hm, it appears LJ is down.
So without further ados here is chapter 47 of "The Chesterfield Fortune". I will post later on LJ.
47.
“These students – they had clinic duties at various places?”
“Oh yes,” nodded the assistant registrar, who smiled engagingly at Esteban long enough for him to return the expression with a shy glance.
“Can you tell me which clinics there were, for these students? That we are investigating.”
The smile faded. “These are registration records,” said the woman, shaking a bobbed head full of bright orange curls, and she pulled a folder back toward her on the desk.
“Yes, I understand. We are investigating the assaults of these... student nurses.”
“You’ll need ta get permission,” she said, her voice hushing. “An the registrar ain’t here at the moment. Do you have... a – a – a warrant or something?”
He blinked at her. “These are the victims’ records, Miss –“
“Bradford,” she said. “Laura.” The ghost of a smile returned briefly before it flickered off. “Yes well the information is... well it’s confidential.”
“How can it be confidential? They drive to the clinic and see patients, so anyone can find out where they are at a given time, isn’t that so?” Esteban was aggravated, unable to believe that a student assistant in the registrar’s office was arguing with him about innocuous information.
“It is ! See?” she pointed to the strip on the edge of the folder – “Office of the Registrar: Confidential.”
“You think that is meant to keep vital information from being reviewed by the Sheriff’s department on official business trying to serve and protect these students who have been brutally assaulted?” his voice edged up.
Laura Bradford frowned, discomfited. “Ya know, some big-wig long haired detective showed up here one time and charmed his way right through the door durin the summer term when that boy was shot dead and I ended up gettin a warnin for not talkin to the Registrar about it before he copied things. Everythin ya copy has ta go through Pearl Mason.”
Suddenly Esteban put two and two together. “Bradford...do you have a relative working for the Sheriff’s department?”
Another ghost of a smile as he changed the subject. She nodded. “Oh yeah, my Daddy, but he was up Clifton, even though we lived in town here. He got a job workin for Perry’s when that outfit opened up here. Why – you know em?”
“I just heard of him doing some security in Tourmaline.”
“Oh yeah he’s watchin the queer boys dance. The other guys in the company just don’t let it rest. He got in a fistfight about it once down at the Carousel,” she said. Now Esteban understood why Laura was so reluctant to have Esteban look in the files: once she started giving out information, she didn’t quite know when to stop.
“Well bein a policeman’s daughter you ought ta know that when it’s the victim’s records, because they aren’t bein charged with a crime an there is nothing private about the information then it is all right to share with the police. It isn’t like hospital treatment or anything like that they might not want anyone to know.”
She frowned again. “That skinny detective put you up to this? What’s his name again?”
“Chief Deputy Cantrell. You’ve met him I take it.”
She nodded, her smile resuming where it left off. “He’s a real charmin man. Couldn’t say no ta him.”
“Really?”
“Nope, not in the least.”
“Do you mind if I use your phone for an official call?”
“Oh sure, no problem,” she said cheerfully, and set the desk set on the counter in front of him. Esteban dialed the number quickly.
“Don’t hang up Mr. Grey – this is very urgent, and will only take a minute.” He paused, giving Laura Bradford an encouraging smile. “I need to talk to the Chief again for just one minute, I promise.”
The woman’s eyes lighted up as Esteban talked to Ellery. “Yeah I told her but she thinks it’s confidential and such, would you tell her?” He handed the receiver to Laura and stepped back.
“Hello?” she said, voice wavering slightly.
“Listen, this is Chief Deputy Cantrell, an I got woken up sick in bed,” Ellery said. “I understand you are concerned about givin out personal information on the victims a these heinous crimes. Did you know we finally got a description an we are tryin ta piece together a profile a the perpetrator ta bring em to justice, don’t you? Laura, right?”
“Yeah,” she said, voice dropping, and a blush crept across her face.”
“You were real helpful last time in helpin me find William Wilkes’ killer. An that has not gone unnoticed, Laura. The Sheriff himself is real proud a citizens helpin out when there are criminals on the loose.”
“Yeah, I guess.... and yer the Chief deputy a the whole county huh?”
“You bet. Esteban there was my partner for many years an I sent em up ta see you helpful folks at the Registrar’s office because I knew he could find what he was lookin for.”
“Damn. So I guess I better do that huh?”
“That rapist could be hightailin it ta Albuquerque or Phoenix as we speak, an one a yer fellow students is lyin in Memorial Hospital afraid ta open the window blind cause a him.”
“A course. Look I’m real sorry, Mr. – er, Chief, Cantrell. I’ll see what I can do, but you promise you ain’t gonna tell Mrs. Mason I let yer partner copy stuff? She gets real ornery about that.”
“I am the soul a discretion Laura. Don’t you worry about that.”
“All right.” The blush had caught her forehead and Esteban looked on in fascinated surprise.
On Ellery’s instruction, Laura handed the phone back to Esteban.
“Shouldn’t have no problems now, Lorenzo, get in, get out, find them patients.”
“Ellery...” Esteban started, then glanced up to the glowing expression on Laura Bradford’s face.
“What?”
“Um... never mind. We got ta talk sometime about that.”
Ellery laughed softly. “Ya mean about women?”
“Yeah, about that.”
“They always want what they can’t get, Esteban. It works great with married men too.”
“Not that I can see,” Esteban said. “Thanks again Chief.”
“Don’t mention it, an don’t call again. Colson is in a murderin frame a mind.”
“Will do.”
Topic: Was: Laramie Tales: New Working Title: Tales of Greenlea County (ARCHIVE) (Read 548720 times)