Just This Once

by Diana X Dunn

  She colored brightly when she realized what she had just said to a policeman. “Oh, I mean, we used to, before we had children, only…”

  “It’s quite all right.” Blake interrupted her. “I’m not interested in what you do or did, I’m interested in Cassie.”

  “Oh yes, right, well, we just got a feeling that, well, some of the people were disappearing upstairs you see,” Mary stopped again, turning to look out the window to hide her embarrassment.

  “You mean couples were going upstairs to have sex?” Julia was tired of playing fill in the blank and cut to the point.

  “Well, yes, I mean, we thought so. The people coming back down didn’t seem to be out of it on drugs, so we guessed they must be using the bedrooms.”

  Julia nodded, “I’m sure there is more to it than that.”

  “Well yes,” Mary hesitated again. “The thing was, none of the couples that were going upstairs were actually couples, if you see what I mean.”

  She drew a deep breath. “I mean, they were in couples, but half of one couple would go upstairs with someone from another couple. People seemed to be having sex with strangers or people they shouldn’t have been.” Mary stopped and shook her head, seemingly unable to figure out how to make herself clearer.

  She didn’t need to worry, as Julia understood her perfectly. “So swapping partners wasn’t your thing. That’s why you didn’t go to any more parties?” Julia asked wryly.

  “No.” Mary was still blushing as they heard the door open. A moment later a tall man stuck his head in the room. He was blandly handsome, with an average build and dull brown eyes and hair.

  “I think I got everything on the list,” he told Mary and then stepped inside. Mary’s face lit up as she introduced her partner to the others. After the introductions were completed, everyone took seats. Charles sat next to his wife, almost uncomfortably close as far as Julia was concerned.

  “Charles, I told them what we thought, when we went to the party at Cassie’s, about the partner swapping,” Mary confessed.

  Julia watched as anger flashed over the man’s face, quickly replaced by artificial amusement.

  “Now darling, just because you thought you saw something doesn’t mean you should bother the police about it.” He spoke gently to his partner, but his tone suggested that he was speaking to a small child.

  Charles turned to Blake and offered his own explanation. “Sometimes my wife has a vivid imagination,” he said, patting Mary’s hand affectionately. “We have no idea what was going on at that party, but the atmosphere made us uncomfortable, so we opted to refuse any future invitations.”

  Mary shrank back in her chair, obviously hurt by her partner’s rebuke.

  “Is there anything else either of you can tell us about Cassie or Peter?” Blake clearly recognized that they would get nothing more from Mary while Charles was in the room.

  “We barely knew her to say hello, isn’t that right, darling?” Charles watched his wife closely as she parroted his remark.

  “What about any of the other neighbors? Do you know any of them well?” Julia fished for more.

  “Sorry,” the man squeezed his wife’s hand and looked anything but sorry. “We’re a fairly compact little family unit here. I work hard and the kids keep Mary on her toes. There isn’t a lot of time for socializing with the neighbors. If we do have a night out or want to do some socializing, I have friends from work, and we both have families nearby to spend time with as well.”

  Charles’s tone was clearly one of dismissal and Julia was happy to leave things there for the time being. She might well come back during the week, when Charles would be at work. That would give her a chance to have a talk with Mary on her own. Julia stood up slowly and looked questioningly at Blake. He, too, got to his feet.

  “We won’t keep you any longer, then,” Blake told the couple. “Thank you for your time. As the case develops, we might be back with more questions. We’ll try not to bother you too much.”

  “I would appreciate some advanced warning, if you please,” Charles spoke with authority. “I’d like to be here when you talk to Mary. She can be a bit, well, delicate. and I would like to be able to support her.”

  Mary opened and closed her mouth like a fish, clearly wanting to say something but thinking better of it.

  “I can’t promise anything, but we’ll try to give you some notice if we can,” Blake answered.

  “Thanks a lot, I’d really appreciate it,” Charles shook Blake’s hand in a gesture of manly fellowship that left Julia feeling faintly unwell.

  She trailed after the two men, hoping for a quick word with Mary, but the other woman remained firmly seated in the living room as her partner showed them out. Back at their transports, Julia vented her frustration.

  “What a creepy, slimy, horrible man,” she said to Blake.

  “He wasn’t that bad,” Blake tried to calm her down. “Maybe she is delicate and he just wants to protect her.”

  “Bah, he is creepy and weird,” Julia waved away Blake’s words. “I bet he was the one who insisted that they order up perfect little blonde girls every time. That’s creepy and weird, too.”

  Blake shook his head. “Glad to see you’re keeping an open mind about all of this.” He looked up and down the street. “Let’s go back to my office and have a short debriefing while everything is fresh in our minds,” he suggested.

  Julia was quick to agree and she followed his transport across the city, still fuming quietly about Charles Halpern’s domineering treatment of his partner. Back at the station, they settled into an almost comfortable meeting room, ordered up coffee and cookies and then sat back to revisit the interviewees.

