in black magic?”
She stopped in her tracks, almost tripping him. Hands on hips, she growled. “That’s not black magic. I dabble in a little ethnobotany as a hobby. I never recommend anything that could be harmful and my advice is usually something that’s been known for centuries.”
“Whoa!” he said, throwing up his hands in self-defense against her words. “I admire what you do. Forgive the teasing.”
She smiled. “Just so we’re clear.”
Nick agreed that they should visit with Louise the next day. He wondered about the worth of the information even if Louise supported the theory that Charlie had stolen the enzyme. What is the relevance to this murder investigation?
“Revenge?” Kat proposed.
“But it sounds like all involved are gone.”
“Let’s wait and see. Meanwhile I’ll make a list of people we should visit regarding the other theories.”
“You altered that from the original plan. Weren’t you supposed to make a list for Richard Burrows? And didn’t you promise him you’d stay out of his investigation?”
“So why were we talking with Abner?”
“Well, that was just preliminary research for Richard.”
“OK, so we do preliminary research for him on the others. Save him some time.”
Though he laughed, she was saved from further comment as they entered the public relations department and he turned off for another meeting.
She made the appointment with Louise and then headed for old newspaper files. The last media relations person had continued the decade-old tradition of keeping clipping books of anything that got in print. She was sure the vandalism would be in one of them.
The files were stored in an open student work area next to the university relations and sports information office. The two men had shared a suit of rooms that worked well for them with student workers serving both as needed. Kat wondered how much things would change when a new person came in permanently. She speculated on the possibility of Nick staying but then tossed aside the idea. It didn’t bear looking into for personal reasons alone.
Kat settled down with the files and eased the sporty heels off her feet as she heard noises coming from the nearby office of Dennis’s, the sports information director (more commonly known as the SID). She knew he was a computer advocate and a statistics man, but then most SIDs these days were. She’d never seen him quite so angry, however, so she peeked in.
Dennis cracked a grin but managed to keep it out of his voice as he concluded. “No, Mark, I really don’t know yet how serious the injury is. We’ll all have to wait till tomorrow at least.” He listened for a second, then added, “OK, I promise when I know something, I’ll let you know.”
He saw her studying his greenery and turned back to the tables on the computer to calculate the final stats. She watched his fingers breeze across the pages, pulling up names and adding information.
When he hit the save button she asked, “What is that unusual collection of plants in the corner? I’ve never noticed before. The leaves appear to have two distinctive halves. Something new?”
“Not really. Just overflow from the apartment. And the light is perfect over there by that window. It’s my carnivorous terrarium. The plants need the moisture from the tank. They usually live in bogs. These are Venus Flytraps. Have you ever seen one?”
“No. But I’ve heard of them. Carnivorous sounds so deadly for such a small thing. What do they eat?”
Dennis took an overturned glass nearby and slipped his hand underneath, keeping the fly within from escaping. He shook it over the top of the pot and the fly landed on the plant, thinking it had finally escaped. Kat watched in awe as the trap formed by the leaves snapped shut in a split second over the fly.
“That’s spectacular! Do it again.”
He hunted around for a second, then said, “I don’t have another fly handy. Here, just brush those hairs with your
She stopped in her tracks, almost tripping him. Hands on hips, she growled. “That’s not black magic. I dabble in a little ethnobotany as a hobby. I never recommend anything that could be harmful and my advice is usually something that’s been known for centuries.”
“Whoa!” he said, throwing up his hands in self-defense against her words. “I admire what you do. Forgive the teasing.”
She smiled. “Just so we’re clear.”
Nick agreed that they should visit with Louise the next day. He wondered about the worth of the information even if Louise supported the theory that Charlie had stolen the enzyme. What is the relevance to this murder investigation?
“Revenge?” Kat proposed.
“But it sounds like all involved are gone.”
“Let’s wait and see. Meanwhile I’ll make a list of people we should visit regarding the other theories.”
“You altered that from the original plan. Weren’t you supposed to make a list for Richard Burrows? And didn’t you promise him you’d stay out of his investigation?”
“So why were we talking with Abner?”
“Well, that was just preliminary research for Richard.”
“OK, so we do preliminary research for him on the others. Save him some time.”
Though he laughed, she was saved from further comment as they entered the public relations department and he turned off for another meeting.
She made the appointment with Louise and then headed for old newspaper files. The last media relations person had continued the decade-old tradition of keeping clipping books of anything that got in print. She was sure the vandalism would be in one of them.
The files were stored in an open student work area next to the university relations and sports information office. The two men had shared a suit of rooms that worked well for them with student workers serving both as needed. Kat wondered how much things would change when a new person came in permanently. She speculated on the possibility of Nick staying but then tossed aside the idea. It didn’t bear looking into for personal reasons alone.
Kat settled down with the files and eased the sporty heels off her feet as she heard noises coming from the nearby office of Dennis’s, the sports information director (more commonly known as the SID). She knew he was a computer advocate and a statistics man, but then most SIDs these days were. She’d never seen him quite so angry, however, so she peeked in.
Dennis cracked a grin but managed to keep it out of his voice as he concluded. “No, Mark, I really don’t know yet how serious the injury is. We’ll all have to wait till tomorrow at least.” He listened for a second, then added, “OK, I promise when I know something, I’ll let you know.”
He saw her studying his greenery and turned back to the tables on the computer to calculate the final stats. She watched his fingers breeze across the pages, pulling up names and adding information.
When he hit the save button she asked, “What is that unusual collection of plants in the corner? I’ve never noticed before. The leaves appear to have two distinctive halves. Something new?”
“Not really. Just overflow from the apartment. And the light is perfect over there by that window. It’s my carnivorous terrarium. The plants need the moisture from the tank. They usually live in bogs. These are Venus Flytraps. Have you ever seen one?”
“No. But I’ve heard of them. Carnivorous sounds so deadly for such a small thing. What do they eat?”
Dennis took an overturned glass nearby and slipped his hand underneath, keeping the fly within from escaping. He shook it over the top of the pot and the fly landed on the plant, thinking it had finally escaped. Kat watched in awe as the trap formed by the leaves snapped shut in a split second over the fly.
“That’s spectacular! Do it again.”
He hunted around for a second, then said, “I don’t have another fly handy. Here, just brush those hairs with your
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