| China White by
Kristine Williams Part
9
"Anything?" Jim turned to Blair and shook his head.
"I'm sorry, officer, I was detained." Harry sneezed again and found
yet another Kleenex in his pocket. "Did you find what you were looking for?"
"I'll need copies of these documents." Jim handed back the file,
then realized Elizabeth was approaching. Harry seemed unaware of her having followed
him from the back door. "And I'd like to know where you were the night of
the break in, around midnight." Harry looked up sharply, stopping his
Kleenex mid-wipe. "Me?" His question was somewhat muffled by the tissue.
"I--I was.." "Harry was with me. All night." Elizabeth
was beside him now, and held a hand out to Jim. "Hello. I'm Elizabeth Evans."
Jim shook her hand and smiled politely. "Ms Evans, I'm Detective Ellison,
Cascade PD. You and Mr. Bilks were together that night?" "Yes, we
were." She glanced at Blair. "You're Blair Sandburg, aren't you? That
was your shipment those people broke into?" "That's right."
Blair shook the hand she offered. "Luckily none of the artifacts were damaged."
"Yes, I was glad to hear that. My father would have been held responsible,
ultimately, had anything happened to the art." "Yeah, right after
they fired and expelled me." Blair let both eyebrows rise and fall quickly
as he glanced from Elizabeth to Jim. "Can you tell me where you both were?"
Elizabeth looked at Jim with a slight smile curving her full lips. "If
you promise not to tell Daddy." She glanced at Harry, who quickly turned
and walked to the photocopy machine behind his desk. "Harry and I were down
on the pier. Till around 1:00, when we took a walk back to my apartment."
"You don't live on campus?" "No. I have an apartment down
by the Bayside Marina. There was a free concert on the pier that night, and Harry
took me." Jim nodded. "I don't suppose anyone saw you there?"
"Oh, I'm sure many people did." Elizabeth pulled something from her
purse and handed it to Jim. "But I don't recall having seen anyone I know."
Jim accepted the flyer announcing the concert. "I'd produce ticket stubs,
Detective, but like I said, it was a free concert." "Here you are."
Harry shoved several papers at Jim. "Is there anything else?" "Not
right now, thank you." Jim took the papers, noting the still-rapid pulse
and sweaty pores. "But I'll be in touch." "Can I walk you out?
I have to go visit with Professor Kinyon." Elizabeth moved toward the door.
Blair opened it. "Certainly." Jim motioned for her to proceed them,
then glanced at Blair, who shrugged. "I understand you work at a museum?"
Jim walked beside Elizabeth and Blair positioned himself behind them. "Yes.
I'm an intern with the Art Department." She smiled up at Jim and her eyes
sparkled. "Not exactly rocket science, but it's a valid career." Jim
looked at her, then pushed open the door that took them into the stairwell. Elizabeth
Evans was definitely more than she appeared. In fact, he'd already decided this
was one woman who did her best to make people underestimate her. "I'm sure
it is." "So you can imagine my relief when none of the artifacts
were damaged that night." She mounted the steps and glanced back at Blair.
"Not that I'm happy these people got away with such a heinous crime, mind
you. I'd just hate to see art like that be destroyed just so some drug pusher
could make a fortune." Jim's eye caught the sparkle of metal as Elizabeth
lifted her skirt to clear the stairs. Around one finely-carved ankle was a gold
chain. He didn't need to focus too closely to see that it was quality gold, and
the small stone set at the front appeared to be a genuine diamond. "The
art department really lost out on this as well." She pushed open the door
that led to the hallway where both Blair's and Professor Kinyon's offices were.
"How's that?" "The artifacts were going to be on display
at the museum for three weeks after the function here," Blair offered. "But
now I suppose they'll be going straight back?" "Yes. You haven't
heard?" Elizabeth stopped in the corridor and they stopped beside her. Blair
shook his head and glanced at Jim. "No, I haven't been here for a bit."
"Oh." She looked at Jim, then Blair. "Well, I'm sure you'll
find out soon enough. The artifacts, all of them, are to be returned as soon as
possible. I guess our guests weren't too pleased to have their exhibits part of
a drug smuggling operation. Can't say as I blame them." Blair nodded and
rolled his eyes. "Yeah." "Thank you, Ms Evans." Jim pulled
a business card from his wallet and gave it to her. "If you think of anything,
or remember anything you might have seen in the past few days, give me a call."
"Sure thing." She took the card and smiled widely at them both. "Good
luck." Jim nodded and Elizabeth continued down the hall. "That's
no can of spam, Chief." He nodded toward Blair's office and they started
down that corridor. "Trust me, Jim, that's as bright as she gets."
