"If Mrs. Crawford saw a woman and the M.E. thinks a woman might have done it, then why is my brother in jail? Why don't you put that question in your paper? If you interview Mrs. Crawford would you let me know what she says?"

"Sure, you gave me the tip."

"Have you talked to the maintenance man? Did he see anything?"

"He identified your brother to the police. He saw him get on the elevator to leave. He also saw the exterminator around the building later that day, doesn't remember what time. He noticed n.o.body else except tenants."

"What time did he see Ray leave?"

Linda picked up a notebook from the swirl of papers on the floor. "Same time you said, around noon. Now what happened at that party?"

"I'll tell you on one condition. You absolutely must keep the hostesses' name out of the paper. She has nothing to do with this."

"Too late, it's all over town, Meg Emerson. Who was there besides your brother and Towson? And why did she invite your brother to one of her cla.s.sy parties anyway? He's not rich."

"Meg gave the party for business reasons and my brother works with her." Sandy wasn't going to mention Meg had a personal interest in Raymond. "Tammy Jerrold and Loraine Dellin also were there."

"Okay, so I imagine Tammy paired up with the senator as usual. I heard a rumor Loraine left with your brother. Jumping to the bottom line, and I know you won't answer this, did they have s.e.x?"

"Yes."

Linda's eyes widened. She had expected an evasive response. "Loraine had s.e.x with your brother?"

"Yes."

"You know that for a fact?"

"For a fact. My brother admitted it to the police."

"Wow! You know she and Towson were once married." Linda looked at her closely. "Did she admit they had s.e.x?"

"Ah, not sure, I think so. Furthermore, they definitely were seen the day of the murder at a motel. Loraine has admitted that part-unnamed police source."

"Oh, really!" Linda was then silent for a moment. Her fingers were faintly moving as though already typing. "What we have here is an old-fashioned love triangle and an excellent motive for murder. We haven't even talked about the age-difference angle; there's a whole other headline right there. Wow, it's times like this I wished I worked for a tabloid. Maybe Hollywood will ask me to do the screenplay."

"Don't a.s.sume too much."

"Oh, I gotta work all this in somehow. Let's see, we have a rendezvous at a motel. G.o.d, I love this business. Accordingly, Loraine Dellin had s.e.x once, no doubt again at the motel, and doubtless other times we don't know about, with the man who shot her ex-husband. I wonder how many times I can use the word s.e.x in a single column."

Sandy abruptly stood. "Allegedly shot, allegedly! Look, sister, if you've already decided my brother is guilty, then we've nothing to talk about. You're sitting there being all nice to me and I started to trust you. What you're really after is something you can use to show he's guilty."

"No, I was just visualizing a sensational headline." Linda also got up. "Hey, don't be so touchy. I'm interested only in reporting the truth. But you have to admit your brother is up to his a.s.s in this, and the s.e.x angle just makes it worse. Regardless of what you say, it'll look like a love triangle with plenty of motive for your brother to knock off the Senator. National TV will have a field day with all this."

"And you're going to make certain they don't miss a thing!"

"No, it's to my advantage to hold it until I can break the story myself. We're talking Pulitzer Prize here."

"Okay, but I told you not to a.s.sume too much. They definitely did not have s.e.x a second time, at the motel or elsewhere. One time only after the party. My brother didn't want any more to do with her."

"Why were they at the motel if not for s.e.x? Something was going on."

"Can't divulge that, not yet. I'd like to find out what Loraine did for the rest of that Sat.u.r.day."

"Hold on, I think I have it in my notes." Linda looked down at the files and papers on the floor around her desk and then thrashed among the papers on her desk. "Here it is. I asked Chief Oehlert if ex-wives aren't always suspects. Off the record he said that at the time of the murder she claimed she was at the museum."

"Okay, so that's her alibi. I'll check that out if you can dig into Mrs. Crawford."

"What about your brother? Does he have an alibi for the time of the murder?"

"He left at noon."

"Sandy, give me some credit for chrissake. He could have gone back up there later that afternoon and shot Towson. Does he have an alibi for the rest of the afternoon?"

"He was driving around trying to see people. I'm investigating his alibi."

"Okay, go ahead and bulls.h.i.t me. He has no alibi or you'd be screaming it from the rooftops." She rolled back her chair. "It's getting late. Let me buy you a drink. I know a special bar. We can eat there too. You can even dance if you want to."

