Dead Hunt

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 was probably at home eating. She hung up.
‘‘I’ll call his office and leave a message,’’ she said.
As she reached for the phone, it rang.
‘‘Go ahead and answer it,’’ said Frank. ‘‘You live here now.’’
Diane picked up the phone and said hello.
‘‘Hey,