Cold as Ice (6 page)

“You wouldn't have been in the process of putting it there yourself, would you?”

Nancy reminded herself to be patient and polite. “If you would just call Dean Jarvis,” she repeated, “he'll tell you who I am.”

“A detective,” Sergeant Balsam said with disdain. “Is that right? An
amateur
detective. And you think you're going to make fools of the police by solving this theft when we can't. Is that right, Ms. Drew?”

“No, of course not, Sergeant. But sometimes I can find out things that the police can't—
because
I'm an amateur.” Somehow, she didn't think the sergeant would appreciate hearing that.

“Uh-huh.” The sergeant straightened up and adjusted his gun belt. “Would you mind telling me where you were at the time the fire in the boat house was discovered?”

“Not at all. I was at the dedication ceremony for the new rowing tank. I was standing with four friends, all of whom can vouch for me. I'll be glad to give you their names if you like.”

“Later, maybe. And what did you do at that point?”

Nancy thought back, then replied, “We went around to the front of the boat house to watch the fire fighters.”

“Together?”

“Together,” Nancy replied with a nod.

“And was Rob Harper part of your group?”

Nancy hesitated for a moment. She didn't want to make things worse for Rob than they already were, but she couldn't lie to the police. She just hoped he wasn't counting on his friends to give him an alibi.

“He was with us when the ceremony started,” Nancy said, choosing her words with care. “I don't recall seeing him when the fire was discovered. There was a lot of confusion.”

“So I hear,” the sergeant said. “But he rejoined you while you were standing in front of the boat house. Is that right?”

“That's right,” Nancy said.

“At that time, was he wearing this jacket?” Sergeant Balsam pointed to the purple and orange jacket.

“No, just a sweater,” Nancy replied, with a sinking feeling. The evidence was all too neatly pointing at Rob.

“I see.” The sergeant walked over to his desk and picked up the telephone. Keeping his back to
Nancy, he dialed and spoke in a low voice to the person who answered. When he hung up, he said, “All right, Ms. Drew. I just spoke to Dean Jarvis. You can go. But let me give you a piece of advice. Don't interfere with our investigation. You'll just muddy the water for us, and that can make us feel real angry.”

“Thank you, Sergeant Balsam,” Nancy replied. As she stood up, she added, “What about Rob? Is he free to leave?”

Without answering Nancy's question, the sergeant walked out of the room. A few moments later he returned with Rob.

“Nancy!” Rob exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“That's a long story,” Nancy told him. She looked at the sergeant. “May we go now?”

“Yes,” he said gruffly. Shooting Rob a wary glance, he added, “But don't think you've heard the last of this.”

“Let's go,” Nancy said to Rob. “The others are probably worried about us.”

As they walked back to the campus, Rob told her about the questions the police had asked him. “I can't believe they think I set that fire. I mean, crewing is the most important thing I do at Emerson,” he said, shaking his head. “I would never sabotage the boat house!”

Nancy gave him a sympathetic look. She believed
him, but considering the evidence so far— the jacket, his disappearance during the dedication ceremony, and his being suspended from the crew team—it would be tough to prove his innocence.

“Look, Rob,” she said, “where exactly did you go when you left the dedication ceremony? It's important for you to establish an alibi. Everybody knows you weren't at the ceremony, because the coach thanked you by name and asked you to stand up.”

“He did?” Rob asked, surprised. “I didn't know that. I'm glad I had the sense to duck out. I don't know if I could have stood that, after everything that's happened.”

He took a deep breath before continuing.

“I was feeling so . . . I don't know, restless and upset about being off the team that I decided to go for a run across campus to Foster Gate, then back the long way by the heating plant.”

Nancy nodded. “Did you see anybody you know?”

“The cops asked me that, too,” he said. “And I'll tell you what I told them. I didn't notice anybody. I'm not saying I didn't pass a few people, but I didn't pay any attention.”

Nancy sighed. If nobody saw him, it would be impossible to find someone who could verify his
story. Rob sure wasn't making her job any easier. “What about your jacket? Are you sure you left it in the boat house?”

“I'm positive!” he shouted. “I'm sorry. It's just that I've done nothing for the last half hour except answer questions about that stupid jacket.”

“Do you have any idea how it could have gotten soaked with gasoline?”

He raised his hands, palms up, in a gesture of exasperation. “How should I know?” he said miserably. “I don't understand any of this. I mean, when I woke up this morning I was just a normal student like everyone else. Now all of a sudden I'm a major criminal!” He shook his head. “Do you realize that on top of setting the boat house fire, the cops think I stole those jewels? Can you believe it?”

“I can't believe you did it,” Nancy admitted. “But you'd better face the fact that the police have good reason to suspect you. And it looks as if somebody is trying to give them better reasons.”

Rob looked at her in disbelief. “You mean someone's setting me up?”

Nancy nodded. “It looks that way. Can you think of anybody who might want to get you in trouble?”

“Not this kind of trouble,” he said. “I'm not saying everybody's a friend of mine, but I usually get along with people.”

Nancy studied Rob's face. His expression was sincere. “Okay,” she said reassuringly. “But if anything comes to mind, let me know.”

Another twenty minutes brought them to the student center. As they walked in the door, Ned called out, “Nancy! Rob!” and rushed over to them. “I was so worried. What happened to you?” he asked, taking Nancy's hand in his. “We thought you'd get here an hour ago! We were just about to go look for you.”

“I might as well tell everyone at the same time,” Nancy said, leading Ned over to the others.

While Nancy told them about finding Rob's jacket and being taken in for questioning by the police, Rob stood by silently, a gloomy expression on his face.

