Murder is Academic Read Online Free PDF Page A

rising in the summer sky.
    “Nice place here.” Guy took my face in his two giant, callused hands and gently kissed my lips. “Moon’s up and I know a place with the best viewing seats.”
    “Take me there.” I turned my face into his shoulder.
    Soon we stood bathed in the silvery path of moonlight as it entered through the skylight in my bedroom.
    “This could get to be a habit.” I sighed again, this time with pleasure not weariness.
    “A very good one.” His kiss made the pleasure turn to passion.

Chapter 4
    I hopped out of bed the next morning as the sun topped the ridge on the other side of the lake. Heavy mist hung over its surface obscuring the distant shoreline.
    “Why so early?” Guy’s eyes were heavy with sleep as he watched me dress.
    I pulled on heavy socks and my hiking boots and buttoned a long-sleeved flannel shirt over my tee.
    “You forget. I’m in training. Stay as long as you like. I’ll leave coffee in the pot downstairs.”
    “You surprise me.” He pulled the sheet up over his head. I jerked it down.
    “Explain what you mean by that.”
    “You don’t seem like the kind of woman interested in sports.”
    “I wasn’t until recently. Maybe sex gives me energy.”
    I left him snoozing in the rumpled bedclothes. I should have been exhausted, but I was ready to take on miles of the river. I hoped Annie felt the same.
    She didn’t. Her call came as I waited for her on my back deck and watched the fog swirl and rise off the lake’s surface.
    “Frank gave me such a workout yesterday I can hardly move. I’m going to pass this morning.”
    “You seemed fine last night.” I was disappointed.
    “I think it took a while before my muscles seized up. We’ll go out tomorrow.” With a groan, she disconnected.
    Frank left to visit his new granddaughter yesterday, so I knew he wasn’t available. I could paddle by myself, but that didn’t sound like much fun, more like much work.
    Der’s cruiser pulled into my drive. Hmmm.
    “Got a cup? I’m glad to see you up so early. I’ve got a favor to ask of you.” He loosened his tie as he approached the deck.
    “Great. I’ve got one to ask you.” I headed toward the kitchen door, but when Der followed me, I held up my hand. “Stay right here on the deck.”
    I grabbed the canoe paddles from the storage room off the kitchen, poured Der his coffee in a thermal carry mug and was back before he had a chance to sink into one of my comfy deck chairs.
    “Let’s go.” I handed him the cup and a paddle and propelled him down the path toward the lake.
    “Where are we going?”
    “Canoeing.”
    “No we’re not. I’ve got my good suit on and new shoes.”
    “Don’t worry about it. Just hold the canoe steady while I get in. Here, I’ll take your cup and paddle. I assume you know how to do this.”
    The expression on his face told me I’d insulted him. “Well, of course, I do. But I’m warning you, if you tip this thing on me, you’ll pay for cleaning and replace these shoes.”
    Our paddles broke through the still water creating ripples across the glassy surface. I guided us out of the inlet by my dock, and we headed toward the river. As we caught the current and moved against it, paddling became difficult, and soon sweat soaked my shirt. I pulled it over my head and flung it into the bottom of the canoe. Der must have been hot, too because he paused to take off his suit jacket.
    I smoothed out my rhythm, and Der followed my lead. Soon we were paddling in sync as if we’d been doing it together for years.
    “So where were you so early?” Typical nosy me.
    “Professor Pruitt, Chair of Water Resources, and I got together early this morning. He was one of the people that met with the president the afternoon of his murder.”
    I nodded my head and kept stroking.
    “Six was the only time he could fit me into his busy schedule. No downtime for you faculty sorts, eh?”
    I chuckled and used my paddle as a rudder to steer us around some