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"He was older than you, Sheriff Noble, somewhere in his early forties He was stocky, dark and swarthy, I remember It was such a shock to see hi--I can’t seem to focus on his features It was horrible Why ever would someone put him in , then the thieves could have been in Maestro this past week looking for targets for break-ins This party at Dr Salazar’s would have presented the ideal opportunity On the other hand, why pick a graduate student’s place rather than a well-to-do faculty member’s? And why didn’t they trash your place?"

Delsey said, "I haven’t advertised randmother’s jewelry, not after Alex Anna and I are the only ones here who even know about it, as far as I know"

Dix’s cell phone buzzed When he punched off aon top of your dresser, still locked, didn’t look to have been touched"

"That’s a relief" Delsey squeezed her eyes shut "But if not robbery, then as the dead man there? I wish I could think of another reason why someone would do this Do you know, it’s duht have been killed in ht, he very likely was killed right there He said, "Did you plan on getting home about one o’clock, Ms Freestone?"

"I would have been a lot later if I hadn’t gotten sick"

"Which means you surprised them," Griffin said "Whoever was there probably wanted to be long gone by the tiot ho, and play the piano and guitar and notand predictable, everyone knows that"

Dix pulled out a notebook from his jacket pocket "Tell ht They had to find out from someone that you weren’t home"

"Dr Salazar’s secretary eo, said I’d been invited to his lovely new-seo, so I told her I had a long-standing date withhere in Henderson Before I knew it the great raceful way I could get out of going

"I’d already heard what his parties were like--booze-laden, bawdy Spanish fiestas Henry Stoltzen, you know, the cellist and ht Most of the students there o with some faculty And, of course, Dr Hayman, Professor Salazar’s brother Yeah, I know, more different last names That’s because the mom took Professor Salazar to Spain and left Dr Hayman behind with the dad New name for one brother when she remarried, and the dad’s name for the other"

Dix said, "I’ll need a list of all the faculty you rerinned up at hiues, please call me Delsey"

"Delsey, not a problem" He eyed her for a moment "Call me Dix A booze-laden Spanish fiesta with the students? Stanislaus is a world-renowned institution What is wrong with these people?"

"Well, the fact is the students at the party were older, graduate students, anywhere froe--twenty-five--to Marjorie Hendricks, an incredible flautist, who’s in her forties Stanislaus is a rather isolated environment, and Maestro is a small town, so I suppose it’sup between some of the faculty and the older students"

"Maybe so, Delsey," Griffin said, "but what I saw at Salazar’s thisdifferent"

"Not so different The reality of it is, Griffin, that a sreat Professor Rafael Salazar hi Stanislaus for a year, he’s in the boondocks, hardly knows a soul, and he wants companionship, so he finds it where he can--na, Dix?"

"My uncle-in-law, Dr Gordon Holcombe, as director at Stanislaus until circuree coraduate students he slept with his muses"

"I’ve heard some stories about Dr Holcombe," Delsey said "Usually hispers and rolled eyes"

"Whatever their age," Griffin said, "the faculty is in a position of power over all of the to his party, for example"