Red Leaves

  Will interrupted Spencer. ‘I spoke to the women’s basketball coach. She was very surprised that Kristina didn’t play in the first game of the season on Saturday. Apparently, two of her teammates went to her room to see if everything was all right Saturday after the game. On Sunday, the coach herself called Kristina, to chew her out, as she put it. Kristina is their star player, and they lost to UPenn without her.

  ‘On Monday, a couple of girls returned to the room, but they weren’t that concerned, because they said Kristina had been known to miss practices and sometimes games. So Tuesday and Wednesday they just kept calling her room. They even called Red Leaves House.’

  Spencer nodded, scribbling in his notebook. ‘That’s interesting, Will. Wouldn’t you say, Albert? The women’s basketball team is concerned enough to come to her room, to call her, to even call her place of employment. But not you guys. I’m trying to figure out why Kristina’s best friends weren’t concerned that she was missing for four days. Nine days actually. Why didn’t anyone report her missing, at least to the undergraduate advisor, who might’ve notified the police?’

  ‘That’s a lot of questions,’ Albert said, smiling. ‘Which one would you like me to answer first?’

  ‘All of them.’

  ‘Kristina leads a very busy life. She’s got two majors, she writes for the Dartmouth Review, she works three days a week and practices basketball five and plays two games. There are often days when we don’t see each other.’

  ‘Are there?’ Spencer didn’t believe it. ‘Are there many days between close friends on a small campus when you don’t see each other? I went to a university with eighteen thousand students, and whether I wanted to or not, I ran into people I didn’t like. As far as my friends were concerned, there was always time at night for them. There was always the phone. And somehow you just made time. Two majors or not. Red Leaves or no Red Leaves. Basketball or no. Especially when there is a dog involved. Especially when a long holiday weekend just passed.’

  ‘Look, maybe that’s you,’ said Albert. ‘I’m just telling you that we all keep pretty busy.’

  ‘What about that night? Tuesday night? What happened during the poker game?’

  ‘Not much. We played, then Frankie left, then Jim, and then Kristina went up to her room, I guess. Conn and I went to pack.’

  ‘Wait, wait,’ said Will. ‘Everything was pretty normal during the poker game?’

  ‘During the poker game? Yeah, pretty normal.’

  Will and Spencer exchanged glances. ‘You consider,’ Will said, ‘Jim Shaw ranting and raving and then storming out pretty normal, do you?’

  Albert scrunched up his face as if trying to remember and then said, ‘Oh, that.’ He emitted a short laugh. ‘That was nothing. He just got a little excited. It happens.’

  ‘Over what?’

  ‘I really can’t recall,’ said Albert. ‘Something silly.’

  ‘Did it have anything to do with you and Frankie?’

  ‘Me and Frankie?’ Albert was incredulous. ‘Nah. Nothing, I’m telling you. Everything was fine.’

  ‘I see,’ said Spencer. ‘What was the situation with you going to see Frankie and Frankie not knowing you were coming?’

  For a moment Albert blanched. ‘Oh, that,’ he said slowly. ‘Yeah. He must have forgotten we made plans. I went to see him and he wasn’t there.’

  ‘Jim said Frankie was studying with Conni, but that Kristina clearly seemed to think you should’ve been with Frankie.’

  ‘Yeah,’ said Albert. ‘It was all very perplexing.’

  ‘Perplexing for who?’

  ‘For me. I had no idea what the fuss was about.’

  ‘There was a fuss?’

  ‘No, nothing dramatic’ Albert smiled. ‘Nothing for the papers, detective.’

  ‘I don’t want it for the papers,’ retorted Spencer. ‘I want it for me.’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘I don’t get it. Why would Kristina care whether you went to see Frankie, or not see Frankie, or anything at all about your whereabouts?’

  ‘I don’t know. That’s why it was just so perplexing.’ There was that smile again. It was beginning to annoy Spencer.

  Albert said, ‘I had run into her on campus earlier that Tuesday and told her I was going to see Frankie. She just wanted to know what happened.’

  ‘So what was Jim so upset about?’

  ‘He didn’t seem that upset.’

  ‘No? That’s not what some other people said.’

