Formula for Murder by JUDITH MEHL

industry will often provide the time but you have to wait till industry says you can publish. They have their own agenda as to what they want it for and they certainly don’t want you to divulge the “formula” to others before they’ve made their breakthrough with it and cornered the market with their product.”
    Nick watched Abner closely as he worked and talked, waving vials for emphasis and glancing frequently at Kat as she walked around the office/lab. Nick already knew her well enough to realize her constant motion was not a reaction to anything Abner was saying. She just didn’t have it in her to sit still. He wondered how she managed to get through her college courses—or what condition her profs were in by the time she finished.
    His mind wandered a little as he watched her move. Nick wasn’t quite ready to admit he was viewing Abner as potential competition, but the man’s classic good looks bothered him. Thank heavens Abner didn’t seem interested in her that way, even though his eyes shifted frequently in her direction. It seemed like most men she encountered couldn’t keep their eyes off her. He had to give her credit though. She didn’t even notice they were flirting with her, or at least acted ignorant of it.
    He decided to give Abner a break and remove Kat from all the precious glass. Any other questions would come with further information provided elsewhere. Meanwhile, Abner had steered them in several directions. Nick wondered how much of this the chief already knew. He planned on providing an update soon.
    Kat and Nick debated pursuing the lead about the possible theft. She was intrigued by the possibilities while he voted for giving what they had to Detective Burrows to handle.
    Kat favored a more active roll.
    “I was around when the lab was trashed but don’t remember the details. I’d remember if anyone had been even remotely accused of theft. I think we should ask the president’s secretary for more information and go from there.”
    Meanwhile they took a quick tour of the crime scene while no one was looking. No hot leads jumped out. They knew not to expect any but couldn’t resist that peek, hoping for some unnoticed detail to solve the crime instantly.
    Kat squirreled away a few minutes to introduce Nick to the values of handwriting analysis. She dredged Abner’s notes from the bottom of her bag and straightened out the wrinkles enough to point out some of the possibilities. She emphasized that the study of writing dealt in potentials rather than certainties. She pointed out information about numerals that surprised him, but seemed logical, once he looked at it from her point of view. The small, sharp figures in Abner’s equations, truly common among mathematicians and scientists, revealed precisely what they should about a dedicated man, engrossed in his work.
    He promised her that he would be more open-minded about the analysis and they hurried to the crowded chapel for the memorial service. Though Charlie was not remembered favorably by many, he would at least be remembered. Kat expected some came to salve consciences, though many would be there more from curiosity than from sorrow. She glanced around, wondering if the killer was watching, lurking, as she’d heard they did on occasion. She couldn’t shake the prickly sensation on the back of her neck, yet every time she swiveled her head to look behind, she could see nothing but the bowed heads of faculty and students listening to the chaplain. She noticed Detective Burrows discreetly in the background, also observing. Knowing he was there she felt safer, but the feeling persisted that someone was sticking daggers in her back.
    There was no casket and would be no local funeral. Charlie’s father had been contacted and he’d requested the casket be flown back home to Iowa .
    With elaborate gestures and a loud voice, possibly to make up for the lack of substance in his words, the chaplain prayed, “In this time of mourning we