Im glad I caught you, Dr. Casey, Ross said breathlessly as he drew alongside her.
Im in a bit of a hurry, Ross, so whatever this is about, can it wait? He looked instantly crestfallen, and Erin cursed herself for her curt tone. Im sorry. Its just that I have that reception tonight at the deans house, and you know how much I hate those things.
Ross nodded sympathetically, his normal good humor somewhat restored. He wore baggy black jeans, a black Primus T-shirt, and his dyed hair had been gelled into orangy-red spikes. The grunge look, including the eyebrow ring and chin stud, belied his keen intelligence. He was one of the sharpest research assistants Erin had ever had.
Youll be cool, he said admiringly.
I appreciate that, Ross. Now, what can I do for you?
He hesitated, then said, There was a man in the lab this afternoon working on Case 00-03 with you. His gaze lifted suddenly, and his gray eyes had an oddly possessive glint.
Erin thought she understood. Case 00-03 was to be Rosss solo project. Once Erin had cataloged her findings, he would then conduct his own examination, comparing his conclusions with hers. One always felt possessive of ones first case, she reminisced nostalgically. I was working on 00-03, she told him. Detective Gallagher was merely observing.
Detective Gallagher? Hes not the one who brought her to us. That cops name was Stoner.
Yes, thats right. Detective Mike Stoner.
So, what did Gallagher want?
It was Erins turn to hesitate, remembering Detective Gallaghers almost excessive concern for security. I think he wanted to look over the premises, make sure our security was up to snuff. Some of the remains we work on represent potential evidence in court cases, she reminded him. A lot of good detective work could go down the drain if they were tampered with.
Ross didnt look all that convinced. I guess that explains what he was doing here, but what about the other guy?
The other guy?
There was another man standing just outside the building, pretending to read a book, Ross told her. He looked up when you came out, and he just stood there watching you walk away.
Erin suppressed a shiver at the notion of someoneanyonesurreptitiously watching her. Among other concerns, her backside was definitely not her best asset.
What did he look like? she asked Ross.
He shrugged. I dont know. He was older, with sort of grayish hair. And he was big. Not fat, justbig. Muscular.
What did he do after I walked away?
He got in his car and drove off. But I dont think he left the campus. I think hes still hanging around here somewhere.
Erin tried to shrug away his concern. Im sure its nothing for either one of us to worry about. He was probably just waiting for someone.
Maybe. Ross gave her a doubtful smile. Just thought Id mention it, though. I guess Ill see you tomorrow, Dr. Casey.
See you tomorrow, Ross. Although she wasnt so sure she would, if she left tonight with Detective Gallagher. Depending on how long the excavation took, she might not be back until day after tomorrow, but for some reason, she didnt feel like mentioning that possibility to Ross. He worried too much.
As Erin watched him walk toward the parking lot, she remembered Detective Gallaghers warning about security. In case you havent thought about it before, youve got a murder victim lying in your lab downstairs. Someone out there is going to be awfully unhappy when you ID her.
Did the strange man Ross had seen lurking about campus have something to do with Case 00-03?
Or was he somehow associated with Detective Gallagher?
Neither scenario was particularly comforting, and Erin suppressed another shiver as she turned to walk home. It was only September, but there was a bite in the wind off the lake that promised an early winter.
The days were getting shorter, too. The sun was already setting over the picturesque campus, casting long shadows between the ivy-covered buildings, and for the first time in years, the coming darkness made Erin more than a little uneasy.
Chapter Two
Dean Stanton was in rare form, Erin observed at the reception that night. A dour man with a much younger and more attractive wife, the head of Hillsboro University usually did well to string more than two or three sentences together without pausing to glower.
Tonight, however, he was almost ebullient, talking and laughing with the members of the board and faculty, going out of his way to make each and every one of them feel welcome.
There were several wealthy alumni in attendance as well, and Erin suspected their presence played heavily in the deans exhibition of good humor.
Plus, it was obvious he enjoyed showing off his house and his wife, and who could blame him? They were both gorgeous, the latter being tall, blond, and buxom, with her rather impressive attributes stunningly displayed in a low-cut, ice-blue cocktail dress.