  “I still haven’t talked to Peter Henderson.” Julia reminded Blake after they had touched briefly on all of the neighbors.

  “I need to have another talk with him as well, in light of everything that was said today.” Blake flipped through his notes and his appointment program.

  “He is staying in a hotel at the moment, while the house is still a crime scene. How about I have him brought in for questioning tomorrow afternoon? He has a very secure alibi for the murder, but I suppose he could have paid someone else to do it. Certainly, in light of today’s conversations, he needs a second look.”

  Julia nodded. “So, who would you put money on?” she asked.

  This was a favorite way for her to pull her thoughts together, trying to sort out motive and means for each suspect.

  “Sorry to say that my suspicions still rest on Alex Knight,” Blake told her.

  Her extensive training meant she showed no reaction at all to his revelation. “Why is that?” she asked in a calm voice.

  “He had the best motive. She wouldn’t divorce him. And he was there.” Blake shrugged. “Sometimes it really is as straightforward as is looks.”

  “But it isn’t straightforward at all,” Julia argued. “Someone rang the police to tell them what was happening. No one has come forward to say they made that call. In fact, everyone is denying that they had any idea that anything had happened until the police arrived. If we find out who made the call, I bet we’ll find the killer.”

  Blake nodded slowly. “The call does complicate things,” he agreed. “Okay, then who do you like for it?”

  Julia shrugged. “Seems like everyone had the means and a motive, really.”

  “Go on then, tell me more.”

  “Well, you’ve already given Alex’s motive, which I’m not sure I agree with. You can get a divorce without the other party’s permission if you really want one.” Julia paused, expecting an argument, but Blake only nodded.

  “Let’s look at the Lincolns. I would bet any amount you like that he would kill to protect his wife’s secret.”

  Again, Blake nodded. “And Cassie knew that secret,” Julia added.

  “But we have no reason to believe that she was going to do anything with the information,” Blake reminded her.

  “I still think he is wor
th considering,” Julia answered. “His wife would provide him with an alibi, even if she knew he did it.”

  Blake agreed with her assessment of the pair.

  “Then there are Matthew Richards and Serena Stone. There is something not quite right about Ms. Stone, but I don’t know what it is yet,” Julia continued.

  Blake chuckled. “You just didn’t like her because she looked so good in that tiny little nightdress.”

  Julia grimaced. “Don’t be silly, anyone can look that good with the right enhancements.”

  Blake grinned again. “She looked all natural to me.”

  Julia scoffed. “What do you know?” She shook her head. “Whatever you think, I think there is something funny there. I’m going to have Michael take a closer look at her.”

  “That is your prerogative, of course,” Blake answered, his eyes still laughing at her. “Alan Wright and Joanne Quick might be worth a closer look as well. They’re a very strange couple.” Blake suggested after a moment.

  “Co-dependent with great physical compatibility but no emotional connection.” Julia spoke clinically.

  “Does that mean you’ve ruled them out?” Blake asked.

  “I haven’t ruled anyone out, but I don’t like them for it.” Julia said finally.

  “Even though he was sleeping with the victim and she clearly hated her?”

  “As I said, I haven’t ruled them out,” Julia answered.

  “I don’t suppose we can blame it on Virginia Duncan?” Blake said.

  “The poor little old dear?” Julia laughed at Blake’s expression. “No, I don’t think she had anything to do with it. That only leaves the creepy Halpern family. I can see him killing someone if they stood in his way, but I’m not sure how Cassie would fit that description.

  Blake nodded. “It really does take a lot to get someone to kill another human being. At least to someone like Charles Halpern, who has been raised with certain morals and values. I can’t see him doing it unless he was seriously provoked. We will have to dig around and see if there was something that might have provoked him.”

  “So immediate neighbors have been interviewed,” Julia remarked. “They’re the only ones that had a clear view of the house to watch Alex arrive and make that call. Of course, someone in a transport or someone on foot, could have made the call.”

  “There are a lot of possibilities,” Blake agreed.

  Julia sighed. “Maybe we should call it a night?” She allowed her mask to slip enough for him to realize how tired she was.

  Blake frowned and then checked something on his M-ped. “I think you should know that, according to this, Alex Knight is sitting in the lobby of your building right now.”

  Julia felt a range of emotions run through her, though she kept her face and her voice neutral. “Thanks for that information,” she told Blake. “I suppose I’d better go and see what he wants. I’ll message you tomorrow, and we can figure out my next move. I’m sure you’ll have your own agenda.”

  Twelve

  Alex was still waiting in Julia’s lobby when she got back to her apartment building a short time later. He stood up as Julia walked in the front door.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey yourself.” Julia gazed sympathetically at eyes that looked as if they hadn’t closed for days. “You look tired,” she told Alex.

