Kelly answered the door and Mike entered:

“Hi, guys.”

“Paul, it is Mike.? I want to fill him in.”

“All right.? I’ll be over in about an hour.? I want to meet this guy.? I’m still not sure …”

“Paul, I told you that he’s an ex-cop and I told you why.? Stop worrying.”

“OK.? See you later.? Bye.”

“Bye, Paul.”

Jonathan hung up, turned to Mike and gave him a full smile.”

“Hi, Mike.? You made it OK?”

“Yes, Jonathan.? Who was on the phone?”

“One Lieutenant Paul Martinez, Berkeley homicide.? Whoop was murdered.”

“Do we have the weapon?”

“Yes.? Rat poison in an almond-flavored latte.”

“Simple, but effective.”

“Yes, but why?”? Jonathan teared briefly.? “Who would want to kill him?”

“That’s what we’re going to find out.? What did you find out, Kelly?”

“Not much.? Jonathan had me looking up information on three professors who had grudges against Dr. Bourbon.”? Jonathan looked up at her.? “Sorry, I mean Whoop.”

“Anything there?”

“I don’t think so.? If there is we’ll need a deeper background check.”

“Jonathan, what do you think?”

“Mike, I want to catch whoever killed Whoop.? Do whatever you have to.”

“All right.? Anybody else?”

“I don’t know.? We’re not all that far along, you know.”

“I know, Jonathan.? Is Lt. Martinez coming back today?”

“Yes, he’s on his way now.? He has the results of the autopsy.”

Kelly suggested:? “Mike, let’s go outside and take a look around.? We can take a look at the scene and maybe pick up a little gossip.”

“Good idea.? Coming, Jonathan?”

“Naturally.”

Chapter X

They left Jonathan’s room and were walking through the lobby when Albert and Porcello stopped them.? Albert queried:

“Jonathan, what happened to Whoop?”

“Whoop?”

“Sorry.? Dr. Bourbon.”

“No, Patricia, Whoop is fine.? I’m just sorry it’s only now that you’re calling him by that name.? Whoop was murdered.? We know that for sure.”

“Murdered,” repeated Porcello.

“How, Jonathan?”

“I do know how, Jim, but I won’t say until I speak with the investigating officer.? I don’t know yet how much information he’s going to release to the press.”

“Jonathan,” answered Porcello, “we won’t say anything.”

“I know, but I’m going to follow protocol.? I don’t want anything to spoil the case.? You know as well as I. that sometimes little things one wouldn’t think would matter come back to have a case dismissed.? I won’t take that chance.”

Albert and Porcello continued toward their rooms while Jonathan, Mike and Kelly exited the hotel.? They were at the scene and were looking around as best they could without disturbing the tape.? Lt. Martinez saw them as they were studying the area and approached them, calling out as he did so:

“I knew I’d find you out here, Jonathan.? I take it these are your friends.”

“Hi, Paul.?? Lt. Paul Martinez, Berkeley police, I’d like you to meet Mike Bryant, my favorite private investigator, and Kelly Fogelle, my favorite reporter.”

“Mr. Bryant, Ms. Fogelle, Jonathan speaks highly of both of you.? However, I’m still not sure …”

“Lt. Martinez,” interrupted Mike, “I’m sure that Jonathan has told you about me.? I am well aware of police procedure and I am a licensed private investigator.”? He showed Martinez his ID as he continued:?

“I’m not about to go off half crazed and do something stupid.? You can most certainly trust Kelly; she’s very level-headed.? But we are going to assist in this investigation.? Jonathan is our friend.”

“All right.? I can see that I can’t persuade you not to get involved; and I rather have you with me than off on your own.”

“Good,” interjected Jonathan, “now let’s get on with it.”

“Well, as I told you on the phone, the murder weapon was poison, and we’re pretty sure that the final report will say rat poison.? We’re also sure that the murder weapon was the cup of coffee.? The next question is ‘Who wanted him dead?’”

Jonathan replied:? “This is square one, then.? Who did it and why?”

Paul continued:? “Do you have any ideas, any suspects?”

“The only people I can think of are three professors who each held a grudge against him for over twenty years.? But I can’t believe that any of them would do it.? In fact, Kelly and I spoke with two of them not long ago and they seemed quite shocked and even sad.? I wouldn’t have expected that of them.”

Mike continued: ?“Well, Jonathan, what better way to deflect suspicion than to appear saddened?”

“Mike, how long have I been in the business of understanding criminals?? I don’t think I’d miss something like that.”

“Jonathan, it’s always possible. Kelly, you didn’t find anything suspicious in the background checks you made on them?”

Paul interjected:? “Hold it.? How did you do background checks?? Who gave you per …?”

“Paul, calm down,” replied Jonathan.? “Kelly only did Internet searches on them.? All she found was what anyone can find online.”

“Oh.? Sorry Ms. Fogelle.”

“Apology accepted, Paul.? Call me Kelly.”

“Well, Kelly, what did you find?”

“Actually, nothing much.? I have their professional bios and some personal information, but nothing that would indicate involvement in murder.? I think, however, that the police should run checks on them.?? At most, we’ll find a reason for one or all of them to kill Whoop; at least, we’ll eliminate them from the suspect list.”

“Jonathan’s right.? You are good.”

“Thanks.”

Jonathan said:? “When are you going to release the information to the press?? And how much information?”

“That’s part of the reason I came.? I held the news conference just before I left the station.? Like always we didn’t release cause or method of death.”? He turned toward the hotel entrance and continued:? “Look, here comes the press now.? Well, I hope your attendees are ready for questions.? They do know, don’t they?”

“They know that Whoop is dead; and I know they’re speculating; after all, they are criminologists.? I don’t know what the conference organizers have told them, however.”

“OK.? Well, there’s really nothing more to see out here.? Now it’s time to start interviewing people.? I might as well start with you, Jonathan.? When was the last time you saw Dr. Bourbon alive?”

Jonathan looked away for a moment and then replied:? “Last night at the opening reception.? We’d had a good time and had just finished spending the evening with two of our colleagues from Illinois.? The reception was ending so I went off to my room to finish up a paper I was to present today.? I asked Whoop if he was coming and he said that he’d decided to take a walk before bed.? I left the room.”

“Did anything disturbing happen yesterday?”

“I don’t know I’d call it disturbing.? Whoop had a run-in with Bozanich at the registration table, and one with Albert and Porcello a little later.”

“I take it those are the people who didn’t like Dr. Bourbon.”

“Oh, yes.? Dr. John Bozanich, Dr. Patricia Albert and Dr. James Porcello.”

“Do you know where I can find them now?”

Jonathan checked his watch:? “Well, we’re about ready for a large session with all the attendees.? They should be there, but people don’t always come.? You know how these conferences are.”??????

“Yes, I’ve been to a couple of ASC conferences.”

Mike interjected: “Really?? When?”

“Not long after I graduated.? I thought I‘d keep up on the new research.? I found out that I can’t quite do that and stay on top of my caseload.? But I do read the new publications.”

Jonathan continued:? “Very good.? I’m glad to see that you are keeping up.? Often our conference proceedings are intellectual theorizing, but just as often valid information and procedures are introduced through the literature.”

“I know, Jonathan.? Someday, I’d actually love to sit down with you and discuss the research.? Sometimes I think that some of you are a little removed from the real world.”

“Up there in our Ivory Towers?”

“Frankly, yes.? But this isn’t the time.? Mike, did you know Dr. Bourbon?”

“Paul, would you please call him Whoop?”

“All right, Jonathan.? Mike?”

“I knew him.? I’d come up with Jonathan every so often and we’d spend some time together.? But I couldn’t give you a reason for this any more than Jonathan could.”???????????

“Thanks.? Kelly?”

“Paul, I’ve never met Whoop.”

“All right.”? A couple of detectives are on their way to question everyone.? We didn’t get anything useful with the interviews this morning.”? Paul turned his head:? “Oh, here they come now.? I’m going to take them inside and start the interviews.? The conference is pretty much over for today.? ??????

“I know.? I’ll go talk to the organizers to see if we can speed this up.? Kelly, what are you going to do?”

“I think I’ll have a snack before dinner and play hotel guest.? It amazing what you can learn that way.? Hotel staff members absolutely love to gossip.”

“Good idea.”

“Mike, what’s your plan?”

“To get my stuff out of the car and go to your room.? Then I’ll nose around too.? Paul, we really need those background checks.? Also, do you have a list of hotel employees who were on duty this morning?”

“Yes, Mike.? It’s in my car and I’ll get it for you.? We also have a list of staff who served the reception last night.? With a function like that, they often call in temps and they’ll be back for the conference dinners tonight and tomorrow.”

Jonathan said:? “Thanks, Paul.? Now, everyone, let’s get cracking!”

Mike looked sideways at Jonathan and shook his head:? “Get cracking?? Oh, Jonathan, how could you?”

“I could, therefore I did!? Besides, it’s so much fun to tease you.”

“So, if I stop reacting, you’ll stop doing it?”??????

“Probably not.”

“I thought so.”

Paul looked up and said:? “Let’s get going.? Come with me, Mike, and I’ll get you that information.? It’s time we start solving this case.”

Everyone acknowledged that Paul was right, and they went their separate ways.

