A Deadly Encounter (A Seagrove Cozy Mystery Book 3) Read Online Free

murdering Rumsfeld, but she watched him closely all the same. She was pretty sure his surprise was genuine.
     
    “He was murdered? But why?” He sounded bewildered. “I know he irritated people, but that’s no reason to kill him.”
     
    “When we figure that out we’ll have the murderer,” Sadie said. “So tell me, whose job was he trying to take?”
     
    “Justin Ives’s. That poor kid. His mother was over here giving me hell the other day, but to tell the truth I never intended to let him go. Given a year or four to mature, he’ll make a fine professor.”
     
    “He’s not a professor now?” Sadie asked, confused. “But he has students and office hours.”
     
    “He’s an assistant professor. After a few years he’ll become an associate professor, and after that a full professor. Somewhere in there, if he’s lucky, he’ll make tenure. That’s the track.”
     
    “And why was his mother in here giving you grief? Did she think you’d change your mind?” Sadie asked.
     
    “Oh you know, mothers get their panties in a twist when they think someone is treating their precious baby unfairly. She not the first mother I’ve had to hold off. Although usually it’s student’s moms I see in here.” He glanced at his watch. “I have another meeting. Can we finish this later? Maybe over dinner?”
     
    “I think I have all I need,” Sadie said. “Maybe another time.”
     
    Sadie and Mr. Bradshaw left Carr Hall and made their way to the humanities building and Justin Ives’s office. He smiled when he saw them in the doorway.
     
    “Ms. Barnett, Mr. Bradshaw,” he said. “Please come in. Look, I even have a clean chair for you to sit in.”
     
    “Very nice Professor Ives,” Sadie said. “You are coming right along.” She sat and Mr. Bradshaw jumped into her lap.
     
    He grinned at her. “I invited my mother to sit the last time she was here. I thought she was going to faint. I owe you one.”
     
    “For what? Teaching you some manners? You would have figured it out eventually,” she said.
     
    “But it would have taken me a lot longer to figure it out.” He smiled. “What can I do for you?” he asked.
     
    “Victor Rumsfeld,” she said. “What do you know?”
     
    “Oh God. My mother was going on about him. She thought he was going to get me fired. I had to take her up to see the dean. He promised her he wouldn’t fire me to reinstate Rumsfeld, but I don’t think she believed him. Don’t mention his name in front of her, or you’ll get an earful.”
     
    “But you weren’t afraid?” she asked, running her hand over Mr. B’s coat.
     
    “Of losing my job? No way. Dean Crossgrove assured me that I was here for the duration. He’s never steered me wrong.” He shrugged and leaned back in his chair.
     
    Sadie thought he seemed relaxed enough, but she supposed he could be faking it. You never knew who was going to turn out to be an excellent actor.
     
    “Rumsfeld is past his prime,” Justin said. “He might end up teaching a class or two, but even that’ll probably end up being too much for him.”
     
    “Oh, you haven’t heard,” she said. “Professor Rumsfeld is dead.”
     
    “Really? I thought he was in pretty good shape, but you never can tell with people his age. My mom will be relieved.” He thought for a minute, and Sadie thought he was trying figure out what the socially acceptable response would be.
     
    “Do you know when the services will be?” he asked.
     
    “He didn’t die of natural causes, so I’m not sure when they’ll release the body.” She watched him carefully for a reaction.
     
    “He didn’t die of natural causes?” He looked confused. “But that means he was killed. Was it an accident?”
     
    She shook her head.
     
    “He was murdered?” He looked shocked.
     
    She nodded slowly while watching him plunge into panic. All the blood faded from his face, and it looked for a moment like he stopped breathing. She jumped up, causing Mr.