CHAPTER.

21.

Cora c.o.c.ked her head and laid into her niece with elaborate sarcasm. "So. Staying up to go my bail. That was the first lie. The second lie, closer to the truth, was staying up in case there was a crossword puzzle. Gee, what were the odds of that? When you had it right in your hand."

"I didn't want to bring it up until you told me your end of the story."

"Why not?"

"Because I knew you'd react like this, and I'd never find out what happened."

"Sherry, this is no good. You got married, and you're getting devious. That's to be expected. But you're supposed to get devious with your husband. That's who you need to trick. Not your loyal, trusting aunt."

"You're going through an alimony hearing, so I can forgive your views on marriage."

"Oh, bite me! What does the crossword puzzle mean? Why didn't you solve it?"

"I solved it. I duped it in the fax machine and solved the copy. You wanna see?"

"Well, I'm sure not going to solve it myself."

Sherry took out the solved copy, pa.s.sed it over. "See, I didn't think it meant anything until you told me about the KenKen. You throw that into the mix."

"What mix? What does it say?"

Cora looked the puzzle over.

Cora read the theme entry. " 'Being a bad boy in court cut his life very short.' Great. The guy testifies against me and gets whacked. Is this saying I did it?"

"I don't think so."

"Well, what else could it mean?"

"Don't forget the KenKen."

"What about the KenKen? This doesn't have anything to do with the KenKen."

"No. But look at 20 Across."

"Huh?"

"Look."

Cora looked at the puzzle.

The clue for 20 Across was "With 47-Across, where to look."

The clue for 47 Across was "See 20-Across."

The answer to 20 Across was "Second."

The answer to 47 Across was "Line."

Cora groaned. "Oh, h.e.l.l."

"See?" Sherry said. "The second line of the KenKen must mean something."

"Yeah."

"What's the matter?"

"I gotta figure some way of getting the KenKen away from Chief Harper without seeming too eager."

CHAPTER.

22.

Becky was p.i.s.sed.

"You didn't call me?"

"At three in the morning?"

"It wasn't to borrow a cup of sugar, it was a murder."

"I'm not a suspect."

"So what?"

"What would you have done?"

"Try to figure out who was a suspect, and lock that person up with a retainer."

"Well, you go, girl. Harper hasn't charged anyone yet, so no harm, no foul."

Becky looked at Cora thoughtfully. "Why are you here?"

"Huh?"

"If you're not involved in the case, why are you up so early? You were running around at three in the morning. I'd think you'd need your sleep."

"Are you saying I look tired?" Cora said acidly.

"I would say you seem mendacious."

Uh-oh. Mendacious. Just the type of word Cora was always on the alert for, the type of word a crossword puzzle person should know that would give her away if she didn't.

Cora dug into her extensive motion picture knowledge and came up with the scene in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof where Burl Ives is talking to Paul Newman about the odor of mendacity in the house.

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"I'm wondering why you're taking such an interest in this case."

"He was a witness. He testified against me."

"And now he won't. Problem solved."

"Becky."

"You didn't kill the guy, by any chance?"

"Of course not."

"Then I don't see the problem. Come on, Cora, what do you want?"

"Aw, h.e.l.l."

Cora told Becky about withholding the fact that she'd called on the victim.

"That's not exactly good."

"No."

"If it came out, you might get charged with something minor. I could defend you, rack up a nice fee."

"Becky."

"And that's the worst-case scenario."

"It didn't sound worse from your point of view."

"That's the shyster in me talking. Just ignore it. So?"

"So. There was a KenKen next to the body."

"What about it?"

"I'd like to get a hold of it."

"Won't Chief Harper want you to solve it?"

"Yeah, but he's in no rush."

"And you are?"

"I'd like to see it."

"So ask him."

"I don't want to appear too eager."

"Would you like me to?"

"That wouldn't be good, either."

"What do you want me to do?"

"That's a tough one. Best-case scenario, I'd like you to represent Melvin, take a dive, and have him found guilty of murder."

"Does anyone suspect him of murder?"

"That's the problem."

"I see. What's the second-best-case scenario?"

"I'd like the murder to turn out to have nothing to do with me."

"What are the odds of that?"

"With a d.a.m.n KenKen? What do you think?"

"I take it Chief Harper doesn't know about the other KenKen."

"What about it?"

"It being the amount of your alimony check."

"That's arbitrary, extraneous, and most likely a coincidence."

"So he doesn't know?"

"Of course he doesn't know. If he did, I'd be in custody now, and you'd be trying to get me out."

"That sounds good. That's the type of thing a lawyer can deal with."

"I'm glad you like it. If Harper gets an anonymous tip, I'll know who to blame."

"I'm not turning you in. I'm just saying, if Harper knew about the solution of the first KenKen, he'd be more interested in the second."

"It's a good thing he doesn't."