Stork Raving Mad: A Meg Langslow Mystery (A Meg Lanslow Mystery)

that,” I said. “I’ll make this quick. When the chief and his men finish sorting through Dr. Blanco’s and Dr. Wright’s offices, I think they’ll find that in addition to Blanco’s fiscal misdeeds, the two of them have been up to a great many things that you don’t approve of.” At least I hoped Blanco had been pulling the wool over his boss’s eyes, not carrying out his policies. If The Face was in on it, Caerphilly was in more trouble than I wanted to imagine.
    “Oh, yes, definitely!” The Face said. He was almost babbling. “I can’t tell you how dismayed I am. He seemed quite reliable,of course. Unfortunately that led to his being given a great deal of independence. I’m afraid most of his recent actions and decisions will have to be very carefully reviewed by the appropriate administrative entities. There may need to be changes.”
    “Yes,” I said. “For example, you may want to rethink his attempt to cancel the performance of a play by one of Spain’s most distinguished living dramatists.” Michael coughed slightly at that, but I pressed on. “Think of the international incident that would occur if the play isn’t performed. And if the press found out that it was canceled at the behest of a cold-blooded murderer . . .”
    “Oh, I’m sure there’s no problem with the play going on,” The Face said. “It’s a little risqué, of course, but then so is Shakespeare at times. I’ve been quite enjoying the rehearsal. The play can definitely proceed. Is that all?”
    “Not quite,” I said. “Did you know that my grandfather has been trying to give the college a building?” I asked.
    “A building?” The Face liked the sound of that. He assumed the unctuous look he usually reserved for large donors. “What building?”
    “A new state-of-the art theater,” I said. “Unfortunately, it looks as if Dr. Blanco was trying to get his hands on the money Grandfather was planning to donate and abscond with it.”
    The Face frowned—a rare expression, and one that could only have been evoked by the idea of someone extracting money from the college coffers rather than adding to them.
    “Fortunately, the chief has foiled his plot,” I said. “And the donation can go forward. Of course, it comes with a few strings.”
    The Face sighed. He was probably all too familiar with the kind of strings donors thought up.
    “He’s taken a dislike to the English department,” I said. “Doesn’t want to give them a building. Can’t blame him, given all the revelations we’ve had about Dr. Wright’s dirty tricks. But if there were an independent drama department to take charge of it . . .”
    “Is that possible?” The Face asked.
    I glanced at Art and Abe.
    “I think you’ll find we’ve already worked out a feasible structure for the change,” Abe said. He took The Face by one elbow. Art closed in on the other side, ready to steer him away and close the deal. Abe gave me a thumbs-up sign behind The Face’s back.
    “Good work,” Michael said.
    “Once the department’s independent, I think you should talk Kathy Borgstrom into reapplying for the Ph.D. program,” I said.
    “That’s a great idea,” he said. “But right now we need to head for the hospital.”
    “One more thing,” I said. “Where’s Grandfather?”
    “Right here!” He stumped in from the living room. “I overheard you talking to that bureaucrat. You think I’ll get my building?”
    “Odds are good,” I said. “Meanwhile, I’d really like to come home to a house empty of students.”
    “I hear you,” he said. “I’d like to move back to the Caerphilly Inn, but fat chance of that, either. No offense, but your guestroom doesn’t quite match a five-star hotel. Still, it’ll have to do till they fix the heating plant.”
    “Randall!”
    Randall Shiffley loped into the room.
    “Thanks,” he said. “Looks like we’ve solved the mystery of why that jerk wasn’t paying me. Maybe I won’t go broke after all.”
    “If someone were willing to front you the money to buy that part for the heating plant, how fast could you get the damned thing working?” I asked.
    Randall and my grandfather looked at each other.
    “I’m not sure we could have it done by the time you get home,” Randall said. “They kick new mothers out of the hospital awfully soon these days. But I’ll do my damnedest.”
    “How much money do you need?” my grandfather said.
    “Go talk about it somewhere else,” Michael said