Free Evelyn David - Sullivan Investigations 01 - Murder Off the Books by Evelyn David Page B

brother?”
    “Never mind. I need to give it to Dan. He’ll know what to do with it. I’ll try his apartment again.”
    “Listen, you can trust me. I’ll give it to him,” Rachel pleaded
    “Dan talked about you a lot.” There was a pause and then the caller softly added, “We didn’t always get along, but he showed me a photo he kept on his desk. He loves that kid of yours.”
    Rachel was surprised, not by the emotions Dan felt for Sam, but that he’d talk about her at all. With tears threatening to overflow, she ground the heel of one hand against her eyes. “Then tell me where you are,” Rachel whispered. “I’ll come to you…please. I’m so scared for Dan.”
    The silence again unnerved her.
    Finally, the caller said, “I have to get it from my office. Meet me in the far corner of the parking lot next to Concordia’s gym. Do you know where that is?”
    “I’ll find it. Wait for me, please. It’ll take me about 20 minutes to get there.”
    Again silence, and then, “I’ll be waiting. But if you bring anyone….”
    “I won’t. I promise.” Rachel listened for a response but the woman disconnected the call.
     
    ***
    “Wow, so much for having to sneak in!” Sam said, looking at the throngs of people going in and out of the computer lab.
    “Hey, Carrie.”
    Carrie turned and saw a young woman with long dark hair approaching them on the sidewalk, her arms filled with a computer.
    “Hi, Tia. What’s happening?”
    The young woman awkwardly shifted the computer equipment. “There’s some kind of problem with all the new computers–something to do with the networking cards and memory. There was a major crash just before 3 P.M. You should have heard the screaming. The rumor is that Ms. Fieldstone threatened to fire Ms. Adams. So Ms. Adams told all the department heads that she’d have them fixed tonight, if they’d send their units over. So the department heads–notice you don’t see any of them hanging around here–packed the student aides off with the computers, totally ignoring that we might have a life and important plans for this evening.”
    Carrie gave the girl a commiserating smile at the same time she gave Sam a nudge with her elbow. “You still working in the Accounting Office? Things must be weird over there with Mr. Malwick getting murdered.”
    Sam took the hint and held out his hands. “Tia, let me hold that for you.”
    “Thanks.” Tia gave him the computer and turned back to Carrie. “Weird doesn’t even come close to covering it. I don’t mind Malwick being gone. That guy gave me the creeps. But Mrs. Lopez has been worse than usual. She never has understood that being on work/study means that sometimes I work and sometimes I have to study or do other things.”
     “Why don’t you ask to be reassigned?” Carrie questioned.
    “I did, but I think old lady Lopez did something with the paperwork. It’s been weeks since I filled out the request. I’m filling out another one and this time I’m gonna walk it over to the V.P.‘s office myself. I tell you, my social life has definitely tanked since I got assigned to work there. It’s amazing that I was chosen–”
    “Is the computer fixed?” Ray asked, trying to move the conversation along.
    Tia nodded. “Yeah, finally. I’m going to miss a party the football jocks are having. That new quarterback can’t run but he is really–”
    Carrie interrupted, asking, “We’re not busy. Do you want us to take the computer back to the Accounting office for you?”
    Tia grinned and quickly handed over a set of keys.
     
    ***
    “Whoa. Just a second. I need to see some ID,” demanded the aging, bald security guard in the Administration building.
    Carrie snuck a quick glance at Sam and Ray. Sam was carrying the computer.
     “We’re just bringing back the computer for the Accounting Department,” Carrie said quickly. “It’s for–”
    “I don’t care who it’s for. I need to see some ID and you have to sign in.