Just as Alexander was packing up his things for the evening, Saffron appeared at his door. Fighting a smile, he said, “Yes, Inspector Everleigh?”
“Going home?” Saffron asked, looking at his bag as he placed a notebook inside.
“I was planning on it,” Alexander said. “You see, those of us that actually do work during the day get to leave at a reasonable hour.”
“Reasonable? It’s nearly seven.” She nodded to the darkened window behind his desk. “Do you always work this late?”
Alexander nodded. “I do, unless I’ve got somewhere to be.”
“Do you often,” Saffron began, a little smile playing on her lips, “have places to be in the evenings?”
Alexander leaned back on his desk as he crossed his arms, enjoying her coy question. “Yes, rather often.”
“Going to dinner … dancing?” She gave him a sidelong glance, taking a few steps and leaning a hip against the couch.
“Occasionally.” The look in her eye was intriguing.
“Really? Not recently, though,” Saffron said. “Not since the party, I believe. You’ve been here, at least when I have been, in the evenings.”
Her line of questioning made him suddenly wonder the same things about her. Why was Saffron here so late? Surely she had better things to do than hole up in an office and stare at dusty old books. Or at least, that’s the way his mother put it when she asked him about his social life. He got the feeling that Saffron rather liked dusty old books, in addition to poking around in police investigations. “Taking an interest in my evening schedule, are we? Am I also a suspect?” Alexander smirked.
“Yes, of course,” Saffron said lightly. “I was quite convinced that you were the would-be murderer, of course. But then you had an excellent opportunity with the xolotl, and you didn’t try to finish me off.”
He chuckled. “I suppose I could have let you die on the floor of the office. That definitely would have cleared my name.”
With a soft laugh, she meandered toward him. “Alexander, do you think you might be willing to help me with something?”
“I thought I had already been helpful.”
She took another step toward him. He was still much taller than her, even when he was leaning on the desk. “You have been, of course. I just was hoping, you know, since I don’t really have anyone else at the university now that Maxwell is gone for the time being …”
“Yes?” What was she asking him to do?
She closed the distance between them. With her came a hint of old books and a feminine freshness like flowers. Her eyes were shining gray in the yellow light of the lamps, and her hand was warm where she’d placed it on his bare arm, his sleeves still rolled to his elbows. Her soft words practically brushed against his cheek, she stood so close. “And it’s been so difficult, trying to solve this mystery. You’re so clever, and so I was wondering if you could maybe help me get into Dr. Berking’s office.”
Alexander’s mind was on all the other possible favors he might do for her, favors he could do right now, with the door closed and the hall beyond quiet, so it took him a moment to realize what she had asked him to help with. “You want me to do what?”
Saffron placed both hands on his crossed arms, leaning her weight gently on him. “Please, Alexander. Dr. Henry’s office provided such important information; surely Berking’s would do the same. I need your help.” She bit her lip, adding, “You’re the only person I can ask. You’re the only person I can trust here.”
If he thought Saffron would actually drop this idea if he refused to help her, he would. But he doubted it. Better he help keep her out of trouble instead, especially where Berking was concerned. “Of course I’ll help you.”
“Oh, thank you!” Saffron smiled and leapt into his arms. “I knew I could rely on you!”
There was a brief moment where Alexander considered not letting her go, but he somewhat grudgingly released her waist,where his hands had automatically gone. He gave her a stern look. “You can’t use your wiles for your investigation.”
“Well, it’s worked twice today, so you certainly can’t say that Ican’tdo it,” Saffron replied briskly, those blue-gray eyes alight with amusement. “If you don’t like it, Alexander, don’t be so easily manipulated.”
He was allowing himself to be manipulated. It would be disappointing to find it was all for her misguided investigation, he realized. He sighed. “Fine.”
“You’ll do it?” Saffron’s whole face lit up with a delighted smile.
“Yes,” he replied, frowning with extra annoyance to counteract the effect of her smile on him. “But if we’re caught, I’m going to say you threatened me and forced me to help you.”
Saffron’s eyes widened, scandalized. “You wouldn’t! What am I meant to have threatened you with?”
“Your copious poisonous plants, clearly.”
The arch of her brows gave her a haughty expression to match her words. “It’s your job to make sure we don’t get caught, so unless you want to sully my name and yours, you’ll do a proper job.”
