Dread prickled along his skin. With slow movements, he unfolded the paper and read.
Carnegie Denounces Fraud Curator—“Earl Douglass Isthe Real Genius”
Blood roared in his ears. What on earth was this? He scanned the article, all feeling draining from his body.
No. It couldn’t be possible. How could Andrew Carnegie do this tohimof all people? After he’d sacrificed his life to make sure that stupid Hall of Dinosaurs was the ultimate shrine to the massive beasts. Slaving away to make sure the museum was a success.
A sharp rap at his door made him jump. But he didn’t have time to give permission to enter before two police officers pushed their way into his office, their faces grim.
“Mr. Nelson?”
“What do you want? I didn’t do anything wrong!”
One police officer moved toward his desk. “We have signed witness statements from two scientists and a journalist that say you bribed them to smear the reputation of one Miss Eliza Mills. And to print a profile on you that is factually untrue.”
He pushed his chair back. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be! “You have no proof! You’ve got nothing on me! I was acting on the orders of Mr. Carnegie himself!”
The other policeman let out a dry chuckle and slipped around the left-hand side of his desk. “Sure you were. No use in fighting us. We have plenty of proof. You are under arrest for unlawful bribery and criminal menacing.” The officer leaned closer, his low voice rumbling in Nelson’s ear. “They’re also investigating you in the fraud and impersonation of a Dr. Masterson.”
No! He wrested one arm from the officer’s grip. “I have proof.Proof!Look, look...” He fumbled through the papers on his desk. Where were those notes? Aha! He scooped up the small slips of paper and shoved them at the policeman. “Here! Direct orders from Mr. Carnegie. I acted in his stead.”
The officer took the papers, an eyebrow raised high on his forehead. He shuffled through the messages, then looked at Nelson, his gaze hard. “Is this a joke?” He glanced back down. “‘Please order more brass name plates for displays.’”
“See? He wanted me to order new brass name plates so that we could correct the information on them. They should havemyname on them.I’mthe genius behind their discovery.”
The officer blinked at him, then flipped to the next note. “‘I will be out of the office on Tuesday and Wednesday.—C’”
“Exactly!” What was wrong with these imbeciles? “Clearly, he wanted me to take action while he was gone. To show initiative. That’s what Mr. Carnegie expects of a good leader.”
“But that’s not what it says.” The officer looked down on him—as if he were a child—and held up the note.
Fool! Cretin! “You don’t know Mr. Carnegie like I do.”
The officer shook his head. “There is nothing here that shows Mr. Carnegie had anything to do with the crimes of which you are accused. He didn’t instruct you to do it. You did that all in your own wild mind.”
Nelson snatched the papers back. “Just you wait until Mr. Carnegie hears about your treatment of me. I will—”
“Mr. Nelson!”
Andrew Carnegie’s voice cut across the room. The small Scotsman stood in the doorway as the other officer grabbed Nelson’s arm.
Nelson straightened, fighting against the officer’s painful grip. He waved his fistful of papers toward his employer. “See? Mr. Carnegie is here to defend me. Yes, he left the note letting me know of his absence.” He glanced at Mr. Carnegie with a grin. “That’s when I knew, sir. Iknewyou wanted me to take charge. Show my initiative. Prove I am worthy to run your glorious institute. And I have!”
Mr. Carnegie strode across the thick Persian rug and stood before the desk. He leaned forward and pressed his fingertips onto the shiny oak surface. But his voice, when he spoke, was calm.
And ice cold.
“Are you ill, Mr. Nelson?”
The same strange look that had been on the officer’s face now filled Carnegie’s.
Nelson straightened his jacket and lifted his shoulders. “I am perfectly fine,sir.” Why was he kowtowing to this man? They had no idea who they were dealing with.
Carnegie straightened. “It will take a professional to diagnose if there is something wrong with your mind.” He glanced at the officers, who nodded. What were they nodding about? Was this a conspiracy? They wereallout to get him!
Carnegie’s gaze came back to him. “But regardless, you, sir, will cease making a scene in my institute. As of this moment, you are fired and barred from ever walking these hallowed premises again. And if, indeed, you are fine, as you say, not only will you be prosecuted for your crimes, but I will ask the judge to ensure any sentence you receive includes a written apology to Dr. Masterson, Earl Douglass, and Eliza Mills for the damage you’ve done to each of them with your lies.”
Nelson clenched his jaw. So. This explained it all.