"Thanks, Linda, but that's not me. How about a sandwich and a cup of coffee instead? Someplace we can talk."

"I'll settle for that-for the time being. Let's go, I'm dying to hear about your unnamed police source." She held the door for Sandy. "We'd better take my pickup. Your car stands out like a Georgia peach in a bushel of Vidalia onions."

"I've heard."

Linda frowned. "In fact, I think you should hide it. My advice is for you to keep a low profile. Soon the town will take notice of the killer's sister. They just might direct some of their anger at you."

"Well then, we better take your pickup. My car is probably rigged for an explosion when I turn the key."

Linda didn't smile and that bothered Sandy, surely the town's hostility can't be that serious. It was fortunate this influential reporter talked like a friend and seemed to be coming to her side. One of her big worries was the investigation would just drag on and on, and Sandy didn't have that kind of time.

Linda seemed receptive; maybe right then was the time to take a chance and get things moving. She stopped in the middle of the parking lot and faced Linda. "Look, I can tell you some other things. This is bigger than you think. People you know around town were brought into this. There's a woman who stands to gain financially from the killing. There's another person who has been missing since the murder. Trust me, Linda, the investigation is broadening."

"And you're the one who's going to pull it all together. You think you can handle all this stuff by your cute little self?"

"You don't think I can?"

Linda stared at her for ten seconds and then said, "Sugar, I don't think there's anyone who can stop you."

Chapter 18.

That evening, Sandy left Ray's apartment and walked the three blocks to the corner convenience store for munchies. After the sandwich with Linda, she had worked straight through until after dark doing research with her laptop. Now it was too late to cook even if she had wanted to.

She was pleased with her initial meeting with Linda Call. She had accomplished a crucial part of her purpose. A sympathetic connection with the reporter now seemed possible.

As she came back out of the store, a uniformed cop was standing directly in front leaning against the hood of a red pickup. The truck was large with an oversized bulging grill, an appropriate match for the big and out of shape cop.

"Well, imagine running into you here." His voice had the smarmy tone of self-importance. "I'm Sergeant Huress, Bobby Huress. I know who you are."

She remembered Chip's comment about him. "Bobby Huress, huh? Are you on the Towson case?"

"Well, not officially. I do things for Moran now and then. I want to talk to you."

"Sure. Too late tonight, though. How about we talk tomorrow?"

"No, it's important. We could just sit here in my truck for a minute."

She looked at the sergeant in his uniform, then at his pickup, and then around at the brightly lit parking lot with people going in and out of the store.

"There's something I can do to help your brother. I'll explain. It'll just take a minute."

He held the truck door open for her. After some hesitation, she slid in.

"Pretty nice huh?" he said.

"What's that?"

"My truck." He settled in on the driver's side. "I understand you want to help your brother, but it's not as easy as it sounds. To do it all yourself, you'd have to know your way around. You'd have to run around to weird places you've never been before. And talk to important lawyers and the police. Face up to all kinds of strangers and be ready with smart answers. It could get real creepy for a young woman. A pretty girl like you shouldn't be worrying about such stuff." He chuckled slightly. "I bet all the boys tell you you're pretty."

Geez, another man who underestimates her. "Huress, talk about the case, do we have anything to discuss?" She should have trusted her instincts. This was a waste of time.

"Well, I might be able to help you. People listen to me down here. You know what I mean, a sergeant on the police force? No doubt, I could get your brother out immediately, if I wanted to bad enough. It would be up to you. Know what I'm saying? Let me take you somewhere and we can talk."

"You mean like you could take me to dinner and explain it all."

"Wasn't thinking about a dinner, but I know a place."

"We're not moving from this spot. You have ten seconds to start talking."

"Well, I know how to get him released, but I'd have to stick my neck out. Let me be frank with you, Sandy, I won't do it for nothing. I need to get something from you in return."

"I wonder what that would be."

He gave her a crooked smile. "Hey, it would get your brother out."

"Forget it Bobby, it ain't gonna happen. And I don't believe for a second you can get him released."

"You think you're the smart one here, but you're dead wrong. You see, I've been doing little jobs for Moran for a long time. Some of them, well, let's just say he owes me. True, I can't get the charges dropped, but I sure as h.e.l.l can get him out on bail, if I put in the word. That is, if you're nice to me."

"So, if I put out for you, you'll put in for me? Stop with this brainless proposition, Huress. You're putting your job on the line here." She put her hand on the door handle. "I can't believe you tried this."