  ‘Well, he didn’t seem that upset to me.’

  Will nudged Spencer. ‘Okay, fine,’ said Spencer. ‘So what did you do after Jim left?’

  ‘We stayed a few more minutes and then Kristina left.’

  ‘And you and Conni?’

  ‘We went to Conni’s room to pack.’

  ‘But you weren’t there for the rest of the night?’

  ‘No, we were tidying up Conni’s room and I realized I needed to pack myself if we had a prayer of leaving the next morning, so I told her I’d be going up to my room for a while.’

  ‘What time was that?’

  ‘About midnight, I guess.’

  ‘And you went to your room?’

  ‘No. I went down to the lounge for a minute. We’d forgotten our jar of change there. I picked it up and then went upstairs.’

  ‘And then?’

  ‘I packed, listened to some music, and then went to say good-bye to Kristina.’

  ‘What time was that?’

  ‘About twelve-thirty, twelve-forty, I guess.’

  ‘What time did you leave her room?’

  ‘I don’t know. About ten to one, maybe.’

  ‘Very late.’

  ‘Yeah, it was pretty late.’

  ‘And then?’

  ‘Then I went downstairs to the lounge again.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘To get myself a beer.’

  ‘Was anyone else there?’

  ‘Yeah, this kid Tim. He’s a good guy. He was watching Die Hard. It had started at twelve-thirty. So I grabbed a beer and talked to him a little and watched the movie with him. Then I left to go to the bathroom and went upstairs to Conni’s room,’ Albert paused. ‘The door wasn’t locked, but she wasn’t in her room. So I went back to the lounge. The kid had fallen asleep, but I woke him up. Told him he was missing a good movie. We sat for a while, watching. I drank my beer. Then Conni came in, looking for me.’

  ‘What time was that?’

  ‘I don’t know. Let’s see, the movie was more than half over. Maybe quarter to two. Yeah, about then, because by the time we got back to Conni’s room it was two A.M.’

  ‘Where did Conni say she’d been?’

  ‘She said,’ Albert drew out slowly, ‘that she’d been looking for me. I said I’d been in the lounge. She wanted to know why I didn’t come back to her room. I said I did but she wasn’t in, so I had gone to watch the movie for a little while.’

  ‘How long was she out looking for you?’

  ‘She said about half an hour.’

  ‘Half an hour?’ Spencer exchanged glances with Will. ‘That’s a long time.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘Where did she say she was looking for you?’

  ‘She didn’t say. I didn’t ask.’

  ‘So what did you do after she found you?’

  ‘We went upstairs to her room. I stayed there. The next morning we left for Long Island.’

  ‘Did you see Kristina at any time after ten to one a.m. Wednesday?’

  ‘No, uh-uh.’

  ‘Did you see her Wednesday morning?’

  ‘No.’

  Spencer was itching to talk to Conni.

  He asked Will to fingerprint Albert and take a hair and blood sample.

  ‘I want to speak with Frankie. Where does he live?’

  ‘One of the frat houses. Phi Beta Epsilon. At the very end of Frat Row. Past the President’s House. But you won’t get him – he hasn’t come back yet.’
>
  Spencer perked up. ‘Hasn’t come back yet? Why?’

  ‘I don’t know why.’

  ‘Isn’t this exams time?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  Thoughtfully, Spencer scratched his face. ‘Where’s home?’

  ‘Don’t know. Boston, somewhere.’

  Spencer felt there was something there, he just didn’t know what. Something.

  ‘One last question, Albert. Did you kill Kristina Kim?’

  ‘No!’ said Albert immediately and emphatically. ‘She was my friend.’

  ‘Do you know who killed her?’

  ‘No, certainly not.’

  Spencer and Will both nodded.

  On the way out, Spencer said to Albert, ‘Two days ago we had a missing-dog report here. Some mutt went missing for a few hours and his mistress, a ninety-two-year-old widowed woman, went crazy.’

  ‘Oh, no,’ said Albert. ‘Was the dog found?’

  ‘Yes. Dead,’ replied Spencer. ‘But isn’t it a shame that Kristina didn’t belong to a ninety-two-year-old lady?’