Chapter XI

Paul took Mike to his car and handed him the list of hotel employees:

“We should look more closely at the first hundred or so.? They’re kitchen and serving staff.? The others are housekeepers, accounting staff, and mechanical staff.? They’re the least likely suspects.”

“Yes, but you are going to check them out, aren’t you?”

“Of course!? I just want to check the others first.”? Handing Mike another list, Paul continued:

“These are the temporary servers the hotel brought in for the reception and two dinners.”

“Thanks, Paul.? And thanks for not making a fuss about my being here.? Jonathan was a good friend of my father’s and, when he died, Jonathan looked out for me.”

“I did make a fuss.? However, Dr. Bryce Evans warned me that I didn’t know much about Jonathan.? I didn’t believe him.? Now, I do.”

“Ah, meeting the man, not the myth.? He’s quite something, isn’t he?”

“Yes, and I wouldn’t want to be the perp in any case he works.? What kind of cases does he take?”

“He’ll pretty much give the police or defense attorneys any help they request.? Lately, however, it’s been murder.? Now, I’m going to drop my things in my room and start nosing around the staff.? See you later.”

“Right.? I’m off to start the interviews.”

With a smirk, Mike replied:? “Have fun!”

As Mike entered the hotel, he noticed that is was 4:00 p.m., and saw Jonathan enter what appeared to be a banquet room.? As Mike continued toward his room, Jonathan mounted the dais and tapped the microphone:

“Good evening. ?I am sure that you all know that Dr. Napoleon Bourbon from UC Berkeley was found dead this morning just outside the hotel.? Some of you might have heard the press conference held earlier by the Berkeley Police Department.? Dr. Harry Roberts, one of the organizers, has asked me to fill you in on what we know.? After I finish, Lt. Paul Martinez and two of his colleagues from the BPD will start to interview all of you.”? One person asked:

“Why interview us?? Or are you going to tell us Bourbon was murdered?”

“Yes, I am.? Napoleon was murdered sometime between the end of the reception and this morning.?? Berkeley police have the cause of death and, they believe, the murder weapon.? The police have not released the cause of death, nor will I.? Dr. Roberts requests that you all cooperate so that the questioning may proceed quickly and we can get back to the conference.? As you know, there was to have been a banquet this evening, but that is impractical now.? Dr Roberts has made arrangements with the hotel to serve dinner as a buffet in the adjoining room, and we thank the Doubletree for accommodating our request.? Following your interview, you are invited next door to a grand meal.? In the meantime, the catering staff has placed coffee, bottled water, soft drinks and snacks at the back of the room.? Lt. Martinez, do you have any requests before we start?”

“Thank you, Dr. Maxwell.? Ladies and gentlemen, there is no easy way to do this.? I have a list of everyone here and we’ll keep a general alphabetical order.? However, there are three of you we’d like to interview first:? Drs. Patricia Albert, John Bozanich and James Porcello.? Thank you, all for your patience.”

Albert, Bozanich and Porcello approached the three detectives; Bozanich almost bellowed:

“Well, Lieutenant, I see you’ve been talking to Maxwell.? He probably thinks that we did it.”

“And you are?”

“John Bozanich.? So let’s get this over.”

“Sit down, Dr. Bozanich.? Dr. Albert, would you speak with Detective Everson?? Dr. Porcello, would you speak with Detective Taylor?”

They answered simultaneously:? “Certainly.”?

Porcello looked at Bozanich and added:? “John, for once in your life, lose the bluster.? It doesn’t help your case, you know.? Obviously he has spoken with Jonathan and knows that we didn’t like Napoleon.? Now, cooperate and look at it this way—we’ll be the first to get dinner.”

Everyone chuckled at the last remark and the questioning began.? Lt. Martinez motioned for Bozanich to sit at a table far from the crowd and he began:

“Dr. Bozanich, I did speak with Dr. Maxwell and I do know that you have carried a grudge against Dr. Bourbon for what seems an inordinately long period of time.”

“That’s true.? So what?”

“Dr. Bozanich, please.? If I were you I’d heed what Dr. Porcello said.? Cooperate with me or go downtown for questioning.? It’s your choice.”

“All right.? Bourbon was the peer reviewer on a paper of mine and he sent it back and it wasn’t published.”

“It wasn’t published at all or just not at the time you would have liked?”

“It was published about six months later.”

“Was the information in the article still valid?”

“Yes.? The paper was well-received.”

“Then evidently Dr. Bourbon did you no injustice.? So why carry the grudge?”

“Because he said it was incomplete and was not up to publication standards.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“Was he correct?”

“All right.? Yes, he was correct.? But it could have been published.”

“So, Dr. Bourbon saved you some embarrassment among your peers by forcing you to rewrite the article.? Sounds to me like he did you a favor.”

“You’re a cop.? What do you know about it?”

“For your information, I, too, am a member of the ASC.? I don’t get to many conferences but I do keep up.? I’ve seen some articles, none of yours however, and some of the current ones are not well written.”

“OK, you win.? What else do you want to know?”

“Did you see Dr. Bourbon on Sunday night after the reception?”

“Yes, I was standing outside looking out at the marina and saw him strolling along the walkway?”

“Were you alone?”

“No, I was with Dr. Albert and Dr. Porcello.”

“Did any of you speak with Dr. Bourbon?”

“No, he wasn’t near us; he was just strolling.”

“All right.? What did you do then?”

“We all went back inside together.? It was getting late and we all had conference papers to prepare.? You know how it is; you want to take one more look.”

“Yes, I do.? Have you heard any rumors or talk about Dr. Bourbon’s death?”

“Well, sure.? We’re all speculating.? I got a couple of really strange looks from some of the others, because it’s also no secret that Bourbon and I weren’t friends.? I suppose everyone’s wondering about me.? Did I do it?”

“Did you?”

“What kind of question is that?? Of course not! ?I didn’t like the guy but that doesn’t make me a killer.? I knew you’d try to blame me!”

“I’m not blaming you, Dr. Bozanich.? But you do come off as a good suspect, you know.”

“I suppose.? And I don’t suppose that last outburst helped any.”

“No, it didn’t.”

“Can you think of anyone that would want Dr. Bourbon dead?”

“Truthfully, no.? Everyone I know, except Pat and Jim of course, liked him.? He was a fine teacher, I have to admit.? And he was brilliant.”

“All right.? I believe that we’re finished.? If you do think of anything, please let me know.”? With a grand grin, Martinez added:? “And, Dr. Bozanich, don’t leave town.”

“Funny.? I won’t.? After all, the conference doesn’t end until Wednesday afternoon.”

Bozanich left the table and headed toward Albert and Porcello who had also just finished their questioning.?

“Pat, Jim, wait up.? Let’s go to dinner.”

“Hi, John,” Pat called out.? That’s where we’re heading.? How’d it go?”

“Not bad.? You were right, though, Jim.? I did have to control the bluster.? I just answered his questions.? Did you know he’s a member of ASC?”

Porcello and Albert shook their heads no.? As they entered the adjoining banquet room, Martinez, Everson and Taylor compared notes.? Martinez opened the conversation:

“Did you get anything out of them?”

Everson continued:? “No.? Dr. Albert said they they’d seen Bourbon outside, but that they weren’t near enough to speak.? Then the three of them went back inside.? Albert says that she doesn’t know of anyone who’d want to kill Bourbon.? She didn’t like him but she didn’t want him dead.”

Detective Taylor added:? “That’s what I got from Porcello.? Of course they could have planned their answers, but it didn’t seem as though they did.”

Martinez ended the conversation:? “No, I thought they might have seen something, but Maxwell really didn’t think they’d stoop to murder.? Unfortunately, somebody did.? Well, let’s get back to work.? If we finish quickly enough, maybe we can pick up some leftovers!”

Chapter XII

While Martinez was questioning the conference attendees, Mike dropped his luggage in Jonathan’s room and started to walk through the hotel.? He was able to speak with a few of the serving staff but learned nothing.? About fifteen minutes into his investigation, he had the opportunity to speak with Jenny Tucker, one of the waitresses at the reception.? He introduced himself and they walked outside the hotel and sat on one of the benches in the hotel gardens.? Mike began:

“Ms. Tucker, you’ve heard about the murder last night?”

“Yes, it’s all over the hotel and we’ve been talking about it since the professor was found this morning.”

“Did you happen to know Dr. Bourbon?”

“Well, I didn’t know him, but I’d see him around.? Every now and then he and his wife would come in for dinner.? They were really nice people and very pleasant to serve.? That’s really all I know.”

“Thank you.? Did you see anything that might give us a clue about the murder?”

“I don’t think so.? It was pretty busy last night with the reception and all.? There are other guests in the hotel, you know.”

“Not very pleasant when there’s a conference here?”

“I don’t mean that so much, it’s just busy.? I don’t even get a chance to catch my breath.? I’m either serving in the coffee shop or at a conference function.”

“I see what you mean.? What about the people you work with?”

“About the same.? You know, sometimes I wish I were just one of the temps.? They really have it nice.? They work when they want, or take conference serving on their days off.”

“Do you know any of the temps?”

“No, not really.”? After some thought, Jenny continued:?

“I just thought of something.? During the reception last night, I saw one of the temp waiters taking it easy on the job.”

“How so?”

“Well, he’d stand at the door and look at everyone.? Then he’d pass a tray or two.? Then look again.? Then he left for a while.”

“Did you report him?”

