Read Online …A Dangerous Thing by Bill Crider - Free Book Online

be on the campus quite a bit investigating this death, but I don't think you and I need to run into each other at all.   This Henderson wasn't in your department, and he doesn't have any connection with your department, right?"
    "Right," Burns said.   "Except. . . ."
    Napier had turned to sit back on the desk, but he whirled around.   " Except , Burns?   Except what ?"   He looked like a man who might go deer hunting with a Bowie knife and a bullwhip.   He looked as if he might enjoy hunting Burns with a Bowie knife and a bullwhip.
    "Nothing," Burns said.  
    He decided that this was not the time to mention either his own earlier suspicions of Eric Holt and Dean Partridge or Henderson's statement that he thought he recognized Holt.
    Napier wasn't buying it.   "Don't give me that 'nothing' crap, Burns.   You had something to say.   Say it."
    "All right," Burns said, trying to think of a way to tell the truth while at the same time not revealing anything.   "I was just about to say that in a small community like this, there are bound to be connections that aren't so obvious at first.   There might be things about Henderson that we don't know."
    Napier wasn't fooled by Burns's evasiveness.   "What things?   You'd better not be holding out on me, Burns.   When I said I didn't want to be tripping over you, I didn't mean that I wanted you to hold anything back."
    "I'm not holding anything back," Burns said, looking down at the top of the desk.   Someone had written "Miss Darling bites the big one" there in black ink.
    Napier made a sound that might have been a groan.   "I just know you're going to get in my way, Burns.   I just know it."
    "You're still mad because I went to that basketball game, aren't you?" Burns said.   "But that was two months ago.   And besides, Elaine invited me."
    Napier's face grew dangerously red, but then he took a deep breath and let it out slowly through his nostrils.   "I'm going to forget you said that, Burns, and we're going to start all over here.   I may as well face the facts.   If anything happens around this campus, you're going to be in on it, no matter whether I like it or not.   So tell me about this Henderson.   What kind of guy was he?   Who'd push him out that window?"
    Burns didn't like Napier's sudden change of attitude, but he supposed that Pecan City's police force wasn't large enough for a good cop/bad cop routine.   That left Napier to play both parts.   Burns wondered just how much he should tell Napier.
    "You really should ask Earl Fox about him," Burns said finally.   "I don't—"    He stopped himself.   Past tense. "I didn't know him very well."
    "What about this new dean you've got, this Cartridge?" Napier said.   "How well has she gotten to know the faculty?"
    "Partridge," Burns said.   "Dean Partridge.   She really hasn't been here long enough to get to know everyone.   I'm not sure how much help she'd be."
    "I'll have to talk to her, though," Napier said.   He looked at his watch, a Timex, Burns was sure.   "In fact, I've got to meet her and Diller in about five minutes."
    "Miller," Burns said.
    "Yeah.   Miller.   I think he's really worried about this.   He thinks there might be some bad publicity.   Like I said, this used to be a nice, quiet little town.   Now it's more like the murder capital of Texas."
    "We don't know that he was murdered," Burns reminded him.
    "No, we don't.   And I hope it was all just an accident.   I bet your president hopes so, too.   I have to go talk to him now, but you let me know if you think of anything that could help me."
    "You're sure you won't mind?   I don't want you to feel that I'm interfering."
    "Sarcasm again," Napier said.   He walked down the aisle between the desks and out the door.   Then he poked his head back in.   "I'll see you around, Burns."
    Burns nodded.   "I'm sure you will," he said, trying a smile.
    Napier looked at him for a second and then his head disappeared.   He