File M For Murder

“I agree,” I said. “But I don’t want you getting into a fight with him. I’ll speak to Kanesha Berry about it and see if she’ll have a talk with him.”

Sean laughed. “If she can’t scare the crap out of him, nobody can. She sure as heck intimidates me.” He drew on his cigar. “I doubt his verbal threat gives grounds for a restraining order, but the deputy can tell us.”

“I hope it doesn’t come to that. Maybe Kanesha can calm him down. Laura seems so excited about teaching this semester. I don’t want anything to ruin that for her.”

“We won’t let that happen.” Sean tapped ash into the ashtray and took another puff before he continued. “Lawton may have his hands full anyway. Damitra Vane will probably keep him too busy to think about Laura or any other woman.

“You have to meet her, Dad. I thought Laura was exaggerating about her intelligence level. Ol’ Diesel there is like a Ph.D. compared to Ms. Vane.” He shook his head. “Talking to her exhausted me. She has the attention span of a goldfish. If that.”

“How frustrating. Was she responsible for the offensive picture?” I didn’t care to meet her. I simply wanted her not to bother Laura.

“Yes. And dumb as she is, she still has a kind of low cunning. Took me a few minutes, but I finally got her to admit to putting the photograph through the mail slot.” Sean drew on his cigar again.

“What else did you say to her?”

“I told her I was Laura’s lawyer and that Laura would sue her if she kept up the harassment. I had to explain what the big word meant, and once I did she looked frightened. Swore up and down she wouldn’t bother Laura anymore.”

“Did you also tell her Laura has no interest in Connor romantically? That they’re just friends, according to Laura?” I wanted every detail of that conversation.

“I’m not fresh out of law school. I knew what to tell her, and I handled it.” Sean’s tone had an edge to it, and I realized I had offended him.

Diesel meowed, alert as ever to changes in the emotional temperature. I stroked his head, and he settled back down.

“I’m sorry, son, I didn’t mean to question your abilities.” Even after five months of working on strengthening our relationship, I still managed to annoy my son on occasion. “Put it down to overprotectiveness.”

“It’s okay, Dad. I overreacted.” Sean had the grace to appear abashed.

I smiled to indicate I understood. “Did Ms. Vane make threats against Lawton?”

Sean laughed. “Not exactly. She said she’d be watching to make sure no other woman got her claws into him. He belongs to her, and her alone, and no other woman—except she used a more colorful and vulgar word—stands a chance. She expects Connor to come to his senses eventually and realize she’s the only one for him.”

“Good luck to her, I guess.” I shrugged. “As long as she leaves your sister alone, that’s all I care about. The same goes for Lawton.”

“Even so,” Sean said, his tone more serious, “Laura needs to steer clear of both of them.”

“I’ll talk with her,” I said. “And with Kanesha Berry. Now, change of subject. How about dinner?”

Sean expelled smoke and pulled the cigar from his mouth. “I’m good. I had a couple sandwiches before I came out here.” He tapped his cigar on the ashtray. “I figured you’d eat at the party.”

“I did.” I sighed. “Not a lot, but probably enough. I don’t really need anything else.” I rose from the sofa. “But I could use something to drink. Can I bring you anything?”

“No, thanks.” Sean pointed to a bottle of beer on the table by his chair. “Still got a ways to go with this.”

“Then I’ll leave you to it. I’ll call Kanesha and then probably head upstairs.”

“Good night, Dad.”

“Night, son.” I headed for the door with Diesel at my side. I used the kitchen phone to call the sheriff’s department and left a message for Kanesha. I didn’t hear from her that evening. I planned to give her until the following evening to get in touch with me, then I’d start calling until I got through to her.

After a quiet Sunday, on Monday morning I headed to work at the college library at a quarter to nine. Diesel wore his harness, and we strolled the few blocks to campus in the warm, thick morning air. We met several people along the way, and we had to stop to let Diesel greet his admiring public. Even after three years, the sight of a gigantic cat on a leash still attracted attention.

Our stroll was so routine, I was able to think about other things as we walked. Kanesha hadn’t returned my call yesterday, and I’d left another message before I left for work. Where the heck was she? I should have asked Azalea about that this morning, but I didn’t want to cause irritation between mother and daughter. If Azalea knew Kanesha failed to return my calls, she’d probably chastise her daughter severely for bad manners. I’d try again later.

Inside the antebellum home that housed the library’s administrative offices, archives, and rare book room, I removed Diesel’s leash. He scampered upstairs on his own. I followed in a more leisurely fashion, and he greeted me with a few chirps when I reached my office door.