  Spencer was tired, and his tone with Conni was brusque. Will was silent. After Conni told Spencer she was from Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, he sat for a long time staring into his notebook, pretending to be reading his notes, but he was thinking about Kristina. She had told him her former roommate was from Cold Spring Harbor. Spencer remembered because he was a cop, and also because he was from Farmingville, Long Island.

  A chasm the size of China separated Cold Spring Harbor from Farmingville, though the two towns were only twenty-five miles apart.

  Spencer told Conni where he was from.

  Farmingville, she said, her eyes pretending to be lost in thought. ‘I think I heard of that. Is that somewhere near Route One-ten?’

  Not even close, Spencer wanted to tell her, shaking his head. You’re near Route 110. ‘You’re thinking of Farmingdale.’

  Ah, yes, she said, giggling. ‘Silly me.’

  Conni tried to engage Spencer in a conversation about Long Island: when was he back there last, did he miss it, what brought him to Hanover? But Spencer had already shut off this bubbly girl. He needed to get to the big stuff.

  He let Will ask Constance how long she’d known Kristina, how was it being roommates with her, did Conni know anyone who might not like Kristina or wish her harm.

  ‘No,’ Conni said, with her head bobbing, her painted eyebrows twitching, trying to smile as pleasantly as possible. ‘No, she was very well liked. Everybody liked her. Everybody. She was very likable, you know.’ Her face contorted a bit, and she added, ‘You couldn’t help but like her. And she was beautiful, too.’

  His face tensing, Spencer wanted to agree that from what he knew of Kristina, she did indeed seem very likable. And very beautiful.

  ‘I know some girls used to be jealous of her. But we all forgave her for her looks once we got to know her, she was so sweet.’ Conni paused. ‘I know some girls used to talk about her behind her back, you know, catty, like. Why doesn’t she brush her hair more, or why doesn’t she put a little makeup on.’

  ‘Jealous, yes, but not enough to kill her over, I would think.’

  Conni’s eyes opened wide. ‘You think someone killed her? I don’t believe it, I don’t. Not here, not at Dartmouth. Why? I think it was an accident.’

  Spencer eyed her carefully. ‘You think so, do you? What do you know about it?’

  Stammering, Conni said, ‘Nothing. Just what you told me.’

  ‘I told you very little.’

  Conni bent down to scratch her leg. She did not look at Spencer or make a comment. There is something she knows that’s making her itch with worry, thought Spencer. Jim wouldn’t look at me, Albert looked straight at me, and Conni is itching.

  ‘Constance, when was the last time you saw Kristina?’

  Straightening up, she looked at the ceiling as if trying to find inspiration from it. ‘I guess it must have been Tuesday night,’ she replied. ‘Before Thanksgiving. We were all playing cards.’

  ‘How did it go?’

  ‘Good,’ Conni said, but looked away from Spencer as she said it. Only Albert had looked unflinchingly at Spencer. Only Albert had not shifted in his seat or looked at his hands. Only he seemed relaxed and concerned and only he made all the right noises. Maybe too relaxed, thought Spencer. Shit, I’m just driving myself crazy.

  ‘Was that the last time?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said, but didn’t look at him, and this time Spencer demanded Conni lift her gaze.

  ‘Yes,’ she repeated in a quieter voice. ‘That was the last time.’

  She’s lying, thought Spencer.

  ‘Were there any problems during the poker game?’

  Conni was silent. She’s weighing her options, Spencer thought. She knows I’ve already talked to Albert.

  ‘Nothing serious.’

  ‘No fight?’

  ‘No, nothing, just nerves, midterms coming up, we always lose to Frankie, you know, stupid things.’

  ‘I see. Jim didn’t storm out of the lounge, furious?’

  She was silent. ‘Nah, not furious, the game was already over.’

  ‘Did he storm out?’

  ‘Not really.’

  ‘Do you remember over what Jim didn’t really storm out?’

  ‘No, I can’t remember.’

  ‘All you guys seem to have extremely poor short-term memories,’ Spencer said. ‘Is that a problem during exams?’

  Conni laughed. ‘Oh, you’re so funny,’ she said. But Spencer wasn’t laughing. And Conni’s laugh sounded fake to him.

