the back, one cheek, and two small but prominent bruises on the back of his neck, as if he had been grabbed by a very strong hand. Put this together with the fact there were many tiny pieces of glass in his face, and you might think he was beaten, then forced into the fume hood where someone broke an SB4 ampoule by his face. That’s not suicide, Doctor Lundeman, that’s murder.”
Curtis felt the coolness of tiny beads of perspiration evaporating at his hairline. He willed himself to remain calm by remembering a cliché for stage comedians and university presidents. Never let them see you sweat. When he spoke, his voice was firm and reassuring.
“What you say makes sense, but I can’t imagine anyone wanting to kill Jacob Bauer. Like I said, he was well respected here.”
“He had no enemies? No rivals for a particular position, or a facility?”
“None that I’m aware of. He was not what I’d call an ambitious man.”
Ebensack wrote a few words in his notebook. “Did you personally like him, Doctor?”
“I hardly knew him. We met at receptions and senate meetings, and he came over to my office once or twice for a chat. My door is always open for the faculty, and I encourage them to come in for visits.”
“Did you ever have any conflicts with him?”
“Not really. I mentioned he was a very outspoken man, and we argued in the senate about our policies regarding classified research on this campus. He was basically opposed to allowing overly classified research here, and was quite vocal about it. The issue has been sent to the faculty senate research committee, and they’re working on a policy statement now. The main issue seems to be easing restrictions on graduate thesis publication. Federal input has been very helpful in this matter, by the way, and I appreciate that. We should have the problem resolved in the next few weeks.”
“Can you think of any faculty members who would be threatened by Bauer’s opposition to classified research?”
“Absolutely not. The majority of our outside funding here comes from some kind of classified research, and the faculty certainly isn’t going to do away with it. Bauer knew that when he argued in the senate, but he was not afraid to express an unpopular opinion, and did so. I respect that.”
“It’s hard to tell how some people will react to a situation, Doctor, and what one person regards as nothing may be seen as a life-threat to another. I’ll be checking into this further, and I’d like to have your cooperation.”
“I’ll help you in any way I can. All I ask is that you be discrete about your inquiries, and please remember this is a university. People don’t get killed for expressing ideas here.”
“Perhaps, but unfortunately human history is filled with people who killed others because of their ideas. If a man is threatened by an idea, he will react to counter that threat with some permanence. This is a human trait, and universities are composed of human beings. It seems likely to me that Jacob Bauer was a threat to one or more people on this campus, and I will begin by finding out who they are.”
“But please keep in touch with my office,” said Lundeman quickly. “Some faculty members will be very sensitive to an investigation, and you should know who they are before you make any contacts.”
“I understand, and I’ll certainly let you know what I’m up to. My office will insist on that. This might take a few days or weeks, Doctor Lundeman. I’ll be staying with Harold Cox, so just call his office if you have any messages for me.”
“The county sheriff?”
“Yes. We went to school together, a long time ago. Such a small world we live in, don’t you think? I can do my work, and have a nice visit with an old friend at the same time.”
“That’s nice,” said Lundeman, standing up. “Is there anything else I can do for you now?”
Ebensack got up slowly, thinking. “I can’t see anything more at the moment, but I’m sure something will come to mind later. You’ve been helpful, Doctor.”
Lundeman helped the man with his heavy coat, and opened the front door for him. The evening air felt cold on his face and head, and he suddenly realized his arm pits were damp as well. The men shook hands, and then Ebensack held on as he suddenly thought of something new to say. “Tell me, Doctor, do you honestly think anyone could have regarded Jacob Bauer as a dangerous troublemaker?”
“No, not Bauer. He was just opinionated; everyone understood that.” Their hands clasped together, Lundeman wondered if Ebensack felt the tremor that passed through his body.
“Yes, well, good night, doctor Lundeman, and thank you. I’ll be in touch again.” He let go of Lundeman’s hand, walked slowly to the sheriff’s car, deep in thought, and got in while Lundeman shivered in the evening air.
As the car pulled slowly out of the winding driveway, the university president stepped back into his house and closed the door. When he turned around, Irene was standing in the kitchen doorway, a strong looking drink in one hand and a facial expression usually reserved for those times when she had a particularly damaging piece of gossip to report.
“Well, dear,” she said nastily, “you didn’t bother to tell me it was murder.”
CHAPTER THREE
The appointment was at three o’clock, but butterflies had been in Jack Nelson’s stomach since noon. It was game time again, and adrenaline was pumping. At times like this he tried to go inside himself, but Karen was with him, feeding him cokes in a dark corner of the student union beer bar and making him talk it out.
“I don’t know what you’re so uptight about. You have everything they want: high grade-point average, athletic ability and leadership experience on the team. It’s just a formality, Jack.”
“A lot of it is politics, Karen: how you play the game, how many people like you. There are maybe a dozen slots open in Eagle Squad this year, and fifty guys who want in. Everybody’s competing with everybody, and there are no close friends over there. Sometimes I wonder why I even want to go into the military.”
“So why do you?” she asked.
“You know it’s important to me.”
“I know, but don’t let your whole life hang on it. If you don’t get in, it’s their loss. You can still be an engineer, and the pay’s better.”
“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life just making money, and you don’t want it either.”
“I want you be be happy with what you do,” she said. “What you do and how much you earn makes no difference to me.”
“But you’re not a big fan of the military.”
“No, I’m not, but I know it’s necessary to have it, and if you want me to be a military wife I’ll be that.” Her face was suddenly flushed, and Jack took her hands in his at the center of their little table in the dark corner.
“You never let me get away with bullshit, do you?” he said softly.
“Never,” she snapped back.
Jack looked at her steadily for a moment, then sighed. “I’d better
