“Yes,” she replied. “Dr. Lee and I worked on a study together earlier this year.”
Romesh’s eyelids fluttered for a moment behind his spectacles. “And you’re … speaking to Savita? What about?”
“I came to speak to you about a list of chemicals. I need to know some things about them quite urgently, and since Lee spoke so highly of your abilities …” She trailed off hopefully.
“I … well.” He darted a glance up and down the hall. “This is all above board, isn’t it? I told Lee I wouldn’t be testing anything untoward for him again.”
“This is nothing of the sort, I assure you,” Saffron said quickly.
“If you won’t do it, Romesh, move aside and let me tackle it,” his cousin said, appearing over his shoulder. A grin lit up her face. “I’m a chemist too.”
Romesh attempted to block her. “Ignore her, Miss Everleigh. Savita is untrained. She likes to mix things together and see the reactions, that’s all.”
“But that’s wonderful,” Saffron said, angling herself to see Savita again. “Do you study here, Miss Datta?”
“Yes,” Savita answered, attempting to knock her cousin aside with her hip.
“No,” Romesh grumbled. “Not until second term.”
“But that’s very exciting, isn’t it?” Saffron took Savita’s lead and ignored Romesh. “Have you any experience tracking down chemicals and breaking them into their components?”
“I do,” she said brightly.
“I have a list,” Saffron said, drawing her notebook from her handbag and passing Savita the list. “I need to know what exactly thesechemicals are, and what they might do to the human body if consumed.”
“You need someone with more experience, Miss Everleigh.” Romesh attempted to pluck the list out of Savita’s hand, but she dodged away. “If you need it before the new year, I will look up the chemicals for you. Savita barely knows boron from barium.”
Behind him, Savita gasped. “You are—how dare you! I spend nearly as much time here as you do. I should tell her about all the times you’ve complained about missing points on your exams!”
Romesh opened his mouth to argue back, but Saffron said quickly, “If you could both take a look, I would be much obliged. But I do need the information as soon as possible.”
“Police business again?” Romesh asked, dropping his voice low.
Saffron nodded. Savita had crept closer, nearly pressing her face between Romesh’s arm and the door frame. “Police business? I’ll have it done by tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow morning,” Romesh said.
Saffron bit her lip. “It is an extensive list.”
“It will be done, I assure you.”
“I assure you too,” Savita added.
“Thank you both very much,” Saffron said, not bothering to hide her smile now. “I’ll come back tomorrow, then.”
CHAPTER9
Saffron was ready to fall into bed when she returned home that evening, but Elizabeth had other ideas. “Where have you been?” she demanded, tugging Saffron’s coat from her shoulders the moment she walked through the door at seven-thirty.
Nonplussed, Saffron replied, “At work, of course.”
“Nick telephoned,” she said, now tugging Saffron’s gloves off. “He’s taking us to dinner.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said, giving Saffron a dark look before pushing her toward her bedroom. “He’ll be here at eight o’clock to collect us, destination unknown. He said dinner, drinks, and dancing, and you are woefully unprepared for any of those things.”
“What’s the occasion?” She ought to have noticed when Elizabeth first attacked her that she was dressed to the nines in her best evening dress. The pink silk shimmered with embroidery as she crossed to Saffron’s wardrobe.
