bade their hostess farewell. Covering the few blocks to Pierce’s residence did not take long. After Doro rapped on the door, the landlady, Angela Islington answered. “Come in, girls. I’m guessing you’re here about the case.”
Doro was not surprised at the woman’s greeting. Mrs. Islington might have more details than most townsfolk, and if history repeated itself, she would enjoy sharing them. “Thank you.”
Doro and Aggie followed Mrs. Islington into the front parlor. After the landlady gestured to the horsehair sofa, they sat down and murmured their thanks. When she offered refreshments, both demurred and Doro said, “You know about Professor Corlon’s death.”
“Everyone in town is talking about it.” Mrs. Islington, a slender brunette in her early fifties, took the rocker at a right angle to the sofa. “I stopped by my sister’s place on my way home from running errands. I wanted to see what she knew.”
Doro wondered what Mrs. Lammers might have shared. “Did she have information?”
A rueful smile touched the landlady’s lips. “Nothing that others don’t know. Wade stopped to see her late last night on his way home. All he did was confirm the professor was murdered by a blow to the head with a card catalogue drawer.” She shuddered. “Such a terrible thing. He can’t share other details, though. The new campus security officer warned him not to.”
Once again, Doro bristled. Mallow shouldn’t bark orders at the town constable, who was older and more experienced. “Constable Lammers knows how to proceed as well as, or better than, Officer Mallow.” Her tart tone revealed her annoyance. Although Mrs. Islington didn’t appear to notice, Aggie clearly did.
Her friend turned to Doro with a frown. “Maybe they discussed the case and agreed to keep clues close to the vest.”
Before Doro could respond, Mrs. Islington spoke. “That’s what Wade told my sister. He’s glad Officer Mallow isn’t bossy. Wade feared he might be, because of being a federal agent and all.”
Aggie grinned. “It’s good to know Constable Lammers’ opinion, since both Doro and I respect him so much.”
Doro shot her friend a quelling glare, but nodded. “We do,” she agreed before hurrying on. “But we wondered if we could ask you a few questions.”
Mrs. Islington turned to Doro. “About what?”
The query made Doro realize an explanation was in order, since the landlady wouldn’t know about campus goings-on, unless her boarders discussed the issues. Perhaps, a bit of background would suffice. “Did you know Professor Corlon?” The question could be a starting point.
The older woman shook her head. “I’ve seen him and the other new ones. At the diner or in a shop. None too friendly with us townsfolk.”
“Not surprising,” Aggie put in. “They aren’t all that affable with many of us on campus.”
A frown knit Mrs. Islington’s brow. “I heard about them wanting to make big changes. It’d be terrible if girls couldn’t come to school no more. My youngest is set on attending Michaw when the time comes. We can afford tuition, but not room and board somewhere else. I want my girl to have more opportunity than I did. More than her older siblings did, too.”
“I hope we don’t go backward, either,” Aggie said. “It would hurt many women.”
“It would,” Doro agreed. “I’m not sure what will happen now.” For a moment, she considered how to get the conversation back to where it needed to go. Before Doro hit on a strategy, Mrs. Islington continued.
“Since my boarders are students, chatter about the new regime is common at meals. Last evening at supper, they were all agog over who might’ve killed the professor.”
Doro exchanged a quick glance with Aggie before turning to their hostess. “I bet there was speculation on who did it.”
Mrs. Islington nodded. “Quite a lot. Only five of my boys were at the table. One had a meeting, and another had to go out of town.”
“Who went away?” Doro kept her voice well-modulated, but anxiety flared inside her.
“Pierce and Kitty went to visit her family.” The woman folded her hands in her lap and looked down at them.
Mrs. Islington’s tone and posture indicated some level of discomfort, but why? “When did they take off?” Doro asked.
“I found a note from Pierce yesterday morning,” Mrs. Islington replied. “He wanted me to know why he wasn’t here.” A slight smile touched her thin lips. “My boys know I fret over them.”
Doro grappled with the information. Mr. and Mrs. Tenseng were away, according to their employee. Had Kitty and Pierce gone with them? If so, where and why? “Did he say if there was an emergency?”