“No.? Sometimes you just have to take a break during these things.? He wasn’t away too long and then he started doing his job right.”

“You don’t happen to know him, do you?”

“No, like I said, he’s a temp.? I’m sure he’ll be around tonight though.”

“Why would they need temps tonight?? The banquet’s been turned into a buffet, and everyone will be eating at different times.”

“Yeah, but there’s still coffee to serve, water, that kind of stuff.? It still takes a larger staff.”

“Jenny, I’ll be in the hotel all evening, looking around.? If you see him, will you find me and point him out?”

“Sure.? I’ll do anything I can.? I need to get back to work now.”

“All right.? And thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Jenny went back into the lobby and Mike continued to stroll around the grounds.? When he saw staff members stopping to talk he’d wander by to see if he could overhear anything.? Unfortunately, he found out nothing, but he continued.? He knew that legwork was pretty much the key to solving a crime like this.

Kelly had taken table near the center of the coffee shop and decided to order a milkshake.?? She could kill half an hour drinking a shake and nobody would give it a second thought.? After all, milkshakes were cold and thick.? As her waiter placed her shake on the table, she flashed him a smile of thanks and asked:

“I just got here earlier and I notice there’s a lot of stuff going on.? What’s happening?”

“Oh, somebody was murdered here this morning.”

“Ooh.? Is the hotel in a dangerous area?”

“No, don’t worry about it.? It was one of the people at the conference that’s here.? We usually don’t have any trouble.”

“Have you heard any news?”

“Not really.? Why are you interested?”

“Well, I see the staff stopping to talk.? You know how curious we women can be.”

“Boy, do I.? I’ll have to give my girlfriend a rundown tonight.? All I know is that he was murdered.”

“Didn’t see anything did you?”

“No.? I wasn’t working last night.”

“Oh.? Thanks for filling me in.”

“You’re welcome.”

As Kelly continued to sip her shake, she heard two waitresses stop near her table and listened to the conversation as best she could:

“May, did you see that guy working the reception last night?”

“You mean the one that kept lingering and looking at the people?”

“That’s the one.? It was like he didn’t even want to work.? I was going to ask him what the heck he thought he was doing.”

“Yeah, Stella.? I was getting pretty mad.? I almost followed him the last time he left, but it wasn’t any of my business.? But if he’s here tonight, I’m going to get on him.”

“It’s bad enough when there’s a banquet, but when one of the temps keeps sneaking out, it just makes more work for the rest of us.”

Kelly smiled and looked up:

“Hi, I couldn’t help but overhear you talking.”

“Suddenly the waitresses looked upset and started to leave.”

“Hey, I’m not going to say anything.? I’m just a tourist, but I couldn’t help but notice the activity.? Did you know that guy that was killed?”

“No, but we’ve seen him around.”

“Did you hear if there are any suspects yet?”

“Yeah, three of the professors, but I gather that’s not panning out.”

“Thanks.? Guess I’ll just keep my ears open.”

With that, Kelly finished her shake and left the coffee shop to find Mike or Jonathan.? Just as she entered the lobby, she saw Mike and Jonathan just coming in.? She went up to them and asked:

“Hi, did you find out anything?”

Jonathan replied:? “No, I’ve been doing some work for the conference tomorrow.? What about you?”

Mike responded:

“Maybe.? I was talking to one of the waitresses and she said that one of the temps brought in for the reception kept leaving the reception room.? She said he’d pass a tray or two and then leave.? Then he’d pass another tray and leave.? She finally said that he came back and stayed for the rest of the reception.? She didn’t know his name, but she’ll find me if she sees him again.? How did you do, Kelly?”

“I was just coming to look for you.? I overheard a couple of waitresses complaining about some guy who wasn’t doing his job last night.? I think it’s the same fellow.? They said that they didn’t say anything because it wasn’t their business, but, if he comes back, they’re getting on his case.? They were pretty upset because it just makes more work for them.”

“I don’t suppose they knew his name,” interjected Mark.

“No.? But maybe we’ll get lucky.”

Just then they noticed a haggard and drawn Martinez leave the conference room and approach them:

“Hi.? We’re just about finished.? Nothing, just as we suspected. ?Jonathan, I don’t suppose that we could sneak a bit of that buffet dinner; it smells really good.”

“Sure.? Why don’t you finish up and we’ll all go for dinner.”

“Sounds good to me,” replied Martinez and he returned to his questioning.

“Mike, do you see the waitress you spoke with?? I’d like to talk to her,” questioned Jonathan.

“No, I don’t see her around.? Let’s sit here and wait for Martinez.? We can go through the list of temps and see if we can narrow it down.”

“Good idea.”

Mike removed the list from his pocket and started to read off the names:

“Jill Downey, Judy Smith.? Oh, most of them are women.? Wait, here we are:? John Douglas and Eddie Collins.? They’re the only men.? We’ll start there. Jonathan, I don’t suppose that you’ve heard of either of them.”

“No, Mike. Despite my advancing years and wide circle of friends, I don’t know everybody in this world.”

“You don’t?? That’s surprising.”

“Michael Bryant, you young whippersnapper!? A little respect for your elders, please!”

“Yes, Michael,” interrupted Kelly, a little respect!”

“OK, OK.? I give.? Oh, here comes Paul now.”

“Hi, Paul.? Are you finished?”

“Yes, Mike.? Now, can we please eat?”

Jonathan replied:

“Yes, let’s go.”

As they entered the banquet room, heads turned.? Martinez said:

“I suppose they wonder what we’re doing here.”

“I suppose,” said Jonathan, “shall we show them?”

?He picked up a plate and motioned for the others to do the same.? They went through the line and headed for a table in a corner so that they could talk quietly and not disturb the others.? As they began their meals, a waitress approached and asked if they wanted coffee, tea, milk or soda with their dinners.? Mike looked up:

“Hi, Jenny.? Have you by chance heard anything more since we talked?”

“Hi, Mr. Bryant.? No.? But I’ll look around.? Now, what would you like to drink?”

Jonathan and Mike requested coffee and Kelly, tea.? Martinez and his detectives ordered colas.? Jenny left and Martinez looked at Mike:

“Who is she?”

“She’s a waitress that I questioned earlier.? She said that one of the temporary waiters kept leaving the reception last night and wasn’t doing his work properly.? Then Kelly heard the same thing from two different waitresses.? It’s worth checking out, Paul.”

“Yes, it is.? I take it nobody knows the waiter’s name.”

Kelly interjected:? “No, but they’ll point him out if they see him.”

They returned to their meals and decided to converse about anything but the case.? As they continued, Jenny returned with their drinks.?

“Here, you are.? Enjoy your meals.”

She left and dinner continued.? When they were sated, Jonathan asked the question everyone was thinking:

“Paul, you got nothing from the interviews?”

“Nothing.? Nobody saw anything, nobody heard anything.? And my instinct tells me they’re telling the truth.”

Just then John Bozanich approached:? “Hello.? I won’t stay, I just wondered if there’s any news.”

Jonathan replied:? “No, John.? We’re working on it.”

“I know.? Lt. Martinez, I apologize for my conduct earlier.? I don’t suppose you’ll believe it, Jonathan, but I would like to see the murderer arrested and convicted.”

“Actually, John, I do believe it.? I never really thought that you, Pat or Jim hated Whoop so much that you would kill him.? But we did have to ask.”

“I know.? I’ll see you tomorrow at the conference.? I’ll be giving my paper at about two.”

“John, I know that I said I’d be there, but I can’t promise now.? But e-mail me a copy after the conference; I do want to read it.”? Jonathan wrote something on his business card and handed it to Bozanich who replied:

“I’ll mail it as soon as I get home.? I understand, Jonathan.? Harry said there will be a memorial on Wednesday just before the end of the conference.? I told him I’d like to say something and he approved.? I hope you won’t be upset.”

“No, John.? I won’t.”

Bozanich left the table, and Jenny returned to replenish the drinks.? Just after pouring Mike’s coffee, she glanced across the room.? She turned to Mike and said quietly:

“Mr. Bryant.? That waiter I told you about just came in.? He’s in the corner over there, just serving coffee.”

Mike looked up and committed his face to memory:? “Thank you, Jenny.? Please don’t let him know we want to see him.”

“All right, Mr. Bryant.”? She then moved to another table and refilled their cups.”

“Mike, which one is he?” asked Kelly.

“The blond in the corner.”

“I see him.? Jonathan, Paul?”

“Yes,” replied Jonathan, “we both see him.? He’s looking this way.? Let’s just take our time.? If we all get up and approach him, he’ll get nervous and we might lose him.? Mike, did you by chance question him today?”

“No, but now’s a good time.? The place is clearing out and I’m just doing my job.”

Mike approached the waiter and began:

“Hi, I’m Mike Bryant and I’d just like to thank you for putting up with us.”

“No problem, Sir.”

“Been a rough night?”

“No, not really.? Why did you come over?? Most people don’t give the serving staff the time of day.”

“I like to be polite.? You guys had to make a lot of quick changes tonight and I’d just like you to know that we all appreciate it.”

“Thanks, that’s very nice of you.”

Mike presented his identification and continued:? “I’m helping investigate the murder that took place here.? Would you mind answering a few questions?”

“Why? ?I don’t know anything about it.? I’m just one of the temps they brought in to serve the reception and banquets.”

“What’s a temp?”