And the house was every bit her equal. The lower level was huge, with one room flowing into the next through high, arching doorways. Silk rugs dotted the polished hardwood floors, and the paneled walls and heavy oak shelving were garnished with oil paintings and African artifacts. Ornate chandeliers spilled soft lighting throughout the rooms, and a magnificent free-standing staircase curved gracefully to a second-floor gallery where another group of people mingled with drinks.
Erin had always imagined her fathers home looking something like thisspacious and grand with evidence of the familys ill-gotten gains nearly everywhere one looked.
Dean Stanton had earned his house the old-fashioned way. It came with his title. A definite perk for climbing the academic ladder, Erin decided.
She stood apart from the throng, sipping her wine and eyeing the gathering with a bored, critical eye. Schmoozing with the board of trustees and would-be donors was a part of her work she hated, but it was necessary in her field, where laboratories and research grants were often funded by private donations.
Erin caught Dean Stantons eye, and he motioned her over. He was talking to a particularly intense-looking group of people, and Erin grimaced inwardly as she made her way across the crowded room.
Id like you to meet the newest member of the Hillsboro family, he said proudly, his gaze moving over Erin in an appreciative sweep. She suspected hed been worried about what she might turn up here wearing tonight, but in spite of her distaste for such functions, shed learned a long time ago how to play the game.
She wore a black, sleeveless tunic over matching pants and a fluid silk jersey that clung to her scant curves, filling them out in ways nature had forgotten to. Her high heels helped alleviate natures other slight, and just to remind herself that she hadnt been entirely forsaken, shed left her hair down. The thick, wavy tresses swung over her shoulders, framing her face in a way that made her feel sexy and wanton. A fleeting feeling, to be sure
She felt Dean Stantons hand on her back, urging her into the spotlight, and Erin had to resist the temptation to pull back. He made the introductions, but the names all ran together in her head, and she hardly noticed any of the faces, except for the tall man who took her hand and held it for a shade longer than she would have liked.
He was impeccably dressed, with silver hair slicked back from his face and a dark tan that highlighted the coldest pair of gray eyes shed ever encountered. There was something about those eyes, about the way he looked at her, that made Erin experience the same vague uneasiness shed felt that afternoon after talking with Ross.
Could this man be the one Ross had seen watching her? He did look familiar, and even his name, Ed Dawson, rang a very faint bell.
Erins stomach fluttered in warning as she removed her hand from his. She heard Dean Stanton address him again, and she listened more alertly, trying to place where she might have seen him before.
consulting on cases all over the Midwest as well as Chicago, Stanton was saying. He turned to Erin. Why dont you tell us about some of the cases you worked on down in Knoxville, Dr. Casey?
Erin frowned briefly, not wanting to talk about her work except in the most general terms. Most of my work is fairly routine. Not all that interesting to anyone other than myself.
The silver-haired mans brows lifted slightly. Youre far too modest. I find what you do fascinating, Dr. Casey. Id certainly like to hear more about your cases at some future date, particularly the ones connected with the Chicago Police Department.
Those cases are current, she explained, and may end up in court. Im really not at liberty to discuss them.
Dean Stanton scowled at her. Your reticence is admirable, Dr. Casey, but if the superintendent of the Chicago Police Department wants an update on the criminal cases in which youre currently involved, you would have no objection, surely.
Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department? Of course! Thats why the mans face and name seemed so familiar. Undoubtedly, Erin had seen Ed Dawson on television, or perhaps seen his picture in the newspaper.
She glanced at him apologetically. Im sorry. But I was just reminded this afternoon how vital it is to safeguard our forensic work.
No apology necessary, Dawson said smoothly. As Dean Stanton correctly pointed out, your discretion is admirable. A cocktail party is not the place for such a discussion. The look he gave Dean Stanton was almost frigid, and Stanton, in turn, glared angrily at Erin. There was no mistaking who would get the blame for his faux pas.
Just then, a woman behind Ed Dawson turned and came to join them. She looked to be in her late fifties, probably around Dawsons age, but she was still a very pretty woman, with a nice complexion and short, dark hair. The green silk dress she wore was exactly right for her age and her coloring, and the smile she flashed Erin was the first genuine show of friendliness shed seen all evening.
