Everyone exclaimed "Poor girl" or "What a tragedy" or simply, "Oh no."

Miss Welbourne looked as if she'd caved in on herself. "I'm sorry to cut this class short, but I don't believe we can go on more today. At least, I can't. Go home."

She left the room ahead of them, her briefcase in one

hand, and her handbag properly crossing her chest and in front of her.

"That's terrible news," Shelley said on the way home. "She was so young."

"Young or old, it's tragic. It's probably the reason she was taking the class."

"And maybe he found out she was doing so," Shelley commented.

It wasn't until Jane had closed her kitchen door and set her purse on the kitchen table, that it occurred to her that Mel might be in charge of this murder case. And wouldn't get the day off tomorrow after all.

She tried to get him at his office. His secretary told her he was just finishing up in a meeting. He'd call back in ten minutes.

When he did, she told him what Miss Welbourne had said about Sara. "You're not on this case, are you?"

"No. It was inner city. Your uncle Jim has it. Nice case just before he retires."

"Nice?" Jane almost yelped.

"Well, not nice. But good for him. He's virtually solved it. Her blood is all over the boyfriend. All over the lamp he hit her in the head with and on the lamp cord he strangled her with."

Jane sat down at the kitchen chair, stretching the phone cord as far as she could. This conversation made her woozy.

"I just meant that your uncle Jim will get the credit, and a lot of publicity to retire on. Leaving after all the photo flashbulbs as he announces that it's official that the case is solved."

Jane got a grip on herself. "So you'll be here when the architect meets with us?"