TOO CLOSE TO HOME

Chapter15

Upon arriving at the station, Charlie was immediately escorted to an interview room. The detectives promised to return promptly. But time passed while he just sat there waiting. And with no access to pen and paper, the only way to calm the chaos in his mind was to start tracing the equations with his fingers.

The door finally opened and the detectives entered, followed by Terry. Charlie had never felt so glad to see her as he was right then.

Terry to a seat by his side and reached to take his hand briefly, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Charlie, it's going to be okay. Just answer their questions and it will soon be over," she said softly.

"Where is Don?" Charlie asked.

"He's waiting just outside. The detectives him in here just in case he'd be telling you what to say."

"He wouldn't do that," Charlie insisted.

"No. He wouldn't," Terry agreed.

"So, Dr. Eppes, we understand that Lorelei Harris was one of your students," Kazinski began.

"Yes, she was," Charlie replied.

"I understand that she often came to see you after hours."

"A lot of students do. They know where my office is and I don't lock the door."

"Including female students?"

"Some of them are," Charlie replied.

"A good looking young man like you being surrounded by all that, shall we say, forbidden fruit. Surely it would be tempting. Offer an 'A' for say, some extra curricular work," Kazinski suggested, leaning close to Charlie.

"There are rules against that," Charlie told him.

"But as we all know, rules are meant to be broken," the detective countered.

"Let me guess. She was going to tell what you'd been doing, end your nice teaching position. So you killed her!" Ames joined in as she stood with her arms folded.

Charlie stared at the detectives in shocked disbelief. Surely they weren't suggesting that he did that. "No, no. She was just a student," he protested.

"Nobody but the police knew about the six week interval between killing sprees," Kazinski pointed out.

"The FBI knew," Charlie replied.

"Ah yes, your brother the FBI agent. He might have mentioned it. So you saw your chance. Get rid of the girl, make it seem like the killer did it. And your position is safe.

Terry glanced at the two way mirror. She could easily imagine Don getting angrier by the minute as he listened to the interview. And she didn't blame him one bit.

"Bike tracks were found near the scene. And we know that your primary mode of transportation is a bike," Ames pointed out.

"I-I travel that way frequently. But I-I didn't kill her," Charlie insisted. His hands were shaking and he looked stunned by the questioning.

Terry decided that it was time to end the interview. "I'm sure that Dr. Eppes will be more than willing to give a DNA sample.

"Yes, I will," Charlie said quickly.

"Someone will be in shortly. Wait right here," Kazinski said as he started for the door.

"Please, may I see my brother?" Charlie asked.

"I don't see why not," Ames told him.

Don was more than ready to give Kazinski a piece of his mind and then some. The interrogation, there was no other word to call it, had been harsh and unnecessary. He knew Charlie was innocent. He considered him probably being incapable of violence, so wrapped up he often was in his world of numbers.

"Your brother wants to see you," Kazinski said as he and Ames walked off to confer.

Don quickly entered the room and took a seat beside Charlie. "I'm sorry this had to happen," he said quietly.

Charlie was holding his head in his hand again. "Not your fault."

Terry looked at his somewhat paler face. "Charlie, are you okay?"

"It's just a headache. Had it all morning," he replied.

"Let me see if I can get you some water and aspirin," Terry said, getting to her feet.

Don looked at Charlie and suggested, "As soon as we get you out of here, what about getting a late lunch? Terry and I are hungry and I bet you missed your lunch break."

Terry returned a few minutes later with a couple of aspirin and a paper cup of water. "These should help your headache."

"Thanks," Charlie said, taking them from her.

They had to wait awhile before the lab tech arrived to get the sample. Kazinski arrived with the tech and he said, "I think we'll let the police lab run the sample."

"Go ahead," Don told him. That was no one could claim the FBI tampered with the sample.

"You're free to go, Dr. Eppes. But don't leave town just yet," the detective warned Charlie.

Don gave the detective one last glare as he said, "Come on, Charlie." Together they walked out to the car.