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Authors: Catherine Coulter
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Stoltzen looked to be a couple of years older than he was. He’d seen it before. It was the power of the FBI shield.
Griffin said, “Delsey, since I taught you well, I know you locked your front door when you left for Salazar’s party. Whoever was in your place jimmied open the back door.”
She stared at him. “I didn’t know. I must not have noticed when I went in. I still don’t remember anything.”
They heard Claus say, “Sir, you can’t go in there—”
Henry said, “Oh my, it’s Dr. Hayman.”
Griffin raised his hand. “It’s okay, Claus. Thank you.” He watched Dr. Elliot Hayman, director of Stanislaus, walk—no, stroll—into the room.
So this was Professor Salazar’s brother. Dr. Hayman was a bit taller than his twin, a bit leaner, and even more the fashion plate in a fur-lined suede jacket, perfectly pleated black slacks, white shirt, tie, and Italian loafers he’d obviously protected since they had a high shine and no sign of snow or mud. Apart from a certain Mediterranean look, there wasn’t much physical resemblance between them. There were no slashes of gray at Dr. Hayman’s temples. He looked younger than his brother, and, Griffin thought, he appeared more thoughtful. Dr. Hayman’s eyes rested on Griffin; his dark brows went up. He didn’t look through Griffin, as his brother had. He met his eyes and nodded. “So I’m told you are Delsey’s brother, Agent Griffin Hammersmith of the FBI?”
“Yes, I am.” He shook Dr. Hayman’s hand, a fine hand with long, thin fingers, like his brother’s. Griffin had to admit Dr. Hayman looked more a convincing aristocrat than his smooth lizard twin. He had more gravitas, had the look of the man in charge of his kingdom.
“I am glad to meet you, Agent Hammersmith. I have come because I was quite worried when I heard Delsey had been hurt. She is one of our finest students. No one could tell me what happened. Ah, here is Mr. Stoltzen. How are you today, Henry? How is the Rubinstein cello concerto coming along?”
Henry beamed. “I’ll be ready, sir.”
“Yes, of course you will.”
Henry darted Delsey a glance. “I, ah, I’ve got to go, Delsey, all right?”
She nodded, waited for Henry to leave, then said to Dr. Hayman, “Thank you for coming, sir.”
“Of course. You and your brother, you have different last names. Why is this?”
Delsey smiled up at him. “Freestone was my married name. Even though I’m no longer married, I liked the name because it sang to me, and so I kept it.” She left unspoken
even though it belonged to a real loser
. “How did you know Griffin is my brother?”
“Ah, your brother has already been around town, asking Rafael, and many of your well-wishers, about you. I heard he was here at the same time I learned of your injury.” He walked regally to Delsey’s bedside and took her hand. “My poor child, whatever has happened? Are you all right?”
With the way he’d recognized and treated Henry, the concern he was showing for Delsey, Griffin thought Dr. Hayman had all the charm and charisma his twin lacked.
“Could you please tell me what happened?”
Griffin gave him the general outline, but no more than he needed to know. “Dr. Hayman, I understand my sister had a bit too much to drink at your brother’s party last night. Something to do with your special margaritas?”
Dr. Hayman nodded toward Delsey. “If that had anything to do with what happened to you, I am very sorry.” He smiled down at her. “The party gave me an opportunity to speak to you, since there is so little opportunity at school. But then you quite disappeared and no one knew where you were. What happened?”
“I decided to go home, Dr. Hayman, and someone hit me on the head in my apartment.”
Dr. Hayman waited for her to say more, but she didn’t.
Griffin said, “Sir, have you noticed anyone recently who didn’t seem to belong on campus? Someone you found not quite right?”
Dr. Hayman seemed to give this
Griffin said, “Delsey, since I taught you well, I know you locked your front door when you left for Salazar’s party. Whoever was in your place jimmied open the back door.”
She stared at him. “I didn’t know. I must not have noticed when I went in. I still don’t remember anything.”
They heard Claus say, “Sir, you can’t go in there—”
Henry said, “Oh my, it’s Dr. Hayman.”
Griffin raised his hand. “It’s okay, Claus. Thank you.” He watched Dr. Elliot Hayman, director of Stanislaus, walk—no, stroll—into the room.
So this was Professor Salazar’s brother. Dr. Hayman was a bit taller than his twin, a bit leaner, and even more the fashion plate in a fur-lined suede jacket, perfectly pleated black slacks, white shirt, tie, and Italian loafers he’d obviously protected since they had a high shine and no sign of snow or mud. Apart from a certain Mediterranean look, there wasn’t much physical resemblance between them. There were no slashes of gray at Dr. Hayman’s temples. He looked younger than his brother, and, Griffin thought, he appeared more thoughtful. Dr. Hayman’s eyes rested on Griffin; his dark brows went up. He didn’t look through Griffin, as his brother had. He met his eyes and nodded. “So I’m told you are Delsey’s brother, Agent Griffin Hammersmith of the FBI?”
“Yes, I am.” He shook Dr. Hayman’s hand, a fine hand with long, thin fingers, like his brother’s. Griffin had to admit Dr. Hayman looked more a convincing aristocrat than his smooth lizard twin. He had more gravitas, had the look of the man in charge of his kingdom.
“I am glad to meet you, Agent Hammersmith. I have come because I was quite worried when I heard Delsey had been hurt. She is one of our finest students. No one could tell me what happened. Ah, here is Mr. Stoltzen. How are you today, Henry? How is the Rubinstein cello concerto coming along?”
Henry beamed. “I’ll be ready, sir.”
“Yes, of course you will.”
Henry darted Delsey a glance. “I, ah, I’ve got to go, Delsey, all right?”
She nodded, waited for Henry to leave, then said to Dr. Hayman, “Thank you for coming, sir.”
“Of course. You and your brother, you have different last names. Why is this?”
Delsey smiled up at him. “Freestone was my married name. Even though I’m no longer married, I liked the name because it sang to me, and so I kept it.” She left unspoken
even though it belonged to a real loser
. “How did you know Griffin is my brother?”
“Ah, your brother has already been around town, asking Rafael, and many of your well-wishers, about you. I heard he was here at the same time I learned of your injury.” He walked regally to Delsey’s bedside and took her hand. “My poor child, whatever has happened? Are you all right?”
With the way he’d recognized and treated Henry, the concern he was showing for Delsey, Griffin thought Dr. Hayman had all the charm and charisma his twin lacked.
“Could you please tell me what happened?”
Griffin gave him the general outline, but no more than he needed to know. “Dr. Hayman, I understand my sister had a bit too much to drink at your brother’s party last night. Something to do with your special margaritas?”
Dr. Hayman nodded toward Delsey. “If that had anything to do with what happened to you, I am very sorry.” He smiled down at her. “The party gave me an opportunity to speak to you, since there is so little opportunity at school. But then you quite disappeared and no one knew where you were. What happened?”
“I decided to go home, Dr. Hayman, and someone hit me on the head in my apartment.”
Dr. Hayman waited for her to say more, but she didn’t.
Griffin said, “Sir, have you noticed anyone recently who didn’t seem to belong on campus? Someone you found not quite right?”
Dr. Hayman seemed to give this
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