Page 19 of The Creekside Murder (Pacific Northwest Forensics #1)

“How did they get those results so quickly?” Finn pushed a piece of crinkly yellow wax paper piled with french fries toward Jessica, sitting in his office visitor chair. She’d driven straight to campus from the forensics lab in Marysville once she’d discovered he was working late.

“The lab got the victims’ DNA, called a reference sample, right away so they can rule them out when they start processing the evidence.

Further tests can then be done if the samples show similarities.

They discovered the trace DNA on the red fibers from Morgan’s crime scene right away and started processing that.

They’re still testing and analyzing it to see if there’s enough to send through CODIS.

” She pinched a french fry from his offering and bit off the end.

“Did you know that Morgan’s family owns the biggest logging enterprise in the state? ”

“I thought I heard something like that. Are you telling me Morgan is getting special treatment because of her family?” He clapped a hand over his mouth. “I’m shocked. Just shocked.”

“I mean, I’m glad she is, but every victim deserves special treatment and fast-tracked results. Avery Plank’s sex worker victims sure didn’t get any such consideration. The DNA on those cases took weeks, even months.”

“At least Missy benefits from the Flemmings’ connections.

” Finn dusted the salt from his fingers onto the paper bag that had contained his dinner.

“Deke Macy is a disappointing suspect. His two alibis look solid—at a karaoke bar one night where several patrons have already attested to his horrible singing and down in Seattle visiting his brother on the other night.”

“Family members lie all the time. Hell, his brother could even be involved.” She wedged a shoe on the edge of his desk. “Why are you working so late in your office? You can’t grade those exams on your laptop at home?”

“I’m giving another exam on Monday, and I promised my students extended office hours. I started grading, got hungry, ordered food and by the time the students’ visits trailed off, I was on a roll. Told myself I’d finish here.”

“And I interrupted you.”

“I was almost done, and I wanted to hear about the DNA tests. You said the lab hasn’t run the DNA through CODIS yet.”

“Not yet. They had the victims’ reference samples, so they were able to test it against those, and there’s no match to the victims’ samples.” She rubbed her hands together. “Let’s hope they get enough of the sample to run through CODIS, and that there’s a match.”

He offered her the rest of the fries, and she declined, so he scrunched up the paper and shoved it into the plastic bag. “There was never any DNA recovered at your sister’s crime scene, so it’s not going to help there.”

“No, but I’m certain there will be a connection. I could’ve gone along with the theory that someone was playing stupid games with my tires and even the doll, but that speculation ended when he led me to Missy’s body. The person leaving me clues is the same person who murdered Morgan and Missy.”

“You’re right, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he killed Tiffany. Could be a copycat.” Finn pushed back from his desk and grabbed the plastic bag by the handle. “I’m going to drop this in the trash can in the hallway, so the smell doesn’t linger in my office.”

He squeezed past her chair and pushed open the door, which he’d left ajar. As he stepped out of his office, a shadow flashed at the end of the darkened corridor. He called out. “Hello? It’s Professor Karlsson. Did you need to see me?”

A flurry of footsteps echoed from around the corner, and Finn’s cop instincts spurred him on to give chase. “Hey!”

He took off running down the smooth hallway in his loafers, slipping every few feet until he reached the end of the corridor. Finn skidded around the corner, and the side door at the bottom of the stairs slammed shut.

He loped downstairs, hanging on to the banister, taking two steps at a time. When he hit the bottom, he scrambled for the door and heaved his body against it to shove it open, stumbling into the small quad.

Panting, Finn stopped and scanned the trees that bordered the quad, his gaze darting back and forth between the two walkways—one leading into the main quad in the front of the building and the other skirting another lecture hall.

He crept silently to the corner of the building and peered around the edge. When the door burst open behind him, he spun around.

Jessica careened around the corner and almost bumped into him standing still in the front quad. She drew herself up and grabbed his sleeve. “What’s going on? Why did you take off like that?”

“There was someone lurking in the hallway outside my office. I thought it might be a student thinking I was busy, but when I called to him, he took off.”

