Mulch ado about nothing

perhaps she can’t be hypnotized. Some people can’t, you know. And anyway, she’ll have a pretty long recovery time. She’s got a touch of amnesia about other things as well. The neurologist thinks the nonthreatening memories will return pretty fast.“
    “I guess you’ve taken fingerprints from her office?”
    Mel raised his eyebrows and said, “You doubted that? Of course we did. But most of her files seem to have been handled by other people somewhere along the line. Lots of prints, but none matching her sister or her brother-in-law except on innocuous personal letters. And even the letters were filed in the color-coded booklets.“
    “So you suspect her sister or brother-in-law?“
    “It’s routine to suspect family members, Jane. Most violent crimes are within the family.“
    “Do you still think either one of them could have done it?”
    Mel shook his head. “The sister had time- stamped receipts from her shopping that matched the tags on the clothes she’d bought. Her husband had a parking ticket at a garage in Chicago that covered most of the time they say they were gone, allowing for the travel back and forth.“
    “Does that let them off the hook?“
    “Not necessarily. The time of the attack is hard to guess, so in theory they could have roughed her up before they left her house. We have only their word that she was all right when they left.
    Too bad the perp didn’t break her watch in the at tack, so we could tell when it happened. Unfortunately, that only happens in books.“
    “What about her files? Could you tell if any thing was missing?“
    “Two of the file drawers were gaping open. She might have left them that way while she was working. There isn’t any huge gap and nothing’s strewn around.“
    “Computer?“
    “It’s being gone over. There doesn’t seem to be anything so far that indicates recent threats or personal conflicts.“
    “Is there something older in the files that does indicate conflicts?“
    “Much older. Most of her files are letters outlining the pl an ts she’s been asked to analyze. All sorts of stuff about DNA and cell structure of the various parts of the pl an t, a full description, and pictures someone’s provided are in each file as well. And the receipts for her work. A few people argued about her results, but fairly mildly.“
    “Does this have to do with disputed plant patents?“ Jane said, remembering something Dr. Eastman had said in class.
    “Only a very few. Most seem to be from people who intend to apply for a patent and want to double-check if their submission is too much like anything she’s studied before. I’m told by an expert in the patent outfit that this happens often because getting the patent is so expensive that people often would rather pay an outside expert before submitting the patent information. Her sister said it’s been a couple of years at least since she had to testify in court about a disputed patent. The rest of the time, she writes articles for botany texts and specialty magazines.“
    “Was there a file from Dr. Stewart Eastman?“
    “Who’s that?“
    “The guy with the pink marigolds he’s patenting. Also the man who took over teaching the class when Julie couldn’t do it.“
    “Doesn’t ring a bell, but I’ll check. Pink marigolds? Is that possible?“
    “It seems so,“ Jane said. “He brought them to class to show off.”
    Mel went to the phone and gave Eastman’s name to someone in his office who had a list of Julie’s files. Waited a long time, then said, “Thanks.”
    While he was gone, Jane recovered the emery board and had a good, long, satisfying scratching session. She slipped it into the sofa cushions as he returned.
    “No, J an e, no Eastman in the files. Why would you think he might be involved?“
    “I don’t really. It’s just that he patents plants, and seemed to know Julie and her sister.“
    “What class is this anyway?“
    “It was supposed to be basic botany. Shelley and I signed up just hoping to learn what kind of plants might grow for us. It turned out that Eastman’s interest is entirely in patenting plants, not the basics like we expected. It’s sort of interesting in theory, but not something of practical value to anyone in the class.“
    “And is this where the strange Ursula comes into your life? Who in the world is she?“ Mel asked.
    Jane sighed. “Ursula is hard to describe. She’s an aging hippy. All tie-dyed and madly liberal or maybe madly