Hidden In The Wall

by Valerie Hansen

• ISBN13: 9780373442744
• ISBN10: 0373442742
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-01-08
• Publisher: Steeple Hill

Summary

Murder at Magnolia CollegeA young woman's skeleton was found buried on the campus grounds. Contractor Trevor Whittaker couldn't get the cold-case murder out of his mind. Who was the woman? Why was she killed? And did his lovely boss's father, a wealthy, secretive benefactor of the college, have anything to do with it?Family and friends warned Alumni Director Stephanie Kessler to stay away from her new employee. They said Trevor was still the same bad boy he'd been ten years ago, but Stephanie wasn't the same mousy girl. So, this time, they both had something to prove.

Excerpts

Two months priorSlightly lifting the skirt of her pale blue satin gown so the hem wouldn't brush against the asphalt, Stephanie Kessler picked up her evening bag, left her car in the parking lot of the Mossy Oak Inn and started toward the inn's ballroom. This was not just another of the many gatherings she organized for Magnolia College as the Alumni Relations Director. It was also the ten-year reunion of her own graduating class and she wanted everything to be perfect.Steff paused long enough to check her slim, jeweled watch. She'd been so eager to renew acquaintances she'd arrived far too early. Rather than waste time pacing inside the inn or rearranging the lovely table decorations for the umpteenth time, she decided to stroll across to her office on the opposite side of the campus.Not only was the balmy June evening ideal for a leisurely walk, she reasoned, the exercise would help her unwind. And checking her e-mail would show her whether she'd had any last-minute answers to her recent pleas for alumni financial support. In spite of recent fund-raisers, she was still coming up short on donations for the planned library expansion. That was worrisome.A welcome breeze lifted Steff's short blond hair away from her cheeks. When she faced into the wind to take advantage of its refreshing coolness, her gaze rested on the imposing stone edifices of the college that had become the central focus of her life.Campus was nearly deserted this time of year, which was why she was surprised to notice a tuxedo-clad figure whom she didn't recognize hurrying around the far end of the liberal arts building.Assuming from his attire that he must be planning to attend the gala at the inn, she noted he was headed in the wrong direction.Since she had plenty of time to spare, Steff decided to do her good deed for the day, follow him, and help him find his way to the reunion.The height of her heels and the unevenness of the old brick walkway slowed her progress. By the time she got to the next corner her quarry was already disappearing past the science building.The newer walkway in that area was a flat cement surface and she was able to travel faster. She proceeded as far as the quad and paused, puzzled. Shading her eyes against the setting sun, she squinted as she studied her immediate surroundings. The man couldn't have vanished into thin air. So where had he gone? Could he have ducked into one of the buildings they'd passed? Since no classes were in session this time of year, that didn't make sense. Besides, why on earth would he want to hide?Feeling foolish for having followed a stranger halfway across campus, she decided to give up and resume her trip to her office. That was when she spotted him. He'd been temporarily out of sight because he'd been bending over next to the east wall of the library and the foundation plantings had masked his position.The man was pacing now, as if measuring the distance from the library wall to the sidewalk. What in the world could he be up to? Stephanie asked herself. More importantly, who was he?The setting sun backlit his form, making him appear in silhouette and causing her eyes to water when she tried to stare directly at him. The one thing she could tell was how furtive his movements were. Whatever he was doing, he obviously didn't want to be observed.Internal warnings sounded in her brain and caused her to shrink into the shadows. Whoever he was, it would definitely be best if he didn't know she'd been spying on him.Steff's nose tickled. Stupid allergies. She pressed her index finger across her upper lip to keep from sneezing. Her quarry had returned to the sidewalk and seemed to be walking along it with measured strides. Then he wheeled and repeated his path to the library wall at a right angle before he turned again.Although she believed she was well hidden around the corner of the building, she held her breath. The man had stopped and seeme