Free The Shut Mouth Society by James D. Best

is associated with last night, then there might be only two copies of the encryption left. One’s in my pocket. The other you hid on campus. After your office, lovers are the first place someone will look.”
    “ My god.” She looked down at the folded hands in her lap.
    “ Am I right?”
    “ Yes.”
    “ Current or former?”
    “ A little of both.”
    “ Damn,” Evarts thought. “Okay, I think it’s better to be safe than sorry. Call him. Tell him to take the document and go to … no, ask him to come up to Santa Barbara. I can protect him here. Tell him you’ll meet him at the Santa Ynez Inn. I’ll have a couple of cops pick him up and bring him to us.”
    “ What reason should I give?”
    “ Use the ‘current’ part.”
    “ It would be embarrassing for you to listen in.”
    “ This is too important for a bout of modesty.”
    She dug out her cell phone and speed dialed. “Hello, Greg. Trish.”
    No wonder she showed reluctance to use his first name.
    “ I got stuck in Santa Barbara this evening. I was wondering if you could join me.” She listened for a bit. “Play hooky. I did. Someone can cover for you.” Her voice turned sensual. “I’ll make it worth your while, and in the morning, we can walk on the beach. You love Santa Barbara.” Another pause and then she laughed seductively. “Yes, that too. Room service and the whole nine yards.” Another laugh. “Okay, maybe less than nine yards. Will you come? Great. Meet me at the Santa Ynez Inn. Ask for me at the desk … yeah, me too.”
    Evarts quickly pulled out his copy of the encryption and snapped it in her face.
    “ Oh yes, by the way, will you bring that envelope I left with you?” She paused. “No, I won’t be working. I just want to give it to a colleague at UCSB.” After listening a long moment, she said, “No, Greg, this isn’t an errand. Not unless you think what we’ll be doing is only a favor to me. If you do, don’t come.” Another agonizing pause. “Good. I’ll see you in about three hours.” She hung up.
    “ You worried me with that ‘don’t come’ line.”
    “ I had him.”
    “ What’s his last name and department?”
    “ Why?”
    “ Because we’ll probably be tied up, and I need to give his name to the patrol officers. Also, I want to monitor campus police for office break-ins.”
    “ Marston, Art Department.”
    Evarts threw her a glance and thought she looked better than when he had first told her about Douglass. “You did well. I’m probably being overly cautious, but it can’t hurt. Now listen, I need to tell you what’s going to happen. Other than the killer, you’re the last person to see Douglass alive. When we arrive, a detective will take you someplace private for questioning. I won’t be with you. Can you lie convincingly?”
    “ I think you just saw a demonstration.”
    “ Good. I don’t think you should bring up the Douglass conspiracy stuff. If the murder has nothing to do with it, then it won’t harm the investigation. If it does, I’ll explain the whole thing to the chief later.”
    Evarts stole another quick look at her face to make sure she understood. After she responded with a nod, he continued, “Douglass was an important person, and we have to control the news. Cops talk, and I don’t want him tagged as a crazy. Also, if this is connected to some grand conspiracy, I don’t want the perpetrators to learn how much we know. Are you okay with this?”
    “ Yeah. What do I tell your detective?”
    “ Everything except the conspiracy allegation. No Shut Mouth Society or encrypted codes. Just that I brought you up as a favor to look over a new Lincoln acquisition. Dinner was a social occasion. My attendance is ordinary. Tell her that you went with him to UCSB this morning to do some testing. Give her your credentials and don’t be modest.”
    “ Her?”
    “ Departmental practice. We question female witnesses with a female detective. Makes the witness more