Blair opened the door to his office and walked straight to the coffee pot. "She
was working something out under that calm exterior." Jim sat on the edge
of Blair's desk and watched as he dumped out old, dried up grounds and took the
pot to a little sink at the far end of the office. "Her heartrate was barely
controlled. She was doing a good job, and might have even fooled a lie detector.
But there's something worrying her that goes beyond her father's reputation as
Dean." Blair returned and set up the pot, then filled the filter with the
Guatemalan blend Jim had been so fascinated with the other night. "Then there's
her involvement in the art department." Blair paused in his scooping out
of fresh grounds and looked at Jim, a sudden flash of realization crossing his
face. "The artifacts. That's why they were all being so careful. Only someone
who knew how important they were in the art world would have cared at all about
them." He flipped the top of the coffee pot closed and turned it on, then
shook his head. "But it doesn't make sense." "Why? Because she's
the Dean's daughter?" Blair chewed his lip for a second, then shook his
head. "No, I just can't picture her being able to come up with something
like this." "It's not what you know, Chief. It's who." Jim got
off the desk and opened the little refrigerator, retrieving the milk. "She
obviously would have had help, since you saw three that night. And there were
two in the maintenance shed. There's a lot more to drug smuggling than just bringing
it in. Someone knew how to cut it, and they must have a seller somewhere."
He poured a cup of the fresh coffee, then added milk while Blair got his own.
"As soon as it hits the streets, Narcotics will spot the increase."
Blair sipped his coffee and walked to the desk. "So, you think Elizabeth
was in on this? You must think Harry Bilks took part too, right?" "Probably.
She'd have to have some kind of access to the shipping documents, in order to
make it appear those crates weren't opened at any time during transport. And she'd
need to know where they originated from, and when they were due in." Blair
sat down at his desk and set his cup down beside Jim as he sat on the edge again.
"What now? We have no proof, do we?" "Not yet." The rest
of Jim's answer was interrupted by the phone on Blair's desk. "Hello?
Oh, yes, Professor. I know, I was home yesterday, I'm sorry. Yes." Jim sipped
his coffee and contemplated calling the Captain for an update. Surely that cocaine
would be on the streets by now. He couldn't imagine someone coming into what amounted
to a windfall of product, and not getting it to his customers right away. They'd
managed somehow to cut it all at the University that night, so it should be in
the distribution phase. But from what the Captain had already relayed, Narcotics
had no information regarding a new shipment from any of their sources. Which could
mean a few things. But it still left them with several suspects, and no hard evidence.
Not even probable cause. "I'll have to check with---all right, thank you,
Professor Peters." Blair hung up the phone and made a face. "What
was that about, Chief?" "Professor Peters. He wants the artifacts
packed up and ready tonight." He sat back and looked up at Jim. "I told
him I'd have to check, see if you were done with them as evidence. But he said
he'd already spoken to Captain Banks and got the okay." Jim nodded, pulling
his cell phone out of his pocket. "He might have, if forensics got all they
could." He dialed Simon's number and watched Blair as he stood and walked
back to the coffee pot. "Banks." "Captain, it's Ellison."
"Jim, anything new at the University?" "No, sir. Nothing
solid, anyway." Blair pointed to the pot and Jim nodded, holding out his
cup for a refill. "I've got a solid suspect, but nothing to warrant any action
yet." "This case is turning up a lot of dead ends." "Yes,
sir. Listen, Sandburg has been asked to pack up the artifacts from the display
hall. Professor Peters said you gave the okay. Is forensics all finished up with
them?" "Yes. I spoke with the Professor this morning. Forensics has
all they can get from the room, and you didn't come up with anything when you
were in there. I think if the artifacts held any clues, we'd have found them by
now." "I agree. Anything from Narcotics yet, sir?" "Nothing.
These people aren't stupid, Jim. They'll probably hold off a few more weeks, wait
till the heat dies down. You two see what you can get there, but don't give this
more than one more day. By tonight, the case belongs to Narcotics and you're on
to other things. You got that?" Jim sighed. "Yes, sir." He canceled
the call after hearing Simon hang up. "What now? Back to the Station?"
Blair stood next to Jim, cup in hand. "No. Not yet." He set his cup
down and stood, walking to the window at the back of Blair's office. He could
view the grounds from there, and the maintenance shed could be seen off to their
left. "The cocaine was brought into the country to the University. Then the
pure drug was cut here, instead of in some lab or warehouse somewhere off campus."
Jim focused tightly until the door to the grounds care building was sharply in
view. "I have a feeling that whole shipment is still here." "Still
here?" Blair walked over to join him at the window. "To sell, or store?"
Jim shook his head. "I don't know." He turned from the window and
looked at Blair. "Listen, I'm going to head over to Campus Security, see
what I can find out about the local drug problem. Why don't you go meet up with
Elizabeth Evans, see if you can get anything out of her?" Blair nodded,
but there was a look of skepticism on his face. "If you really think she's
part of this, I don't think she'll open up to me." Jim slapped Blair lightly
on the arm before turning to leave. "Why not, Chief? People open up to you
all the time. It's a gift." "Yeah, right."
