Page 21 - Labelle Gramercy, Detective

Road Kill

an adult, you can talk to Captain Fassner. Tell him to re-examine the
facts.”
I sighed. This wasn’t going to be easy. “All right, Labelle. Let’s
make a deal: if I talk to him, and he provides what I consider to be a
reasonable response, will you drop it? Will you let it go and get back
to finishing your last semester in peace?”
She stared at the fuzzy newsprint image of the late Ross Ewidge.
“I think,” she stated carefully, “that you are a very good counselor,
Mr. Holloman, and I really appreciate your interest in this case. But
you aren’t as involved as I am in the actual events, and I know the
people better than you do. So I will agree to give up my own
investigation if what Captain Fassner says or does makes sense to
me.”
And there it was, out in the open: an ultimatum. I played my last
card. “Perhaps you have a viewpoint which is not sufficiently
appreciated by our professional police force. I do not want to act as a
judge of that. However, you should be aware that Principal Kerr has
no qualms about taking you to task for what he would consider
interference, insubordination or just plain bad behavior. You could
be jeopardizing your university matriculation—not to mention
graduating next week.”
Her eyes flashed. “I’ll take that chance. Something funny is going
on here. Mr. Ewidge conveniently dies in front of me, and then all his
class records disappear. I think we ought to find out what happened
between the time that photograph was taken and the moment Sherrie
and I saw and heard him take a fall. Nobody in class will admit to
having any contact with Mr. Ewidge during that period of time.”
“Admit?” This was worse than I had expected.
“Oh, don’t worry. I was very casual about questioning them.
Everybody keeps talking about that field trip, anyway. In fact, a lot of
the students are beginning to exaggerate their part in it, to get more
attention from their friends.”
I massaged my brow and temples. “All right. If this is what you
want, I’ll do it. But I cannot talk to the police without notifying Mr.
Kerr.”
Labelle Gramercy’s face lit up. “Gosh, thanks, Mr. Holloman. I
don’t want to get you in any trouble. I just have to get to the bottom
of this. It feels like I’m being teased and tortured by a hidden but

20