“Servers that a hotel or restaurant brings in when there are banquets scheduled.? The regular serving staff can’t handle those and their regular duties.”

“Oh.? Sounds like a nice gig.”

“It is.? Sir, I do have work to do; what did you want to know?”

“Well, I’d like to know your name.? Just a formality, but you know how it is.”

“No, I don’t, but I’ll take your word for it.? My name is Eddie Collins.”

“Do you just wait tables for a living?”

“Yes.? If you do it well, it’s an OK living.? I supplement with these temp jobs.”

“Did you see anything the night that Professor Bourbon was killed?”

“Like what?”

“Anything, really.”

“Well, I saw the professor.? I was working the reception.? I passed some hors d’oeuvre to him, but that’s about it.”

“Did he say anything to you?”

“He passed the time a little and was very pleasant thanking me.”

“Did you see him after the reception?”

“I noticed him taking a walk outside but I didn’t talk to him.? I was still cleaning up.”

“Did you notice if he had a cup in his hand?”

“Yeah, come to think of it.? We passed out flavored lattes after the reception.? A last minute thing I guess.”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t see it listed before we were told to pass them.”

“Oh.? Did you see who gave him the coffee?”

“No, sorry.? Sir, I really have to get busy.”

“Just one more question.?? Did you see anyone lurking around while you were working?”

Collins panicked just a bit; Mike noticed but decided not to pursue the matter.? He asked again:

“Mr. Collins, did you see anyone?”

“No, Mr. Bryant.? Nobody.”

“Thanks, Mr. Collins.? I’ll leave you to finish your work now.”

“Thanks.? I hope you find the person who did it.”

“So do I.? Good-bye.”

While Mike was questioning Collins, Jonathan noticed another waiter cleaning up and approached him.

“Hi, I’m Jonathan Maxwell, and I just wanted to thank you for your help tonight.? I know that you were prepared to serve a banquet but had to change quickly.”

“Thank you.? Most people don’t think of us.? But I’m grateful.? Did you say Jonathan Maxwell?”

“Yes.? What’s your name?”

“Wow, my class used your textbook.? Uh … I’m John Douglas.”

Extending his hand, Jonathan replied:? “Glad to meet you, John. You’re studying at Berkeley?”

“No, University of San Francisco.? I’m working on a minor in legal studies and criminology is one of the courses.? Really interesting.? More than I thought.”

“Are you keeping up a good average?”

“Well, I got an ‘A’ so I guess I’m doing OK.”

“Yes, I’d say you were.? Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions about the murder?”

“Ask away, but I can’t tell you much.”

“You were working the reception last night?”

“Yes.? But so were a lot of other people.”

“I know, but did you happen to see Dr. Bourbon?”

“I’m not… Come to think of it, I did see him around.? I think I passed him a few of the stuffed mushrooms.? Do you know how he was killed?”

“Yes, we do, but it’s not being divulged.? Did you happen to see him after the reception?”

“No, I was cleaning up.? The last time I saw him was just as he was leaving.? Someone passed him one of our flavored lattes.”

“Did you see who?”

“Let me think.”? Douglas scanned the room and his gaze landed on Collins.? “Yes, it was Eddie over there.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.? Do you think he did it?? He’s a temp just like me.”

“No, we’re just asking everyone if they saw anything.? Thanks for your help.? And, by the way, do you know this Eddie well?”

“Don’t know him at all.? First time I worked with him.”

“Thanks.? And we do appreciate all the work you do for us.? Keep up your studies.”

“I will.? I hope I’ve helped.”

“You have.”

Both Jonathan and Mike returned to the table and sat down.? Paul questioned:

“How did you do?”

Mike responded first:? Well, I got Eddie Collins.? He was helpful enough.? He said that he has a job in Oakland and supplements his income with his temporary server jobs.? He said that he passed a few of the hors d’oeuvre to Whoop, and saw him walking outside but didn’t say much else.? He did say that he saw him with a cup in his hand, but didn’t see who gave it to him.? Trouble is I thought I saw some panic in his face when I asked if he saw anyone lurking around.? Then he gave a quick no and asked if he could go back to work.? Something’s bothering me but I don’t know what.? Paul, when are those background checks coming in?”

“Not till tomorrow.? Maybe we’ll learn something from them.? Jonathan, did you find out anything?”

Jonathan had glanced toward Collins and didn’t hear Paul’s question.? Mike interjected:

“Oh, oh.? He’s got that look Paul.”

“What look?”

”The one that says he’s got an idea.”

”You mean he knows who did it?”

“No, just the beginning, but something one of us said struck him.? Didn’t you see him tune out?”

”No.? Let’s bring him back.? Earth to Jonathan.? Did you find out anything?”

“What?? Oh, yes, Paul.? Something very interesting.? I was talking to John Douglas and he likes my textbook.”? Jonathan grinned at Mike.”

“This is what you found out?? Oh, I can see it in your face.”

“Mike, what can you see in Jonathan’s face?”

“Oh, he’s going to keep an eye on Douglas.? Another recruit for the profession.? Right, Jonathan?”

“Maybe.? He’s taking a minor in legal studies at the University of San Francisco.? I’ll have to give my friend a call about him.”

Paul interrupted:

“Jonathan, is that all you learned?? That you have a possible new criminologist coming along?”

“Well, no.? That’s a bonus.? John told me that he saw Collins give Whoop that cup of coffee.”

Mike looked up in shock:? “What!? Did you say that Collins gave Whoop the cup?”

“Yes, Mike.? So we have something to mull over during the night.”

“Yeah, do we!? Who’s telling the truth?? It could go either way.”

“I know, Mike.? I’m leaning to John right now, but you never know.” ?Jonathan looked at his watch.?? “It’s about 10:00, guys.? Shall we call it a night?? Paul, I want to see the background checks when they come in.”

“All right, but I don’t see what we’ll get from them.”

“Sometimes, nothing.? Sometimes, a murderer.”

“Jonathan, what do you know that we don’t.? You know you can’t keep evidence from the police.”

“I know, Paul. I’m not.? I will admit that an idea is forming, but it’s premature to talk about it now.”

“Let me guess, it’s just a feeling.”

“True enough.? I’ll have to let it simmer for a while.”

“Simmer?? Oh, Jonathan, that’s as bad as anathema,” interjected Mike.? “Is it going to be like this all night?”

“Like what?”

“Oh, a lecture containing words nobody uses and a good cross-section of the population doesn’t know the meaning of.”

“It might.? Now, let’s go.? I want to get back to my room.”

Paul concurred:? “Yeah, it’s time to head home for a little sleep.? I’ll see you here about in the morning.? Let me know if that fertile mind of yours comes up with a suspect, Jonathan.”

“You’ll be the third to know.”

“The third?”

“Sure, Mike and Kelly first.? Then you.”

“OK, OK.? Good night.”

“Good night, boys.”

They left the banquet room together.? Paul and his men left the hotel; Jonathan turned to Mike and Kelly:

“Good, they’re gone.? Now, let’s get back to my room.? We have something to talk about.”

Kelly queried:? “What.? Do you know who did it?”

“No, I don’t really have the foggiest.? It’s just that something Mike said made me think.”

Mike added:? “All right.? Let’s get back to the room first.? We don’t need to speculate out here where people can hear us.”

Someone lurked in the shadows and wondered:? “Do they know?? Should I leave?? No, that will look bad.? It’s just one more banquet tomorrow night.”

Chapter XIII

Jonathan, Kelly and Mike returned to the room.? Mike put on a pot of coffee and they settled themselves.? Kelly and Jonathan sat at the round table, while Mike stretched out on one of the beds.? Mike began:

“So, what did we learn tonight?? It looks less and less likely that Bozanich, Albert and Porcello had anything to do with the murder.? That leaves them out, but I’m not surprised.? Jonathan?”

“Well, we’ve also learned that either Collins or Douglas is lying.? Could go either way but I want to believe Douglas.”

Kelly interrupted:? “Why, Jonathan?”

“Because he recognized me and he seems to be very fond of his legal courses.? I’m thinking he should be smart enough to know that ‘d never get away with blaming it on someone else.”

“True, Jonathan.? When I spoke with Collins, he had a flash of panic when I asked him if he’d seen anyone lurking around.? I’m not quite sure why that would panic him, unless he knows something.? Maybe Douglas is trying to do a number on you, and Collins saw him lurking.? Then, maybe Bozanich really is guilty, and Collins saw him.”

Kelly countered:? “But maybe it means that Collins is guilty and he’s trying not to show it.? That question made him nervous.”

“True,” replied Jonathan, “but we still have to start someplace.? Let’s assume that Douglas is correct and Collins passed Whoop the cup with the poison in it.”

Kelly replied:? “OK, that leads to two questions.? Was Collins just doing his job?? Did Collins prepare the poison?”

Mike interjected:? “And if he did prepare the poison, was he trying to kill Whoop or anybody connected with the conference.? Or did he have another victim in mind and mixed up the cups?”

Jonathan took up the discussion:? “That leaves us with a whole lot of unanswered questions.? And there is still the possibility that Douglas did it.”

“Yes,” Mike replied.? “And those same questions apply to Douglas.? I wish we had something more to go on, Jonathan.”

“So do I, Mike, but we don’t.”? Looking at his watch, Jonathan continued:? “Well, it’s getting late.? We can’t do anything more now.? It’s time we get some sleep.? Kelly, we’ll meet at 7:00 tomorrow morning for breakfast.? Sleep well, Honey.”

