“Did you hallucinate?”
“Yes. I thought I saw figures moving in the steam, and I felt very disoriented and unbalanced. I assumed I was just exhausted from the exercises and dehydrated by the heat. Thank goodness I didn’t drink too much of the tea.”
“We need to talk to Frampton. See if there’s a file on the employees in that cabinet.”
Lyra opened another drawer and saw a row of folders. “Yes. Here’s one for Frampton.”
“Address?”
“Yes.”
“Take it. We don’t have time to read it here.”
“We’re going to confront her tonight, too?”
“We can’t afford to wait until tomorrow.”
“You’re right.” Lyra tucked the file under her arm and closed the drawer.
Simon opened the briefcase and took out a stethoscope. He inserted the earpieces into his ears and placed the bell of the stethoscope near the lock. Gently he turned the dial.
“What are you doing?” Lyra asked.
“Listening for the lock to click. Hush.”
Yet another job skill she needed to learn. Lyra made a note to add it to her growing list.
Simon worked the combination for a minute or two. There was a click and the door swung open.
He aimed the flashlight inside. “Some cash. All neatly stacked and bundled. Receipts.”
“Probably the money and associated records from this week’s sales,” Lyra said.
“Nothing else in here.” Simon closed the safe and got to his feet. He took the file from Lyra, dropped it into the briefcase, and headed for the door. “Let’s go.”
He led the way with his pistol and flashlight. Lyra took a fortifying breath, hoisted the suitcase in both arms, and trudged down the hall behind him. There were, she concluded, a few drawbacks to being an apprentice investigator and junior professional colleague.
Ahead of her Simon methodically brushed the back of one hand against each doorknob.
“Hey, Simon?” she said.
“What?”
“The papers said that McGruder was found stabbed to death in his laboratory. A steel letter opener was used to kill him, as I recall. The police had a lot of theories, but I don’t think they ever found out who did it.”
“They didn’t look very hard.”
“Was it you or Luther? You said the two of you worked the case together.”
“Do you ever stop asking questions?”
“No.”
Simon grunted. “It was me. I told you, guns never seem to be available when you need one.”
“It must have been a horrible experience, stabbing a man.”
“Yes, it was. Probably a lot like striking someone in the head with a golf club.”