Mrs. Islington glanced at her. “No details. Just that I shouldn’t worry.” A knock on the front door interrupted. “Excuse me,” she said before rushing to answer. In a moment, she returned with Officer Mallow.
“Good morning, Miss Darwine.” As the lawman looked from Aggie to Doro, he scowled. “Good morning again, Miss Banyon.”
Aggie responded with a smile and a cheery hello. Doro simply nodded.
“Please sit down, Officer,” Mrs. Islington said with a smile. “My nephew said you’d be here to talk with me. Can I offer you refreshments? I keep a pot of coffee going, and I made biscuits for breakfast. A few are left.”
“Thank you, ma’am. That sounds wonderful,” Mallow replied. After Mrs. Islington was out of earshot, he sat in the vacant chair next to Aggie, but his gaze was on Doro. “What brings you here?”
Not a trace of curiosity or doubt was in the question. Clearly, the man knew exactly why Doro and Aggie had stopped. “We’re visiting. I’ve known Mrs. Islington since I was born.”
His jaw set hard. “That isn’t an answer, Miss Banyon. When we spoke earlier, I suggested you keep a low profile for a few days. Obviously, my advice went in one ear and out the other.”
“You didn’t tell me that,” Aggie put in, as she turned to her friend.
Doro glared at her friend. Aggie loved mysteries as much as Doro, but the other girl would be content with reading or talking about them. Maybe Doro should have left Aggie in Wheaton Hall while she interviewed people and dug for clues. The two of them could have discussed her findings later.
After several moments of silence ticked away, Mallow spoke again. “Why am I not surprised?”
“I’ll help Mrs. Islington.” Aggie jumped to her feet and rushed out of the room.
“Nothing to say for yourself, Miss Banyon?” Mallow asked.
A low huff escaped Doro. “I’m allowed to talk with old neighbors.”
His nostrils flared with a sharp intake of breath. “You didn’t come here to chit-chat, and we both know it. As I already told you, I know you’re an armchair detective. You not only teach a course on mystery novels; you solved some minor case a few years back.”
Surprise rippled through Doro. How had he learned about that? “It wasn’t minor to Aggie, who could have lost her scholarship if we hadn’t found out what really happened to the examination.” Doro had been a recent high school graduate visiting her father when she overheard a professor berating his student assistant for not locking the office door. After discovering a final examination was missing, Doro had joined forces with Aggie, who was being blamed. The two of them, another student, and Doro’s father worked together to unravel the mystery. And save Aggie’s scholarship.
“I’m sure it was crucial to Miss Darwine, but you weren’t chasing a killer.” Mallow paused for a heartbeat. “What if you and your friend make the murderer uneasy? He or she has already committed one murder. Committing another would come easier. It usually does.”
The last comment reminded Doro that Mallow had several years of experience as a lawman. Chasing bootleggers and rumrunners had undoubtedly involved more than a few shootings…and some murders. Although Doro would have enjoyed brushing off his concern, she was no fool. “We don’t plan to talk with suspects. We’re just gathering information.”
“Are you planning to share details with Constable Lammers and me?” he asked.
The query caught her off-guard. Revealing clues to the two lawmen had not been part of her plan, but Doro wasn’t about to admit that. “Of course.”
In the lingering silence that followed, his silver-gray gaze narrowed on her. Finally, he nodded. “Good. In that same vein, I’d like you to tell me where you’re going ahead of time. Just to be on the safe side.”
With no other option, Doro forced a smile. “I’ll be happy to do that, Officer Mallow.”
For a long moment, he scanned her face. “Thanks.”
His single-word answer resonated with skepticism, which made Doro shift restlessly. Did he realize she planned to avoid alerting him? Relief filled her when Mrs. Islington and Aggie returned with refreshments. Four cups and saucers, along with a coffee pot, rested on the tray in Aggie’s hands, while the older woman carried a plate of biscuits, butter, and jam. Although Doro had hoped to escape, she took her coffee and a biscuit before settling back in her chair.
