Scattered Graves

chairs by now , she thought. She noticed that he wore an identical pinky ring. So—an Alexander the Great club?
‘‘I hope this is everyone, or we’ll have to go to the auditorium,’’ said Diane.
‘‘Now, why exactly have you come?’’ she asked again.
‘‘What’s this business about shutting down the crime lab?’’ said Peeks.
‘‘I wouldn’t know anything about that,’’ said Diane. ‘‘These papers simply direct that the crime lab be re moved from museum property.’’
‘‘We have a contract with the museum,’’ said the mayor.
‘‘Mr. Jefferies,’’ said Diane. ‘‘The contract was voided when the crime lab guard threatened a sevenyear-old visitor and one of my docents with a gun. The overlook where the incident happened is provided by the museum as a place were visitors may go for a top view of the dinosaurs. It is a heavily used feature of the museum. It does not fall under the jurisdiction of the crime lab.’’
Peeks started to speak. ‘‘It is my understanding the guard never actually pulled his gun.’’
Diane cut him off. ‘‘He showed it to them, referred to it, and emphasized its presence. He ordered them off the overlook and told them if they were to come back again they would be in serious trouble with him and his gun. That is a threat. He was out of control and beyond his authority.’’
‘‘She exaggerates,’’ said Bryce in a tone that sug gested this was an end to the matter.
‘‘I have the videos,’’ said Diane. ‘‘Not only of the incident with the child, but of another when he con fronted me and the docent, and a third video that shows him attempting to attack me and to wrestle the gate away from me while I was securing the museum. And Bryce, before you say I was locking him in, I would remind you that he had points of egress from the overlook by means of a stairwell and an elevator— in addition to the elevator in the crime lab.’’
Diane paused, but when none of them said anything she continued.
‘‘The contract has very clear prohibitions against the crime lab putting the museum, its visitors, or its staff in danger. The guard would not listen to reason, choosing instead to bully and to use physical force and threats. When I asked Bryce to intervene, to rein the guard in, he refused—with some rather foul language. It was clear that Bryce was in support of the guard’s actions. I had no choice but to execute the provisions of the contract to protect the museum,’’ said Diane.
‘‘You could have given us a heads-up on this,’’ said the mayor.
‘‘I could not delay. The crime lab was out of control and I didn’t know how much worse it was going to get. I had already been forced to evacuate the entire third floor of the museum to remove my staff from the danger presented by the belligerent guard.’’
Bryce made an explosive noise that Diane took to mean she was exaggerating again.
‘‘The incident with the security guard was just the latest and the worst in a long list of contract violations. Bryce sent Curtis Crabtree with instructions that he was to work in the DNA lab that is owned and oper ated by the museum. There are no open positions in the DNA lab and he was so informed by the DNA lab manager. But Mr. Crabtree wouldn’t take no for an answer. He refused to leave and got physical when he was told that the lab
separate incident, in clear
was not hiring. And in a violation of his authority, Bryce tried to dismiss me as head of the museum’s osteology lab and install someone he had flown in from California and promised the job to.’’
Bryce squirmed in his chair and looked angry, impa tient, and dismissive.
‘‘Frankly,’’ said Diane before he could speak, ‘‘I’m at a loss to understand what is going on. But it is clear that the actions of the director of the crime lab and members of his staff are interfering with and dis rupting the operations of the museum, putting its staff and visitors in danger, and soiling its reputation. It has to stop here and now. The museum is responding by removing the crime lab from its premises.’’
‘‘There is a matter of the taxes we have forgiven,’’ said the mayor.
Ah, yes, the over-the-top taxes , thought Diane.
‘‘That is being addressed as well,’’ said Colin.
They all turned and looked at him, as if they had forgotten he was there.
‘‘I’m not a potted plant either,’’ he said, giving them one of his charming grins.
‘‘Is there no room for