Rogue Diamond Read Online Free Page B
Author: Mary Tate Engels
vowed in a shaky voice.
Rosemary h ugged Alex quickly. "You are de termined. And I admire you for it. I have every confidence that you'll find her. I just hope the Univer si ty stays solvent long enough for you to do it."
"What do you mean?"
"You know the rumors about financial diffi cul ties that have been floating around for months? Well, there was a private meeting Friday evening of several i rate professors. There were com plaints about bu dget cuts, lack of modern equip ment, and salar y freezes. They're going to pre sent a petition to the pre si dent."
"Is it serious, Rosemary?"
"I'm afraid it's very serious. Of course, this univer si ty has been through upheavals before and weathered the storms. But lack of money is hard to argue."
"Has the administration announced budget cuts? And salary freezes?"
"No, the official budget hasn't been released publicly. Unofficially, though, the word is that no salaries will be increased and that some depart ments will be cut . . . departments like Early Childhood."
"Ours?" Alex lifted her brows. "I don't have tenure here to protect me."
"What better p lace to make cuts than the chil dren's departm ent? We aren't strongly influen tial in the country, like agriculture or bu si ness. We just teach women how to take care of their kids."
"But ours is one of the most important for the future. If the kids aren't educated and prepared for taking over respon si bilities and problems, who's going to do it?"
"Take it easy, Alex. You don't have to convince me. I'm on your si de, remember?"
"Sorry, Rosemary. If the budget for our depart ment is cut, guess who'll be the first to go? Me! The exchange professor from Arizona. And if I haven't found Jenni by then—"
"Now, Alex, don't jump to conclu si ons. Wait and see what happens."
"I have no alternative, do I? Wait and see what the Univer si ty is going to do with my job. Wait and see if the police find Jenni. Just wait. . . ."In frustration, Alex paced to the edge of the bougainvillea-lined patio and back. "It's not easy to wait. I want action now!"
"Well, sounds like we're going to have action sooner than we planned. I think I hear my dar ling husband returning from the ravages of a morning of tennis. So much for our time alone, Alex." Rosemary went to greet her husband and Alex could hear her murmuring to him.
In a few minutes, Sam poked his head out the door. "Morning, Alex. Feeling better?" He stepped out on the patio. "The coffee smells great! Mind if I join you two? Alex, I'm sorry about last night. You've suffered a terrible trag edy, and I'm afraid I've been insen si tive to your feelings."
"It's okay, Sam," Alex muttered. She was taken aback by his sudden apology. It was probably prompted by Rosemary. "Actually, you made me think about alternate ways of looking for Jenni."
Sam draped a towel around his neck and mopped his brow with one end. After pouring a cup of coffee, he sat oppo si te her. "You're serious, aren't you?"
"As serious as I've ever been about anything. She's like my own, Sam. I'm all she has, especially now that Teresa's . . ." Alex swallowed hard and didn't finish the statement. It hurt too much to say it.
Sam nibbled thoughtfully on an empanada, a small fruit pie. "There is someone who might be able to help you, Alex."
"Who?"
"Padre Ramo n , the priest at Our Lady of Gua dalupe."
"Padre Ramo n? I know him. In fact, he'll be conducting Teresa's funeral mass tomorrow. How could he help?"
"He knows everyone, and probably knows more about what's going on in this city than any body I can think of."
"I'm willing to try anything at this point."
"I'm just looking at this realistically. You're go ing to need all the help you can get in finding that baby."
Alex studied Sam's si ncere eyes. "Okay. I'll go talk to this priest."
The old priest 's rich chestnut hair was sprin kled with gray and slightly shaggy along his white collar. His eyes were steady and kind, his chin square, his back straight and
Rosemary h ugged Alex quickly. "You are de termined. And I admire you for it. I have every confidence that you'll find her. I just hope the Univer si ty stays solvent long enough for you to do it."
"What do you mean?"
"You know the rumors about financial diffi cul ties that have been floating around for months? Well, there was a private meeting Friday evening of several i rate professors. There were com plaints about bu dget cuts, lack of modern equip ment, and salar y freezes. They're going to pre sent a petition to the pre si dent."
"Is it serious, Rosemary?"
"I'm afraid it's very serious. Of course, this univer si ty has been through upheavals before and weathered the storms. But lack of money is hard to argue."
"Has the administration announced budget cuts? And salary freezes?"
"No, the official budget hasn't been released publicly. Unofficially, though, the word is that no salaries will be increased and that some depart ments will be cut . . . departments like Early Childhood."
"Ours?" Alex lifted her brows. "I don't have tenure here to protect me."
"What better p lace to make cuts than the chil dren's departm ent? We aren't strongly influen tial in the country, like agriculture or bu si ness. We just teach women how to take care of their kids."
"But ours is one of the most important for the future. If the kids aren't educated and prepared for taking over respon si bilities and problems, who's going to do it?"
"Take it easy, Alex. You don't have to convince me. I'm on your si de, remember?"
"Sorry, Rosemary. If the budget for our depart ment is cut, guess who'll be the first to go? Me! The exchange professor from Arizona. And if I haven't found Jenni by then—"
"Now, Alex, don't jump to conclu si ons. Wait and see what happens."
"I have no alternative, do I? Wait and see what the Univer si ty is going to do with my job. Wait and see if the police find Jenni. Just wait. . . ."In frustration, Alex paced to the edge of the bougainvillea-lined patio and back. "It's not easy to wait. I want action now!"
"Well, sounds like we're going to have action sooner than we planned. I think I hear my dar ling husband returning from the ravages of a morning of tennis. So much for our time alone, Alex." Rosemary went to greet her husband and Alex could hear her murmuring to him.
In a few minutes, Sam poked his head out the door. "Morning, Alex. Feeling better?" He stepped out on the patio. "The coffee smells great! Mind if I join you two? Alex, I'm sorry about last night. You've suffered a terrible trag edy, and I'm afraid I've been insen si tive to your feelings."
"It's okay, Sam," Alex muttered. She was taken aback by his sudden apology. It was probably prompted by Rosemary. "Actually, you made me think about alternate ways of looking for Jenni."
Sam draped a towel around his neck and mopped his brow with one end. After pouring a cup of coffee, he sat oppo si te her. "You're serious, aren't you?"
"As serious as I've ever been about anything. She's like my own, Sam. I'm all she has, especially now that Teresa's . . ." Alex swallowed hard and didn't finish the statement. It hurt too much to say it.
Sam nibbled thoughtfully on an empanada, a small fruit pie. "There is someone who might be able to help you, Alex."
"Who?"
"Padre Ramo n , the priest at Our Lady of Gua dalupe."
"Padre Ramo n? I know him. In fact, he'll be conducting Teresa's funeral mass tomorrow. How could he help?"
"He knows everyone, and probably knows more about what's going on in this city than any body I can think of."
"I'm willing to try anything at this point."
"I'm just looking at this realistically. You're go ing to need all the help you can get in finding that baby."
Alex studied Sam's si ncere eyes. "Okay. I'll go talk to this priest."
The old priest 's rich chestnut hair was sprin kled with gray and slightly shaggy along his white collar. His eyes were steady and kind, his chin square, his back straight and
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