them.“
“Perhaps you could find out.“
“That’s another thing we need to talk about,“ Burns said. “Napier told me that he didn’t want me to get involved in Hart’s murder. He made it pretty plain.“
“I’m sure he did. He has a way of speaking plainly. But remember, what we’re talking about has nothing to do with the murder. You’re just looking into the theft of my soldiers.“
Well, that was one way to interpret things. Partridge was nothing if not devious. No wonder she was a dean. But Burns wasn’t going to let her off the hook so easily.
“You didn’t mention that he was at your party,“ he said. “Is that why you didn’t want to call the police?“
“I told you about that. I didn’t want to create any trouble for our students.“
“And I believe you. But is it possible that you thought Boss Napier might have taken those soldiers?“
Partridge said, “Of course not,“ but Burns didn’t think she really meant it.
“He’d seen them before, hadn’t he?“
“Yes. He collects playsets , as you well know, and he was interested in my soldiers. Of course he’s not a suspect.“
Again, she didn’t sound as if she meant it, but Burns decided to move on.
“We can eliminate the two students, too. Bunni and George would never steal anything.“
“I agree,“ Partridge said.
This time she sounded sincere. What Burns didn’t like about that was the fact that Bunni and George were apparently the only two students who’d been inside the house. If they weren’t suspects, then which students was Partridge trying to protect?
“If we leave out Bunni , George, and Napier,“ Burns said, “that leaves us with only eight people who might have taken the soldiers.“
He took the list out of his pocket, unfolded it, and laid it on the table. He smoothed it out with his hand.
“Let’s start with the first name,“ he said.
Chapter Ten
P artridge put her finger on the first name: Harvey Ball.
“We might as well include his wife,“ she said. “She’s next, and it will be easier to talk about both of them together.“
Burns wasn’t sure that was true, but he was willing to go along with it.
“All right,“ he said. “Harvey and Karen Ball. Here’s what I know about them. He’s a lawyer, and his office is in the Universal Bank Building. He’s on the college board, and has been for ten years. His wife took some courses at HGC a few years ago and got her teaching certificate because she wanted to get out of the house. I think she teaches math at the high school. As far as I know they don’t have any connection with Matthew Hart.“
“We’re not discussing Mr. Hart,“ Partridge reminded him. “We’re discussing my soldiers.“
“Sorry. I forgot.“ Burns picked up his glass and looked at it. “Must be something in this water.“
“I’ll assume that you’re joking.“
“Thank you. It wasn’t a very good joke.“
Partridge didn’t smile. “No, it wasn’t. Now, here’s something you don’t know about Mr. Ball. He’s a Civil War buff. When they go on vacation, he and his wife like to tour battlegrounds. They’ve been to all the major ones and a lot of the minor ones. So there’s a military connection.“
“Book him, Dan-O,“ Burns said.
Partridge just looked at him. After a second or two she said, “Another joke?“
“I’m afraid so.“
Partridge frowned. “I don’t think you’re taking this as seriously as you should be, Dr. Burns.“
She was right. But if she wanted serious, Burns could be serious.
“What’s Ball’s connection with Matthew Hart?“ he asked.
“I told you—“
“That we weren’t discussing Hart. I know that. But let’s just say that I’m curious. Do you happen to know of any connection between Hart and Harvey Ball? Or Karen Ball for that matter.“
“No, I don’t. You might run across something in your investigation, but I’d advise you not to do anything about it. That would be a job for the
“Perhaps you could find out.“
“That’s another thing we need to talk about,“ Burns said. “Napier told me that he didn’t want me to get involved in Hart’s murder. He made it pretty plain.“
“I’m sure he did. He has a way of speaking plainly. But remember, what we’re talking about has nothing to do with the murder. You’re just looking into the theft of my soldiers.“
Well, that was one way to interpret things. Partridge was nothing if not devious. No wonder she was a dean. But Burns wasn’t going to let her off the hook so easily.
“You didn’t mention that he was at your party,“ he said. “Is that why you didn’t want to call the police?“
“I told you about that. I didn’t want to create any trouble for our students.“
“And I believe you. But is it possible that you thought Boss Napier might have taken those soldiers?“
Partridge said, “Of course not,“ but Burns didn’t think she really meant it.
“He’d seen them before, hadn’t he?“
“Yes. He collects playsets , as you well know, and he was interested in my soldiers. Of course he’s not a suspect.“
Again, she didn’t sound as if she meant it, but Burns decided to move on.
“We can eliminate the two students, too. Bunni and George would never steal anything.“
“I agree,“ Partridge said.
This time she sounded sincere. What Burns didn’t like about that was the fact that Bunni and George were apparently the only two students who’d been inside the house. If they weren’t suspects, then which students was Partridge trying to protect?
“If we leave out Bunni , George, and Napier,“ Burns said, “that leaves us with only eight people who might have taken the soldiers.“
He took the list out of his pocket, unfolded it, and laid it on the table. He smoothed it out with his hand.
“Let’s start with the first name,“ he said.
Chapter Ten
P artridge put her finger on the first name: Harvey Ball.
“We might as well include his wife,“ she said. “She’s next, and it will be easier to talk about both of them together.“
Burns wasn’t sure that was true, but he was willing to go along with it.
“All right,“ he said. “Harvey and Karen Ball. Here’s what I know about them. He’s a lawyer, and his office is in the Universal Bank Building. He’s on the college board, and has been for ten years. His wife took some courses at HGC a few years ago and got her teaching certificate because she wanted to get out of the house. I think she teaches math at the high school. As far as I know they don’t have any connection with Matthew Hart.“
“We’re not discussing Mr. Hart,“ Partridge reminded him. “We’re discussing my soldiers.“
“Sorry. I forgot.“ Burns picked up his glass and looked at it. “Must be something in this water.“
“I’ll assume that you’re joking.“
“Thank you. It wasn’t a very good joke.“
Partridge didn’t smile. “No, it wasn’t. Now, here’s something you don’t know about Mr. Ball. He’s a Civil War buff. When they go on vacation, he and his wife like to tour battlegrounds. They’ve been to all the major ones and a lot of the minor ones. So there’s a military connection.“
“Book him, Dan-O,“ Burns said.
Partridge just looked at him. After a second or two she said, “Another joke?“
“I’m afraid so.“
Partridge frowned. “I don’t think you’re taking this as seriously as you should be, Dr. Burns.“
She was right. But if she wanted serious, Burns could be serious.
“What’s Ball’s connection with Matthew Hart?“ he asked.
“I told you—“
“That we weren’t discussing Hart. I know that. But let’s just say that I’m curious. Do you happen to know of any connection between Hart and Harvey Ball? Or Karen Ball for that matter.“
“No, I don’t. You might run across something in your investigation, but I’d advise you not to do anything about it. That would be a job for the
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