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I tucked my notes away and returned the books to the shelves I headed down the hallway, passing the nurse’s office and the attendance office The administrative offices were located near theto the name plate on the wall beside the door, Shales was still the school principal I asked his secretary if I could see him, and after a brief wait, I was ushered into his office I could seein the center of the blotter on his desk

He was a ht, tried frorown it out froinal mid-sixties crewcut His whole manner was authoritarian, his hazel eyes as watchful as a cop’s He had that sah his mental files to co if he could tell at a glance what a troublesoh school

"Yes, ma’am," he said "What can I do for you?"

"I’ve been hired by Royce Fowler in Floral Beach to look into the death of a former student of yours named Jean Timberlake" I’d expected hi, but he continued to look at me with studied neutrality Surely he couldn’t know about the dope I’d smoked back then

"You do re to think if we’d held on to the records on her I’m not sure where they’d be"

"I’ve just had a conversation with Bailey’s attorney If you need soestured carelessly "That’s not necessary I know Jack Clemson and I know the family I’d have to clear it with the school superintendent, but I can’t see that it’d be any problem… if we can locate ’eot You’re talking o"

"Seventeen," I said "Do you have any personal recollections of the girl?"

"Let et back to you You’re local?"

"Well, I’ at the Ocean Street in Floral Beach I can give you the nuot the nuht be a couple of days, but we’ll see e can do I can’t uarantees"

"I understand that," I said

"Good We’ll help you if we can" His handshake was brisk and firhway 1 to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Departs that includes the jail The surrounding countryside is open, characterized by occasional towering outcroppings of rock The hills look like soft hureen velvet Across the road from the Sheriff’s Department is the California Men’s Colony, where Bailey had been incarcerated at the time of his escape It a the virtues of life in San Luis Obispo County, there’s never any mention of the six thousand prisoners also in residence

I parked in one of the visitors’ slots in front of the jail The building looked new, sin and construction h school where I’d just been I went into the lobby, signs directingand inht I identified lass-enclosed office, where I could see the dispatcher, the booking officer, and the coliht in by sheriffs’ vehicles

While arrange Bailey out, I was directed to one of the slass-enclosed booths reserved for attorney-client conferences A sign on the wall spelled out the rules for visitors, adistered visitor per inmate at any one time We were to keep control of children, and any rude or boisterous conduct toward the staff was not going to be tolerated The restrictions suggested past scenes of chaos andI’d been privy to

I could hear theof doors Bailey Fowler appeared, his attention focused on the deputy as unlocking the booth where he would sit while we spoke We were separated by glass, and our conversation would be conducted by way of two telephone handsets, one on his side, one on lanced at me incuriously and then sat down His de ee cotton shirt over dark gray cotton pants The newspaper photograph had shown hi as he was by his sudden status as an inh cheekbones, full mouth, dark blond hair already in need of a cut He was a tired forty, and I suspected circuht-backed wooden chair, clasping his hands loosely between his knees, his expression empty of emotion