Max left the office and walked to the library to wait. Things were a little more complex, but now they had access to the building without having to worry about running into familiar faces, and they could go through the files and find out much more about Susan than they could by asking students.
"I'm in the library," he said, speaking quietly as he walked through the shelves. "I'm surprised you have been so quiet. I haven't heard a word out of you since we split."
"Oh, we were trying to mingle--and Susan was getting a bit hungry, so was I, so we slipped into the cafeteria line. We couldn't eat with the mikes on, remember? And I figured we'd be more likely to hear the students talking there." Barbara replied in the same low whisper.
He paused by the desk to ask where the yearbooks were, then he went back into the shelves and virtualized Barbara's Federal ID. "I have your ID ready. You can go to the office and speak with the Principal while we browse the books and think. Be sure to pick up the keys and other materials while you're there. Then we should be clear until about 2:30, when I come back here for the visit with the Guidance counselor, Ms. Vanderberg."
"OK." Barbara replied. "Before I go over there, though, what's he like? can you give me some idea?"
"He has no choice but to believe us. He made the verifying call himself. He seems like he'll cooperate as long as we don't make too many waves."
He moved through a few more shelves, then spoke again, pulling the yearbook from the shelf the librarian had indicated. "Susan, does the name Beatriz mean anything to you?"
Susan looked at him for a long moment, then shook her head. "No--I don't remember it, anyway. But that doesn't necessarily mean I didn't know it at one time." She paused, thinking. "My mother's name was Cathy, and Chuck's mother--my father's sister--was Elizabeth. Who's Beatriz?"
"I just wanted to know if the name meant something to you. It's not important right now. Did you know that Jeffrey Harrison was on the faculty? Head of the English department, or so I'm told."
"That explains why they'd have his picture, I guess." she replied. "I--I just wish I could remember...and more than just bits and pieces that seem more like something out of a dream than things that really happened." She paused and looked at Max. "Did you find out anything?"
"Not all that much." Reaching inside his jacket, he pulled out his microcassette recorder. "But I taped it for you anyway. Now just stay calm..."
Taking the microphone out of his mouth, Max taped it to the speaker of the recorder and played back what he'd taped between leaving them and rejoining them so that they could both hear it.
Afterwards, Susan sat quietly, just letting what she'd heard sink in.
"Barbara, you'd better get moving. You're due in a couple of minutes." His stomach growled mildly. "Too bad I missed out on lunch."
Barbara looked around and seeing that the librarian wasn't looking reached over and clasped Max's hand, while slipping her other hand first into her pocket then under the table. Max felt something being placed in his lap. He looked quickly down to see a small bag of chips there.
"There's a snack bar in the courtyard, between the main building and the gym." Barbara said by way of explanation. "I'll see you in a bit." She smiled and letting go of Max's hand, then giving Susan's hand a squeeze, stood up and left.
"You two are just so good to me," he said, after raising his mike to his lips.
Susan looked at Max. "I know it's too risky," she whispered, "but I can't help wishing I could talk to those people. Particularly that poor woman who sounded like she was about to start crying."
"It -might-, and that's -might- be possible for you to speak with the counselor, but I don't think it would be wise. As for the other woman, I think you would probably give her a heart attack from surprise."
He reached across the table and took her hand. "Do you -really- think it would help you? If you're that sure that it would ... I'll take you to her, right now. I can't stand seeing you like this. It's tearing me up."
She looked at Max. "I--I'm sorry. I want to--but I don't know how we'd explain it...the, the last thing I want to do is...is put any of them in danger."
"All right, it was just a thought."
She looked at the yearbook that Max had placed on the table, and opened it. "Do you think there'd be something--about me--in here?"
"Of course there will. You attended classes here, and I doubt they'd have let you get away with not having your picture included. Who knows? There might be a section for the art class. You'd -surely- be in there."
She sat next to her and together they started looking. The two yearbooks were essentially the same in terms of layout, which order what items came in and so forth, though of course there were differences in the specifics. The first few pages were candid shots of various students and teachers, some in class, some in the library, others at various events.
