Dead Hunt

reputation. We would like that back too. We didn’t do this. If you would like to look at our books, I’ll have Andie take you to Accounting.’’
Jacobs smiled. ‘‘Ross said you would be cooperative. He thinks very highly of you and the museum.’’
Diane smiled back, grateful that Ross Kingsley had spoken to Jacobs. ‘‘We’ve worked a couple of cases together,’’ said Diane. ‘‘I appreciate him giving us a good reference.’’
‘‘When he’s up and about he said he will get back in touch with you.’’
‘‘Up and about?’’ said Diane.
‘‘You didn’t know? Last night on the way home from . . . actually from here, he fell asleep at the wheel and wrecked his car.’’

Chapter 25
    ‘‘Fell asleep at the wheel?’’ repeated Diane. ‘‘Is he all right?’’
    ‘‘Fine. Banged up a little—treated at the hospital and released. He seemed rather embarrassed by it. He said he’d never done anything like that before.’’ Agent Jacobs paused a moment. ‘‘What?’’ he said as Diane stared at him.
    It happened here, she thought. ‘‘Did you and he talk about his latest case?’’ said Diane. ‘‘Clymene O’Riley?’’
‘‘A little. Actually he wanted me to tell you something. He mentioned the name Clymene and I, in my usual pedantic mode, mentioned that in Greek mythology Clymene was a girl whose father sold her into slavery.’’ Jacobs stopped and pointed at Diane’s face and grinned. ‘‘Ross had the same expression.’’
‘‘That may explain a lot about our Clymene,’’ said Diane. ‘‘She can’t have chosen that name by chance.’’
‘‘That’s just what Ross said,’’ Jacobs replied.
Diane grabbed her cell. ‘‘I need to speak with Kingsley,’’ she said. ‘‘Korey can show you the way back to either my or Jonas’ office. I’ll catch up to you in a little bit.’’
‘‘That information must be really important,’’ said Jacobs.
‘‘Both things are,’’ called Diane as she went out the door.
Before she was out of hearing range, she heard Korey telling Jacobs, ‘‘It’s like that here all the time.’’
Diane retraced her steps to the geology section and to Mike’s office and knocked.
‘‘Doc,’’ said Mike when he opened the door. ‘‘Nice surprise. What can I do for you?’’
‘‘I’d like to borrow your office for a minute,’’ she said.
‘‘Sure. Come in. Shall I leave?’’ he asked.
‘‘I hate to throw you out of your office, but would you mind?’’ Diane asked.
‘‘No. I have some things to do in the lab. Take all the time you need.’’
‘‘Mike, thanks,’’ said Diane as he was leaving.
He lingered at the door a moment. ‘‘Sure, Doc. You know you can always count on me.’’ He closed the door.
Diane wanted a private place to talk with Kingsley, and Mike’s was the closest office. She looked up his number on her cell.
‘‘Diane,’’ Kingsley said, answering. ‘‘I’m relieved to hear your voice. I was just reading about you. Are you all right?’’
‘‘Yes, I’m fine. I haven’t seen the paper; what does it say?’’
‘‘Not much, really. Something about a home invasion and an unknown assailant who might be injured or dead. What happened?’’ he asked.
Good ol’ Garnett, thought Diane. He had a knack for totally confusing a news story.
‘‘A lot more than in the papers. How are you?’’
‘‘I guess Shane told you about my accident. Asleep at the wheel...I—’’
‘‘I think you may have been drugged,’’ interrupted Diane.
Kingsley was silent for a moment.
‘‘Drugged?’’ he said. ‘‘What do you mean? How? You mean at the museum?’’
‘‘Do you have a bruise or—I know this is going to sound a little appalling—but do you have any clothes with your blood on them from the accident?’’ said Diane.
‘‘I don’t know. Bruises, yes, but my wife took my clothes. What’s this about?’’ he asked.
‘‘I’m sure you’ve metabolized it out of your system by now, but the blood in a bruise or in your clothes can be analyzed for barbiturates,’’ Diane said.
‘‘Barbiturates. Okay, what’s this about?’’ he asked.
‘‘Last night I apparently slept through a violent homicide in my apartment. At the hospital they found barbiturates in my blood sample. If it weren’t for that, I’d probably be under arrest for murder.’’
There was a rather long silence at the other end of the phone. Diane was beginning to wonder if he had hung