“You said you had some questions for me, Officer Mallow,” Mrs. Islington said with a smile.
When a look of discomfiture crossed the lawman’s face, Doro had to repress a grin. He clearly didn’t want to conduct the interrogation in front of the two younger women. Suddenly, staying for a snack seemed like a fine idea.
Mallow grabbed a biscuit and took a big bite before following it with a gulp of coffee. Then, he finished the roll.
Doro repressed a chuckle at his efforts to kill time. When her gaze caught Aggie’s, she saw her friend was similarly amused. After Mallow gulped down another biscuit, Mrs. Islington spoke.
“I could cook ham and eggs, if you’re hungry.” The landlady studied him. “You’re too thin. I suppose you don’t eat regular meals. Did you have breakfast?”
Before Mallow replied, his stomach growled. Color swept into his face. “Not today, ma’am. I didn’t have time, but please don’t go to any trouble. I can’t stay too long, since I’m meeting Constable Lammers at his office in a half-hour.”
His response lifted Doro’s spirits. Mallow would have to interview Mrs. Islington while she and Aggie were there.
“Go ahead with your questions,” the woman said. “And have as many biscuits as you like.”
Mallow pursed his lips. “Thank you, ma’am.” After a moment, he extracted pad and paper from his pocket. “Your nephew said several students, including Pierce Dudley board here.”
“That’s right.” Mrs. Islington’s gaze went to Doro and Aggie before returning to Mallow. “I told the girls about him and his sweetheart going to see her family yesterday morning.”
Once again, Mallow scowled. After a quick glance at Aggie, who bowed her head to select another biscuit, the officer focused on Doro before regaining an insouciant expression. “Why did they leave on a Tuesday? Surely, both had classes.”
“It must’ve been an emergency,” the landlady replied.
“Young Dudley didn’t say?” Mallow’s expression didn’t lighten.
“I didn’t talk with him,” she explained. “He left a note. No details other than they were going to see Kitty’s relatives. It was scrawled, like he was in a rush.”
“He used the word relatives?” Mallow asked.
The older woman’s forehead furrowed, as if she was trying to recall. “The note is still on my desk. Let me get it for you.” Within a moment, she retrieved the missive and handed it to the officer.
Doro watched as Mallow scanned the paper. What difference would the wording make? She would love to snatch the note from his hand and see for herself.
“Do you mind if I keep this?” he asked Mrs. Islington.
“Of course not,” she replied.
“Thank you,” Mallow said as he tucked the paper into his jacket pocket.
The exchange whetted Doro’s curiosity. When the officer’s gaze met hers, she noted a glimmer of amusement. Clearly, he was enjoying his one-upmanship. Doro folded her hands in her lap and waited.
Mallow returned his attention to the landlady. “What time did you see Pierce last?”
“Monday evening after supper,” she replied.
“Pierce isn’t on the basketball team any longer, so he doesn’t have practice. Does he have a class first thing in the morning?” Mallow inquired.
The mention of practice provoked another possibility in Doro’s mind. Basketball practice had only started on Monday. Had that upset Pierce and Kitty?
“Not on Tuesdays.” The landlady frowned. “Like I said, he wasn’t here for breakfast. Sometimes, he and Kitty meet early and walk out by the pond, but Pierce usually grabs something to eat.”
“There was chilly rain yesterday. Do they make a habit of going out in any weather?” Skepticism was in the officer’s tone.
Renewed anxiety rolled through Doro. Last week, Kitty started working in the dormitory cafeteria, so the girl no longer had time to saunter around campus shortly after dawn. Not that she and her beau would do so in miserable conditions.
“No, I hadn’t considered that.” Mrs. Islington gnawed on her lower lip. “He might’ve met friends someplace.”
Mallow posed another question. “Where might he do that?”
The older woman shrugged. “It was too early for the library to be open. I suppose he could’ve gone to the men’s dormitory. The basketball players live there, and he’s still friends with them.”
“I’ll check on that.” Mallow murmured.
Doro felt sure he’d check on everything, which was his job. But still, she didn’t like Kitty and Pierce being suspects. For several moments, she struggled to find some reason they shouldn’t be. None came to mind, something that increased her determination to investigate the case more fully. The young couple could not be killers.
