Free The Kingdom of Dog by Neil S. Plakcy Page B

anything could have saved Joe,”I said. “But you never know when something else is going to happen. There ought to be more security guards, and better locks on the doors, and more prevention lectures to the students. Eastern College was just a disaster waiting to happen.”
    Sally pushed back from my desk. “I really have to get back to my own work. I’m totally swamped and without another professional in the office I don’t know how I can manage.”
    â€œI thought you had four kids helping you.”
    â€œI do. Ike Arumba is my superstar – he knows every high school in the Mountain and Plains regions and he puts in about twenty hours a week interviewing too. He’s been terrific since Joe died. But there’s something strange going on. I always thought Joe and Ike got along really well until about a week before Joe died, when Ike backed out of a couple of appointments and told me he couldn’t be around as much anymore. Up until then, I thought he was angling for my job. He was always Joe’s favorite.”
    She sighed. “But I finally went through my in-box yesterday and I found a draft of a letter from Joe to Babson recommending that Ike be disciplined and possibly expelled from Eastern.”
    â€œReally? Why?”
    â€œIt’s unclear. Something about violating the ethics of the admissions office. Taking advantage of his position. Similar high-flown and meaningless language. All I can find is references to a letter from a girl we admitted last year named Verona Santander. She eventually went to Barnard.”
    â€œA good school.”
    â€œOh, I can’t argue that, considering I went there,” Sally said. “But I’d love to know what she has against Ike. Her file says nothing-- Ike interviewed her in Oregon last fall and gave her an excellent rating.”
    â€œI have a trip planned to New York this weekend,” I said. “I’m meeting with some alumni and press contacts. If you’d like I can give her a call.”
    â€œWould you, Steve? That’d be great. I’m so swamped I haven’t got the time to do it myself and I’m afraid to find out anyway. Ike is really my best and most experienced interviewer, and I’d hate to lose him now when I’m so busy. I was kind of hoping he’d agree to work even more hours, and eventually accept a full-time position after graduation.”
    â€œI’ll let you know when I go,” I said.
    My cell phone alarm played a marimba beat to remind me of my lunch date with Tony Rinaldi. “I’m going to meet Tony now,” I said to Sally. “Maybe later we can brainstorm more about the guest list.”
    I stood up and Rochester jumped up, too. “Sorry, bud, but I can’t take you with me,” I said to him. “I promise to bring you a treat, though.”
    He looked up and cocked his head at me. I scratched behind his ears and walked out to where Dezhanne sat, wearing an Eastern College sweatshirt and poring over a chemistry text. “I’m going out to lunch. Can you stay until I get back?”
    â€œSure. Do you need me to walk Rochester?”
    He heard his name and trailed out behind me, sprawling next to Dezhanne’s chair. She smiled and petted him. “If you want to take him out for a few minutes that would be great.”
    I walked down the hill to Main Street. Only a few fair-weather cumulous clouds marred an otherwise empty blue sky. There was a bit of a breeze, which nipped at my cheeks and made me draw my scarf tighter around my neck.
    When I got to the Hungry Horse Rinaldi was already there, in a booth by the front window, looking glum. “What’s the matter?” I asked. “Look at the menu?”
    â€œIt’s not like we get a homicide every day around here. It’s a hell of a lot of work trying to figure this all out. Driving me nuts.”
    The server was Felae, a morose teen from somewhere in