Read Online Scandal in the Secret City by Diane Fanning - Free Book Online

the room and his seat behind his desk. Folding his hands on the surface, he asked, ‘Had you two been drinking?’
    ‘Not today,’ I snapped, my irritation rising despite my best intentions.
    ‘Well, what about Miss Nance – Miss Ruth Nance.’
    ‘We both had a little to drink last night – a Christmas celebration.’
    ‘We didn’t find any spirits in your home—’
    ‘You went into my home?’ I bit my tongue to prevent my surrender to the sudden urge to emulate Aunt Dorothy’s housekeeper and spout a string of German invectives.
    ‘Miss Clark, you came in here on a serious matter. We had to take it seriously. We did find an open bottle of Jack Daniels in Miss Nance’s dormitory room. As you know, we are located in dry counties. We have to respect the local laws. All alcoholic beverages are illegal here.’
    Agitated, I rose from the chair and leaned across the desk. ‘What are you doing searching Ruth’s room? Why are you not out at the bleachers taking care of Irene?’
    ‘Please be seated, Miss Clark, and try to remain calm. We’ve been to the bleachers.’
    ‘OK. Then why all of these nonsensical questions? You saw Irene’s body. You know we didn’t imagine it. Why are you trying to make me think otherwise? Do you think I killed her?’
    ‘Miss Clark, we have been out to the bleachers. There is no body there.’
    ‘What?’ The ground no longer felt solid beneath my feet.
    ‘There is no body under the bleachers.’
    ‘What?’ I could not have heard him correctly.
    ‘There is no body anywhere near the high school.’
    I swallowed hard and took in several deep breaths, fighting to maintain my composure. ‘Captain, I did not imagine Irene’s body. It was there.’
    ‘Miss Clark, for now, we are going to assume that you two were mistaken.’
    ‘We were not mistaken.’
    ‘If you were not mistaken, then you were playing a prank – a serious one that could result in charges being brought against both of you for filing a false report.’
    ‘But that—’
    ‘That is the way it is. There is no body at the high school. You cannot prove that there ever was a body at the high school.’
    I bit my lower lip as I stared at him, looking for signs of deception in his eyes. His pupils did not shift, he did not blink. His expression was clear of malice. I didn’t know what to think. Something was happening here that made no sense at all.
    ‘Is this situation clear to you, now, Miss Clark?’
    It wasn’t at all clear. But I said, ‘Yes, sir,’ hoping I’d figure it all out with a little more time.
    A man’s voice boomed behind me, ‘I’ll take it from here, Captain.’
    I turned around. An attractive man who appeared to be in his early forties stood just inside the doorway. His hair was almost military short but not quite. His blue eyes were intense and humorless. He wore a navy blue suit, white shirt and a striped navy blue and white tie.
    After the captain left the room, the man said, ‘Miss Clark, I trust I do not need to remind you of your oath of secrecy.’
    ‘I do not see the connection between the death of Irene Nance and any of the work we are doing here; therefore, I do not understand why you would need to remind me. I don’t believe we’ve been introduced, sir.’
    His lips twitched as if he wanted to smile but could not remember how to make his mouth form the right shape. ‘Everything that happens inside these gates needs to stay inside these gates, Miss Clark.’
    ‘Yes. And all indications are that Irene Nance was killed inside these gates and I have come to the appropriate authority, inside these gates, to report that fact. Again, I do not understand your concern and I do not know who you are.’
    ‘You do not need to know who I am. And you don’t need to understand what happened this morning. All you need to know is that there is no body – not in the bleachers, not at the high school, not anywhere inside of our secured area.’
    He reminded me of a schoolyard bully who