“I’m sorry I don’t know more,” the landlady said. “Maybe Pierce saw something that will help you solve the murder. Everyone in town is nervous.”
“No need to be, ma’am. Constable Lammers is on the lookout for anything unusual, and so am I,” Mallow assured her.
“Wade is a good man, but he’s one person,” Mrs. Islington said. “And you’re working for the college.”
“Nevertheless, I’m able to help him.”
The answer reminded Doro that Mallow’s authority extended beyond the college campus due to a special arrangement with the town. In addition, for a few more days, he was still a federal agent. How much power did that give him?
Mallow jotted more notes before asking another question. “Did any of your other boarders mention Professor Corlon’s murder? Either yesterday or this morning.”
She clasped her hands together. “Of course. Everyone in town is talking about it.”
“What’s being said?” the man asked.
The question sent a clear signal that Officer Mallow had never lived in a small town, where everyone knew everyone else’s business—or thought they did—and passed it on. News of a murder would spread rapidly and, as it did, details would be tacked on. Details that might, or might not, be valid. Would Kitty and Pierce be scrutinized by the townsfolk? Fresh apprehension gripped Doro.
“My stars,” Mrs. Islington said with a giggle. “What isn’t being said? As far as my boys, every single one of them mentioned the professor being a hard grader, in general, and worse with some students. They all agreed Pierce was unfairly treated. Seems like Corlon cared little for sports. He mentioned more than once that money would be better spent on academics.”
“Was Pierce the one who shared that?” Mallow asked.
“He wasn’t the first to say so, but he agreed,” Mrs. Islington replied.
“What about how he treated female students?” Doro blurted out the question. For a moment, she expected Mallow to chastise her, but he said nothing. Nor did he look in her direction.
“Pierce said the man didn’t like Kitty or her group. Can’t recall the name.” The woman’s brow furrowed, as if she was trying to remember.
“Young Women Voters for Equality and Justice.” Aggie supplied the answer.
“Of course,” Mrs. Islington agreed.
“Did Pierce give any details?” Mallow continued with the interview.
“Not really, although another of my boys, who’s in one of Professor Corlon’s courses this term, thought the man was backing off making the school all-male again,” the landlady said.
Surprise hit Doro like a lightning bolt. A quick glance at her friend revealed Aggie had much the same reaction. “When did that come up?” Doro asked.
“Monday night at supper,” the landlady replied. “Pierce said when people like the professor make trouble for others, it comes back on them. Another of the boys claimed Pierce had two reasons to dislike the man—losing his scholarship and Kitty maybe not being able to stay in school here, if girls are banned. That’s when Phillip Nagel mentioned the professor saying times were changing, and a lot of schools admitted women now, which wasn’t a bad idea.”
“I haven’t heard that at all,” Doro admitted.
During the exchange, Mallow took more notes. “I need to meet with Constable Lammers shortly, but when will Phillip be back?”
“I’m not sure,” Mrs. Islington replied. “He went with some other boys to play football at the field. The team practices are also off, according to what I heard at the market, so it’s a pickup game.”
“All organized college activities are on hold,” Aggie put in.
“I heard that, too. People are saying President Winwood wants the murder solved quickly,” Mrs. Islington said. “Of course, the rest of us do, too. It’s scary to think we have a killer walking among us.” A shudder rippled through the woman.
Mallow again looked tense. “I want it solved, too, and so does Constable Lammers. We’re working hard to catch the murderer, but I honestly don’t believe you or others should worry. It looks like Professor Corlon’s death was personal, not a happenstance. I can’t say more.”
“Thank you for that much. It eases my mind,” the landlady murmured. “My boys thought the same thing, since there’s been plenty of criticism of him. They complain about other professors, too, but not like they did him.” She glanced at Doro and Agatha. “None ever complained about either of you. Several have taken your mystery class, Doro. The only problem they’ve mentioned is that President Winwood wants to eliminate it.”
Doro felt Officer Mallow turn toward her, but she kept her attention on Mrs. Islington. “He prefers more traditional courses.”