“I will.”

Kelly left the room.? Jonathan turned to Mike and said:? “I’m going to call Veronique.”

He picked up the phone and dialed Veronique’s number hoping that she would answer the phone.?

“Hello?”

“Hi, Veronique.? I was hoping that you would still be up.”

“Oh, Jonathan.? I was hoping that you would call.? I tried sleeping earlier, but I can’t.? The kids are on their way; they should be here tomorrow.? How’s the investigation going?”

“Well, we have two possible suspects, but no motive that we can pin down.”

“What about those three professors?? You know—the ones who hated Whoop so.”

“We did check, but nothing.”

“Maybe they didn’t do it, but how about them hiring someone?”

“I hadn’t thought of that.? I’ll look into it, but, Veronique, I really doubt it.? I think our two other suspects are more likely.”

“Just look into it for me, please.”

“I will.”

“Thanks, Jonathan.”

“Veronique, I can hear the fatigue and tears in your voice.? Would you like me to come back and stay with you tonight?”

“Thank you, Jonathan, but Ellie is here.? In fact, she’s just coming in with some hot chocolate.? You work on catching Whoop’s killer.? You must be tired, too.? Go to bed and start fresh in the morning.? Oh, you are going to speak at the memorial on Wednesday, aren’t you??????????? ”

“Of course.? Now, let’s both get some sleep.? Good night, Veronique.”

“Good night.”

Mike looked up from his notes:? “How’s Veronique?”

“Just about as you’d expect.? It’s time we get to bed, Mike.”

“I know, I’m going.”

“Mike, thanks for coming up.? I really need you here.”

“Jonathan, I’d never stay away.? Now, to bed.”

“Good night.”

As Jonathan turned off the lamp, someone was out walking in the parking lot.?

“Well, it’s done.? I can leave and nobody would be the wiser.? But if I do leave, then they’ll start looking my way.? No, the best strategy is to stay.”

And so ended one very bad day.

Chapter XIV

The clock struck 6:30 and Jonathan awoke to the sound of the alarm.? He looked across to Mike and noticed that he was still fast asleep.? Since Jonathan didn’t feel like arising, he picked up a pillow and threw it at Mike’s head.? Direct hit!? Mike looked at Jonathan:

“You rang?? I wasn’t asleep, you know, just resting my eyes.”

“Right.”

“Jonathan, what time is it?”

“6:30. Remember, we told Kelly we’d meet her for breakfast at 7:00.”

“That’s right.”? Suddenly Mike jumped out of bed:? “First dibs on the shower!”

“Go ahead, sonny.? Leave the poor, old professor alone to drag himself out of bed.”

Mike turned around:? “Jonathan, are you all right?”

“Gotcha!”

“Jonathan—one of these days.”

“One of these days what?”

“I’ll get the last word?”

“Wanna bet?”

“Yep.”

“Save some hot water for me.”

By this time, Mike had closed the bathroom door and couldn’t reply.? “He did it again.”

Jonathan, Mike and Kelly met in the coffee shop just a little after 7.? Jonathan began:

“Well, did everyone sleep well?? I know you did, Mike.? What about you, Kelly?”

“Just fine.? Let’s get going, I’m hungry.”

“So am I,” replied Mike.?

Just then the host appeared asked:

“Would you like a table?”

Jonathan replied:? “Yes, thank you.? What do you recommend?”

“Sir, anything you order will be excellent.”? He led them to a center table and Mike asked:

“Could we have that table in the corner?? We prefer to be out of the limelight.”

“Certainly, Sir.”?

Just as he turned to go, their waiter approached.?

“Good morning, everyone.? Coffee for you?”

Mike replied:? “Yes, thanks.”

The waiter returned with the coffee and water and took their orders.? Within ten minutes breakfast arrived, and they attacked their plates with relish.? After about one minute, the munching slowed and Jonathan began to speak:

“I spoke with Veronique last night and she asked how far along we were in the investigation.”

Kelly queried:? “What did you tell her?”

“I told her that we had two suspects.? She asked about Bozanich, Albert and Porcello.? I told her that we investigated them but didn’t really think that any of them is the murderer.”

“What did she say to that?”

“She said that maybe they didn’t actually commit the murder, but perhaps could have hired it done.? I told her that I doubted it, but promised that I’d look into it.? Do you have anything, Mike?”

“Not on them.? I did some checking and didn’t find anything.? If we’re going to investigate them again, we’re going to need Paul and a reason for requesting bank records and the like.”

“True.”? Jonathan glanced toward the door and noticed the person just entering the coffee shop.? “And here comes our favorite police lieutenant now.? Maybe we can find a way.”

Paul stopped at the entrance, looked around the room and finally noticed Jonathan, Mike and Kelly in the corner.? He approached the table and Jonathan waved him to a chair.”

“Hi, Paul.? We were just talking about you.? Have some breakfast?”

“Hi, everyone.? I’d love to.? I’m starving.”

Mike laughed and replied:? “Now you sound like me.”

“Well I am starving.”? To the waiter who appeared at table, Paul said:? “I’d like sausage and eggs, please.? White toast and coffee.”?

The waiter left and returned quickly with coffee.? While awaiting his breakfast, Paul inquired:

“Did you all sleep well?? Any news?”

Kelly replied:? “Yes, we all slept very well.? And no news.? You can’t really have expected us to have any, could you?”

“Well, knowing that Jonathan‘s on the case could have caused the perp to break down and confess.”

Jonathan smiled:? “Oh, if only I had that effect on criminals.? It would save so much time.? No, Paul, my mere presence here has not caused anyone to come to my room, spill his guts and beg forgiveness.”

“He?” questioned Mike.

“Mike, at my age, “he” is what we use for any perp.? You know that.”

“I know, but it’s so much fun to tease you.”

“You know, Mike, I can still take you across my knee.”

“Sure, you can.”? Then Mike thought better of his answer:? “On second thought, maybe you can.”

Kelly interjected:? “Boys, boys, don’t you ever stop?? Let’s get back to the issue at hand.”

Jonathan pulled a long face:? “Oh, all right.? Paul, I spoke with Mrs. Bourbon last night and she asked about the investigation.? She wondered if we had checked Bozanich and his friends.? I said that we had but had pretty much eliminated them.? She asked us to check to see if perhaps they had hired it done.”

“Jonathan, you don’t really believe …”

“No, but I told her we’d look into it.? We’re trying to determine how we can do it.”

“Jonathan, you know that I can’t subpoena any records without a good reason.? And we don’t have a good reason.”

Mike replied:? “Yes, we know that.? But we’d like to set her mind at ease.? Maybe the background checks will tell us if any of them connect with Collins and Douglas.? Are they here?”

“They came in overnight.? I don’t see any connection but you can look at the files.”?

He handed the files to Jonathan who gave them a cursory glance, and then handed them to Kelly.

“Honey, would you take a good look at these later?? I didn’t see anything either at first glance.”

“Be glad to, Jonathan.”

The waiter returned with Martinez’ breakfast and refilled the coffee cups.? As Paul ate, he told everyone the results of the background checks:

“There’s nothing obvious that connects anyone with Dr. Bourbon’s murder.? Do you really think that any of those three professors would have conspired to murder Dr. Bourbon?”

“No, not really,” replied Jonathan.? I think that Mrs. Bourbon is hurting and trying to figure out why anyone would kill Whoop.? He was a very good man.? Brilliant, a good teacher, great father, everything one would want in a friend.”

“So I gathered.? Nobody had a bad word to say about him.? And even those three admitted that he’d done them no injustice.? I don’t see them as perps.”

Mike chimed in:? “Heck no.? They wouldn’t have done it.? They know Jonathan’s the best criminologist in the country; they’d never be able to keep it from him.? He reads people too well.”

“Well, Mike, such high praise from you!” replied Jonathan.

“Jonathan, you know that’s how I feel.”

“I know, Mike. Kelly, after you’ve checked those files, just let me know.? Then I’ll tell Veronique that it’s not possible.”

“I will, Jonathan.”

Mike checked his watch just as the waiter returned with the check.? Jonathan took it and assigned it to his room.? Paul started to pull out his wallet when Jonathan said:

“Paul, we’re on the same side and I’ll be leaving Berkeley.? Surely you can let a friend buy you breakfast.”

“We’ve known each other for about twenty-four hours.? Friend?”

“You don’t know Jonathan, Paul,” Mike said.? “He evaluates and makes friends quickly.? And you pass his evaluation.”

“Thanks, I’d like to be able to tell a few of my colleagues that Dr. Jonathan Maxwell is nothing like we thought.? Now, let’s get going.”

Jonathan grabbed Paul’s arm:? “Paul, was there anything on Whoop’s university computer that would help us?”

“No.? Just the usual e-mail, lectures, that kind of thing.”

“Thanks.? I was afraid of that.”

They left the coffee shop.? Kelly returned to her room to read the files.? Jonathan went to check on the conference.? Mike caught up with Paul and asked:

“Paul, I want to speak with you alone.”

“Why, Mike?”

“That temporary waiter Collins; when I was questioning him last night there was one point where this look of panic crossed his face.? It was there for a second, but I’m sure I hit a nerve.? He said he works in Oakland, and takes these temp jobs to make extra money.?? Can you find out where he works?”