The next section was about twenty pages long and consisted of pictures of the senior class, followed by an alphabetical listing of their names, activities they'd been involved in, favorite teacher/subject, and what their post graduation plans were...
After this came the sections for the junior, sophomore, and freshman classes in that order. This was just individual pictures.
Max spotted Susan's picture in the freshman section of the 1994-95 yearbook; a check of the 1995-96 showed her, as expected, with the sophomores. Next after this came the entries for faculty...first, Mr Lafayette, then the staffs of the main office, Dean's and Guidance offices, among the last group were Ms Vanderberg and Mrs Chandler.
One face in the main office staff leapt out at them immediately. The caption listing the names of the staff members confirmed it. Cathy L. Harrison, Administrative Assistant/Office Manager. Max looked at Susan to gauge her reaction.
Susan bit her lip as she recognized the picture. "I--I didn't know, she'd worked here too. It looks like my whole family was--was involved with this place.."
"Your parents were very civic-minded, it seems. It keeps making me wonder why the investigation was wound up so quickly."
After the office staff comes the other support staff--library, cafeteria, and custodial. Among this last group Beatriz Sanchez was clearly seen.
"Very highly strung when it comes to some things, Ms. Sanchez is."
"She thinks I'm *dead* doesn't she? they all do." she flipped back to the picture of her mother again. "And -she- *is*....I'll never see her, or -him- except in pictures..." she closed her eyes. she would NOT start crying here but it hurt knowing what the Dawn had taken from her--not just her family, her whole life, but her -memories- of that life too.
Max put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her slightly towards him, so that she could lean on him. He might have been able to animate them for her for a few hours, but he wondered if that would really be more cruel than kind.
These are followed by the sections picturing the faculty of the various departments..beginning with English, then the other academic departments and then the rest.
Susan stopped at the English department section, and there, as she'd expected since hearing what Max had told her, was a picture of Jeffrey Harrison. She spent a long few minutes staring at that before paging on through the other faculty sections.
Not seeing anything else to catch her interest, she moved on to the next section, which was the clubs and sports teams, the band, chorus, and so on.
Max, slowly so Susan could still see all she wanted to, turned to the section showing the Art classes. As he'd expected, Susan was in that picture in both books. In the later book, there was a notation about Susan's being among the winners of a local art competition, with an entry that these were to go on to a statewide competition later in the year.
"Another claim to fame," he said, tapping her picture with his finger. "I knew you were noteworthy the first time I saw you."
They continued reading through the clubs section, coming eventually to the entry for the SADD chapter. There, listed as advisor, was another picture of Jeffrey Harrison.
Susan read over the brief description of the organization, then turned to Max, puzzled. "The Dawn really expected people to think anyone involved with this would be driving drunk??" she shook her head.
"I'd say they were more interested in obtaining -you- than researching your family. They don't seem to take a lot of time observing. They rely mainly on surprise. I can't say I care much for the SFPD. We -could- always just drop you off at one of the local news stations. With your exposure, they wouldn't -dare- come after you again. You could probably get -real- Federal protection, instead of just Barbara and I."
He paused and listened for a moment to the mike as Barbara and the principal talked. "I'm glad things are going well on your end, Barbara," he said to her. "Don't forget the keys and the photos."
Barbara couldn't risk responding to Max, directly, not with the principal right there, but luckily Lafayette had just handed her both so she could reply to him and get the info to Max at the same time.
"Thanks for the keys--we'll get them back to you as soon as we can," she said, knowing Max would hear and understand what she wasn't saying.
"We're out of here as soon as she shows with those keys. We'll find a nice place to stay, and relax a little. Then we'll come back later and take another look around. Barbara, see if you can get a set of these yearbooks. Just the last two will be fine."
Susan waited until Max was finished talking to Barbara, then nodded. "All right...and maybe--do you think either you or Barbara--I mean, don't if it's going to be too much trouble or too risky, but maybe talk to some of the kids here--the ones in the art contest, or at least my grade--who might remember something about me?" she asked uncertainly.
"I've taken steps in that direction. We -could- spend up to a week or so here. You heard that part."
He thought about how busy he was going to be for the next few days, and put away his thoughts of rest and relaxing. These leads were just too valuable to pass up.