“How long have you taught the mystery class?” Mallow asked.
Reluctantly, Doro faced him. “This is the third year. I suggested it to Dr. Adams when I was first hired in June 1926, and he agreed to put it on the schedule during both fall and spring semesters. It’s always filled.”
“Doro and I both love reading whodunits,” Aggie put in.
Mallow nodded. “I see. Do you write them, as well, Miss Banyon?”
Only Aggie knew about Doro penning a mystery, and she planned to keep it that way. “Writing a book is a lot harder than most people think. And time-consuming, as well. I have my hands full with working at the library and teaching one class each term.” Before Mallow might mention her failure to directly answer the question, Doro rushed on. “Aggie is a poet, though.”
“Poems are much shorter than books,” her friend said.
Mrs. Islington added a comment. “I’ve read some of your poetry, and you’re very talented.”
Aggie, her cheeks crimson, murmured her thanks.
“You must be published then,” Mallow observed.
“Only in the local newspapers and our college annual,” Aggie said. “Mostly, I write poems for my enjoyment.”
“I see,” Mallow said, but he quickly glanced back at Doro. “I’m surprised you don’t write—for your enjoyment. I’d think writing a mystery would be a little like playing armchair detective.”
His last comment didn’t surprise Doro, but it annoyed her. The phrase playing armchair detective sounded dismissive. “As I said, I’m very busy.”
“I’m sure you are.” Although the officer’s tone was placid, the words lacked sincerity.
Doro got to her feet. “We should go, Aggie.” She doubted if the landlady had any other pertinent information, and getting away from Mallow seemed like a fine idea.
Her friend immediately stood, as well.
“I’m afraid I haven’t helped much,” Mrs. Islington said. “But I know nothing else.”
Officer Mallow tucked away his pad and pencil as he rose. “I appreciate your time, ma’am. And the food, too.”
Mrs. Islington escorted the group to her front door, where they all thanked her again. When they reached the sidewalk, Mallow stopped. “Like I told Mrs. Islington, the killing was likely personal, but you still need to be careful.”
“We understand,” Doro replied, but she resented being warned a second time.
“We do,” Aggie agreed. “Neither of us wants to be targeted by the killer.”
He gave a sharp nod. “Good, because a murderer can only go to the electric chair once.” Then, he turned on his heel and strode away.
The color left Aggie’s face. “He’s right, Doro. We need to be careful.”
“He wants to scare us off, but you don’t have to come with me.”
Aggie shifted from one foot to the other. “Talking with Constable Lammers won’t be dangerous.”
“No, but Mallow is headed there,” Doro reminded her friend. “I’d like to talk with Phillip about Corlon’s attitude toward coeducation. If he was mellowing, I didn’t know about it.”
“Neither did I.” A sigh escaped the other young woman. “I’ll go along with you, but let’s hurry. I’m guessing Officer Mallow will head there next.”
“Probably so.” Doro linked her arm with Aggie’s and turned toward campus. “Mallow’s meeting with Constable Lammers will take a little while. We’ll be finished long before Mallow gets to the field. After all, we only have a couple of questions to ask.”
“All right.”
Although her friend sounded less than enthusiastic, Doro continued down the tree-lined street and across campus. When they arrived at the field, the pair found a group of young men playing football. “There’s Phillip Nagel.” Doro gestured to a boy standing on the sidelines.
Aggie followed Doro to where Phillip was pacing back-and-forth along the out-of-bounds. He stopped as soon as he saw them. “Miss Banyon. Miss Darwine. What brings you out here on such a chilly day?”
Doro offered what she hoped was a bright smile. “We had a couple of questions for you.”
His brows drew down as he looked from Doro to Aggie and back. “About what?” Wariness undergirded the words.
After clearing her throat, Doro replied. “We just spoke with Mrs. Islington, and she mentioned a conversation some of you boys had at meals yesterday and this morning.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “None of us had anything to do with Corlon’s murder.”
