Free Death Among The Stacks: The Body In The Law Library by Louise Hathaway Page B

children’s future, you
know.”
    Sledge interrupts, saying, “But, in my
understanding of the depository program, the Public (which includes
you) has the right to know what its government is up to. I’d think
you’d be happy to have all this information available. You know,
transparency and accountability and all that.”
    “ Yeah, yeah. I agree with
you on that. As far as Mr. Gaylord himself, I have no bone to pick
with him. He’s just a regular guy trying to make a living, like the
rest of us, you know.”
    “ Okay,” Mr. Meadowlark.
Thank you for sitting down with us today.”
    “ Anytime, gentlemen.
Anytime.”
    After Mr. Meadowlark leaves, Willis
asks Sledge what he thinks. “Do you think he’s capable of
murder?”
    “ No; I think he’s just a
blowhard. He’s not the person we’re looking for.”
    “ Is there anyone else we
need to speak to sir?”
    “ No, Ronnie. I think that’s
it. Did you get any information about those homeless folks from the
uniformed guys yet?”
    “ Oh man; I forgot to follow
up. I asked the beat cops before I left to see if they had anything
for me. They said they’d go through their notes for me. I’ll talk
to them when we get back to the station.”
    “ OK. That’s it for
here.”
    As Sledge and Willis head down the
library stairs, Sledge’s phone blares out.
    “ Great phone ring,
sir.”
    “ Real funny,
Ronnie.”
    He answers is phone and says, “Hello.
Sledge here.”
    “ Mark? I need to see you and
Ronnie in my office this afternoon. Will that be a
problem?”
    “ No ma’am. No problem at
all. We’re on our way back right now. Is five minutes too
soon?”
    “ That will be perfect. See
you both then.”
    “ Damn,” Sledge
moans.
    “ Who was that that
sir?”
    “ The boss lady. She needs to
see us now. Is there anything I need to know about your trip that
you haven’t told me yet, Ronnie?”
    “ No, sir. Am I in
trouble?”
    “ Can’t say. Maybe both of us
are in trouble.”
     
     

Chapter Twenty-One
     
     
    Willis and Sledge arrive at the police
department and head for Captain Wilson’s office. Captain Sandra
Wilson is the only female captain in the department. In her late
forties, Captain Wilson is tall and athletic. A lifelong marathon
runner, she looks lean and mean behind her large captain’s desk.
Her bookshelves are studded with trophies from athletic
competitions and intra-departmental competitions. She’s usually the
first one in in the morning and the last one to leave at night.
She’s had to earn her stripes in this male dominated department and
it helps that her family comes from police stock. Her father and
grandfather were police officers and both of her brothers work for
the FBI.”
    “ Good evening, boys. Please
sit down.”
    Willis and Sledge sit in the two seats
in front of Captain Wilson’s desk. The seats are intentionally
lower than the Captain’s for psychological purposes. You feel your
place on the departmental totem pole when you’re in her
office.
    “ So how’s the investigation
going on the government inspector’s death?”
    “ Very well, ma’am.” Sledge
answers. “We’re making some good progress and feel we’re getting
closer to figuring out who’s responsible.”
    Sledge listens to himself say these
words, even though he doesn’t really believe them.
    “ Good, Sledge. So how soon
can we expect to get some results?”
    “ Well, Sergeant Willis just
returned from Maryland and has some very good information on
Inspector Gaylord which is helping us in our inquiries.”
    Willis squirms in his seat. He can feel
the captain’s gaze on him and hopes to God she doesn’t ask him any
questions.
    “ We’re hoping to have the
murderer ID’d in a day or so.”
    Willis can’t believe what he’s
hearing.
    “ Good. I’m going to let you
in on something about this case and trust you understand that it’s
not to leave this office. Correct?”
    “ Yes,” Sledge and Willis
answer in unison.
    “ As I’m