“That’s exactly who I want,” she said. “The man closest to him.”

“He has office hours now,” Professor Shelly said, reaching for the phone. “He’s only a five minute walk from here.” He dialed the number and Professor Banks appeared to answer. “Yes, Gene, I have a surprise for you. There’s an attractive young woman from the FBI here who wants to talk to you. Yes, you lazy goat, your reputation has traveled far. No, I’ll let her explain that to you. She wants to know if she could come over now? Fine, I’ll draw her a map.” He hung up and added, “Gene and I go way back.”

Kelly stood. “It sounds like it.”

Professor Shelly stood behind his desk. “I can walk you over if you’d like.”

“It’s not necessary. I’ve already taken too much of your time. Just point me in the right direction. I have an uncanny sense of direction when it comes to college campuses.”

Professor Shelly gave her directions and they exchanged goodbyes. Her fatigue was becoming a major impediment. Before heading to Banks’s office, she stopped for a coffee at the campus cafeteria. Charlie was on her mind. She wished he was with her.

Tony haunted her as well, even more than the Acid Man.

Professor Gene Banks’s office had a waiting area. A woman near Kelly’s age sat with a boy who looked to be her son. The ten-year-old fidgeted impatiently with a laptop. The woman was a delicate beauty, with a long fall of dark hair framing a pale face and piercing gray eyes. Her thinness accentuated her frailty. She nodded as Kelly walked in, just as the little boy scowled.

“Are you waiting for Professor Banks?” Kelly asked, taking a seat.

“Yes. He’s with a student now.” She added, “I’m his wife.”

Kelly offered her hand. “Kelly Fienman. Pleased to meet you.”

“Julie Banks.” She gestured to the boy. “My son, Robert.”

“How are you doing, Robert?” Kelly asked.

The boy sulked. “Doing homework.”

“Solving a big math problem?”

“Yeah.” The boy added, “I hate math.”

“That makes two of us,” Kelly muttered.

“Are you a student here?” Mrs. Banks asked. “I only need a couple of minutes with my husband and then he’s all yours.”

“Take your time, I’m in no hurry.” She did not want to answer the woman’s question. Hopefully, Banks would not blurt out her identity when he came out of his office.