“We don’t think any of you did,” Doro rushed to assure him, despite her misgivings about Pierce and Kitty taking off. “What we wondered about was Professor Corlon’s change in attitude. Mrs. Islington said you mentioned him not being so adamant about returning the college to all-male status.”
Some of the tension drained from Phillip. “I was in his class last year, and he made little digs from time-to-time. This term, someone said the females ought to go, and he objected. I was surprised, and so was everyone else who’d had him for another course. I debated about taking a class from him again, but I did okay before, and the later one fit my schedule. I work in town, so I need to be finished by three o’clock.”
“Did he say why he’d changed his mind?” Aggie asked.
Phillip shook his head. “Not really. He made some remark about times changing. Then, he went back to his lecture.”
“And the topic only came up once?” Doro asked.
“Yep. No one wants to run afoul of Professor Corlon. He’s known for being a tough grader and, if you get on his bad side, he finds a lot of faults with your papers,” Phillip asserted.
Since this did not come as a surprise, Doro nodded. “You didn’t happen to be out early yesterday morning, did you?”
Phillip released a snort of laughter. “Miss Banyon, getting up to eat breakfast is tough enough. This term, I don’t have a class until ten o’clock, so I have my meal and go back to bed.”
“Was Pierce still there when you left for class?” Doro asked.
He nodded. “I’m not sure. I didn’t see him, and everyone else was gone.”
A male voice interrupted. “Hey, Phil. We need you back on the field.”
“Sorry, gotta go.” With that, the boy raced to where his friends stood in a huddle.
“I suppose we might as well leave,” Aggie suggested.
“I suppose,” Doro reluctantly agreed. The pair turned toward the main part of campus. “We learned very little.”
“We got confirmation of what Mrs. Islington said,” Aggie pointed out. “Honestly, I wondered if she’d misunderstood Phillip. Now, we know she didn’t.”
“That’s a good point. But why the change of heart in Corlon?” Doro glanced at her friend. “Did you notice any softening in him?”
For several moments, the pair walked in silence. “I’ve only seen him at department meetings, and we don’t engage in personal conversations. As far as his comments, he hasn’t been so outspoken this term. Now that I think about it, Corlon had some cutting remarks at the first couple of meetings, but not since then. And last year, he was much worse.”
“I wonder why,” Doro commented.
“Who knows? He was still complaining to you about not being able to use the library meeting room whenever he wanted, wasn’t he?”
“He complained as recently as this week.” As Doro mentally reviewed his last few objections, she came to a stop. “But he used to rant about how women should be married and at home raising a family, not taxing their small brains with studying. His recent objections were mostly related to YWV, and how the group might wrongly influence female students.”
Aggie paused next to Doro. “That’s interesting. I wonder what caused the change, subtle as it is.”
“I do, too. I also wonder if Pierce got a call.” Doro released a pent-up breath. “I wish I knew exactly what he wrote in the note that Mallow took.” Distracted, Doro did not see Everett Mallow coming toward them. A gasp from her friend alerted her. “What’s wrong?”
“It looks like our new campus security officer didn’t meet with the town constable for long,” Aggie said.
Doro followed her friend’s gaze and felt her heart sink. Not only was the man quickly closing the distance, gray storm clouds darkened his eyes. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Good afternoon, Officer.” The salutation sounded odd, since they had parted only a short time ago, but it was the best she could do on the spur of the moment.
His lips flattened. “I asked you to alert me about your—uh—travels regarding the case. You said you would and yet, you’ve been here to question a potential witness.”
Doro exerted strict self-control to keep from making a sharp retort, mostly because Aggie’s eyes had gone wide with dismay. Although Doro wasn’t afraid of Mallow exerting authority, her friend clearly was. “You’re making an assumption,” she replied in a lighthearted tone.
Mallow’s scowl only intensified. “Are you trying to make me believe the two of you came down to the field to watch a pickup game of football on a cold, blustery day?” He glanced at Aggie, who shoved her hands into her coat pockets and turned to Doro with a stricken expression.
If she had been alone, Doro would have put up a stronger defense. Not wanting to further upset her friend, who wasn’t as outspoken or strong-willed, she shrugged.