Jerry turned to him, clapped him on the shoulder, and said, “Ol' buddy, it sounds to me like somebody is fitting you for a frame.”

“I already told Nancy, nobody dislikes me that much,” Rob said in a downcast voice.

“But maybe somebody simply wants to send the police off on a false trail. Maybe the reason you're the target is that the thief happened to find your jacket and realized that he could use it.”

“You mean the thief might not have any connection at all to Rob?” Bess said. “Then how on earth are we ever going to track him down?”

“The usual mixture,” Nancy said. “Sound thinking, hard work, and a touch of good luck.”

“I sure could use the good luck,” Rob said, smiling weakly. “But let's not talk about my problems anymore. It's Winter Carnival, after all.”

Nancy was glad he was making an effort to cheer up, even if it was only for everyone else's sake. Glancing over Rob's shoulder, Nancy saw someone who wouldn't help his mood.

Rob was unzipping his parka and starting to take it off just as Susan Samuels walked past. She ducked to dodge his outstretched arm, but ended up falling against him. She tumbled to the stone floor.

“Sorry,” Susan and Rob said at the same instant. As he reached down to help her to her feet, she looked up and recognized him.

“Get your hands off me!” Susan said, pushing him away.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean—” Rob began.

“You heard her, Harper,” a deep voice said.

Nancy turned to see a guy who was half a foot shorter than Rob, but just as wide and muscular. He was wearing a motorcycle jacket and a long wool muffler in the Emerson colors of
purple and orange. He grabbed the collar of Rob's parka and added, “Back off!”

Rob pushed the guy's hand away and said, “Get lost, Forsyte. What makes you think you can give me orders?”

For an answer, the other guy planted his feet solidly on the floor and drew back his arm to throw a punch at Rob's face!

G
REG, NO!”
Susan screamed.

Rob's hands tightened into fists, and the look on his face told Nancy that he would welcome a good reason to strike out at anyone. Grabbing his arm, she said, “Rob, don't.”

At the same time, Ned and Jerry moved in between Rob and the guy Susan had called Greg. “Hey, cut it out, you guys,” Ned shouted.

He took Rob by the shoulders and urged him to back up, while Jerry stood right in front of Greg, talking to him in a low, calm voice.

“I want him to stay away from Susan,” Greg said loudly.

“You get no argument from me on that, fella,” Rob replied.

“There,” Jerry said. “He'll stay away from Susan. Okay?”

Greg's face was still red, his fists still clenched. “I don't like the way you said that,” he muttered, glaring at Rob.

Jerry put a hand on each of Greg's shoulders. “Nobody wants any trouble,” he said. “So why don't we all just go our own ways?”

Greg scowled up at Jerry. “I don't like—”

Susan took his arm. “Come on, Greg,” she said. “Let's just drop it.”

“Drop it?” he said. “That guy almost knocked you down. You want to let him get away with that?”

“It was an accident,” Susan told him. “He wasn't paying attention, and I wasn't looking where I was going. That's all.”.

“You deserve an apology,” Greg insisted, glaring around Jerry's arm at Rob.

Rob looked tired of the whole argument. “Hey,” he said, “if it'll make any difference, I'll apologize. Okay? Susan, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to knock you down.”

“There,” Jerry said, urging Greg toward the door of the student center. “It's all settled now.”

Susan gave Nancy an apologetic look, then followed Greg out the door.

“Well!” Bess exclaimed. “What was that all about?”

Rob looked embarrassed. “Greg tried out for the number-five oar on the varsity crew last fall. I was the number-three oar in the same boat. Well, when he found out he didn't make the cut, he said it was my fault, that I'd deliberately thrown him off his stroke.”

“And had you?” Nancy asked.

Rob's face reddened. “Of course not! He just didn't have what it takes, and the coach saw it. But Greg would rather blame me than face up to that fact.”

“Some facts are hard to face,” Nancy observed. “But just now he seemed more concerned about Susan than his position on the crew. Why is that?”

The red in Rob's cheeks deepened. “Oh, Susan and I used to be a couple, that's all.”

“That's
all?”
George repeated.

“All right, it was more than that. We dated for most of a year. We even talked about getting engaged. And then—I don't know—it just ended. We weren't having fun anymore.”

“So you both agreed to break up?” Nancy asked. “No hard feelings, as they say?”

“Well . . . I'm the one who broke it off. And Susan swore she'd never forgive me. It hurt her pride that
I
broke up with
her.”

Nancy nodded. That explained why Susan was so mad at him. “When was all this?” Nancy asked. “The breakup, I mean?”

“Oh, not long after school started.”

“And you and Susan have had nothing to do with each other since?”

“A few dirty looks—from her, not from me. I'm sorry she's still mad. Maybe that's why she started going with someone who has it in for me.

“Listen,” he added, “I need to go pick up some books at the library. Coach says if I can bring my marks up by midterm, he'll go to bat for me with the dean and try to get my probation lifted.”

“What if your marks don't improve?” Nancy asked. “What happens then?”

Rob shrugged. “Then I'm off the crew, and the coach has to bring someone up from the JV team to take my oar. But I'm not going to let that happen. I'll see you guys later.”

As Ned walked with him to the door, Nancy thought about all that had just happened. It seemed as if Greg had a motive to set Rob up. But did he have a motive for the jewelry theft? She drew a blank. She simply needed more to go on. She'd already interviewed one of the guards, but—

Then it came to her. What about the renowned William Whorf? He was involved with both the
museum
and
the crew team. Maybe he'd be able to provide her with some valuable information. She'd have to try to talk with him the next day.