Clint Faraday Mysteries collection A Muddled Murders Collector's Edition Read Online Free PDF Page A

embezzling
funds here. I rather imagine they will be the same.”
    “ I
agree,” Clint replied.
     
    “ Hello,
Dr. Porth,” Clint greeted. “Please have a seat and we’ll get this
over as soon as possible.”
    “ Call me
Ed. Terrible thing. This will put my studies back quite some ways,
but that is hardly of any major importance here now.
    “ I was
with Lydia – that’s Dr. Graham – until about twelve o’clock or so,
then went back to my room, showered and such and went to bed. I
believe, had I left during the morning hours, that the security man
would know it, but also realize there are any number of ways one
could contrive to have your whereabouts unremarked.
    “ This is
a round-about method to tell you I have no alibi. I insist I
haven’t killed anyone. I left Lydia in her rooms – there is and was
no deeper relationship between us – so can vouch for where she was
until approximately midnight. I am and was no part of any
misappropriation of funds here or elsewhere, but that is something
that you will discover in your further investigations. I had and
have no motive to have harmed Donna.
    “ Anything
I didn’t cover?”
    “ We’re
just getting basic background information right now. Motive and
opportunity are part of that, of course.
    “ Do your
studies include trips to Popa?”
    “ Well,
yes and no,” Porth said, thinking. “What I mean is that there is
vast material for study there, but I have yet to visit the place. I
was aware there was some intention to purchase that and other areas
where permanent research fields could be established and was
certainly supportive of any such business-end endeavors, but don’t
personally involve myself in those kinds of projects. I’m in
research of a direct type and can’t spare the time or effort
required if you understand.”
    “ I know I
do!” Judi interjected. “I’ve worked with you on two projects and
can say you do direct all your time and energy to the
work.”
    “ You can
say it, but I wish you wouldn’t,” Clint said.
    “ Sorry.”
     
    “ Dr.
Graham, please have a seat. We’ll try to do this as quickly
possible,” Clint said. “There are a few questions I have to
ask.
    “ You were
with Dr. Porth until after eleven?”
    “ Yes.
Close to twelve or a few minutes after.”
    “ You were
working on the research in the Popa area?”
    “ No. We
were working on listing classification from all areas,” she
answered, volunteering nothing more.
    “ Oh, yes.
Popa wasn’t Porth. I threw that in to trip you up,” Clint said. She
didn’t react and wouldn’t look at him directly. She studiously
avoided looking at him at all and seemed to flush a bit when she
did look at him. Judi smirked and mouthed “You. Nude. Yesterday
morning.”
    He hid a grin and said, “Well, that sort of
agrees with Ed’s statement. Thank you.”
    She stood, paused as if she wanted to say
something, thought better of it and left without comment. When she
was out of the room Judi grinned at him. He gave her the middle
finger salute.
     
    “ Dr.
Beckman, I’m Clint Faraday, this is Judi Lum,” Clint introduced.
“Please have a seat.”
    “ How
could such a thing happen here?” she asked. “I can’t bring myself
to believe it! I was in my room since about nine o’clock until they
got me up this morning, so have no alibi. I can’t think of any
reason I would have to ever kill anyone and couldn’t, anyhow. Not
like that. I’d use a more womanish method. Maybe
poison.”
    “ We have
to establish where everyone was. It’s too early to make any
conclusions about any of ... this stuff. I have to get the disks
and will find my answers there, I suppose.”
    “ Disks?”
    “ According to Dr. Goodwin she has some stuff about the
embezzling on disk at her place,” Judi explained. “I imagine we’ll
get the embezzler and the killer at the same time.”
    “ That’s
logical.”
    When she left Judi raised an eyebrow at
Clint. “I just remembered