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“Before you leave, I’d like to know if you’re a writer, too.”
“No. I don’t have the patience.”
“Nor I. Under the circumstances, don’t worry about coming up with a mystery synopsis for the class.”
Now she understood why he hadn’t walked off yet. Again she’d hoped it had been for a more personal reason.
“Actually, I-I’d like to write one.” I need your input in Dana’s case. “If the others think I’m working on a book, then I won’t stand out. Besides, I don’t want anyone to believe you’re giving me preferential treatment because I missed Wednesday night or because you’re using my room.”
His face broke into a smile. “Well, then, I’ll expect a masterpiece.”
She knew he was teasing her, but it was hard to think of Dana’s case in that light. “Now you’ve made me nervous.”
Just then, several mothers she knew came out of the building and waved to her. Heidi could see the speculation in their eyes as they glanced at the handsome man standing beside her. She waved, trying to pretend she didn’t know what was going through their minds.
Afraid the detective might think she was lingering because of him, she said, “It’s getting late, so I’ll say good-night. Thanks again for letting me join the class.”
“My pleasure. See you next Wednesday.”
She hurried toward her car, aware of a weakness in her legs that made her thankful she didn’t have to walk far. By the time she got behind the wheel, he’d disappeared in the crowd of adults leaving the building.
Just as well she couldn’t see him. It was patently ridiculous to fantasize about a man who was probably married or living with someone. Her only concern should be to get everything she could out of this class. What she learned would teach her how to start looking for hidden evidence that could lead to a reopening of Dana’s case. At the very least, it should help her evaluate any private detective she might decide to hire.
But putting her new teacher out of her mind was easier said than done. By Sunday afternoon, she was still struggling to suppress thoughts of Detective Gideon Poletti as she wrote the synopsis and did the homework he’d assigned.
She was beginning to suspect he’d taken up permanent residence in her mind.
CHAPTER THREE
GIDEON TOSSED THE FRISBEE one last time, and a gust of wind blew it off course. The green plastic disc sailed over Kevin’s blond head and would have disappeared into the surf if it hadn’t been for Pokey.
“Good dog!” Kevin cried as the frisky beagle leaped in the air to catch it in time.
“Let’s go home.”
“Not yet, Dad!”
“We have to. You promised to get your homework done before I drive you back to your mom’s. She made a special concession, letting you spend this weekend with me because of my birthday.”
“I know. That means I won’t be able to sleep over next Saturday or Sunday.”
“True, but I still get you Friday night. Now you’ve only got one hour left. Beat you to the house!”
His ranch-style home was located two blocks from the ocean with easy access to the beach from a nearby side street.
He took off on a run. When he looked over his shoulder, Kevin wasn’t far behind. Pokey kept up with him. Though the dog stayed at Gideon’s, he adored Kevin and clearly rejoiced in the time they spent together.
Fay refused to have an animal in the house. No amount of pleading on Kevin’s part could change her mind. But like everything else about the situation, he and his son had learned to adapt.
Between Gideon and his housekeeper, Martha, who came in every weekday afternoon for an hour to clean and prepare meals, Pokey’s needs were met and he had the run of the house.
A few minutes later Kevin hauled his math book from his backpack and sat at the family-room table to start his homework. Gideon went in search of the synopses he’d brought home and joined his son. Pokey lay on the floor between them.
Kevin eyed the papers with curiosity. “What are you doing, Dad?”
“Homework. Just like you.”
He laughed. “Come on.”
“It’s true. You’re looking at the new criminology teacher for the district’s adult-education program.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Nope. I have eleven students who signed up for community school.” One of them is probably the most terrific-looking female I’ve ever met in my life. And the most puzzling.
“I didn’t know that.”
“How could you? Daniel Mcfarlane underwent emergency surgery on Friday morning and asked me to take over his class.”
“What happened to him?”
“He has cancer, but I understand the operation took care of the problem. With some chemotherapy, he’ll be fine.”
“That’s good.” His son’s voice trailed off. “Hey, Dad…do your students listen to you and everything?”
Gideon laughed. “So far I haven’t had a problem.”
“Is it fun to teach?”
“As a matter of fact, it is.”
“How long are you going to be their teacher?”
“I’m not sure. Possibly till mid-May.”
“That long?” Kevin cried. “When’s your class?” Any change in Gideon’s routine upset his son if it wasn’t handled carefully.
“Wednesday and Friday nights.”
Kevin’s face fell. “But those are our nights together! Is that the reason you couldn’t come and get me until late on Friday?”
“Yes. But I’ve been thinking about that. How would you like to come to class and watch me teach?” Gideon asked before his son could jump to the wrong conclusion. “You can get your homework done at the same time. We’ll have dinner at the Jolly Roger first, and go for ice cream after.”
“You’d let me come?”
“Of course.”
The tears that were threatening disappeared.
“I realize this changes the way we’ll spend Wednesday and Friday nights for a while. But I couldn’t say no to Daniel when he asked me this favor, could I?”
“No, I guess not. Can I bring Pokey?”
“Do they let you have dogs at school?” Gideon countered.
Kevin let out a deep sigh. “No.”
“I tell you what. On Wednesdays I’ll get off duty early and pick you up at school. We’ll go to the park or the beach and play with Pokey until we have to leave for my class. How does that sound?”
“Okay, but what about Fridays?”