“Let’s check the hotel personnel office.? They must have a number where they can reach him.”

“Good idea.”

They found the personnel office and entered.? Paul identified himself, displayed his badge and inquired:

“May I speak with your personnel manager?? This concerns the investigation into the murder of Dr. Bourbon.”

The receptionist replied:? “Certainly, sir,” and buzzed her boss.? “The police are here, Mr. Jones.? They wish to speak with you concerning Dr. Bourbon’s murder.”? After a few seconds, she looked up at Martinez and said:? “Go on in.? He’s waiting for you.”

“Thank you,” replied Mike, and he and Martinez entered the office.? Jones arose to greet them:

“Hello, I’m Paul Jones, the personnel director.? What can I do for you?”

Paul replied:? “Mr. Jones, I’m Lt. Paul Martinez, Berkeley PD.”? He gestured to Mike:? “This is Mike Bryant, a private investigator.? We would like some information on one of your temporary waiters, Eddie Collins.”

“Why?? Is he a suspect in this case?”

Mike replied:? “Let’s say a person of interest.”

“What do you want to know?? There are still privacy rules, you know.”

Paul replied, soothing Jones’ ruffled feathers:? “Yes, sir.? He told Mr. Bryant that he had a regular job in Oakland, and took these temporary ones to earn extra money.”

“I’ll check his file.”? Mike and Paul waited patiently while Jones found the employment file for Eddie Collins.? He returned and said:? “Here it is.? He has a job at a restaurant in Oakland.? It’s called the Grand Oaks; here’s the address.? I do hope that he’s not the killer you’re after.”

Mike replied:? “So do we.”

Mike and Paul left the office and the hotel.? What they didn’t know was that Jonathan saw them leave.? “I wonder where they’re going, and why they aren’t telling me.? I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.”

He turned just as Harry Roberts hailed him:?

“Jonathan, how’s the investigation going?”

“Harry, we’re at a bit of a standstill.? Mike and Lt. Martinez just left, but they didn’t tell me where they were going, and Kelly is taking a hard look at the background checks to see if she finds anything.”

“So you’re not really close to solving the case yet.”

“Not really.? We’re hoping to solve it before tomorrow; I’d like to have the killer in custody before the memorial.”

“So would I.? Meanwhile, I have a favor to ask of you.? I’m scheduled to moderate a panel discussion in about five minutes, but Veronique called and asked Ellie and me to go to the mortuary with her.? I asked why she didn’t ask you and she said that she wanted you busy on the case.? It’s a one hour panel, and as long as Mike is gone…”

“All right.? Don’t let them hoodwink Veronique.”

“Count on it.? Thanks.? It’s in the large conference room.”

“All right.”? As Harry left the hotel, Jonathan entered the conference room and familiarized himself with the subject of the panel—gang crime.? He knew the panelists, so no introductions were necessary.?

While Jonathan was occupied with the panel discussion, Mike and Paul arrived at the restaurant.? Paul identified himself and asked to see the manager.? When the manager arrived, Paul began:

“I’m Lt. Martinez, Berkeley PD, and this is Mike Bryant, private investigator.? I wonder if we might ask you about one of your employees, Eddie Collins.”

“Why, Lieutenant?? This is not your jurisdiction, you know.”

“Yes, but this concerns the murder of Dr. Napoleon Bourbon at the ASC conference in Berkeley.? We hoped that you might cooperate with us.”

The manager decided to be belligerent and said:

“No.? I think you’d better ask for an officer from the Oakland PD.”

Before Paul could answer, Mike took over:

“Sir, I’m a private investigator, licensed in the State of California.”? Displaying his ID, Mike continued:? “Please, just a few questions.? Then we will be on our way and your customers will be none the wiser.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Not at all.? We just wanted to know what kind of employee Collins is.? How long he’s been working here, that kind of thing.? If we have to wait for an Oakland detective, people will wonder why we’re here and not dining.”

The manager glanced around the restaurant and noticed that the lunch crowd was beginning to filter in:

“All right.? Come into my office.”

They entered the manager’s office and he motioned them to sit down.? They did, and Mike began:

“How long has Collins been working here?”

“About one year.? I remember because I hired him.”

“Where did he work last?”

“Someplace in Kentucky.? Louisville, I think.? Yes, Louisville.”

“What kind of employee is he?”

“Very good.? He’s does an excellent job, and the regulars seem to like him.? Very personable.? You know the kind of thing.”

“Yes, I do.? You’d call him an exemplary employee, then?”

“I’d say so.? I know that he takes extra jobs to make more money.? He said something about sending money home.”

“Nice guy.? Is he working today?”

“No, it’s his day off.? He said something about working a banquet in Berkeley.? Oh, the conference banquet?”

“Yes.? Thank you very much.”

He and Paul rose and left the restaurant.? As they got into Paul’s car, Mike turned to him:

“Well, at least we know where Collins is from.? What about Douglas?”

“He’s local.? Born and raised in Monterey.”

“OK.”? Mike lapsed into thought and Paul questioned:

“What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know.? Something about this Collins character nags at me.? I’m beginning to wonder if this has to do with something in Whoop’s past.? Let’s go talk to Jonathan.? Maybe Kelly’s turned up something in the files.”

“Maybe, but I doubt it.”

They drove back to Berkeley and to the hotel.? As they entered, they spotted Jonathan just coming out of the conference room.? Mike called out:

“Jonathan.? We’d like to talk to you for a minute.”

Jonathan looked up glared:? “Where did you two go?? And don’t try to tell me nowhere.”

“No, Jonathan, we won’t.? We went to check on Collins’ job.? He works in a restaurant over in Oakland.”

“What did you find out?”

“Nothing much.? Just that he’s been there for about a year and he came from Kentucky.? I’m beginning to wonder if there’s something in Whoop’s past that triggered this.? Did Whoop ever teach in Kentucky?”

“No.? After graduate school, he taught at the University of Oregon for a while.? Then he came here.”

“Darn.? I was hoping we had something.? What about Whoop’s career?”

“It was brilliant.? He’s as well-known as I am in the community.? He’s published a few more books than I have.”

“Nothing there, then,” interjected Paul.

“You know, if I remember correctly there was something at Oregon.? There was a scandal, what was it now?? Oh yes, I remember.? One of the professors in the department was accepting term papers that he knew were plagiarized. “

At the same time, Mike and Paul replied:

“Wow!”? Mike continued:

“That’s a big academic sin.? Do you remember what happened?”

“Let me think.? Um … Naturally the prof was fired with prejudice.? That pretty much ensured he’d never teach again, or at least not for a very long time.? The last I heard was that he’d gotten a job in some community college.? I don’t know if he ever tried to work his way back.”

“Would that have been possible?”

“Maybe.? But he’d have had to prove himself.”

“Do you remember his name?”

“Yeah.? Emmett something.? Emmett Spencer!”

“Emmett Spencer?”

Jonathan, Mike and Paul turned to see that Kelly had walked up.? Jonathan asked:

“Yes, why?”

“Because I remember the name from one of the files.”

“Which one?” inquired Paul.

“Um… Eddie Collins.? I think it said that he’s the nephew.”

Jonathan lapsed into silence.? After several minutes Mike turned to Paul and Kelly and said:

“Kelly, Paul, he’s got that look again.”

“So we have the case solved,” stated Paul.

?“Almost.”

Mike continued:? “Let’s all go over and sit down.”? He shepherded them all to a corner of the lobby and they sat.? Finally, Jonathan said:

“I think we’re on to something.? Now, lots of people are named Eddie Collins and Emmett Spencer, but I think this is too much of a coincidence.? Let’s see.? Mike, your waitress said that Collins was ducking out all night at the reception.? Then, he finally came back and stayed.? Collins said that he doesn’t know who gave Whoop the latte, but Douglas said that Collins did.? Still, did Collins spike the latte or was he just the waiter who happened to get the tray?? This is all very neat, but we really have to find out if Collins was in possession of the poison.”

Mike continued:? “Maybe we can place him at a store.? Paul, are there stores close to here that would sell it?”

“Yes, there’s a supermarket nearby.? I don’t suppose we have a picture of Collins.”

Suddenly, Kelly took out her cell phone.

“Maybe.? I snapped a couple of pictures the other night just in case.? Let’s see.? Ah, here he is.? What do you have in mind?”

“Let’s go, Kelly.? Darn, we can’t! ?It’s too early.? We’ll have to wait another few hours.? Give me your phone.? I want to take this back to the station and get hard copy.? Don’t worry, I won’t snoop.? I’ll be back around 6:00, and Kelly and I will go over to the supermarket.? Maybe we’ll get lucky and the clerk who worked Sunday evening will be working tonight.? Meanwhile you two keep an eye on Eddie.? And don’t, whatever you do, let him know we’re on to him.”

Jonathan answered:? “We won’t.? And don’t you let him see you two leave.”

“Good point.? Kelly, how about meeting me at the supermarket around six instead?? When you come out of the parking lot, turn right and then left at the first light.? It’s about three blocks down.”

“I think I saw it when I came in.? Will do.”

