Dead Hunt

The phone rang. It felt like an unwelcome intrusion. Diane realized she liked being alone here with Frank. He answered the phone and gave it to her.

‘‘Anne Pascal,’’ he said.

‘‘One of my board members.’’ She took the phone.

‘‘Diane. Hi. David Goldstein gave me your number. He asked me to help find out what teacher was using that list of spelling words. Your life is so interesting,’’ she said.

Yes, my life is a Chinese curse, she thought. ‘‘We very much appreciate your help,’’ said Diane. ‘‘Were you able to find anything?’’

‘‘Yes, I did. I began by matching the words to a book. Spelling words usually come from a particular book the kids are reading that week. I made a call to a school librarian friend of mine and we figured out the book David’s list of words came from is Jack Story and the Big Red Ball. Then I called some reading teachers and asked who was using that book recently, and . . . Well, the end result is I found out those were last Monday’s spelling words in Mrs. Coker’s class at Jewel Elementary in Adamsville. I talked with her and asked for a list of her kids, but she was kind of funny about that because the list was going to the police. I’m sorry.’’

‘‘That’s all right. That’s understandable. I’m amazed that you were able to find the teacher and classroom. You’ve been a tremendous help,’’ said Diane. ‘‘I don’t think we could have done it without you.’’

‘‘Oh, it was fun. Kind of put on my Miss Marple thinking cap, you know. Thank you for asking me. And I also want to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed being on the board of the museum. I just love that place,’’ she said.

‘‘I’m surprised you aren’t wondering what in the world I got you into,’’ said Diane.

‘‘Oh, no. I have to say, I’ve really enjoyed your interaction with Thomas Barclay. He’s on the school board too, you know. He loves to browbeat teachers. I’ve heard ‘when I was in school’ so many times. I don’t know why some people who are successful in one thing think they know how to do everything. I’m afraid he just sees teachers as overeducated babysitters,’’ she said. ‘‘But I didn’t call you to rant about Thomas Barclay.’’

‘‘I’m hoping Barclay will adapt. The museum board isn’t like the other boards he’s served on,’’ said Diane.

‘‘You’ll let me know how this thing with the child and the spelling words turns out, won’t you?’’

‘‘Yes, I certainly will,’’ said Diane. ‘‘Thank you again for your help.’’

‘‘One of my board members,’’ said Diane when she got off the phone. ‘‘She found the teacher who assigned the list of spelling words indented on the paper used to write the note that came with the money.’’

‘‘That lived in the house that Jack built?’’ said Frank. ‘‘What money?’’

‘‘I haven’t told you about the money? The guy who’s been attacking me sent me four thousand dollars,’’ she said.

Frank stared at her for a moment, ice cream dripping off his spoon. ‘‘Four thousand dollars? Why didn’t you tell me? You didn’t have to cook dinner; you could have taken us out to someplace nice,’’ he said. ‘‘Why did he send you money?’’

‘‘I don’t know, but he included a note with the word bitch written on it in capital letters. On the page of the pad above the sheet he wrote the note to me on, a kid had written a list of first-grade spelling words and it made an indentation in the notepaper,’’ she said. ‘‘Using some fancy equipment, David was able to read the words from the indentation and he asked our schoolteacher board member for help in finding out where the spelling words came from.’’

Diane realized that a lot had happened since she last spoke with Frank. She told him about the DNA found on the hairs caught in Andie’s purse matching blood found on one of the money wrappers.

‘‘It looks as though he thinks you’re blackmailing him,’’ said Frank.

‘‘It does look that way,’’ she said. ‘‘I have no idea how I could have left that impression with him. All I did was bite, kick, and scratch him.’’ She put the lid back on her ice cream container and put it back in the freezer.

‘‘So, you think he has a child in the first grade and you’re trying to track him down by finding the child,’’ said Frank.

‘‘That’s the plan. I thought I might recognize the name of one of the children in the class.’’

‘‘Your board member said the list came from a teacher in Adamsville,’’ said Frank. ‘‘That’s the same county as the prison.’’

‘‘Yes, it is,’’ said Diane. She washed her spoon and put it away. ‘‘So there is a connection there.’’

‘‘You might see if the teacher has a child with the last name of Tully in her class,’’ he said.

Diane stared at him. ‘‘I didn’t think of that. Until tonight I’d put Grace Noel in the back of my mind. Eric Tully has a daughter about that age. Do you think Clymene could have somehow . . .’’ Diane paused, still staring at Frank.

‘‘You said everything felt like a game—like everything that’s happened was a move. I think your instincts are right. Everything has been a game to maneuver you into a corner so Clymene could get away—and maybe exact a little revenge to boot.’’

‘‘You think Clymene is manipulating Tully?’’ said Diane.

‘‘This is just a guess,’’ said Frank. ‘‘I may be all wrong.’’

‘‘But it makes sense,’’ said Diane. ‘‘Do you think she is behind the artifact problem too?’’

‘‘I don’t know. That seems like it would involve more people to carry out. I bet that Clymene only trusts her sisters—and this lone male, whoever he is. I can’t see her trusting a third party much at all, certainly not with anything that could be traced back to her.’’

‘‘I need to call Garnett,’’ said Diane.

She went into the living room and dialed Garnett’s cell phone. As it started to ring, she noticed the time. He