Murder and Mayhem in Cedar Falls. Walter Wittmuss

police station and make a statement for the sheriff and drop this off after we’re done at the hospital. I don’t want the sheriff to be able to say I withheld evidence if this thing turns out to be just that—evidence.”

      “Sure, John. I’ll make a drawing of it this afternoon sometime. What time do you want to go to the hospital?” she asked as she got out of the car in front of the Music Building.

      “How about three o’clock?”

      “That will be fine. See you later.”

      I left the Music Building and drove to my classroom building. My eyes fell on the observatory when I pulled up in front of the classroom building. I had been itching to get a look at that telescope ever since I laid eyes on the observatory that first time. Now was a good time to do just that. I drove on up to the observatory and parked in a white-rock parking area. I got out of the car and walked toward the observatory door with great anticipation. I pulled the key out of my pocket and promptly dropped it. As I was picking the key up, I noticed something lying half covered up among the white rock. I picked it up with the key.

      I turned it over in my hand. It was gold in color. It wasn’t all scratched up, so it couldn’t have been here too terribly long, even though I didn’t think there had been too many people around the observatory lately. After examining it, I decided it had to be a money clip, particularly since it had the initials FD engraved on it.

      “Can I help you with something?” a woman’s cold voice asked from behind me, startling me. I spun around to face the owner of the voice.

      A tall stately middle-aged stately woman with a no-nonsense air about her and dressed in a severe but fashionable skirt suit and high-heeled shoes stood before me.

      “I don’t think so, ma’am. I was about to go into the observatory.”

      “Are you aware that the observatory is kept locked at all times?”

      “I know. It’s a good thing I have a key.”

      “Then you must be the new professor of astrology?”

      “Yes, ma’am. Professor John Brennon at your service.”

      “Professor Brennon, I’m very happy to meet you. I’m Florence Duncan.”

      “The granddaughter—” I started to say.

      “The great-granddaughter,” she said, interrupting me, “of the founder of this college. I’m the one who had the new telescope installed. I also made it possible for your new department to be formed.”

      “I am very happy about all that, Miss Duncan. If you would care to join me, I thought I would take a peek at what we have here.”

      I slipped the gold money clip into my pocket. The key inserted into the lock with a little difficulty, probably because I doubted if the lock was turned all that often. I got it unlocked and pulled the steel door open, allowing a shaft of light to partly illuminate the observatory’s dark interior. I started to enter.

      “Maybe I had better go in first,” Florence said quickly. “I know where all the light switches are.”

      I stepped back, allowing her to enter first. She entered, disappeared for a second, and then the lights came on. I then stepped into the observatory.

      The big sophisticated, modern telescope took up most of the room inside the observatory. Along one wall was a bank of computers, monitors, and controls above and on a shelf-type work area that operates the telescope. I slowly walked down the row of instruments, quickly scanning them, while Florence wandered on her own. I found the control for the dome’s slit. The slit started to rumble open when I turned the control knob to “Open.” Sunlight flooded into every corner of the observatory. I stopped the slit when it was a fourth of the way open. Florence came and stood beside me.

      “Well, Professor, what do you think of the equipment I had installed?”

      “From what I can see, everything looks to be of excellent caliber. It will be a pleasure to work with such excellent equipment.”

      “I’m looking forward to seeing some spectacular pictures out of this telescope. I must be going now, though, because of other obligations,” she said, heading for the open door.

      “Before you go, Miss Duncan, I have one question I need to ask.”

      “Yes. What is it?” she asked, turning around to face me.

      “I’ve been told the telescope hasn’t had regular maintenance since it was installed. Is that true?”

      “It’s been maintained. I had contracted with the telescope manufacturer to do regular maintenance on it until the college hired a professor. Now that the college has done that, its maintenance will be your responsibility. However way you want to do it or whomever you hire to do it will be fine with the college. Now I really do have to go.”

      She turned back to the door and quickly left. I went to the door and stood there for several seconds, watching her walk rapidly toward her mansion.

      The rest of the day, until it was about time to pick up Denise, I spent familiarizing myself with the telescope’s controls. All too soon, it was time to go. I closed the top and carefully locked the door. Denise was waiting outside the Music Building when I pulled up. She slid into the Caddy.

      “So what did you do all day?” she cheerfully asked.

      “I spent the day in the observatory, familiarizing myself with it. I also met our illustrious Florence Duncan today. And I found a gold money clip. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any money in it.”

      “How did you meet Duncan?”

      “I was ready to go into the observatory when she basically appeared out of nowhere. We talked for a minute outside. Then we went inside. She stuck around for a few minutes, then she left. That left the rest of the day for me to explore the observatory by myself. It was great!” Denise laughed at my enthusiasm.

      “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself today, John. Do you know where the hospital is?” she asked.

      “I think so. When I’ve had time, I’ve been studying the city map I had gotten from the college when I first arrived.”

      We arrived at the hospital, parked the car, and went in.

      “Can I help you, folks?” a pretty young girl asked, smiling from behind the information counter.

      “I think so. Last night, a young lady was brought in who had been attacked. We don’t know the girl’s name, but we would like to just see how she is getting along.”

      “I can help you with that. Let me check and see what room she is in.” She pulled the information up on her computer. “Miss Joyce Collins. Room 312. That would be on the third floor.”

      “Thank you,” I said.

      “You’re welcome.”

      Denise and I took the elevator up to the third floor. We had no trouble finding Room 312. A frail-looking girl lay in a white-sheeted hospital bed. Her eyes were closed when we entered the room but fluttered open as Denise moved to one side of her bed and I moved to the other side. Fear sprang into the girl’s eyes when she saw we were somebody other than hospital personnel.

      “It’s okay, Miss Collins. Don’t be frightened,” I said quickly. “I’m the guy that chased your attacker away last night. This is a friend of mine, Denise Cole. How are you feeling?”

      “I’ll be okay, thanks to you. I have a couple of cracked ribs. You stopped him from doing anything worse. Thank you.”

      “I’m glad I was there to stop him. I would like you to look at something, if you would.” I took the button out of my pocket and handed it to Joyce. “I found this under the hedge where your attacker had you down on the ground. Is it something that came off a piece of your clothing that you were wearing last night?”

      “No. I don’t have any clothing with