Squeezing her shoulder gently, he added. "Just remember, I like the person you are -now-, regardless of what we find out about who you were. And everything you were, you can be again, except for... well, you know. With your first family. I envy you there. You had your parents a lot longer than I had mine, and you can ... you can still visit yours."
"We--we don't even know--where they'd have--I mean where the nearest c-cemetery is..." she was really trying here but fighting a losing battle with her emotions.
"Oh, please. If anyone would know, it would be the staff here. I'll ask the counselor when I met her later. I ... think it's checkout time. Let's go."
Max returned the yearbooks to the desk and joined Susan by the exit. He described the door they were leaving through, so that Barbara would be able to join up with them. He did not wait, but rather went straight outside and out across the grounds to the street.
Finding a bench, he sat down and got Susan to also. "I can access the archives of the local paper and look up their obituary," he said, and reaching into his bag, virtualized a basic laptop with an acoustic coupler. Getting the number for the paper's electronic archives through directory assistance, he attached the coupler and looked up the Harrison's obituary while they waited for Barbara.
From the San Francisco Herald-Examiner, October 2, 1995
SAN FRANCISCO TEACHER KILLED IN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT: FAMILY ALSO VICTIMS
Jeffrey T. Harrison, 46, was driving home from the La Coquina restaurant in Covina Hills on the night of September 30th, when his car ran off the road and crashed, killing him instantly. Also a victim of the crash was his wife of 18 years, Cathy L. Harrison.
The couple's 14 year old daughter, Susan, is also believed to have been a victim of the crash, however, extensive searches of the area have so far failed to locate the girl.
The San Francisco Police Department has stated that their investigation is still in progress. However, initial indications are that alcohol consumption was a factor, as Mr Harrison's autopsy results indicate a blood alcohol level of .10, well over the legal limit for intoxication.
This report has met with protests by friends of the Harrisons, citing their involvement with the West Covina High School chapter of Students Against Drunk Driving.
"I don't care what the report says," testified math instructor Don Hanley, who is also involved with the SADD organization. "this is just plain not what he'd do. It just isn't."
Similar sentiments were expressed by other members of the faculty and staff.
However, Sgt Ellis Goldberg of the Traffic Homicide Division, the oficer in charge of the investigation, stands by the Department's findings to date.
"This is still a pending investigation, and conclusions would be premature. However we cannot be swayed by opinion and belief, we are bound by laws and rules to go only by the evidence gathered."
The obituary page recapped the basics of the story, then went on to add the following:
Mr Harrison is survived by his parents, Brian and Lillian Harrison of Berkeley, California, and a sister, Elizabeth H. Westlake, brother in law Charles Westlake Sr. and nephew Charles Westlake Jr. all of Kanab, Utah.
Mrs Harrison, nee Cathleen Larkin, is survived by her mother, Mrs. Adelina Larkin of Los Angeles.
Services for Mr and Mrs Harrison will be at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Church, 11 am, October 5, with internment to take place immediately afterward at Pacifica Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by Colfax Funeral Home.
"And nothing at all about -me-" Susan whispered, "aside from that they, they couldn't find me. I--I wonder if anyone even really looked..."
"It certainly tells you who your -real- friends are," Max says. He's used to this kind of behavior from adults. If it doesn't fit into their world-scheme, it's ignored or glossed over.
"But from the way the counsellor--and Mrs Sanchez--talked, they sounded as if they were talking about me. Maybe you can find some way to ask about that, later...?"
"I plan to, Susan. Don't worry about that. In fact, I'm speaking to the counselor specifically about your family."
Memorizing the number, he disconnected and returned it to his bag, where it returned to the card he had placed inside it.
"I think a cab would be safe for now," he said. "I doubt they're monitoring every cabbie call to a cemetary. We'll give the driver an initial destination, and then change our minds en route. As long as the money's good, they don't ask questions."
