Holdin' On for a Hero (43 page)

Chapter Three

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Senna had just reached her office when a voice called, “Dr. Laserian?”

She looked around for the source of the voice and spotted Mike Harper, the student who had asked her out the previous evening. He weaved his way around people in the hall, headed toward her. She was beginning to fear that Mike was not a young man who understood the meaning of the word “no”.

“Hi.” He grinned down at her as he stopped in front of her. “You got a minute?”

“Just barely. What can I do for you, Mr. Harper?”

“Well, I was kind of confused about some things you went over in class this morning and was wondering if maybe we could get together and you could give me a little help.”

“I’m sorry you were lost, Mr. Harper, but don’t feel bad. Most first semester students find physics a little confusing. I’m sure that with a little extra time spent on your assignments it will become clear.”

In truth, she was not surprised that he was lost. In fact, the only thing that did surprise her was that he had managed to hang on this long. While Mike Harper might be an excellent athlete and quite charming, if one listened to the opinions of the female students, he was not “a rocket scientist”.

“Yeah, well I think I need personal attention. So whaddaya think? Want to get together and tutor me?”

Senna suppressed a smile. It never failed to amaze her at just how unoriginal the male species could be when it came to coming up with new lines. Since she had been teaching she had been propositioned at least a dozen times, and each time the excuse of needing to be “tutored” had come up.

“Tutoring?” She gave him a smile. “That’s an excellent idea, Mr. Harper. Why don’t we go to my office?”

Mike grinned like someone who had just scored the winning touchdown. He followed her into her office. She put her books and lecture notes on her desk then went to the file cabinet. She pulled out a folder then took a seat at her deck.

“Okay,” she opened the folder and pulled out a sheet of paper, “here’s a list of physics students who are available for tutoring. I’m sure you can find one who will be able to meet your needs.”

The grin on his face disappeared to be replaced by anger. “I don’t want some student. I want you!”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Harper. But I’m not available.” She used her most polite but firm, teacher tone.

“Well you’ve got to have some time you can fit me in. I mean, it doesn’t have to be during the day. We can get together at night, away from campus.”

“No, I don’t think so.” She stood and returned the folder to the file cabinet. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have things to attend to. Good luck with finding an appropriate tutor and have a nice weekend.”

“Look, I don’t think you get it…” He closed in on her. “What I want is—”

At that moment someone knocked on the door. Grateful for the interruption, she opened it to find Ryan standing outside with his partner Paige. “Ryan,” she said and smiled up at him. “What a nice surprise. Come in.”

He walked in and Senna greeted Paige. “Hello, Paige. How are you?”

“Just peachy.” Paige’s voice sounded a little sarcastic, but Senna chose to ignore it.

“This is one of my students, Mr. Harper,” she said as they looked at Mike. “Who was just leaving.”

“This isn’t finished,” he said in a low tone that carried a threat.

“Yes, it is, Mr. Harper.” She maintained a cool, calm tone. “Good day.”

Mike stomped out. Senna closed the door and turned to Ryan. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Actually this is a professional call, “Paige answered. “We understand you knew Dr. Walter Van Dorne.”

“Please, have a seat.” Senna gestured to the chairs in front of her desk and took a seat herself. “Yes,” she continued as soon as they were seated. “Walter was a dear friend.”

“Dear as in beat the sheets, or dear as in sugar daddy just happy to have a pretty girl on his arm?” Paige asked.

Senna regarded her in the same manner she did an unruly or rude student.

“Paige!” Ryan exclaimed. “What she means is have you seen or spoken with Dr. Van Dorne since he arrived in Charlotte?”

“Yes, of course.”

“When exactly?” Paige asked, cutting Ryan a sharp look.

“Well, let’s see…” Senna checked her date book. “He called on the fifteenth when he arrived, around four in the afternoon. I had a faculty meeting that afternoon so I only spoke with him briefly. The next day, the sixteenth, I picked him up from his hotel and took him over to have lunch with my aunt, Minora Laserian. I had classes that afternoon so I left him with Minora then stopped by on my way home, around six, and she had already sent her driver to take him back to his hotel to get ready for his lecture that evening. I had dinner with Minora, and then returned to the campus for his lecture. I drove him to his hotel after the lecture. That was the last time I spoke with him.”

“So, Dr. Laserian,” Paige emphasized the word doctor, “did Dr. Van Dorne appear nervous or upset? Did he mention anything particular that was troubling him, or anyone that might have threatened him in any way?”

“No.” Senna kept her attention directed on Paige. “He didn’t mention anything.”

“Nothing?”

“No.”

“Yet you said that you and he were dear friends.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“So, if something was bothering him, if someone was threatening him or if he was afraid, wouldn’t he have told someone as close to him as you claim to be?”

“I have no idea.” Senna was beginning to be annoyed by the tone of Paige’s voice.

“And he didn’t tell you anything that was going on in his life that would make you think something was wrong?”

“No.”

“Then exactly what
did
you talk about?”

Senna turned her attention to Ryan for a moment. He had an apologetic look on his face when their eyes met, but he quickly looked away. She made mental note of it then turned her attention back to Paige. “If I knew anything that might help you find the person who killed Walter, I would be more than happy to tell you. But the truth is, I don’t. We spent most of the time talking about the book he was working on with another colleague, and reminiscing about the past. He didn’t give any indication anything was wrong. I’m sorry but I just don’t have anything to tell you.”

“Okay.” Paige nodded then looked at Ryan. “You have any questions?”

