Dr. Henry grunted and nodded to Snyder, who he apparently thought was taking notes, though he had nothing to write on in front of him. Henry moved on, growling at the next researcher. From opposite him, Saffron made an amused face at Alexander, who grimaced.
Dr. Berking cleared his throat. Henry ignored him and turned to the next researcher, but Berking said, “Dr. Henry, the botany department—”
With a look of utter annoyance, Henry looked at him and said, “We’ve heard from botany, Berking.”
Affronted, Berking’s face colored a deep red. “As the head of botany, I would think that I should get a say in whether or not Dr. Maxwell’s study will go forward.”
With an eye roll and a huff of frustration, Henry waved a hand. “Go on then.”
“As Dr. Maxwell is currently indisposed,” said Berking, his eyes slipping over to Saffron with a malicious glint, making Alexander grit his teeth, “we are still in consultation over whether we will continue on with the chlorophyll study or press into the next available research project, which is a study on exotic poisons. You must be well aware of all the possibilities the Amazon offers for such things, Dr. Henry. We wouldn’t want this opportunity to pass by.”
Henry, who was letting his attention wander obviously, stiffened as Berking spoke. His eyes narrowed at the window. “Indeed,” Henry replied gruffly, nodding again to Snyder. With amusement, Alexander watched Henry realize Snyder hadn’t been taking notes. He looked ready to reprimand him when he caught sight of Saffron just behind Snyder, writing notes studiously. His eyes lingered on her momentarily.
After a few more comments about studies and supplies, the meeting concluded, and the group began to break up. Dr. Henry stood talking to several men as they passed on their way to the door, his old swagger seeming to come out as he laughed and clapped them on the back. Robinson, who insisted they discuss how biology would be coordinated with entomology, shuffled Alexander down the hall.
* * *
Saffron finished her notes and stood, taking a very long time to close her bag and prepare to leave. She was trying to overhear Dr. Berking and Richard Blake. Blake had remained completely silent throughout the whole meeting. His face had stayed the same too. She was beginning to wonder if his face made any other expressions than indifference and a bland smile. Blake and Berking had their heads together and backs turned, and their conversation was far too quiet to hear.
Dr. Henry strode over to her. “Miss Everleigh, I believe.”
“Yes, sir,” said Saffron, somewhat surprised he knew her name.
“Snyder says you stepped in to take notes to free him up for the meeting. Very kind of you to humor him,” he said, his voice as loud as when he had addressed the whole room. “He gets in quite a tizzy if he’s forced to do his job and write things down. Some assistant!”
Saffron offered a tight-lipped smile.
Dr. Henry dropped his voice to a normal volume and gave her an evaluating look. “I want to get a copy of these notes so I could look over them this evening. Type them up and bring them to my office at the end of the day.”
“Yes, sir, I can do that,” Saffron said, stomach fluttering. She’d just been given the perfect opportunity to question the top suspect. “Is five o’clock all right?”
“That’ll be fine,” he said, eyes narrowing slightly. “See you then.”
CHAPTER 18
Saffron hurried along the hallway, heels clacking as she passed researchers from the meeting chatting in the hall. She needed to type up the notes for Dr. Henry, but more than that, she needed to plan what she was going to say to him.
A frisson of nerves slid down her spine at the prospect—he could have tried to kill his own wife. But she would be careful. A few questions about his wife being in hospital would be a natural lead into more serious questions. She could always plead curiosity, since she obviously had nothing to do with the Henrys or the expedition funds.
At the bottom of the stairs, Saffron looked about the hall, hoping to see Alexander amid the students milling around. She needed to get his advice about how to handle Dr. Henry. Instead of Alexander, she saw Dr. Berking’s hulking figure making his way through the door at the far end of the hall, Mr. Blake behind him.
Caught between impatience to question Dr. Henry and the desire to know what Berking and Blake were talking about, she found her feet moving toward the retreating backs of the two men. They were already almost to the racquetball courts to the north of the building when Saffron exited the hall, but Saffron could hear Berking’s loud voice echoing across the green.