Max calls for a cab and they keep waiting for Barbara. "It's going on two o'clock now. We might have enough time to get settled in a hotel, then I'm supposed to meet with the guidance counselor after three.... You and Barbara can either try to get some rest, or go out to this Pacifica Memorial place. You'd best be careful if you two decide to go. That's one place they might be monitoring, if even with a sensor device of some kind. Reaching into his bag yet again, he pulls out a tricorder from his emergency deck. Giving it to Susan, he explains its workings, making a few settings in advance.
"This tricorder will look for detecting devices. Use it before you approach the grave site. It can't neutralize them, but it can show you where and what they are. If that's clear, push this button -here- and it'll switch over to bioreadings, in case someone tries to come up on you. This grid here, gives you direction and distance."
Susan nods and takes the device, slipping it into the pocket of her jeans, just as Barbara emerges from the building and catches up to them. "I've got everything." she smiled and handed the keys and the photos to Max. "It's hard to concentrate on two conversations at once--so what'd I miss? you guys found out something, I take it." noticing the tense look on Susan's face.
Max gave her a recitation of what he'd read while they waited for their cab.
"You two have to decide how you're going to spend your evening." He looked at Barbara as he continued. "I'm probably going to end up spending the night here, looking around. I've cleared you, and I figure we can get Susan in if you keep her masked from people in the area. You know what I'm going to be doing, although I don't think I'll be working -quite- as hard as they think. It was the only way I could get access to the building without a lot of people getting underfoot. Did you get the yearbooks? I didn't hear you ask for them."
"Well you were talking to Susan--" Barbara smiled, and held out the two books she'd been carrying under her arm. "Though he did wonder why we wanted these. I had to say it was to help in identifying any involved in the case..he seemed to accept that. I would've sensed it if he hadn't."
"If you leave a blank space, most people tend to fill it without thinking."
She paused and looked to Susan, then giving the girl's hand a gentle squeeze, turns back to Max. "I think we could find this, Pacifica Gardens, without too much trouble. And the scanner's a good idea--though you're NOT supposed to be virtualizing, remember? Don't make me have to get Arias out here for another lecture."
"It's small, and I won't have you going in blind. Your power might tip you, but that will pick up on things you wouldn't."
"We could go over there for a while, then join you back here tonight. Once the building's clear there won't be as much risk of someone seeing Susan who shouldn't."
"I'll start going through their computer records to see what the Harrison's and their assorted friends have been up to." He put his bag on the sidewalk but held onto its strap. "Since it's just another hour or so, I may as well just stay here. Just ... lemme get my 'crime kit' out of the bag...." He removes a long athletic bag which was inside the larger duffel. "Ah, just in case they ask me where my equipment is. Now you've got the clothes, the cash, and all of our little sundries. You and Susan find someplace nice and get us a -grand- suite. I packed twenty-five thousand into the bag for knicknacks and such, in case either of you saw something nice that you just -had- to have. You've still got your credit cards, so registering won't be a problem. Just make sure they expect me."
"Of course." she smiled. "We -are- a team, after all." she squeezed his hand.
"And you've got my celphone number. It's set to 'roam', so it'll just take a phone call to activate it here. So ... I'd give you big hugs and kisses before you go, but I don't want people to stare, so I'll just go on back in and see you later this afternoon or evening."
"Uh uh." Barbara replied. "Didn't we have this conversation back in Kansas?" She and Susan exchanged looks, a moment later Max was the recipient of simultaneous hugs by both girls.
Max, not really all that accustomed to this kind of affection, feels his body respond as he knew it would, which is why he tried to avoid the parting hugs. His jeans felt a bit tighter than they had, and now he was going to have to walk around a bit before he could reenter the halls without getting reactions he didn't need. Since he was already doomed, he returned the hugs, although with only a single arm each. A little more blood shifted places, making him a little more self-conscious.
"Well," he said. "Now I'll just have to hang out here until I'm suitable to be seen in a teen environment. If I went back in now, everyone would stare. Sure, some guys like walking around like this ... but I know the kind of trouble it can arouse."
Barbara couldn't entirely repress a laugh at that, she squeezed Max's hand again. "Just be careful, OK?"
"I try to always be careful. I'll just carry my case in front of me for a while. That should cover it."
Then she led Susan away, the two walked towards the nearest intersection.
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