Read Online The Ginseng Conspiracy (A Kay Driscoll Mystery) by Susan Bernhardt - Free Book Online Page B

placed Walters into a body bag. I shook my head. I wish I had done something, anything to prevent his death last night. Deirdre saw me and put her arm around my shoulder. “Tough time,” she said. If she only knew.
    * * * *
    When we arrived at the police station, we were directed into a small windowless room, the walls bare of any features. In the center of the room was a large table with three chairs on each side. A few minutes later, Bill Murphy came in carrying a recorder and sat down at the table opposite from us, the overhead light reflecting off of his shaved head. He placed the recorder on the table and pushed the button to turn it on. “Let’s start at the beginning,” he said, folding his muscular, hairy arms over his gray and blue uniform. “What were you doing on campus this morning?”
    “The three of us walk in the morning during the week,” Elizabeth said.
    He smiled at Elizabeth and asked, “Ms. Sullivan, is this the usual path you walk on Sundays?”
    Deirdre took over. “Usually we walk during the work week, but we were at the Halloween Ball last night, all three of us, and we wanted to talk about it.”
    “Yes, I recall seeing you three at the Ball,” he said, glancing over at Elizabeth. He bit at his lower lip. A gleam reflected in his blue eyes. Changing gears, he asked, “Did you know the deceased?”
    Bill Murphy made me sick just looking at the smirk on his face.
    “I knew Sherman from the college,” Elizabeth said. “I work at the library.”
    “We would see him going to school on our walks most mornings,” Deirdre added. “We must have left our homes about the same time as the professor.”
    “When was the last time you saw Professor Walters alive?”
    “I think it was on Friday morning,” Elizabeth said. “We did see him Friday morning, didn’t we?”
    “Yes,” Deirdre nodded.
    Murphy looked at me with his ruthless eyes. “Yes, we saw him on Friday,” I said.
    “Do you have anything else to say?” he asked me.
    I paused. This was all so unreal. The murderer questioning the three of us. “No, I think you pretty much know everything.”
    “Well that's it for now,” Bill Murphy said, his eyes squinting at me. “Thank you for your time. I'm sorry you had to go through such a terrible shock this morning. Ladies, you can wait out in the hall until your statements are typed up. Sign them, and then you are free to go.” He stood up and walked over to open the door of the room.
    “What about Professor Walters' wife, Mary Ann? Has anyone told her?” Elizabeth asked.
    “An officer has already contacted her.”
    Deirdre and I left the room. As Elizabeth walked toward the door, Bill Murphy closed it a bit. I heard him say, “Ms. Sullivan, if I need further information on this case, I may have to give you a call. If you think of anything additional, please let me give you my number.”
    Elizabeth came out into the hallway where we are waiting, tucking a card into her pocket.
    Deirdre opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, Elizabeth said to her, “Let me guess...bad aura.”
    “Yes, he is so far removed from the constructive forces of the universe,” Deirdre said.
    “Deirdre...” Elizabeth started.
    I went over to Elizabeth and slipped my arm beneath hers so that our arms locked together. “Come on, Elizabeth.” I did the same to Deirdre with my other arm and said, “Let’s wait outside.” The three of us walked down the long hallway together, arm in arm and out the door, to wait until we could sign the typed statements.
    * * * *
    On the way back from the police station we passed Margaret’s house. Her car was in the driveway. I was surprised to see that she was back from her sister's so soon.
    By the time I arrived home, Phil had already left for band practice. A note on the table said he'd be back in the late afternoon. This gave me some time to think about what had happened. The discovery of Sherman Walters shook me up. With an icy chill still