“No comeback?” Mallow asked.
“What sense is there in pretending we didn’t talk to Phillip? You’ll ask him, and he’ll say we did. Not that we learned much,” Doro replied.
“Exactly what did you learn?” Mallow inquired.
“Just that Mrs. Islington was right about the conversation at the table. Phillip mentioned Professor Corlon being less hostile about women on campus.” Doro shared the boy’s story. “As I said, not much.”
Mallow rubbed the back of his neck. “But it’s something I want to pursue.” His tone was thoughtful. “Did Phillip provide other details?”
Doro shook her head. “No, he didn’t.”
Immediately, Mallow turned to Aggie. “Is that right?”
The man’s lack of trust annoyed Doro, although she had to admit—at least to herself—that he had little reason to rely on her.
“Yes, it is,” Aggie replied.
Mallow’s shoulders relaxed, and his hand fell to his side. “Thanks for your honesty.”
Should the comment be taken at face value? Or was it a veiled criticism of her? Doro didn’t know, and she shouldn’t care. “We should be on our way.”
He shifted to face her. “Where to?”
From anyone else, the short query could have been casual. Not from him, though. Admitting they planned to see Constable Lammers didn’t seem like a sound strategy. She wanted to say that it was none of his business. When she looked past Mallow, Doro saw her friend’s worried expression and relented. “To speak with the local operator. She’ll know if Pierce got a call at the boardinghouse.” They could see Wade later.
The frown returned to Mallow’s face. “I stopped at her house on my way here. She didn’t want to divulge private information to a college employee.”
Aggie’s eyes widened. “She must know you’re investigating a murder.”
“She does,” Mallow said. “She didn’t believe I had authority beyond the campus, and my status as a Prohibition agent didn’t move her, either. Neither was my special designation as a deputy. She’ll talk with Lammers when he’s back,”
“Back from where?” Doro asked.
“He took his mother into Sylvania, which is why our meeting was cut short. She sees a doctor there. Evidently, she was feeling poorly.” Mallow ran his fingers through his closely clipped hair. “I’ll get the details from him later.”
Doro smiled. “Mrs. Lammers still doctors with an older physician in Sylvania. She considers Dr. Silton a young whippersnapper, even though he’s in his mid-thirties.”
Mallow nodded. “Wade said his mother is stubborn. He also said she’s been struggling with heart trouble. That’s why he took her. I’ll manage on my own. Family comes first.”
The sentiment increased Doro’s regard for the officer, if only a tad. “We could let you know what we find out. I’ve known Cecelia Gardner all my life, and I think she’ll share details. If there are any.”
“I appreciate your help.” His gaze went from Aggie to Doro. “Both of you.”
Since he looked and sounded sincere, Doro responded in kind. “Of course. We all want the murderer found as quickly as possible. Now, it’s cold just standing here. Good day, Officer Mallow.”
Aggie also said her farewell, but the pair hadn’t gone ten feet when he spoke again. “Can we meet later to discuss what you find out?”
The question indicated a mellowing in his attitude, but how much mellowing? Would he be willing to share his information? Time would tell. “Perhaps, we could meet in the reception area of the women’s faculty residence? Seventy-five percent of the residents left until Sunday. The rest are planning to eat at the diner tonight, right?” she asked her friend.
Aggie nodded. “We were invited, but I said we were busy.”
“Come around six o’clock,” Doro suggested to Mallow.
A grin tugged at one corner of his mouth. “Sounds fine. Thanks again.” After touching his cap brim, he headed toward the field.
Doro watched him stride away and wondered if she had made a major error. What if he expected information sharing to only go one way? From them to him.
“Why the gloomy look?” Aggie asked. “He’s willing to let us gather information and meet with us.”
“Because we can get details he can’t, and he doesn’t want to wait for Constable Lammers. We’re doing Mallow a favor, and there’s no guarantee he’ll return it.”
“I think he will,” Aggie said with a grin. She looped her arm through Doro’s and started walking.
Something about her friend’s demeanor bothered Doro. But she couldn’t determine exactly what. Or maybe she didn’t want to know.