"Is this police business?"

"Of course."

"Then why isn't Chief Harper bringing it to me?"

"Probably too busy."

"So he asked you to ask me?"

"That's a clumsy way to phrase it."

"What's a good way to phrase it?"

"You're too quick for me today, Dan. I need to find out if Melvin Crabtree rented a car recently. If so, I need the make and plate."

"Isn't Melvin Crabtree the ex-husband making trouble for you in court?"

"Oh my. That would be quite a coincidence, wouldn't it?"

"It certainly would."

"Don't string me along, Dan. If you don't want to do it, just say so."

Dan got back to her in twenty minutes. "Cream-colored Lexus. New York plate, BFH561."

"That was fast, Dan."

"Well, what with it being official police business and all."

Cora went out, got in her car, and cruised the streets of Bakerhaven, looking for a cream-colored Lexus.

She'd just pa.s.sed the police station when Becky Baldwin ran out and waved her arms.

Cora pulled to a stop. "Whaddya want?"

"I've been trying to get in touch with you. I had lunch with Melvin's attorney."

"Oh? What did you have?"

Becky gave her a look. "Are you deliberately trying to be irritating?"

"Yeah, I guess so. When you start collaborating with the enemy."

"I thought you wanted to know if Melvin was in town."

"Yeah. Did you find out?"

"No."

"I suppose lunch will appear on your expense account anyway."

"Cora."

"Relax. I did the work for you. Melvin's in town. Driving a cream-colored Lexus. If you see him, flag me down again."

"How did you find out?"

"Simple detective work. Why are you so het up over lunch?"

"There's a weak point in Melvin's case. The attorney's representing him and Chester T. Markowitz. That reeks to high heaven."

"What's the shyster say about it?"

"He won't say. I think we can make something out of it."

"d.a.m.n."

"What's the matter?"

"I don't like it. Here's a clear-cut case, and you're resorting to technicalities."

"What's so clear-cut about it?"

"I never knew any Chester T. Markowitz."

"And yet you cashed his check."

"Shut up."

Cora continued to zigzag in and out of the side streets, a circuitous route that eventually led her to the outskirts of town. The local shopping mall was only a mile down the road. She checked it out on a hunch. A bad hunch. Melvin wasn't parked in front of the Starbucks. Or the Stop & Shop. Or the Bed Bath & Beyond.

Cora pulled out of the mall parking lot and headed back toward town, following a different circuitous route from the one that had taken her there.

She almost zoomed right by the antiques shop. It wasn't one she'd ever stopped at before, but then there were nearly as many antiques shops as there were bed-and-breakfasts in Bakerhaven. This one was called Ye Olde Antique Shop, old spelled with an e, as if the archaic spelling would make the goods inside even more antique.

A cream-colored Lexus was parked outside. It had no license plate on the front. Cora had to back up half a block to check the one in the rear. Sure enough, the plate was BFH561.

Cora pulled up behind the Lexus and got out.

Two men came around the corner of the shop.

One was the owner. A little old man with horn-rimmed gla.s.ses, white hair, and a blue polo shirt.

The man next to him was short, stocky, but still athletically built. His brown curls were flecked with gray, but his chin jutted out, firm, a.s.sertive. He wore no gla.s.ses. His blue eyes were keen. His lip was twisted in a sardonic smile.

Cora felt her pulse quicken.

She stepped across the sidewalk to intercept the men in the middle of the lawn.

Melvin saw her coming. He stopped. His chin came up. His lips twisted in a haughty sneer. "Well, well, well."

Cora plunged her hand into her drawstring purse.

Melvin stopped. The smile froze on his face. He actually flinched. After all, he was the one who had taught Cora to shoot.

But it was not a gun Cora wrenched from her purse, merely a pack of cigarettes.

Melvin's jaw relaxed. Still, he balanced on the b.a.l.l.s of his feet. He looked ready to spring in any direction.

"Well, Melvin," Cora said. She tapped out a cigarette, lit it up. "Want one? Oh, that's right. You don't smoke."

Melvin c.o.c.ked his head, grinned. "So, you tracked me down. Quite the little detective, aren't you, sweetie? I always liked that about you."

"Yeah, until I found those hotel receipts."

"Why dwell on the past? Let bygones be bygones."

"Easy for you to say. Why are you doing this?"

"Why am I doing what?"

"Don't play games. I'm not in the mood."

"You think it's fair I pay you twelve hundred bucks a month not to be my wife?"

"It is considering what I put up with when I was."

"It's been a long time."

"Murder never outlaws, Melvin."

"I didn't murder anyone."

"Just an example. What makes you think you can get away with it?"

"Get away with what?"

"This scam."

"Scam? What scam? Are you telling me you haven't been married since we've been divorced?"

"It was a cheap trick, Melvin. And the judge knows it."

"Cheap trick. I'll tell you what's a cheap trick. Collecting alimony you're not ent.i.tled to."

"You know d.a.m.n well I'm ent.i.tled to it."

"I know nothing of the sort. I'm an honest man. I go by the letter of the law. The law says if you marry again, I'm off the hook."

"I didn't marry again."

"That's not the way my lawyer sees it."

"Your lawyer is a two-bit shyster."

"Whoa! You're lucky I'm a nice guy. A hard-a.s.s would try to drum up a damage suit."

"Yeah, Melvin. You're a real nice guy. The ladies love you, don't they?"

"Some do. I'm sorry you're no longer in that group."

"Would you really expect me to be?"

"Hey, we had some good times."

"Everyone has good times, Melvin, or they wouldn't get married. It's what happens after."

Melvin's smile was roguish. "It was pretty good."

"Don't start with me."

The antiques dealer, embarra.s.sed and fl.u.s.tered, couldn't wait to get out of there. "If you need me, I'll be inside."

Melvin was grinning. "You're still crazy about me, aren't you?"

Cora shook her head. "I don't know how you live with yourself."

"That's an evasion."

"Yes, it is. I'm trying to avoid pulling my gun out and shooting you dead."

"That's hardly fair. I taught you to shoot."

"Only one of your big mistakes."

"You're quick as you ever were. That's what I liked about you. A good sparring partner. You always could give as good as you got."

"Forget it, Melvin. I'm not interested."

"Oh, no? Then why'd you hunt me down?"

"Huh?"

"You weren't just driving by. You were obviously looking for me. When you stopped, I was nowhere in sight. You must have spotted my car. Which means you knew what kind of car I was driving. Which means you found out what kind of car I was driving. Which is not that easy to do. You must have gone to some trouble to find out what kind of car I was driving. Which means you were looking for me. And I'm wondering why?"

"Why do you even ask that? You're here making trouble for me. You think I'm going to take it lying down?"

Melvin rolled his eyes, grinned. "Oh, what a straight line."