A large, dark skinned man appeared in the doorway. “How long?”
The older man shook his head. “I can’t know for sure until I examine him.” He turned and looked at Kevin. “How long has he been here?”
Kevin gave him a surprised look. “I have no idea. He wasn’t here when I left for the lab this morning.”
“What time was that?” The larger man asked.
Kevin did quick math in his head and added two hours to his time at work. “I arrived at the lab around 5:30 or 6 this morning.” He gave him a slight shrug. “I’m sorry, I didn’t really think to note the time exactly.”
“It’s something to work with,” the older man stated as he came to his feet. He pointed to one of the soldiers. “Grab a gurney and a body bag.”
Kevin hugged the wall as they loaded his victim and went through his room with a fine toothed comb. The bloody hammer wasn’t missed.
He found himself bombarded with questions as people poured over his belongings. “Did you know the victim? Had you ever spoken to him? Did you see or hear anything peculiar? Did he keep his door locked? Did anybody else have regular access to his stateroom?”
Kevin did his best to answer the questions as honestly as he could and still keep suspicion off of him and was about to grow aggressive from the repeated questions when Andre Broussard arrived at the door.
“I’d heard there was an incident.” He gave Kevin sorrowful eyes. “I’m sorry, Dr. McAlester. I would have come sooner had I realized.”
“That’s okay.” Kevin stood and motioned toward the men still in his room. “I think we’re about done.”
“We’re done when I say we’re done,” the master at arms stated bluntly. He glanced at Broussard. “Who are you and why are you tromping around my crime scene?”
Dr. Broussard cleared his throat and nodded toward Kevin. “We’re colleagues. You might have caught wind of the cure to the rage virus?” He gave the large man a soft smile. “That was us.”
“Yay for you.” He turned his attention back to Kevin. “I’m sure there will be more questions.” He flipped his little notebook shut. “I can find you where?”
Kevin gave him a surprised look. “Here on the ship, I’m certain.”
“That’s not what I meant.” The MA crossed his arms and glared at him. “You won’t be staying here; this is an active crime scene.”
Andre stepped forward again. “He can bunk with me until other arrangements can be made.”
The master at arms raised a brow at him then jotted a note in his pad. “We’ll be in touch.”
“Let me guess,” Kevin goaded. “Don’t leave town?”
Broussard gave him a scowl and quickly shook his head. The master at arms actually smiled at him. “Cute.” He bumped Kevin’s shoulder as he exited the room. He stood just outside the door and waited for the two researchers. “You need to leave.”
“Can I get my things first?” Kevin asked as he stepped toward the bathroom.
“Negative!”
Kevin froze then slowly turned. “Not even my toothbrush?”
“Not even. I told you, this is a crime scene.”
Kevin sighed and turned for the door. “Great.” He stepped past the large man and glanced at Broussard. “I’d hate to think that my toothbrush or deodorant was a murder weapon.”
Broussard shushed him quietly but Kevin continued to goad. “I’m sure the big bloody hammer in the floor next to the body was just a prop. My shampoo and underwear…now that’s real evidence.”
“Dr. McAlester!” Andre pulled him down the hallway as the master at arms began to tape off the doorway. “This isn’t like you. What’s gotten into you?”
Kevin stopped at the end of the hall and blew his breath out hard. “He was just being a dick.” He glanced back toward his stateroom and grimaced. “He knows that there would be no harm in my taking a few personal items. He just wanted to exercise authority over me.”
Broussard sighed and pulled him toward the lab. “My room isn’t large, but we can alternate its use. I’m sure we can find you a change of clothes.”
“That isn’t the point.” Kevin balked and stared at him. “Hell, I could sleep in the lab if I really wanted to.” He hooked his thumb over his shoulder. “That guy just wanted to make life as uncomfortable for me as he could.”
“Regardless.” Broussard motioned him along. “Let the man do his job. Somebody was murdered in your room. I’m sure they need to search for trace evidence.”
“Trace?”
“Like fibers, fingerprints, hairs…whatever.”
Kevin smirked at him. “And they think they’ll find anything like that on my toothbrush? Or in my sock drawer?”
Broussard placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure that they’ll discount your things since it is your room. They’ll be looking for trace from the victim and whoever killed him. Anybody that’s not you will be their suspect.”
Kevin huffed as he fell into step with the senior researcher. “I hope they hurry.”
“I’m sure they’ll be quick and thorough.” Broussard held the door open for him. “Like I said, it’s small, but I’m happy to share.” He flipped on the light and Kevin noted that the room was a mirror image of his own. “I’ll ask about a change of sheets for the bed. We can alternate shifts at the lab and—”
“Sheets?” Kevin asked, his face curious.
Broussard chuckled. “I wouldn’t expect you to sleep in my sheets.” He gave a mock shudder. “I tend to sweat at night.” He gave him a quick wink. “Not to mention the sluffed skin cells, hair and drool.”
“Hair?” Kevin asked, his mind going back to the last place his victim had been before being bludgeoned.
“Everybody sheds.” Broussard reached down and plucked the pillow from the bed and shook the casing off of it. “I’ll have this switched over for you soon enough and