“Him? Are you sure it was a man?”

“Yeah. I just saw his shadow, but he moved like a guy.” Finn wiped the back of his hand across his brow. “Why would he take off like that?”

“Is there anything to steal up there? Any reason to be there other than to see a professor?”

“Shouldn’t be anything to steal. All the offices are locked up. There are classrooms on the first floor, but the second floor is the humanities office and the professors’ officers. The humanities office is locked, too.”

“Were there any other professors holding office hours?” She glanced up at the building sporting a few lights in the windows. “Maybe he was there to see someone else.”

“Professor Godwin was working late, but he left about thirty minutes before you arrived.” He pushed his hair back from his forehead, his adrenaline rush seeping from his system.

“Why would any student of Godwin’s take off running from another professor in the building?

The doors are locked, but it’s not like students aren’t allowed in the halls.

They are. You can even go into a lecture hall after hours and sit down if you want.

The university holds some night classes, some extension classes. ”

Jessica settled her back against the rough stone of the building and crossed her arms. “What do you think he was doing there, and why do you think he ran?”

“Did you notice anyone following you here when you got to town?”

She licked her lips and her gaze flickered over his shoulder to the empty quad. “I drove here straight from the forensics lab. Someone would’ve had to have been following me for a long time.”

“I think the person was trying to spy on us. Listen to our conversation. I never completely close my office door unless I’m alone.

I’d left it ajar, and anyone in the corridor could’ve heard our conversation.

Voices carry down that hall, so the person wouldn’t have even had to have been that close.

He heard me announce that I was going to throw the trash into the can and started moving toward the stairs. ”

“Why would someone be spying on us?”

“I don’t know. We’ve been asking a lot of questions of a lot of people. I questioned Macy and the cops knock on his door the next day. He must know I put them onto him.”

She rubbed her arms. “Do you think that was Deke?”

“Wish I had caught up with this guy.” He glanced at his useless shoes. “Should’ve worn some running shoes to class.”

“I think I left your door wide open when I followed you out here.” She pushed off the wall. “Maybe he came back and stole something.”

“To do that, he would’ve had to run out here to the main quad, and then circle back into the building from the front. I think he was more concerned with getting away. He couldn’t have known you’d follow me, anyway.”

“Unless he was hoping to find me alone in your office.”

Grabbing her hand, he tugged her. “Let’s take a look.”

He led her to the main entrance to Waverly Hall, one of the four lecture halls that fronted the quad. Head down, he studied the steps to the front door. “If he came this way, he would’ve left footprints from the wet grass we went through to get here. I don’t see anything, do you?”

Jessica lifted her own foot, leaving a damp imprint on the step. “None but ours, but his could’ve dried by now. We stepped in some dewy grass, not the Sound.”

One of the double doors to Waverly stood open and yellow light spilled onto the steps. Finn asked, “Is this how you came into the building earlier?”

“It’s the only way I knew how before you went charging out of that side door. Didn’t see anyone, and nobody followed me.” She ascended the remaining steps and stepped into the building. “Maybe someone was after you this time.”

* * *

T HE FOLLOWING EVENING , Jessica got ready for the university’s candlelight vigil in honor of both Morgan and Missy.

The gathering had several functions—to pay respect to the women, of course, but also as an informational safety meeting for the students and although not advertised, law enforcement would use it to scan the crowd for unusual activity or people.

Jessica knew she’d be keeping a sharp eye out for the latter. The spy at Waverly Hall last night had scared her more than she’d let on to Finn. If the person had been an innocent student, why not stop when Finn spotted him?

Would the killer really be so bold as to try to eavesdrop in an empty college building?

What would’ve happened if Finn had caught this person?

The killer didn’t use a knife or gun on his victims, but that didn’t mean he didn’t carry a weapon.

She knew Finn had a conceal-carry permit from his days as a cop, but the university didn’t allow guns on campus—and that rule extended to the professors.

She tucked her own weapon in her purse. It might extend to visitors, too, but she was a member of the Washington State Patrol. She could make a strong case for carrying.