Kirstin wondered if she was becoming a sadist, inheriting a vampires' lack of empathy as she typed in "U of M security, suspended, sex scandal" into google. She knew Dominic made the woman do "something vulgar" but why did she need to know what it was? It was that, or let her anxiety take over as she wondered what favor he would ask of her in the future, or why Melissa seemed so outraged that Kirstin would make such a deal.
Fortunately, the first link that popped up had the headline "U of M dormitory a host for 'sexual misconduct." Clicking on the link, Kirstin leaned forward on her work computer to read the article.
"A University of Michigan sorority is undergoing investigation after several reports were made regarding students and staff engaging in "inappropriate sexual behavior" Some students reported that several women were spotted in states of undress as well as one male student. Another student reported spotting a campus police officer viewing pornography while she engaged in an "inappropriate" act. U of M administrators tried to look at security cameras but all footage had been erased that night. The security officer is currently suspended while campus officials investigate"
Resting her head on the desk, Kirstin took deep inhales to prevent her guilt in being part of the incident. Although she didn't tell the woman to do anything, just taking Dominic there would cost someone their job. As much as Kirstin would liked to have thought that it was necessary to stop a killer, she didn't think Melissa and Dominic actually got involved to save lives.
"Hey you all right?"
Almost leaping up from her chair, Kirstin turned to see Aaron looking down on her, two coffee cups in his hand. "Jesus, you scared me." she said, taking one out of his hand. "Yeah I'm fine, just didn't get a lot of sleep."
"Neither did the people in that dorm." he said, gesturing to the monitor that still displayed the headline. "I heard through the grapevine that one of the streakers was Helena's roommate Maggie."
"uh... really?" Kirstin said, her grip getting tighter around the mug. "What else did you hear?"
Aaron's eyes widened. "Just that the security officer was caught, pants around her ankles, hand down her panties watching Hentai."
Instantly, Kirstin could feel her cheeks getting warm at just imagining that, thinking back to her own evening of public masturbation. "What is hentai?"
Scratching the back of his neck, Aaron cringed, "ehh just porn drawn in that Japanese animation style. It can be normal soft core stuff to really sci fi graphic. I guess that woman is into tentacles."
"OKAAY, that's enough of that." Kirstin said as she held up a hand. Perverted vampires were enough for her.
"Anyway, I have to ask you about a decision," Aaron said. "Do you want to interview Mr. Heyman or Mr. Varnes, Matthews' father?"
Kirstin was speechless, for once in her career, she she didn't want Aaron to be good at his job. "Erm..." she drew out the unintelligible noise to buy time and think over which one would keep her department off the true tale. The question was, who seemed most tied to vampires? A father who lost his son or a man who mysteriously pulled strings? It seemed like an easy choice, but for some reason assuming that no father would ever put his son in danger seemed too easy to rely on, especially after what Kirstin witnessed in how Dominic and Melissa behaved. "Let me speak to the father. I've already spoke with the therapist, so i'd be interested in hearing his take on Matt's mental health." that and she could possibly corroborate with Sakeena anything the father shared.
Jacob Varnes had an office in the Medical School at the University of Michigan located in downtown Ann Arbor. Kirstin located him with a simple web search and was able to schedule an appointment just after his scheduled office hours were. After checking in with the front desk staff, she was sent past the desk and down a white hallway lined with framed portraits of faculty and medical personnel. Kirstin tried to locate Mr. Varnes but remembered he was newly hired.
Once she reached the second door at the end of the hallway, she turned to look inside and found a man wearing a lavender button up shirt and a maroon tie. Small traces of grey hair showed up in his beard and thinning hair but overall he seemed to be in relatively good health from Kirstins' assessment. He looked up and without smiling said, "Hello, you must be detective Delaney. I'm Jacob Varnes."
"Hello Mr. Varnes, thank you for seeing me in such short notice. I apologize that it's taken so long to finally meet with you."
"Well my understanding was you found the woman responsible, is that not the case anymore?" he asked, sitting down but not bothering to offer Kirstin a seat.
Kirstin's head rose slightly as she took in a deep inhale once registering the distress on his face. "We do have a suspect in custody and are just following up on other details. Particularly your safety."
A smile spread across Varnes' face, one Kirstin knew to be insincere given her experience dealing with upset citizens who were on the verge of losing their composure in front of law enforcement. "I'm fine, I just want someone to find my sons' killer so I can get some sleep finally."
"You and your son both recently moved to Ann Arbor for your work correct?"
"Yes, I had a job offer collaborating with research testing new medication with people at U of M."
"And where did you work before that?" she asked, trying to keep his mind focused on her questions rather than the emotions over losing his son.
"We came from New York,"
Kirstin's lips pursed as she let a beat drop before asking her next question. "And, in your time working there did you ever have any conflict with any colleagues back in New York? Perhaps from a misunderstanding or someone who just felt you slighted them?"
Varnes' eyebrow raised, "No nothing like that. Why?"
Kirstin's hands were held up, "Just checking all scenarios. While we do have a suspect, we need to make sure your sons' death wasn't meant as an indirect attack towards you."
"You haven't told me the suspects' name or who they are. Why is that?"
Indeed why, perhaps it was because Kirstin knew inside that Helena wasn't actually guilty and thus, didn't feel right giving away her identity. "We're still collecting evidence to try her."
He learned forward, almost as if to lunge at Kirstin. 'A bloody t-shirt of my son isn't enough?"
Closing her eyes and sighing, Kirstin held her hands up again, "I'm sorry Mr. Varnes, but while I can tell you we're looking into another student that Matthew may have known, I can't disclose much else about the persons' identity." before he could voice his disdain she tried to redirect him again, "What we're trying to do is rule out other possibilities, such as outside parties that might have a reason to go after you."
"As I said before, to my knowledge I have no one who would have any reason to go after me. why would they?"
"That's a good question, you did just move here for research, is that a competitive field?"
"It can be." he said, slumping back in his chair when he realized she wasn't going to give him what he wanted.
"If I may ask about the medication, what does it do?"
"We're hoping it will act as a new drug to treat patients with anemia by increasing blood flow. Of course we're still in trial periods."
"Who are you collaborating with?"
"Just the Marsha Cross Hospital in Detroit. I actually have to leave soon and change because there is going to be a banquet ceremony for it tonight."
Kirstin's face remained stoic although the signs of a potential new medication backed by a hospital who had enough money to throw a large celebration didn't seem like the thing Mr. Varnes wouldn't gain attention from others. One more question drew Kristin's attention, "How did Mr. Heyman come into contact with you? I understand he helped get you hired."
Varnes nodded, "He did. He has contacts with that hospital and when they wanted me to come here, he agreed to try to get me and my son a job at U of M in exchange for doing clinical trials at the hospital."
"Had you met him or any of the associates from Marsha Cross before?"