"A gift." Blair mumbled, shaking his head as he stood outside Professor
Kinyon's office. He knocked once, and was immediately told to come in. "Professor
Kinyon, did Elizabeth Evans come by here?" He quickly glanced around the
office when he stepped inside, noting the only occupant was the Professor, who
sat behind her desk, nearly hidden from view by a huge stack of files and papers.
"Elizabeth? Why no, she hasn't been in to see me today at all." Professor
Kinyon pulled her glasses down from their perch on the top of her head, then pushed
back all the errant strands of hair that had accompanied them. "Is she supposed
to?" "I just thought..." Blair stayed near the door, hoping
for a quick exit when he realized Elizabeth wasn't there. "Oh, has Detective
Ellison solved the case yet? Good lord, what happened to your face?!" Blair
realized then his hair was no longer hiding the bruise on his cheek, and in fact
really hadn't been covering it well at all. "Oh, just a little accident,
nothing serious." "That didn't happen during the break in, did it?
At least, I can't remember seeing a bruise like that the other night. Heavens,
I do hope Detective Ellison solves this case soon, for the sake of the University."
The Professor made a clucking sound with her tongue and shook her head, resting
both hands on the top of her stack of files. "I'm sure he will, but..."
"I was shocked. Shocked, that something as dreadful as this could happen
right here, under our very noses. I mean, sure, the murder of Professor Wilson
was a shock, but this. Well, this is different. This involves the entire University,
you understand. What with our distinguished visitors from Africa. And you, having
done all that work, finding the right pieces for display, going to all that trouble
of researching the areas, the conflicts, the countries being represented."
Blair had given up his chance for a quick escape, and sat down in front of
her desk, using the Professor's soliloquy as background noise while he went over
that night in his mind. Jim was pretty sure Elizabeth and Harry were in on it.
And if that were true, it would explain the thieves care in dealing with the artifacts
they were moving aside. That would mean that Blair had been overpowered by one
or both of them. Great, that's just great. That effectively ruined any
chance he had of proving to Jim that he'd been subdued and tied up by some giant
football player with no neck and bulging muscles. Oh no, Blair had been taken
down by a shipping clerk with a dust allergy, and a very attractive can of spam.
"But then, at least the dinner party was a success. Yes, our guests did
have an enjoyable stay, all things considered. But, all that hard work for nothing.
And now you have to spend all that time shipping them back. If only these criminals
had picked that shipment of paintings last month. Or the paleontology department's
exhibit next week." But then, the man who had tied Blair up was larger.
In fact, larger than Harry by several inches. All of their voices had been muffled
by the ski masks, but the heights seemed right. Although, who the third one was,
Blair still had no clue. "It's just too bad Elizabeth's not a brighter
student. You and she would make a cute couple. That's not to say you have any
trouble at all finding young, intelligent ladies on your own, mind you."
Blair re-entered the Professor's speech and found a pause. "I really do
need to talk to Elizabeth, I should go look for her." "Oh, yes, of
course. I suppose you could find her downstairs." Professor Kinyon pulled
her glasses off and returned them to the top of her tightly wrapped bun. "She's
generally down there with Harry this time of day. Or so I've noticed." "Thank
you, Professor." Blair stood and tried not to hurry to the door. "When
you see Detective Ellison, tell him I said hello." She waved and smiled as
Blair was opening the door. "Yes, I will." Blair nodded and left
quickly, shutting the door behind him. He'd only gotten a few feet from the Professor's
door when the hallways filled with students hurrying from one class to the next.
Blair had to fight a grin as he worked his way upstream, through the crowds.
It was entirely possible, after having met Jim and spoken with him several times,
that the Professor no longer found Blair "simply adorable", and had
taken a liking to his partner. Of course, she was married. And happily so, from
what Blair understood. Still, it wouldn't be the first time he'd lost out to the
taller man. In fact, it happened frequently. Women were just drawn to Jim, for
some reason. Maybe some day he'd find a woman he could talk to about the subject,
and learn just what it was about Jim Ellison they all found irresistible. Was
it looks, or personality? Couldn't be hair, the man hardly had any. It was probably
confidence. Jim practically oozed confidence. Or it could be height. Not that
Blair could do anything about it if he found out what "it" was. Still,
he didn't do all that badly himself. Besides, it wasn't as if he wanted to settle
down any time soon. It's not like there's a contest going on here. In
fact, Jim never seemed to be pursuing anything. Friendships were more his style
these days. Maybe that's what a failed marriage does to you? Blair's mental
monologue took him all the way downstairs and down the long corridor to the shipping
department, where he found Harry, alone and sneezing. Next
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