“I can’t get off early on Friday. But since we have the whole weekend together every other week, you can still come with me. We’ll have a late dinner after class on those nights.”
“How come Daniel had to ask you?”
Kevin, Kevin. “I think you already know the answer to that question.”
He lowered his head. “Yeah. He’s a good friend. I just wish Mom would let me live—”
“We’ve been over this ground before, son. And it’s not like we won’t be together. Besides, this will give you a chance to find out what I do for a living.”
“I already know,” the boy said glumly.
Kevin was going through a stage of worrying constantly that Gideon might get killed on the job. It was one of the fears family members harbored when a parent worked in law enforcement. But Gideon had assured his fourteen-year-old that being a detective was safer than being a street cop. Still, anxiety remained.
“Do you want to hear my students’ stories?” Gideon decided a little distraction right now was more important than insisting that Kevin finish his homework. His son could do that back at Fay’s.
“What stories?”
“My students are mystery writers.” Except for one, who had an entirely different motive for attending the class. Heidi Ellis presented a mystery in her own right. One that wanted solving…
“Mystery writers?”
“That’s right. They want to learn how to write what happens at the scene of a crime from a detective’s point of view. I’ll take them through the procedure step by step.”
“That ought to be interesting.”
The light had returned to his son’s eyes. Thank God.
AT ELEVEN ON SUNDAY NIGHT, Heidi finished correcting her students’ homework and reviewing her own and prepared for bed. While she was brushing her teeth, her phone rang.
Hoping against hope, she rinsed her mouth, then dashed into the bedroom to answer it. Caller ID was blocked.
“Hello?” she said anxiously.
“Ms. Ellis? John Cobb here.”
Filled with relief, she sank onto the edge of her bed.
“Thanks for calling me back. I know you’ve been out of town and I hate to bother you at home, but I’m desperate to help Dana. She’s barely hanging on.”
“I got your message earlier today and I’ve already made a call to her doctor and to the judge. We’ll get an order to the prison so the doctor there will give her the medication she needs.”
“Oh, thank you,” Heidi breathed.
“Let me assure you that I’m as eager as you are for some new evidence in this case so I can take it to the district attorney.”
She gripped the phone more tightly. “That’s why I’m calling. I’m going to get that evidence!”
There was a brief silence on his end. “It would have to be compelling. Ron Jenke, the prosecuting attorney, has a formidable reputation for winning cases. What he presented appeared to the jury to be an airtight case. Since you and I know Dana’s not guilty, that means we need a whole new approach to her case.
“Unfortunately the private detective the Turners retained after the trial never came up with anything I could use. He’s given up.”
“I know,” Heidi murmured. “When I visited Dana last Sunday, she told me there was no hope. But I told her she was wrong and promised that the next time she saw me, I’d have something good to report.” Visits to inmates had to be applied for weeks ahead. Even though Heidi knew there’d be Sundays when she couldn’t go, she’d already made application for six months’ worth of Sunday visits.
“Ms. Ellis, I’m sure you’re aware that her case will require the best criminal investigator around. He needs to be someone who’ll look at it in a completely fresh way. Someone who won’t be intimidated by Jenke or persuaded by the evidence that put Dana behind bars in the first place.
“There are investigators like that, but it’s hard to find them, let alone convince them to take a case that’s already been settled.”
Since the class, Gideon Poletti’s image had never left her mind. “I-I’ve found someone who’s a detective’s detective. Given a little more time, I may be able to persuade him to take Dana’s case.”
“Good for you! I’ll work with you any way I can. We’ll pray for a different outcome. Dana’s an innocent woman.”
“She is. I won’t rest until she’s back home. Under the circumstances, my parents and I would like to formally retain you as our attorney to help Dana. We’ll let the Turners know what we’re doing. They’re so deep in despair right now, maybe this will give them some hope.”
“They’re more fortunate than they know to have someone like you on their side.”
“Dana and I grew up next door to each other, Mr. Cobb. I’m an only child and I couldn’t love a sister more than I love her. As for my parents, they love her like a daughter. No matter how long it takes, I’ll fight to get her out of prison.”
“Be assured I’ll do everything in my power to help make that happen. Call me when you’re ready to meet.”
“Thank you very much. Expect a retainer in the mail in the next few days.”
“Let’s not worry about that right now, Ms. Ellis. Good luck. I’ll look forward to hearing from you soon.”
Heidi hung up, more convinced than ever that a man with a reputation like Daniel Mcfarlane’s would’ve made sure he sent the best detective in the business to replace him.
If Detective Poletti couldn’t come up with new evidence, no one could.
But Mr. Cobb had hit on one major problem. Her teacher was a human being with a personal life and a career that might make it impossible for him to take on Dana’s case.
As Heidi saw it, she’d have to make him care about her friend. The way to do that was to be certain her synopsis was the masterpiece he’d alluded to.
“DAD, THERE’S MAX!” Kevin started waving.
Gideon turned his head in time to see his closest friend walk through the crowded dining room of the Jolly Roger. Their friendship went back eighteen years or more. Gideon could honestly say he’d never seen Max this happy. Marriage had transformed him. The news that he was going to be a father soon kept a perpetual smile on his face.
“Hey, Kev, how’s it going?” The tall, dark-haired man patted Kevin’s shoulder before sitting down in the booth next to him.