She handed Paul her phone and the files and he left.? Mike and Kelly went to find Jenny to see when Collins was due in.? Jonathan returned to the conference for the rest of the day.? Mike and Kelly learned that Collins was due in at 5:00 for the banquet at 6:00.? They saw him come as they sat in the lobby reading.? Once he’d gone into the kitchen, Kelly left for the supermarket and Jonathan left the final conference session of the day.? He and Mike decided to take a walk along the boardwalk and discuss the day’s events.? Jonathan began:

“Mike, I hope we’re right.?? I really want this finished.”

“So do I, Jonathan, so do I.? When it is, you’re going back to LA with me, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Mike.? I’d like to have company.? What about Kelly?”

“She said no.? She said the paper agreed to a human interest story on the famous Jonathan Maxwell.”

Jonathan frowned and Mike continued:? “Don’t do that, Jonathan.? The paper is covering her expenses.? She won’t drag Whoop into it much.? Her angle is Jonathan at work someplace other than his home turf.”

“OK.? I owe her that much.”

Meanwhile, Kelly pulled into the supermarket parking lot and noticed Paul’s car was there.? She got out and went over to it:

“Hi, Paul.”

“Hi, Kelly.? I saw you pull in.? Here’s your phone.? Let’s do it.”

They entered the store and noticed that a checkout aisle was empty.? They went over and Paul began by displaying his ID:

“I’m Lt. Martinez of the Berkeley PD.? We’d like to ask you some questions.”

“Ask away,” replied the checker.

“First, may I have your name?”

“Why, what’s this about?”

“You heard about the murder of the Berkeley professor at the criminology conference?”

“Sure, who hasn’t?? Does this have something to do with the murder?”

“It could have.? Your name?”

“Sam Pickett.”

“Were you working Sunday evening?”

“Yeah, I was—until about 10.? Why?”

Paul showed the photo of Eddie Collins and replied:? “Did you happen to see this man in here that night?”

“Lieutenant, we get a lot of people in here.? I can’t remember them all.”

“I know.? But would you please take a close look.? It’s very important, Mr. Pickett.”

“Sure.? Give it to me.”? He took the photo and studied it for several minutes.? He finally spoke:

“You know, come to think of it I did see him here.? He came in, then left, then came back about thirty seconds later.? I thought he was casing the place, but he finally bought something.”

“Do you remember what?”

“Yeah, rat poison.? I remember because I asked him if he had the problem.? He said yeah, he’d seen a few around his house and didn’t want them moving in.? I wished him good luck and he left.? So, is it important?”

“Yes, sir, it is.? Would you be willing to swear to it in court?”

“Yep.? I do my duty and I’m proud of it.”

Paul offered his hand and, as Pickett shook it, said:

“Thank you, Mr. Pickett.”

Paul and Kelly left the store and went back to his car.? They looked at each other and said: “Yes!”

Paul continued:? “I’m going back to the station and see if I can find a judge for an arrest warrant.”

“You have judges who work at night?”

“Yes, there are always a few who perform weddings after the regular day.? It’s their way of keeping an even keel.”

“Good luck.”?

Kelly returned to the hotel and noticed Jonathan and Mike in the lobby.? She sat beside them and kissed Mike on the cheek.? He turned to her and she smiled.? He understood and said:

”Yes?”

“Yes.? Let’s eat.”

Jonathan said:? “The banquet is just about to start.? I told the staff to expect both you and Mike.”

“Let’s go.”?

They entered the banquet room and noticed that Collins was serving.?? He came over to them and asked casually:? “Any news on the murder?”

Jonathan replied:? “Not yet.? But we’re working on it.”

“That’s good to know.? It’s not pleasant knowing there’s a murderer here.”

“If the person is still here,” replied Jonathan.?

“True.? Well, have a good evening, folks.? I’d better get back to serving.”

They finished the meal with small talk.? A few of Jonathan’s friends came by and they all passed the time.? Kelly’s phone rang and she answered:

“Hello.”? She heard:

“Kelly, it’s Paul.?? Make conversation.”

“Hi, Elena.? How’s Samantha?”

“I got the warrant.? I’ll be there in about thirty minutes.”

“Fine.? I’m glad she’s coping well.? Have you heard from your husband?”

“I’ll come to the banquet room.”

“Good, that will be the best.? We’ll see you sometime tomorrow.? Bye.”

“Bye.”

Jonathan inquired:? “That was Elena?? Is Sam OK?”

“Yes, Jonathan, she’s fine.? Let’s just enjoy our dessert and coffee.”

Jonathan acquiesced but his mind was working overtime.? Somehow, Kelly was trying to tell him something.? Dessert and coffee—that would take about half an hour.? He doubted that Elena would call the night before the conference ended.? Maybe it had been Paul.? Well, he’d keep an eye on Collins, if that were the case.? After dessert and coffee the banquet room started to empty.? Harry Roberts came over to Jonathan’s table and sat down, for which Jonathan was exceedingly grateful.? Harry began:

“Jonathan, I came to fill you in on the arrangements.”

“Thanks, Harry.? You know Mike.? This is Kelly Fogelle, newspaper reporter extraordinaire.”

They all chuckled.?

“So what are the arrangements?”

“The memorial will be tomorrow at four, after the conference.? The kids arrived just as we were leaving for the mortuary and went with us.? Veronique and the kids will be here; she wants to hear Bozanich speak.? He’s speaking for Albert and Porcello, too.? Then they’ll take Whoop back to Louisiana for the funeral and burial.”? In a very low voice, Roberts added:? “How goes the investigation?”

At that moment Mike noticed Paul enter.? He arose and moved toward the exit to the kitchen.? Jonathan answered sotto voce:

“Stick around, Harry and stay alert.? Perhaps you might saunter toward the exit.”

Jonathan hooked up with Paul and they both approached Collins, who was starting to clear a table.? He looked up and started to run.? Unfortunately, he picked the kitchen as his getaway path and ran straight into Mike:

“Hey, what’s your hurry, Eddie?”

“I’ve got to get to work.? I can’t stay here and talk to you.”? He tried to escape, but Mike simply grabbed his arm and twisted it behind him.?

“Just stay put, Eddie.? I think Lt. Martinez wants to talk to you.”

Paul walked up and began:? “Eddie Collins, you are under arrest for the murder of Dr. Napoleon Bourbon.? You have the right to remain silent …”

Several officers entered and took Collins into custody as Paul completed his rights.? Jonathan walked back to him and asked:? “Why?”

Collins said:? “What the heck.? I’m proud of what I did.? I got rid of that goody-two-shoes, who made my uncle depressed for years.”

“So your uncle is Emmett Spencer who taught at the University of Oregon when Dr. Bourbon was there.? You know what your uncle did?”

“Sure, but what’s the big deal.? People plagiarize all the time.”

“Of course they do. But your uncle allowed it.? He broke a very sacred rule in academe.? And he paid for it.”

“He wouldn’t have if Bourbon had looked the other way.”

“Whoop couldn’t have.? That’s another sacred rule.? You stamp it out wherever you find it because, if you don’t, education, research stand for nothing.? No one makes any breakthroughs; they just regurgitate old ideas.”

“Yeah, you would say that!”? Collins spat on the floor.? “That’s what I think of your precious rules.”

The officers removed Collins from the premises and Paul said:? “We’ll check his house tomorrow to see if there’s any poison still there.? But we’ve got enough.? Do you suppose I could attend the memorial?”

Jonathan said:? “Of course.? I’m sure that Veronique would like to see you, and thank you.”

“I’ll be here.? Thank you for your help, Jonathan.? And you too, Mike.? Kelly, thanks.”

Mike replied:? “You’re welcome.? I’m glad to see it end.? See you tomorrow.”

Paul left and those who witnessed what had happened sat down again and started to discuss it.? Roberts came up to Jonathan and said:

”Jonathan, you knew that was going to happen, didn’t you?”

“I thought so.? Kelly supposedly got a phone call from the person cat-sitting for me.? That seemed very strange. Then she specifically mentioned dessert and coffee, which would take about half an hour.? I was really sure, only when I saw Paul come in.”

“What did you expect me to do over by the exit?”

“Well, I thought he’d run.? Mike was covering the exit to the kitchen.? I needed someone by the door.? I figured that if he went that way, you could tackle him.? Relive your glory days of football.”

“I see.? Well, Jonathan, you’re right.? I would have tackled him, but I’m glad I didn’t have to.? Arthritis, you know.”

“Yes, Harry, I know. “? Jonathan looked at his watch and continued:

“Time for me to get back to my room.”? He patted the pockets of his blazer:? “Anyone seen my glasses?”

Mike mumbled:? “On your head.”

“I heard that, Mike.”

Kelly interjected: ?“In your inside pocket.? You put them in there just before dinner.”

“Thanks, honey.? Let’s go.”

Roberts arose:? “Good night, folks.? And it is a good night.? We can conclude conference business tomorrow and then say good-bye to Whoop.? Until tomorrow.”

“Until tomorrow,” replied Jonathan.

Jonathan, Mike and Kelly left the banquet room and Mike asked her:

“Kelly, want to take a walk?”

“Can’t.? I’ve been working on the article, and I want to have a draft finished tonight.”

“All right.? See you tomorrow morning for breakfast.”

