wife.”
“True,” I said.
We lasted another hour. I didn’t learn anything else. But they had gotten drunk enough so I wouldn’t have had much faith in anything they told me, anyway. I stood.
“Good night, ladies,” I said.
“How ’bout you,” Bev said. “You married?”
“Kind of,” I said.
“You cheat?” Bev said.
“No,” I said.
“Really?” Bev said.
“Really,” I said. “But thanks for asking.”
19
I got Missy Minor’s campus address from Crosby, and in the mid-morning I fell into step with her when she came out.
“You’re that detective,” she said.
“Spenser’s the name,” I said. “Law and order’s the game.”
“I told you yesterday that I don’t know anything about Dr. Prince, except that he was an okay teacher and an easy grader.”
“I heard you were his girlfriend,” I said.
She was silent for a beat.
Then she said, “That’s crazy. Where’d you hear that.”
“I’m a detective, “I said. “I have my sources.”
“Speaking of which,” she said, “let me see your badge.”
I took a business card from my pocket and handed it to her.
“Private,” I said. “Working with the police.”
“ ‘Private’?” she said, looking at my card. “A private detective? I don’t have to talk with you.”
“But why wouldn’t you?” I said. “I’m a lot of fun.”
“Yeah,” she said. “I can see that.”
“Plus,” I said, “we have a connection.”
“What?” she said.
“I know your mother,” I said.
Again, a short silence.
Then she said, “You know Winifred?”
“I do,” I said.
“You been talking to her about me and Dr. Prince?”
“No,” I said. “If I did, what would I say?”
“My mother’s a worrier,” Missy said. “She heard any of your bullshit theory about me being his girlfriend, she’d go crazy.”
“Even though there’s no truth to it.”
“She’s a worrier,” Missy said.
“How about your father?” I said.
“Don’t have one,” Missy said.
“Ever?”
She shook her head.
“I don’t want to discuss it,” she said.
“Did you have any sort of relationship with Ashton Prince?” I said.
She shook her head again.
“Why do you suppose people had the idea that you did?” I said.
“You’re the detective,” she said. “You figure it out.”
“He hit on you?”
“He was my professor,” she said. “That’s all. I don’t see why you’re harassing me like this. It’s not my fault I
