around. “It’s fresh. I don’t know where he would have picked it up. Maybe the motorboat?”
“We’ll have it analyzed,” Metcalf said. “Anything else?”
She stood up and pulled off the glove. “Nothing of any use. Thanks, Metcalf.”
She turned and walked away.
“Where are you going?” Lynch asked.
“I’m not sure. I’ll be around.” She gazed up at the administration building. “Maybe talk to some of the staff. They must be so upset and afraid. And they might know something about this.”
Lynch stopped. “Then I think my time will be better spent elsewhere rather than trailing after you.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just because the FBI database doesn’t show a relationship between that dead guy and Dietrich doesn’t mean there wasn’t one. I’m going to tap some of my other sources and see what I can find out. Will you be okay here?”
“Of course. It’s probably better if I talk to the staff alone anyway.” She glanced around at the familiar gardens, the buildings where she’d spent so many years. “You know…If they close this place down, I’m afraid they’ll never reopen. It would be a shame. No, it would be a tragedy.”
“We won’t let that happen.”
“This is one time I wish I had your confidence, Lynch.”
“Usually you’d call it arrogance,” he said ruefully.
“I’ll take whatever I can get right now.”
He squeezed her arm. “I’ll let you know what I find out, okay?”
“Yes. Thanks, Lynch.”
He was still hesitating. “I can wait for you. I don’t like the idea of leaving you here alone.”
“Alone?” She looked at him in bewilderment. “It’s broad daylight. Metcalf hasn’t even left the crime scene yet. This area is crawling with the forensic response crew and FBI agents. I’m quite sure there’s not going to be any of Cardona’s pals still hanging around. I’m perfectly safe. Go away, Lynch.”
“And you’re packing a heater,” Lynch growled in a guttural gangster snarl. “How could I forget about that?” He turned away. “Give me a call if you find out anything. I’ll see you later at your condo.” He headed toward his car.
Kendra immediately started up the hill toward the main facility. But when she reached the driveway, she paused before entering the glass doors of the administration building. Allison would be frantically busy dealing with police and parents, and she wasn’t the one Kendra wanted to speak to anyway. She turned left and entered the dormitory area.
A few minutes later, she was knocking on the door of Maddie Turman, the dorm supervisor. It took a few minutes before the woman opened it. She was pale but controlled and stood to one side to permit Kendra to enter. “I was wondering if you’d show up,” she said unsteadily. “We’ve got to stop meeting this way. It’s like a story by Edgar Allan Poe. I couldn’t believe it when I found out about that murdered man they found this morning. This shouldn’t have happened here. When will it stop?”
“I wish I could tell you,” Kendra said gently. “That was my first thought, too. I know it’s terribly upsetting to both the staff and the students.”
“We may not have any students left after today,” Maddie said. “Once the police release the premises, the parents are going to swoop down and whisk their kids to safety. Allison has been going crazy between fending off those parents and trying to make explanations to Maxine Rydell. She says we’ll probably have to close down for a while.” Her lips tightened. “And all we ever wanted to do was to keep them safe and give them a chance for a better life.”
“And you did it. You’re still doing it. This madness will pass and everything will be normal again.”
“Maybe,” Maddie said doubtfully. “But everything’s crazy now. One of the security guards heard a rumor that the victim was some big drug dealer. Is that true?”
“It might be, but you shouldn’t discuss it.”
“Do you think I don’t know that? All we need is to have the parents think we’re allowing drugs into the school. Mr. Kim’s and Elaine’s deaths were bad enough, but this would be a horror.”
“And we don’t know anything definite about the circumstances yet. It could be a lie. We’re going to investigate and try to clear up everything.”
“Then do it soon,” Maddie said. “The place where that drug dealer was discovered isn’t five minutes’ walk from here. The kids and their parents aren’t the only ones who are afraid.” She shivered as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I was wondering what would have happened if I’d