Angel Food and Devil Dogs Read Online Free PDF

answers you just listed before the inquest, which is next Tuesday, I'll give you a bonus." He mentioned a figure that would easily buy a very, very nice car, "Frankly, I don't know whether that's a good deal for you or not?" he asked with eyebrows raised.
    "It's a great deal. I work hard on cases and I don't need the extra incentive, but since you offered, I'll take it. Because as you said, this is a tall order. I have a contract form here and I'll need a retainer. And one more thing, I am going to ask tough questions of everyone. Since you're hiring me, people will blame you if they think I'm being ruthless or rude. Do you still want to do it this way?"
    "Yes, I do," he said. We shook on it. Then I pulled out the contract and filled it in, including the part about the bonus. He signed it and gave me a retainer check. I gave him a copy of the contract and my card.
    "A few things..." I said seriously, "were there fingerprints on the key to the balcony door?"
    "Too smudged to distinguish."
    "I want to see the note, not just a copy. I'll need to see Rasmus's office and have the freedom to talk to everyone who could possibly have any information. Do you think you can get the police to let me see the computer?"
    "I'm not sure if they took the computer out of Carl's office or not. Until we can find out, here's a copy of what Carl wrote. Bouchet handed me a sheet of paper. This is what it said:
    To all:
    It is impossible to live this sordid life. I know that homosexuals are often murdered by other homosexuals or otherwise die a slow painful death from AIDS, which is God's punishment for immorality.
    The Tenure Committee: Knightbridge, Roth, Carvelle, Getty, Anthony, Harmon, Cohen and Smith have done nothing but encourage me to continue in this meaningless existence while they laugh at me behind my back because I am a blind homosexual. I know I will not receive tenure and that I am morally corrupt and alone. Killing myself is punishment for my sins.
    Carl Rasmus
    Grim and sad. And it sure wasn't one of those notes from mystery fiction that was really written to mean something else and then just misinterpreted by the cops. I stashed the copy in my shoulder bag.
    "You're going to tell these people what this note says... today?"
    "I have to. It'll be out in the papers by the middle of next week. These people may feel they need to defend themselves. Listen," Bouchet said, dropping all pretense, "I have to admit, I'd really like to be the one who solves this problem. It's intriguing and if I didn't have to deal with the fall out, if this wasn't all so lamentable, I imagine untangling the clues could be interesting."
    Whenever someone suggests solving a murder is interesting , it always makes my bullet scars itch. "Uh huh," I said, dubiously.
    "Don't worry," he said reassuringly, "I'm not going to get in your way. If this was a murder... Christ... I'm a suspect. I guess anyone is, if they had the opportunity... Carl was arguing one way or another with everyone on the Tenure Committee. I'm still checking but as far as I know not one of them has an alibi. None but Kathryn Anthony. She was in Seattle at the time."
    I was absurdly elated that Kathryn Anthony wasn't the murderer.
    "Look," Bouchet went on, "Kathryn is on the committee. She knows everyone fairly well, but though Kathryn's been part of the Irwin faculty for years, she's been on an Exchange of Faculty Touring Program, set up by the United States College Cooperative System, the CCS - EFTP they call it, until last September. I trust Kathryn, and I think she might be able to help you."
    "Are you going to order her to be a snitch?"
    "No, no, no. Not at all, it's not like that," he boomed, "she's just someone who could give you simple information, like who's who. She doesn't have a full load of classes and her grant activity is mostly done for the year..."
    "So you're volunteering her time?" I said dryly.
    He nodded his head with a deep chuckle, "I'm a bastard when it comes to that kind