Death of the Ayn Rand Scholar by Gray Cavender (red scrolls of magic TXT) 📗

“Did Professor Siemens get into any official trouble as a result?”

“No…because the claims weren’t substantiated.” She thought for a second, then said, “All this will be on file…would you like to see a copy?”

“Yes, I would. Thank you.”

“I’ll pull the information when we finish here.”

“I hope it’s no trouble. I know you said you had other things to do when we finish.”

“Not at all. I keep our records well organized…I have to in such a large department...I’ll print you a copy before you leave.”

“Thank you.“

She smiled, then asked, “What was you major, Detective Sergeant Warne?”

“I have a BS and an MS in Justice Studies.”

“Good for you. Do you by any chance know Professor Carolyn Patek?”

“Yes, I’m happy to say that she directed my honors thesis and my master’s project.”

Wilson clinched a fist at her chest in what looked like a kind of affirmative gesture. “Carolyn has been a reader on several honors theses with English undergrads. We’ve had a number of interactions…all positive. I’ve always found her to be very conscientious...demanding, but she really works with the students…sees them through the process.”

“Yes. On both counts…demanding and conscientious. She didn’t just help me graduate…she made me stretch, intellectually.” Jillian glanced at her IPAD, then back up and asked, “So, what can you tell me about Professor Siemens’ personal life?”

“Obviously, we weren’t close…so most of what I know about her is either from when she interviewed here…or from her personnel file…I’m in charge of those as well.”

She thought for a few seconds, then said, “Nelda came to Arizona as a single woman…never married…no children. We hired her from Mount Holyoke. She’d been an associate professor there, but her promotion to full professor was expedited as a part of her recruitment….an incentive, if you will. Detective Sergeant Warne, I take it that you understand the university rank system…”

“Yes. Professor Patek is an associate professor, but probably will go up for full next year…or the year after, at the latest. Knowing her…you can be sure that she’ll have an excellent file.”

“That’s for sure.” She sighed, then asked, “Detective Sergeant Warne, should I notify her dad? He lives in California. He’s a professor emeritus. Her mom passed some time ago.”

“No, we have someone…who does that.”

Wilson nodded. “Whew…what a job that must be.”

“I know,” Jillian sighed, too.

They talked for a few more minutes. Jillian learned that after college, Ms. Wilson had worked in banking for several years, moving from teller to an administrative position in Norfolk, which had led to a position in the Bursar’s Office at Old Dominion University. She was promoted from that office to a high-level administrative position in the College of Arts & Letters. She’d moved to ASU because she wanted a change, both professionally and geographically.

Jillian followed her back to her desk. Wilson worked at her computer for maybe twenty seconds, nodded and said, “OK, I have it. I’ll print you a copy, if you’d like, but I’ll also forward it…is an emailed PDF OK?”

“Yes, that’d be great…and a printed version, too. I’d like to glance over it before I leave…in case I have questions. Shall I give you my email address?”

“No,” she smiled, “I have it on your card…if this is the one you prefer,” she said, displaying Jillian’s business card.

“You are organized, Ms. Wilson. And yes, that’s the address. Thanks.”

She smiled and pressed a couple of keys on her keyboard. “I’ll be right back…we have a centralized printer. Please…” she offered the chair to the side of her desk.

Jillian sat, then opened her IPAD…the PDF had arrived. She opened the file and began scanning it. The file contained the student’s grievance…signed by three students. There was Professor Siemens’ five- page response, the Undergraduate Committee’s two-page letter, and Professor Keefer’s four-page memo.

Jillian had finished the student grievance and the Undergrad Committee’s memo and had just started on Professor Siemens’ response when Wilson returned with a printed copy of the file. “Thank you,” Jillian said, and switched from the PDF to the printed copy.

While Jillian read, Wilson worked at her computer. Jillian assumed that she was trying to complete her other work so that she could leave. At one point, Wilson left again, but was gone only for a few minutes. Jillian read quickly, but carefully enough to spot any areas that she needed to ask about.

When she finished her read, she said, “You have a very good memory…your recap of the file was really accurate.”

“As I said, it helps to be organized given the size of our department. While you read the file, I pulled-up as much information as I could on the students who filed the grievance against Nelda.” She passed Jillian more printed pages.

“Wow…thank you.”

“What you’ll see in this print-out is that two of the students graduated…one last May…” she pointed with a pen at one name…” the student’ name was Kishonna Banner…”and the other in August at the end of summer school.” She pointed at a second name…Sydney Johnson. The third student—Lawrence Paxton, is a senior and he should graduate this December, at the end of this fall semester. I’ve also printed-out their addresses…at least what’s listed...but, this does contain permanent addresses, too, in case they’ve moved…or with the two who graduated, moved away.”

“Again, thank you so much.”

“I hope I’ve helped.” Wilson was quiet for a few seconds, then said, “Maybe I didn’t like Nelda very much, but still…” she sighed, but didn’t finish her thought.

As they parted, Jillian thanked her, and for some reason shook her hand with both of her hands, and thanked her again.

Wilson said, “I don’t think I know any women detectives, but I’d like to. Maybe we should have coffee sometime.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

CHAPTER 3

Jillian badged herself in through the gate, parked the cart and entered ASU’s HQ through the employee entrance. Despite the campus closure, everyone at ASU PD was in place. People did seem to be grim-faced, though…obviously everyone knew about Professor Nelda Siemens…but Jillian caught plenty of positive nods, too. Mary Anne,