After talking with Angela for a little longer, Frank left the Thompson residence and returned to the van. After making a quick call home to let his dad know where he was going, he drove to the university to find Elie Whitlock.

Angela had told him Elie was the photographer for the project so Frank went to the photographic department. There were only four professors listed in the department: Roger Anderson, Anthony Jenkins, Roger Matterson and Roland Tannebaum.

Professor Tannebaum occupied the office closet to where Frank was so he went there and rapped on the door after observing the listed office hours and checking his watch.

"Enter," instructed the voice from within.

Frank opened the door and stepped into a room slightly smaller than his bedroom at home. The place held a desk, chair, two file cabinets and four bookcases. Every available space was filled with either books, brochures, or photographic equipment. On the wall behind the desk were framed diplomas and a diorama of the campus taken at least fifty years previously. The lone window to the right of the desk looked out to face the duck pond where several students could be seen enjoying their lunch or in beach garb soaking up the sun's rays.

"You're not one of my students," Tannebaum commented, looking at Frank through curious green eyes.

"No, Sir," Frank acknowledged, taking in the tanned, athletic man before him. He was sitting at his desk so Frank could not judge the man's height but he estimated the man was no taller than himself although a bit more solidly built. His legs were hidden by the desk but he wore a denim shirt with the top three buttons open revealing a hairy chest. The man's face was covered with a beard and mustache which matched his sun-faded hair.

"My name is Frank Henderson. I'm Professor Aliem's new assistant," he introduced himself. "I'm trying to find Elie Whitlock."

Tannebaum's face distorted into a scowl. "How did he manage to find a new assistant so fast?"

"Do you have a problem with Professor Aliem?" Frank asked, watching his face closely.

"No. With the university," Tannebaum stated. "It took me almost an entire semester to obtain a new assistant when I had a grant for a project year before last."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Frank commented.

"Don't be," Tannebaum said with a sigh. "It's nothing to do with you, I'm sure. Or Professor Aliem. You said you were looking for Elie?" he queried, changing the subject. He knew better than to discuss such matters with students. Frank gave a curt nod. "I couldn't tell you where to find her now but she's in my two o'clock class. You should be able to catch her then."

"Excellent," Frank commented, smiling. "Um, which room would that be in?"

"Three nineteen," Tannebaum informed him.

Frank thanked him and left. It was only a little after eleven. He had time to go see how Joe was doing. Maybe Joe would want to talk to Elie instead of him. Photography was, after all, one of Joe's hobbies.

Frank reached the science building in time to see Joe descend the last step from the previous floor. He hurried over to Joe and together they made their way back to Professor Aliem's geology laboratory.

"What were you doing upstairs?" Frank asked. "You didn't go back to Mayhem's lab, did you?"

"That's exactly what I did do," Joe confessed, giving his elder brother a mischievous look.

"Spill," ordered Frank, sitting down on one of the tables and watching Joe's face. He knew that look well.

Joe told him everything he had learned and then dropped the bomb. "I cleared it with Dad," he began.

"Cleared what?" Frank demanded, his eyes narrowing to slits as they looked at Joe suspiciously.

"We're moving in with Dr. Mayhem tonight," Joe informed him, then rushed on before Frank could voice any objections. "We can keep an eye on him and, even if he does turn out to be innocent, we'll be closer to campus and will have more time to work on the case."

Frank had began to frown as Joe talked and was positively scowling by the time he had finished. "Joe, we had already talked this over," Frank began his lecture.

"But that was before I found out no less than three," he held up three fingers to emphasize his point, "of the students working on this project are in his class. That's too much of a coincidence for me." Seeing Frank about to argue, Joe decided it might be prudent to change the subject at this juncture. "What did you find out from Angela?"

Frank told Joe about his meeting Angela and her two brothers. "She said Craig tried to get her to cover for him while he and Elie went out."

"Wouldn't the professor notice if one of his assistants and his photographer were absent in the field?" Joe asked curiously.

"No," Frank said, shaking his head. "Craig was supposed to have a report completed to turn in on Friday morning before they went into the field but he had made a date with Elie for Thursday night. Angela refused and Craig never showed up the next day. Or any day since."

"So you went to see Elie," Joe said, remembering his conversation with his father.

"I did, but she won't be around until two this afternoon," Frank informed him. "Maybe you should go see her instead of me," he continued. "I know more about what's going on here and maybe since you know a lot about photography, you could lower her guard and find out more than I could."

"Sounds like a plan," Joe replied. "The professor said he'd be back around noon. That's when his real new interns are supposed to get here too." As he finished speaking, his stomach let out a loud growl.

Frank smiled. "Why don't you cut out and grab some lunch before you meet Elie?" he suggested. "The cafeteria is near her building."

Joe shook his head. "I'm cutting anyway. I have to meet Teddy in the sweet shop in about," he glances at his watch, "twenty-five more minutes."

"Hmm. Two girls in one afternoon. What are you going to tell Vanessa?" teased Frank.

Joe shot him a sour look and headed for the door. When Teddy arrived at the sweet shop, Joe was sitting at a table for two, finishing off his second donut. "Hi," he said, standing to greet her. "Tell me what you want and I'll go get it for you," he offered as she took a seat and set her backpack on the floor beside her.

"A sherbet surprise and a chocolate glazed donut," she replied, grinning up into his face as he gave her his most disarming smile.

"Coming right up," he told her, then moved away. When he returned, he set a tray on the top of his old one after she moved his coffee. He scooted her donut and beverage over, then picked up the eclair he had gotten for himself and took a big bite. He was amazed he was this hungry. Two donuts usually filled him up but it felt like he hadn't had even a single bite. Joe's stomach growled. Hamburgers, he thought. That's what I really want.

Teddy giggled. "That's the first time I've heard anyone's stomach growl while they were eating."

"What can I say?" Joe asked. "I'm an unusual guy."

"Okay, you've kept up your end of the bargain, now it's my turn," Teddy said, smiling as she changed the subject. "What did you want to talk about?"

"The work you've been doing for Professor Aliem," Joe answered. "I just started working for him."

"You're taking Craig's place?" she asked.

Joe nodded. "Be careful," she warned him. "I know everyone thinks Craig stole some of the professor's research and disappeared but..."

"But?" prodded Joe, taking her hand and gently rubbing the tops of her fingers.

"But he was scared," she continued. "He said he was working late and heard something. He went to investigate."

"What did he find?" Joe asked gently when she quit speaking.

Teddy shook her head. "I don't know. He wouldn't say. He just...he just told me not to go outside at night. It wasn't safe. And he told me that I should stop taking courses under Dr. Mayhem."