Free The Alpine Kindred by Mary Daheim

Emma, you can come with us.”
    “Thanks, Vida,” I murmured. It wasn't worth arguing over the comparative comfort of our aging full-sized sedans.
    “Now,” Vida said, after she had stuck me in the backseat and put Carla next to her up front, “tell us what happened at the RUB. You'll have to give a statement to the Sheriff, you know.”
    “Sure, I'll do that later.” Carla still sounded subdued, and very tired.
    “Well?” Vida had paused at the intersection of Second and Cedar.
    “Well what?” I could see Carla wrinkle her nose as she turned to Vida.
    Vida sighed and stepped on the gas. “What happened. You had a seven-thirty appointment with Einar Jr., correct? What took place when you arrived at the RUB?”
    “I was a couple of minutes late,” Carla said, still in that same dull tone.
    “How late?” Vida broke in.
    “Um… five minutes?” Carla wrinkled her nose again, and I figured that she probably hadn't gotten to the RUB until almost seven forty-five. “Anyway, the doors were unlocked, so I went inside to the cafeteria where I'd told Mr. Einar—
Mr. Rasmussen
—that I'd meet him. Thelights were on, but I didn't see him anywhere, so I waited a couple of minutes, and then I wandered into the kitchen. That's where I found him, lying on the floor. I thought he'd had a heart attack.”
    As Vida glanced at Carla, the bilious green straw hat struck the car's roof. “Did you see anyone? Or hear anything?” With a firm hand, Vida jammed the hat down on top of her curlers.
    “No.” Carla leaned back on the passenger seat's headrest. “Nobody was around. And the phones weren't hooked up, so I had to go out to a pay phone by the Ad Building to call Emma.”
    At the Alpine Way arterial, Vida swiveled around to look at me. “Where did Einar Jr. park?” She swiveled back to Carla. “Where did you park?”
    “I parked in the faculty lot behind the RUB,” Carla replied. “I don't know where Mr. Rasmussen parked. Probably in the same place. That's where they send visitors at the gate.”
    I leaned forward, straining at my seat belt. “No one was at the gate when I came in,” I said. “The little kiosk was empty.”
    Carla nodded once. “No one was there when I arrived, either. I don't think they have anybody on duty once night classes get under way. There's a sign posted, though, telling visitors where to park.”
    In my excitement, I hadn't noticed the sign, and had pulled into one of the student lots that was closest to the RUB. Since I'd been there for close to an hour and hadn't gotten ticketed, I began to wonder about the efficiency of campus security.
    Vida had covered the six blocks to Carla's apartment building, which stood across Alpine Way from the upscale Pines development and was sheltered by forest landon the other. “We'll come in,” Vida announced, shutting off the engine.
    “Don't,” Carla said abruptly. “I'll be fine.”
    “Nonsense.” Vida opened the door on the driver's side.
    “I mean it.” Carla's voice was unusually severe. “Doc Dewey told me I was fine, I just needed to rest.”
    Vida hesitated. “I planned to make you a nice cup of hot tea.”
    Carla shook her head, very firmly. “That's nice, but hot tea would keep me awake, unless it was herbal, which I ran out of yesterday. Besides, Ryan will take care of me when he gets home. On Mondays, he's done at the college around ten.”
    “I see.” Vida closed the car door. “Well now. Will he bring your car back?”
    “No. He has his own. We'll pick it up tomorrow or Wednesday morning. See you.” Carla got out of the car and moved with surprising alacrity to the apartment entrance.
    Vida waited to see if she got in safely. Even in a small town like Alpine, danger can lurk in unsuspected places. As, I realized, Einar Rasmussen Jr. had found out too late.
    “That settles it,” Vida declared. “Carla is indeed living with Ryan. He must teach a class in addition to his other duties,” she mused, pulling away from