Morristown 07
Officer Berger watched Dunbar re-enter the building and shuffle tiredly to the dining room. The other students would soon be waking up and the detective hadn't made it to bed. Hell, Jim had not even stopped since he'd discovered the body of Ashley Rush. Quietly Berger poured him another cup of coffee and wondered if Dunbar could muster up a hello or a thank you or even a kiss my ass for the sludge she delivered.
Jim pulled the mug to him and smelled the contents. "Ugh, are you trying to poison me, Officer Millie?"
"Nyah, just trying to see if the stuff was ready for the troopers," Berger grinned.
"Only if they want to retread their car tires," Jim pushed the offending brew away and scrubbed his face with his hands. "How much longer are you going to be here, Millie?"
"The state is only going to pay for me until eight, so that's two more hours. I gotta be back on duty at three this afternoon; sleep would be a nice thing between now and then."
"Wimp; sleep is highly overrated. Do me a favour and get me some paper and pencils; I need to think about the clues."
Berger looked at the unfocused blue eyes of the NYPD detective and the large Seeing Eye dog sleeping at his feet and wondered just what good a pad and pencil would do the man. What the hell, she'd done what he wanted so far, why stop now.
Jim could hear Mrs. Hughes in the kitchen starting breakfast. Soon the other students would be up and asking questions he didn't have the answers for and he needed to be able to think. Jim needed to put all the facts in front of him and examine them. He needed to do this the way he had always done it because he was too damn tired to try anything else
"Here you go," Berger's voice startled him, "one legal pad and five yellow pencils that say Ticonderoga on the side. What more could you ask for?"
"How about a cup of a coffee instead of the battery acid you brought me before?"
"You're lucky, that cook just set out a fresh pot."
Dunbar rolled his eyes heavenward. "Thank you, god."
By the time Berger came back Jim had commandeered the pencils. He tapped one on the table, rolled it between his fingers and then scrawled across the yellow paper in front of him. As she set the fresh coffee down Millie tried to read the page in front of Dunbar. The letters crisscrossed each other, but were surprisingly legible.
"Are those the names of the students?"
"The male students," Jim mumbled as Berger interrupted his train of thought.
"What about the women? Just because she talked about screwing around doesn't limit her to the male students. This woman was power tripping and anyone was fair game as far as I could tell."
"You're right," Jim tipped his head to the right, "and employees have to be included. That would be a real power trip, getting one of the teachers here would make them lose their jobs."
"Speaking of which," Berger said as she turned to the door, "I'd better check in with the state troopers before they come looking for me."
Dunbar just waved his hand in the air as he continued to scrawl across the legal pad. He was off in his own world and Berger could almost see his mind working when Jim snapped the pencil in his hand and reached for another.
"One, the victim was found outside on the… nyah, under the snow. She probably was killed there because nobody in their right mind would've dragged a body out in that weather." He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. "What'd'ya think, Hank, love or money? Because that's what murder usually comes down to, love or money."
Hank stirred, leaned against his leg and then went back down and to sleep.
"That dog's smarter than you are," Sam Coleman's voice cut through Jim's fatigue. He was behind Dunbar, trying to read the notes on the pad. "Why don't you get some sleep?"
"What about you?" Dunbar yawned his answer.
"I made it home last night to my own bed and when I got back here I used the sofa in my office. So I probably got more sleep last night than you did?"
"Since when is sleep an accomplishment?" Jim shot back. "I'm a cop; I live on bad, black coffee and cold Chinese food."
"Sounds revolting," Sam pulled out the chair opposite Jim out and sat down to watch the man work. "We are cancelling classes for the morning, but there will be walks in the afternoon. This is a perfect opportunity to see how you and your dog will work in unusual conditions. Hank can do a lot of things, but he can't help you if you're half asleep."
"And that is why you are going to let me feed this guy and tuck him into bed." Someone spoke up from behind Jim.
"Red," Jim smirked and turned to the sound of Anne Peabody's voice, "tell this guy sleep is for sissies."
"Sam," Anne ignored Dunbar, "how about I make sure Jimmy goes to his room as soon as he eats his Wheaties?"
Jim could hear the steel in Coleman's voice. "Mrs. Peabody, only because you promised to tuck Detective Dunbar in will I allow him to even attempt a walk this afternoon… but if Mr. Dunbar so much as yawns before he gets dropped off I am going to personally take him back to his room and tie him to his bed."
"He's serious, Jimmy," Anne said as she squeezed his shoulder, "he's asserting his authority."
Dunbar was exasperated with being treated as if he wasn't there. "Both of you can quit nagging; I'll head back to my room after breakfast. Okay?"
"I'll bring you breakfast later, sweetie," Anne punched him gently in the shoulder. "How else would I get into a good looking man's bed room."
The sound of Anne's laughter followed him into the hallway and Jim barely got into his room when a knock told him he had company.
Jim grinned as he swung open the door, "red hot Mama, what'cha got for me?"
"Jim, Detective Dunbar, it's Caitlyn Vance; can I come in?"
. "Oops, sorry, Cait… I was expecting Anne. Sure… come on in." He stepped back from the door to allow the teen and her dog into his room. "Should I leave the door open?"
"No, I think I want to talk privately and these rooms aren't very private… at least the bedroom part." Jim heard the bathroom door open. "In here, no one can hear us in here if we turn on the water."
"How do you know that?" Jim asked as he followed the girl inside.
"Jeremy and I would listen at would listen at the doors sometimes, you know the offices and bedrooms. It was so boring here sometimes and it was kinda funny, some of the things we heard."
"But then you heard something that wasn't funny."
"Anita Shaw, she was crying to one of the councillors. She said Ashley Rush seduced her and she couldn't face her husband after being with a woman. Ashley was friendly with me, real friendly; if you know what I mean, but I told her to beat it or I'd report her. I said I knew she had bothered Anita and Jeremy would beat her up if she ever tried to talk to me again." The girl started to cry. "I told Jeremy, what if he killed Ashley?"
"You know they arrested Seth O'Brien. If you thought Jeremy was involved you should have said something when you spoke to the state troopers."
"I couldn't, I don't think Jeremy could hurt anyone but those troopers would have arrested him. Maybe he would have lost Dawn and he needs that dog to go to university… his parents won't let him go unless he has a guide dog." Caitlyn reached out and snatched Jim's arm. "Please, you're a homicide officer, you talk to Jeremy. If he did you can turn him in."
"Okay, I'll talk to Jeremy. Now you go get some breakfast and I'll let know what happens."
He waited silently while the girl left. Jim craved sleep so badly his bed seemed magnetic, but he knew he had to talk to Jeremy Butler and Anita Shaw. He agreed with Millie Berger: Seth O'Brien was a convenient suspect but Jim Dunbar was now sure the murderer of Ashley Rush was still here at the Seeing Eye campus. He wasn't going to get to bed just yet.