Death of the Ayn Rand Scholar by Gray Cavender (classic literature list txt) 📕

her desk to see if Wes was back. He wasn’t, but, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Halliday was watching her. Maybe her loud laugh had caught his attention. Before she could turn toward him, Wes came in, walked to her office, and sat by her desk.

“So, has the English Department got a new chair?”

“Yes…Professor Naomi del Valle. When I finished meeting with ZZ, I went back to Ross-Blakey and met her…Grace introduced us…she’s happy about her selection.”

“That’s good…and what did you think about her?”

“She seemed pretty self-assured, and I mean that in a good way. At the same time, she’s smart enough to know that she’s becoming the chair at a bad time. Professor Siemens’ murder, the situation about Professor Keefer essentially being ousted, and now the business about their affair.”

Wes shook his head. “I would not want to be in her shoes. A new job under bad circumstances AND her predecessor, her deposed predecessor, still around. She’ll constantly be looking over her shoulder.”

“Yes, all true, but she came across as very poised.”

“And, you say that Grace Wilson likes her for the job”

“Right, but in any case, I don’t think Professor del Valle has any bearing on our investigation.”

“OK…so, what about your interview with Professor Szabo?”

“Not much new. Actually, she said she’d never even spoken with Professor Siemens, but she did know her to be a provocative figure.”

As Jillian talked, she scrolling on her IPAD back to her notes of the interview with ZZ. She found her place, then looked up. “The one thing she did say is that she didn’t much see Professor Keefer as a viable suspect. OK, she didn’t say it exactly like that, but still, that’s what she meant. She characterized his research as mainly reactive. Apparently, he criticizes other professors and their research, but he just criticizes…he isn’t a doer. ZZ didn’t think he’s proactive enough to actually commit a murder.”

Wes waged his head and made a non-committal hand motion. “OK, but ‘react’ is maybe exactly what he did. If he is a climber, maybe he was pissed that the affair could cost him a promotion, even cost him his job as chair. Maybe he blamed Professor Siemens. And, as a lover, who knows? Maybe the affair wasn’t going well. I mean, he’s in counseling supposedly working on his marriage, then along comes this affair. Maybe he was betting the ranch on a woman after his own heart, but Professor Siemens doesn’t seem to be a ‘one-man woman,’ if you know what I mean.

Wes started singing, “I’m a one-man woman, and I want a one-woman man.”

Jillian asked, “Did you just make that up?”

“No, it’s The Judd’s.

“And who are “The Judd’s?”

“Wynonna and her mother, Naomi…a big country act from the late 80s, early 90s.”

“OK, I think maybe I’ve heard of Wynonna, but not The Judd’s.

“Yes, that’s her…she became a solo act. And, her sister is Ashley Judd, the actress?”

“Oh yeah…I’ve seen some of her movies. And also, saw her amazing speech about the ‘#Me, Too’ movement. I just didn’t connect her with Wynonna, the country singer.”

“Talented family. Anyway, back to the professor...maybe for any of several reasons, Keefer did react violently. From what Angel and Forensics said, this was a violent murder.“

“Well, in her defense, ZZ did say that her characterization of Professor Keefer was as an academic, and that as the police, we might see things differently.”

“That’s sensible,” Wes agreed.

“She also said that she sensed that you are a good person and a good mentor.”

“Really? I appreciate that.”

“Yeah, we were talking about me being a detective. ZZ said that this had initially troubled her…because she’s Roma, and they often have trouble with the police.”

Wes’ shoulders sank a bit. “But she’s OK now, I hope…with your decision I mean.”

“Yes. She even said that maybe I could make the police better.” Jillian tried to arch her eyebrows, but could tell that she wasn’t as effective at it as ZZ.

“See, Jilly, she’s also predicting a future in admin. Everyone agrees,” he said, and opened his palms as if presenting a fait accompli.

As she laughed, Jillian thought about ZZ’s prediction that they would catch Professor Siemens’ killer. She also remembered her warning about danger. She didn’t share any of this with Wes.

Wes said, “OK, two points from me. First, I heard from Crim Intel. They had warrant and got a copy of the Professor’s will…in a safety deposit box at her credit union. The will was in a folder with the name and address of her lawyer, who they also called. The will they found was THE WILL. Anyway, nothing heavy in it…the Professor leaves everything to her dad. There were some contingences in should he predecease her, but he didn’t.”

Jillian nodded.

“And, second, I talked with the Chief. She’d never heard any problematic stuff about President Davidos, although she did encourage us to ‘tread lightly’…her words. And, she reminded me that Davidos is a player, especially in Tempe. ASU has a big footprint in terms of the local economy: students and staff and faculty spend money on housing and food and entertainment…not to mention the development of the lake front. For a lot of reasons, ASU contributes to Tempe…and everywhere else in the Valley.”

Jillian sighed. “ASU as economic engine. This feels like a Sara Paretsky mystery. You know, V.I. Warshawski is trying to solve a murder and runs up against the economic structure of society.”

“But doesn’t V.I. usually capture the bad guy?” Wes smiled.

“Point taken. Oh, did you have a chance to talk with Al? “

“I actually called him first…before the Chief. I asked him point blank about any rep…Davidos as a womanizer, affairs, rumors…anything.”

“And?”

“Nothing…with a capital ‘N.’ Al said it could be that Davidos was too smart to be messing around with anybody at ASU…or that maybe he was just too smart to get caught. He did say that Davidos fancies himself a player…on many levels. And, sometimes that means… Well, who knows what that means? At the very least, it’s something that