  ‘What time did you come back to your room?’

  ‘I didn’t look at my clock.’

  ‘And you didn’t see Kristina after that?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘What did you do for the rest of the evening?’

  ‘Spent it with Albert.’

  ‘In his room or yours?’

  ‘Mine,’ she said, in a small voice.

  ‘You came back from the lounge and never left each other’s sight?’

  ‘No, we did. Albert had to pack.’

  ‘Did you go with him to his room?’

  ‘No, I stayed in mine.’

  ‘Okay, why don’t you tell me everything you did until the time you went to bed.’

  ‘I really don’t remember very well. It was a while ago.’ She seemed at a loss for words. Spencer didn’t like it.

  ‘Tell me what you remember.’

  ‘Let’s see … Albert went to his room –’

  ‘What time?’ Spencer interrupted.

  ‘I think right around midnight.’

  ‘Okay, and then what?’

  ‘Then? Nothing. I packed, tidied up a bit, got my clothes ready for the trip home, went to wash.’

  ‘Okay, and then?’

  ‘And then? Well, then, I – gee, I really don’t recall. I think I called Albert’s room to see when he was coming back down. His line was busy. I waited a few minutes and called again. It was busy.’

  ‘What time was that?’

  ‘Around ten to one, maybe. I remember thinking it was pretty late for him to be on the phone.’

  ‘Yes.’

  Spencer waited. When Conni didn’t say anything, he prompted her further.

  ‘Then I – I waited a little longer. Then I called Frankie’s line to see if Albert was talking to him.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘He wasn’t. I mean – no one picked up.’

  ‘So then what did you do?’

  ‘I called Jim’s room. No one picked up there either. I was a little surprised by that. Jim is a very early to bed type. I thought maybe Jim was with Kristina, maybe they made up.’

  Spencer looked at Will meaningfully. Will nodded. That Jim, Spencer thought.

  ‘What did you do then, Constance?’

  ‘I went upstairs to see Albert. His door was locked and everything was quiet inside. So I went back downstairs and called again, and the phone was busy. So I real
ized it was probably off the hook or something.’

  ‘What then?’

  ‘I still didn’t know where he was, so I went down to the lounge.’

  ‘Was he there?’

  ‘No. Well, actually, he was, he was just in the bathroom. But I didn’t stay long. I just glanced in and left.’

  ‘What did you see when you glanced in?’

  ‘Die Hard on TV. One guy sitting in a chair.’

  ‘The lights were out in the lounge? Could it have been Albert?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘How do you know Albert was in the bathroom?’

  ‘He told me he was. He told me, he just came down for a beer and got caught up in the film.’

  ‘I see,’ said Spencer thinking hard. Nothing was coming to him. ‘What then?’

  ‘I ran back upstairs to my room, grabbed my coat, and went outside.’

  ‘Where did you go?’

  ‘I don’t recall.’ Conni was looking at her hands, at the table, at Will, at her hands again. But she wasn’t looking at Spencer.

  ‘How long were you gone?’

  ‘Maybe twenty, twenty-five minutes.’

  ‘Albert said he went up to your room around quarter past one or so and you weren’t there. And that you didn’t come back to the lounge till quarter to two.’

  Conni rubbed her face. ‘Yeah … I guess. So maybe thirty, thirty-five minutes.’

  ‘In the time you were gone, did you see Kristina?’

  ‘No,’ Conni said in a high voice. ‘I told you, I was looking for Albert.’

  ‘What was the panic?’

  ‘He wasn’t in his room. I got worried.’

  ‘Worried about what? That he might have been kidnapped? Killed? Robbed? What?’

  Jittery, uncertain, her bubbliness gone, Conni said, ‘I can’t say.’

  ‘Try.’

  ‘I don’t know. I just got worried. He said he’d be in his room, and then he wasn’t.’

  ‘It sounds like you guys just missed each other. He went to say good-bye to Kristina –’

  ‘He did?’ Conni exclaimed.

  Ahhh, though Spencer. I knew it.

  ‘Yes,’ he said.

  Conni was silent for a few moments. Her hands looked tense and white.

  ‘It was just a misunderstanding between me and Albert,’ she said at last. ‘You know?’