Still, it was keeping Sam busy.

Cora walked down the street. Everyone was looking at the police station. No one was looking at her.

Cora crouched behind a parked car, fumbled in her purse again. Pulled out the string of firecrackers. She puffed on the cigarette until it glowed, then held the end to the fuse.

It sputtered, then began sizzling and sending off sparks. That was good. Cora was afraid it was too old. But apparently not. She set the firecrackers on the ground, stood up, walked quickly back to the other side of the crowd, and pushed her way to the front.

Rick Reed was clearly taxing his brain to the limit formulating questions to which Sam Brogan could answer "Yup" or "Un-huh."

"Did you see the body?" Rick ventured.

The first firecracker went off, then the rest in rapid succession.

People gasped.

Everyone turned, including Sam Brogan and Rick Reed.

Cora went up the steps of the police station and slipped inside.

CHAPTER.

43.

Melvin was sitting on the narrow cot in the holding cell. His attorney was standing by the bars, trying to reason with him.

Cora sized up the scene, said, "Screw, shyster."

Lennie Fleckstein stared at her. "What?"

"I need to talk to your client. Take a hike."

"Like h.e.l.l."

"Melvin, tell your mouthpiece to beat it."

Melvin grinned. "You're dating yourself with your gun moll lingo."

"Yeah, yeah. When the first gun was fired, I pulled the trigger. You, wait outside. If a cop comes in, try to head him off, and start talking loud."

"I don't work for you."

"Tell him to get lost, will you? We haven't got much time."

"Beat it, Lennie."

"She's the opposing party," the lawyer protested.

"Not in the murder, she's not. Stop thinking lawsuit. We get me out of jail, then we crush her like a bug."

"That's the spirit," Cora said. "Now, get out of here before I throw you out."

Lennie grumbled and stalked out the door.

Melvin was grinning from ear to ear. "Christ, that's how I remember you. What a h.e.l.lcat!"

"Oh, isn't that what every girl loves to hear."

"Come on. It was a perfect matchup. You always gave as good as you got."

"You cheated on the honeymoon."

"You cheated before it."

"I did not."

"You were so drunk you don't remember."

"I remember perfectly. You sneaking out with the floozy."

"I never snuck out. You may have pa.s.sed out."

"You're not endearing yourself, Melvin."

"Oh, no? What are you doing here?"

"Trying to get you out of jail. Before that stupid ambulance chaser gets you convicted."

Melvin shook his head. "Couldn't happen."

"That's what you think. You saw the victim last night. Cops know it. They're looking to prove it. Bet you a nickel you weren't careful about fingerprints."

"What the h.e.l.l are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb. You were unhappy with Lilly Clemson's testimony. Thought she could do better. Tried to threaten and/or seduce it out of her."

"Who told you that?"

"Lilly Clemson. Indirectly. Your charm didn't work on her. She called her boyfriend. Told him what you tried to do. She was very upset."

"She called her boyfriend?"

"Yeah."

"After I left?"

"Yeah."

"That's good."

"How is that good?"

"Proves I left. Right? Dead girls don't make phone calls. The boyfriend proves I left."

"You coulda come back."

"Coulda, woulda, shoulda. All I have to do is prove I left and it doesn't matter how many fingerprints the prosecution throws around." He spread his arms. "I didn't do it." Melvin smiled roguishly. "So, now that that's settled, you wanna catch some dinner?"

"I don't think the preschooler you're dating would like that very much."

"She thinks I'm in jail. We can knock one off before she even knows I'm out."

"You're not out."

"I will be, as soon as you tell the flatfoot about the exonerating phone call. h.e.l.l, I should buy the boyfriend a beer. Guy's all broken up, still has time to do me a good turn. Come on, get me outta here, we'll go someplace special. Maybe skip dinner, check into a motel."

"You got a teenage supermodel waiting for you and you wanna take me to a motel?"

"You know how boring young girls are? Aside from the s.e.x, they're no real compet.i.tion."

"Oh, you smooth talker, you. So you're willing to endure some boring lovemaking in the hope of a stimulating conversation."

Melvin grinned wickedly. "As if you could ever be boring. Before things fell apart, remember how good it was?"

Cora did, just for a second. She hoped it didn't show on her face. Realized it didn't matter. Melvin would catch the hesitation. Melvin always did.

Desperately, she changed the subject. "I don't think you understand. The cops know all about the boyfriend. How do you think they found Lilly to begin with? Boyfriend went to the cops, told them about you. You may think it proves you left, but clearly the cops don't. The boyfriend story is what got you in here."

Melvin's eyes twinkled. "You ran like h.e.l.l from reminiscing, didn't you? You know what we had. And now look at you. You must have quit drinking. You're sharp. You're focused. h.e.l.l, we could take Manhattan."

"Then we'll take Berlin."

"That's right. Hide behind song lyrics. You always were quick with a quote." He smiled at her.

Cora smiled back. "You're married, aren't you?"

The quick change of subject caught him up short. "Now, why would you bring up a thing like that?"

"Shot in the dark," Cora said. "It stands to reason. You were always married. And not to the bimbo, either, that's for sure."

"How can you tell?"

"She's too happy."

"You're quick with the zinger."

"About your wife."

"What about her?"

"So, you do have a wife."

"See, now you're bluffing. You know I've got a wife. Your hot-pants lawyer would have looked her up."

"She did. You're married. How's your wife figure in all this?"

"She doesn't."

"Oh?"

"Bloom's off the rose. She's filing for divorce."

"How do you know?"

"Huh?"

"If she hasn't filed yet, how do you know?"

"It isn't rocket science. I've been married before, you know."

"Did she tell you she's filing?"

"No. She said she forgives me and we can work things out."

"So?"

"That's a red flag. You hear that, you run like h.e.l.l."

"But she hasn't made a move yet?"

"Not that I know of. If she's approached an attorney, he hasn't approached me. Why are we talking about my wife? I can't think of a more boring subject."

Cora took a breath. "It wasn't the first time."

Melvin blinked. "What wasn't?"

"Lilly Clemson. It wasn't the first time you'd seen her. You took her out to dinner. Before the trial."

He frowned. "The boyfriend said that."

"What's the matter?"

"Why in the world would the boyfriend say that?"