"Tried what? No proposition. You and I met and we got interested in each other, happens all the time, it's natural. Just something between us and n.o.body else will ever know. In the morning, it's like it never happened except you've gotten him released. You've the power to do that. You might even be saving his life. If you don't, something bad might happen to him that you could have prevented, and you're the one to blame." He took the keys out of his pocket and put them in the ignition. "Come on, let's go."

"No!" She glanced around, no other customers were parked or in the store just now.

"I promise you'll be in control. Whatever you say, that's it. You say stop, we stop. You say take me home, I take you home. It would be the smart thing to do because you'd be getting your brother out."

Her hand was still on the door handle. Her choice was to stay inside within his precarious reach and tell the creep off, or to get out now, run and be safe. Her fight or flight response was never in question, she couldn't resist the fight. "You have a wife?"

"A wife?"

"Yes, that person who takes care of your house, cleans your toilets, feeds you and the dog? The one who's home right now giving your kids baths and tucking them in bed?"

His face turned red. "Why you little smarta.s.s b.i.t.c.h...."

"You've been stalking me haven't you? Don't you realize what you're doing right now? I can't believe you're dumb enough to try this." She pulled the door lever. "Hey, this door is locked!"

"Well, it sticks sometimes. You see this badge?" He turned his body slightly so she could see it. The movement also exposed the gun on his hip. "I could make a lot of trouble for you and your brother. I hoped it wouldn't come down to this but you're forcing me. Now I know you're sitting there thinking you're the one in control of this situation, and you can brush me aside, but there's something you didn't consider."

"I'm saying no to you. Let me out you creep."

"Listen. You don't realize this but they should have transferred your brother out to county jail long ago. Moran has overlooked it but I keep on top of everything. Gangs of cretins are out there who'd love to get friendly with your brother just as fast as they can rip off his jumpsuit. After twenty-four hours at County, don't be shocked if he pleads guilty. And he'll never forgive you. You could have made it easy for him. Now none of that has to happen. You could be friendly with the nice sergeant here. What's the big deal? What you're giving me you'll never miss anyway. Just relax and go along."

His slimy words crawled on her skin. She gave a quick look around the cab to spot something for defense: a screwdriver, a ballpoint, anything. His revolver was holstered in plain sight but it was unlikely she could take it away from him.

He was breathing heavily now. "You see what you've done to me." He started rubbing his crotch. "I'm willing to compromise. It's dark here, just put your pretty little head down. Do it and your brother will be out walking in the sunshine tomorrow. No one will ever know." He unzipped his pants and reached for her hand.

"Unlock this door now!"

"Or what? You a black belt or something?"

She couldn't just sit there, he would just keep coming at her. She had to upset the situation somehow, get him off balance. "Why don't you give up on me here? Take your fantasies somewhere else and jerk off."

He swung fast with the back of his right hand. She barely had time to duck. He made a loud grunt as his hand smashed and cracked the rear gla.s.s. He grabbed the back of her hair fiercely. He tried to force her head down. His other hand reached into his open fly. She stretched up and held the horn down with one hand. She jerked his keys out of the ignition with the other. Her fist closed around the ma.s.s of keys with the sharp ends jutting out between her clinched knuckles like some bizarre medieval weapon. She was certain she could smash into one of his eyes. Then she would sc.r.a.pe across his face to the other eye. With any luck, she thought, the pain and blood would occupy him enough so she could go for his gun. She hoped it was loaded.

Just then, the truck shook with a sudden bang. They both were jolted forward against the dash.

Sandy heard a familiar voice call out, "You okay in there, Sugar?"

He yanked open his door and sprang out of the truck. His hand instinctively moved to the b.u.t.t of his holstered gun. He stood facing Linda Call. She was standing there motionless with her arms folded across her chest and her feet spread wide apart. The pickups were b.u.mper to b.u.mper. He stared at her with wide eyes, still panting heavily.

Linda pointed to his open pants and laughed. "Go ahead, make my day."

He shifted around awkwardly trying to close his fly but some material was caught in the zipper. He looked back at Sandy and yelled, "Does G.o.ddard know you're a lesbo? Get the f.u.c.k out of my truck before you stink it up!"

Sandy was over at Linda's pickup before she realized his key ring was still tightly gripped in her hand. She heaved them as far as she could into the darkness of the adjacent vacant lot.

Chapter 19.