Ed Dawson took her hand and pulled her forward. Id like you to meet a good friend of mine. This is Maggie Gallagher, he said to the group, but his gaze remained on Erin. She has three sons who are in the Detective Division. Its possible you may cross paths with one of them in the future, Dr. Casey.
Startled, Erin stared at the woman for a moment. Maggie Gallaghers features, especially her blue eyes, were very like the detectives Erin had met earlier that day. Were Dawsons words prophetic, or did he know Nick Gallagher had already been to see her?
She gave Maggie a tentative smile. Very nice to meet you, Mrs. Gallagher.
Call me Maggie, the woman said warmly.
And Im Erin.
You look so young to be a doctor!
Im a Ph.D., Erin explained.
Dr. Casey is a forensic anthropologist, Dawson said. She consults with the Chicago Police Department, as well as other law enforcement organizations throughout the Midwest.
Maggie Gallagher couldnt quite hide her surprise. A forensic anthropologist. That means you work with
Bones, Erin supplied. Skeletal remains. I help with identification.
She does much more than that, Dawson said, his expression almost grim. A good forensic anthropologist can also determine cause and manner of death. Their expert testimony has helped us convict countless murderers who would have otherwise gone free.
My goodness. Maggie looked dutifully impressed. Are you here with your husband, Dr. Casey?
Im not married.
Maggies brows lifted ever so slightly. Ill be sure to tell my sons that I met you.
Three sons in the police department, Erin mused. And by the looks of things, Maggie Gallagher and the superintendent were a little more than mere acquaintances. His hand rested possessively on her back, and when Maggie glanced up at him, the two exchanged a look that was unmistakable.
He bent down to say something to her, and Erin used the interlude to make her escape. Murmuring her excuses to Dean Stanton, she drifted away, melting once more into the crowd.
She wondered if she could slip away altogether and not be noticed. She still had to go by the lab and pack her equipment for the excavation, then call Detective Gallagher
Lost in thought about the next days work, she jumped slightly when someone said her name. She turned, meeting Superintendent Dawsons cool gaze, and again Erin felt a vague uneasiness. As head of the Chicago Police Department, he was a very important man. She wanted to believe her disquiet was a result of his title and position, but there was something else about him, a hardness in his eyes that could have been the result of his years on the police force, but somehow Erin suspected it was not.
She thought him a cold man, perhaps even cruel, and she had a hard time picturing a woman like Maggie Gallagher being drawn to him. But then again, he wasvery attractive. In some ways, charismatic, which could make him a very dangerous man.
I hope you dont mind my seeking you out like this, he said.
Of course not, she lied.
I wanted to tell you again how much I appreciate your discretion. I know Dean Stanton can beshall we saypersuasive, and I admire the way you held your ground with him.
Erin wished she could take pleasure in Dawsons praise, but something told her he had an ulterior motive for his comments. Discretion is part of my job, she said with a light shrug. Just as it is with yours.
Actually, your job is what Id like to talk to you about. He smiled down at her, but Erin couldnt detect a single note of warmth or amusement in his eyes. I dont like uncleared cases, but unfortunately, our files are full of Jane and John Does, many of them homicides whose perpetrators were never apprehended because the victims couldnt be identified. Your work is extremely important to CPD, Dr. Casey. Make no mistake about that.
I appreciate that, Erin told him. My work is very important to me, too.
Your dedication is obvious. He hesitated, then said pensively, Im wondering if you might be interested in participating on a task force Im putting together for our Missing Persons Bureau. Your input could be invaluable.
An alarm sounded inside Erin, but she tried to keep her tone and expression neutral. Im flattered, but my work here at the university keeps me very busy.
I understand. But Id like to come by your lab someday soon and discuss the project with you anyway. If you wouldnt have any objection.
His tone implied that he certainly didnt expect her to object, but she did. Apart from her heavy schedule at Hillsboro, Erin had no intention of getting involved in a police department task force. She would consult on cases within the safe confines of the university, but she would not risk questions about her background. Erin had always been very careful about keeping a low profile, even on cases that had caught the attention of the media. Now that she had returned to Chicago, it was more important than ever that she adhere to those rules. If her father were to ever find out she was here