“No.” He stood.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help,” Senna said as Paige stood and headed for the door.

“That’s okay.” Paige stopped and looked back at her. “By the way, can you tell me where you were between the hours of one and three yesterday?”

Senna was shocked by the question but tried not to show it. “In class.”

“And that can be substantiated?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, thanks, Dr. Laserian. We won’t take up any more of your time.”

Senna looked at Ryan as he stepped over to her. “I’m sorry. Dr. Aldridge gave us a list of names of people who had contact with Van Dorn and your name was on it. We’re talking to everyone.”

“It’s fine, Ryan. I’ll do anything I can to help, I just don’t know anything. But what’s up with Paige? Why the sudden ‘Dr. Laserian’ routine? Did I step on her toes or something?”

“Ignore it. It’s just one of her moods. Listen, are you free tonight?”

“I’m meeting Kendal for racquetball at six but I don’t have anything planned after that. What’d you have in mind?”

“Well, I was going to try and convince you to meet me at karate class and—”

“Ryan, I’m really not interested.”

“Just give it a shot. There’s a seven-thirty class and there’s lots of beginners.”

“I don’t think so. Not tonight.”

“Next week? Maybe?”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Okay.” He smiled. “Fair enough. But do you think I could talk you into picking me up from class around eight-thirty? I had to put my car in the shop and it won’t be ready until tomorrow morning. I’m going to catch a ride to class with Paige.”

“She’s studying martial arts?”

“Yeah, she started before I did. So, do we have a date?”

“Sure. Eight-thirty.”

“Great!” He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. “See you then.”

She smiled and watched as he and Paige left. As they neared the exit, Paige turned and looked back at her. She thought that her eyes must be playing tricks on her because she would have sworn that Paige had given her the kind of look you’d give your worst enemy.

Dismissing the idea, she went back into her office to get her notes together for her next class.

Jackson Township

Konnor was on the last mile of his run when a dark blue Audi swerved off the road and onto the sidewalk in front of him. He took out the first man to exit the car with a spinning sidekick. A second man came at him from the side as a third jumped out of the front passenger side of the car and threw a punch at him.

He grabbed the man’s hand that swung at him and kicked to the side at the same time. The kick landed in the center of the second man’s chest, lifted him up, and propelled him back a full six feet.

Konnor applied pressure on the fist of the man he held immobile. The man’s face paled and his mouth move spasmodically for a few moments before actual words emerged. “Slater…sent…us!”

Konnor released the man and stepped back. “Tell him the answer is no. I’m not interested.”

“You know I can’t do that.” The man clutched his wounded hand against his chest. “He wants to see you.”

“No.” Konnor turned to walk away.

“He’ll only send more,” the first man he had felled said as he got to his feet. “You know he won’t give up. Why not save yourself a lot of time and trouble and meet with him. What can it hurt?”

Konnor turned with a cold look on his face. “You
are
as stupid as you look. Tell Slater the answer is no. And tell him next time I won’t be friendly. The next messengers he sends he can come collect in a bag.”

He didn’t wait for a response but jogged back the way he had come. His heart was pumping fast and hard. Not because of the fight. That skirmish wasn’t enough to make him break a sweat. It was Slater. He had been fool enough to let the man pull him back in once before. It had nearly cost him his life. It had cost him six months—months that he had no memory of, but plenty of scars. There was no way he was going to let Slater pull him in again. No matter what kind of web he wove, Konnor was not going to get caught.

He had been out of the game for almost two years. Most of that time he had spent looking over his shoulder and waking every few minutes of the night in a cold sweat. The first time he slept a full four hours without jerking awake in attack mode, he knew he was making progress at exorcising his demons. They might not all be gone, but he was patient and willing to take them on one at a time.

“Why now?” he asked aloud as he came in sight of his house. Despite his intentions to have nothing to do with Slater he had to admit that he was curious.

And you know what curiosity did to the cat
, he reminded himself. Resolving to put Slater out of his mind, he checked the time. He had just enough time to shower and get to the school to teach the afternoon class.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

Paige preceded Ryan into the medical examiner’s office. They found the chief medical examiner, Charles Raymond, sitting at his desk.

“Dr. Raymond.” Ryan pulled out his identification. “Ryan Dalton, Homicide. This is my partner, Paige Landers. I understand you have a preliminary report on Van Dorne?”

“Please, have a seat.” Dr. Raymond gestured to chairs in front of the desk.

“What I can tell you at this point is that Dr. Van Dorne died from a fatal blow to the neck that decapitated him. The blow appears to have been delivered by a sword of some sort. What type we are not certain but we did find a minute trace we’re having tests run on. The other cuts were inflicted before death. They were all superficial, designed to cause a great deal of pain but not life-threatening. Whoever wielded the weapon was very adept.”

“What about the severed finger?” Ryan asked.

“By my best estimate, the finger was severed approximately ten to twenty minutes before death.”

“And the lack of blood at the scene?”

“Simple. The victim was not killed there. He was killed elsewhere and the body taken to the hotel and arranged on the bed.”

“And the time of death?” Ryan asked.

“Between one and two-thirty in the afternoon.”

Ryan finished jotting down notes. “Anything else you can tell us?”

Dr. Raymond shook his head. “No more than what I’ve indicated in my report.” He handed Ryan a copy. “However, you may want to check with the lab. I understand they’re running hair and blood samples taken from the scene. Perhaps they’ll have something for you.”