Chapter XV

Wednesday dawned and Mike and Jonathan met Kelly in the coffee shop for breakfast.? Following their meal, Jonathan was finally able to attend some of the conference meetings, few though they were.? Mike stayed with Kelly, helping her with the draft of her newspaper article.? At 4:00, they left Kelly’s room and headed for the large conference room where the memorial would be held.? Just as they arrived, they noticed Mrs. Bourbon enter the hotel with her children.? Mike approached her and said:

“Mrs. Bourbon, I’m Mike Bryant.? I don’t know if you remember me …”

“Certainly I remember you.? I was so glad when Jonathan called last night.? Where is he?”

“Inside; they’re just winding up the conference.? The memorial should start soon.”

“Good.? Thank you for what you did.? Now Whoop can rest easy and enjoy his funeral.”? She turned to Kelly:? “And you must be Kelly Fogelle.? Jonathan told me about you.? Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome, Mrs. Bourbon.”

“Both of you, call me Veronique.? These are my children:? Jean-Paul, Marie-Noelle and Amelie.? These are the two who helped Jonathan and Lt. Martinez catch your father’s killer.”

Jean-Paul stepped forward:? “For all of us, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.? It was our pleasure,” replied Mike.

Just at that moment, the door opened and Jonathan exited the room.? He saw Veronique and approached:

“Veronique.? Are you sure you want to be here?”

“Yes, Jonathan.? I have to be here.? Whoop would want it.”

“That’s very true.? Jean-Paul, Marie-Noelle, Amelie, are you all right?”

Marie-Noelle replied:? “We’re coping, Jonathan.? We’ll be all right.”

Looking toward the entrance, Jonathan remarked:? “Good, here comes Paul.? Let’s start.”

They entered the conference room.? Jonathan, Veronique, Harry Roberts and the kids mounted the dais.? Roberts began:

“We’re here this afternoon to remember our friend and colleague Napoleon “Whoop-De-Do” Bourbon.? We remember him as full of life, full of fun and one of the best criminologists in the country.? In fact, he and Jonathan had a friendly rivalry.”

That caused some laughter in the crowd, which was Roberts’ intention.? He continued:

“We thank Veronique and her children for gracing us with their presence today.? We hope that this memorial will serve as a good way to say good-bye to Whoop.? I’m going to ask Jonathan Maxwell to speak first.? He was Whoop’s best friend, and they shared so much.? Jonathan.”

Jonathan walked to the podium:? “Hi, everyone!? That was how Whoop would greet any assembly.? We mourn Whoop, but we also rejoice in his life.? He was a kid from “Cajun Country” who, more than anyone I know, had a dream and fulfilled it.? He wanted to teach, and teach he did.? He was teacher, mentor, and friend.”? Jonathan’s voice broke, and he coughed:

“I will miss him.? I will miss his humor, his passion for teaching, for learning, for making great strides in our discipline.? But mostly I’ll miss my friend.”

Jonathan sat down and Roberts took the podium again:

“Dr. John Bozanich would like to say a few words.”

Bozanich took the podium to the sound of whispering.

“Hello.? I’m sure that you’re all surprised to see me here.? I thank Dr. Roberts and Mrs. Bourbon for allowing me this time.? I speak for Dr. Patricia Albert and Dr. James Porcello as well.? You all know that we’ve held grudges against Whoop for many, many years.? Too many.? It took his death to force us to acknowledge that he did us no injustice and, in fact, laid the groundwork for our marvelous and fulfilling careers.”? He turned to Veronique and her children:? “Mrs. Bourbon, Jean-Paul, Marie-Noelle and Amelie, I stand here today to say that we are sorry.? We are sorry for rejecting Whoop’s friendship.? We are sorry for acting like stupid and petulant children.? And we ask your forgiveness.”

Veronique arose and took the podium.? As she started to speak, Bozanich started to sit down.? She began:

“Dr. Bozanich, John.? Come back.? I was going to speak a little later but I’ll start now.? My children and I have heard the words from you that Whoop so longed to hear; I will say those words that Whoop so longed to say.”? She spread her arms as a sign of forgiveness and said:? “Welcome home.”

She turned to the gathered academics and continued:

“We’re going to take Whoop home for burial.? It’s what he would want.? We’ll leave tomorrow morning for New Orleans.? The funeral will be held at the Cathedral of Saint Louis in the French Quarter, at 10:00 a.m.? The cathedral is near the Café du Monde.? Everyone who can, is invited to come.? Whoop would love it.? You are also invited to join us for a party—to celebrate Whoop’s life.? I thank all who have been our friends, our colleagues.? We hope that you will come to say good-bye, New Orleans style.”

She returned to her chair, stopping to hug Jonathan.? Dr. Roberts asked if there were others who wished to speak.? No one stood, so he closed the memorial.?? May of the attendees went up to Veronique and the children to give their personal condolences.? It took some time, but finally the crowd dwindled.? Only Jonathan, Mike, Kelly and Paul were left with Veronique and her children.? She came to Paul to shake his hand.

“Thank you, Lt. Martinez, thank you.? You have closed the case and Whoop’s killer will be brought to justice.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Bourbon.?? It was a pleasure meeting you, meeting all of you.? Good-bye.”?

Paul left and Veronique then turned to Jonathan:

“You are coming to the funeral, aren’t you?? You’re not teaching this summer?”

“Yes, I’m coming and no, I’m not teaching. ?Mike and I will be down on Friday.? We wouldn’t miss this.”

Veronique turned to Kelly:? “Can you come, too?”

“I’d like to, Veronique, but I’m a reporter.? I don’t know what I’ll have to cover.? Besides, my paper is expecting a human interest article on Jonathan working somewhere besides his home city.? I really have to get it done—they’re paying my expenses up here.”

“Oh, you’re writing an article on Whoop’s death?”

“Don’t worry, I’m using his death to set the article, but I won’t make it sensational, I promise.”

“Oh, honey, I’m not worried about that.? You use as much as you have to.? Jonathan, you know Whoop would love this.”

Jonathan replied:? “He would, wouldn’t he?”? He turned to Kelly:? “Kelly …”

“I’m two steps ahead of you, Jonathan.? I’ll rework the article.? Veronique, I will attend the funeral.”

“Good, honey.? A New Orleans funeral will be the perfect ending to your piece, and I know that Whoop will be looking down, laughing and laughing and laughing.? Now, let’s go, kids, I want to get home.”

Jonathan questioned:? “Veronique, what are you going to do?”

“I’ll come back up here later and sell the house.? I’ve decided to go home and take up some volunteer work in the area.? They still need help, you know.”

“Yes.? I think that’s a good thing.? If you need some help, call and I’ll meet you here.”

“Thanks, Jonathan, I might just do that.”? She gave him a quick peck on the cheek.? “Once again, thanks.”?

As she turned to leave, Jonathan called out to her:

“Veronique, I forgot to ask.? What about the book?”

“I spoke with Allen.? He’ll have his staff edit the book, but he’d like your foreword around the end of July.? They’re going to try to get it out by the end of the year.”

“Good.? I’ll be waiting for it.? He’ll have the foreword in plenty of time.? Do you have his e-mail address?”

“Oh, yes.? Here’s his card.? She gave him the card and gestured toward the bottom:

“It’s right here.”

“Thanks, Veronique.? Good-bye.”

She and her children left the hotel.? Jonathan, Mike and Kelly went to pack and check out.? About fifteen minutes later they met at the entrance and walked out together.? Kelly began:

“Jonathan, what’s a New Orleans funeral?? I have the feeling I’m in for something.”

Jonathan’s eyes twinkled as he replied:

“You’ll see.”

“Mike, tell me.”

Mike looked at her with a wicked grin:? “You’ll see.”

She looked daggers at them both and then sighed in defeat.? Jonathan broke the silence:

“Kelly, be careful driving back to the airport.”

“I will, Jonathan.? I’ll see you back in LA.? Mike, you be careful driving back.? Don’t break the speed limit.”

“I won’t.? We’ll be back around eleven or so.? And then I’m going to sleep all day.? Right, Jonathan?”

“Right, Mike.? I’ll have a few things to do at the university and then we’ll go down to New Orleans on Friday.?? Take care, Kelly.”

Both he and Mike gave her a kiss on the cheek as she got into her rental car.? They stood looking as she left the lot, and then went to Mike’s car.? As Mike pulled out of the lot, Jonathan said:

“Mike, would you go up to Chavez State Park, please?”

“Sure, Jonathan.”? He drove to the park and pulled into the parking lot.? Suddenly, Jonathan pointed to a picnic table and said:

“That one, park near that one.”? He barely gave Mike time to stop before he was out of the car and sitting at the table.? Mike could see that he wanted to be alone for a while, so he stayed in the car.? After about five minutes, he got out and went over to Jonathan:

“Jonathan, why this table?”

“This is where we had that picnic on Sunday.? It was the last time that Whoop and I were able to be friends and not professors of criminology.? I’ll miss that—just being his friend.”

“I know you’ll miss him.? But I am here if you need me.”

“I know, Mike, I know.? You’ll always be special to me, but you can’t be what Whoop was.”

Mike started to object, but Jonathan continued:

“Mike, you know you mean everything to me, but you aren’t my contemporary.? It’s just that I’ll miss Whoop knowing how I feel, how I think.? You’ll always be the closest to me, but Whoop was …”

“I understand, Jonathan. ?I understand.”

Jonathan glanced toward the water and said:? “So long, Whoop.”

Then he arose, looked at Mike and said:? “It’s time.? Home, Michael.”

?###

This story was begun in March, 2007 and completed in February, 2008.? I hope you’ve enjoyed it.