  “I didn’t get away from the police until late last night. Then I couldn’t sleep anyway. Every time I close my eyes I see her, lying there, covered in blood.” Alex rubbed his face.

  “Come on upstairs,” Julia told him, gesturing to the elevator. “I assume you want to talk to me. We’ll be far more comfortable in my apartment.”

  “Are you sure you want me there? I might be a murderer.” Alex’s words were probably meant as a joke, but his tone was acrid.

  Julia grabbed his hand and pulled him into the elevator, choosing to ignore his words. She pushed the button for her floor and, as the doors slid shut, found herself fighting the urge to pull Alex into her arms. The enclosed space forced them stand close together and Julia could feel the tug of their intense physical attraction. Luckily the journey was short and Julia sighed with relief when the doors opened once more. She used her security code and M-ped to open her door and then carefully reset the locks.

  “Sit down anywhere,” she suggested to Alex. “I’m just going to get out of these shoes.” Julia disappeared, leaving Alex to look around.

  “This is a nice apartment,” Alex said as she walked back into the room in jeans and T-shirt.

  “Thanks.” Julia looked around her living room as if she was seeing it for the first time. “I like it here.”

  “How about something to eat?” she suggested. She flipped lights on in the immaculate kitchen and then began opening cupboards and drawers. “I usually just have FADS bars myself, but I almost always have some sort of food in the cupboard.”

  Alex walked over to the kitchen and watched as she pulled a bag of dried pasta and some jarred sauce from a cupboard.

  “That looks wonderful,” he told her. “If it isn’t too much bother.”

  Julia smiled at him again. “We have a lot to talk about and you need to keep your strength up. I probably have some meatballs in the freezer, if you want.”

  “Whose are they?” Alex asked.

  Julia named a well-known and popular frozen food manufacturer that generally delivered high quality.

  The man grinned. “I actually like their stuff, when I can’t make my own,” he told her.

  “Great, sit down and we can talk while I throw everything together.”

  Alex sat on a stool at the peninsula as Julia put the meal together.

  “So, what did you do today?” she asked as she worked.

  “Mostly I sat around my apartment and felt sorry for myself,” he told her. “But surely Blake Bowman filled you in on my day? He’s tracking my every move.”

  Julia frowned. “Blake doesn’t tell me everything. And he’s tracking you as much for your own good as for his. If the tracking device bothers you, you don’t have to wear it.”

  Alex seemed to consider her words. “But if I don’t wear it, that will make me his chief suspect.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Does it bother you, knowing that he knows I’m here right now?” Alex asked her.

  Julia tipped her head and thought about the question. “I would rather he didn’t,” she admitted. “I’m a strong believer in everyone’s right to privacy, but I can understand why he wants the band on.”

  “And will he understand if I spend the night?” Alex challenged. “I got the distinct impression from him that he has more than professional feelings for you. How would he react if his number one suspect stayed all night with you?”

  Julia shook her head at him. “Don’t be childish,” she scolded. “Blake is happily married and he’ll only worry about your staying here if he thinks it might put me in danger. You aren’t staying the night anyway. There is no way we need that sort of relationship at the moment.”

  Alex studied her for a long time before he answered. “Under normal circumstances, I’m pretty sure I could change your mind fairly quickly. But these are anything but normal circumstances, aren’t they?”

  Julia grinned. “Somewhat unusual for you, at least I hope so.”

  Alex was quick to question her words. “Unusual for me? Does that mean that murder figures into your life fairly regularly?”

  Julia smiled. “Now you’re putting words into my mouth. Don’t you want to know what I got up to today?

  “Go on then, what did you do today?”

  “I talked to Cassie’s neighbors,” she told him, watching his face for any reaction. “Do you know any of them?”

  Alex shrugged. “We met a few when we first moved in. We had a huge house warming party and invited the whole street. I can’t imagine that most of those people are still living there, though.”

  Julia agreed. “Most of the neighbors that are there now have moved in sinc
e you left. Virginia Duncan remembers you.”

  Alex grinned. “The little old grump that lived across the road? Is she still alive? I suppose she’s too mean to die. She didn’t come to the party, of course, but we used to say hello to each other on the street. She always had some complaint for me, about noise, or the way I cut the grass, or something.”

  “She’s still alive, and she doesn’t approve of Peter anymore than she did of you.” Julia decided there was no point in leaving the difficult questions for last. As she served up steaming plates full of spaghetti and meatballs she threw out a few more questions.

  “Did Cassie ever cheat on you? Did you think she was happy with Peter? Do you think she was cheating on him?”

  Alex looked surprised. When he met Julia’s gaze his eyes were sad. “I really would rather not discuss all of that,” he said.

  “You don’t have to.” Julia replied, “but if I’m going to help figure out who killed her, it could be relevant.”

  Alex nodded slowly, taking a quick bite of his pasta before answering.

  “Cassie had, well, a flexible attitude toward fidelity,” he finally answered. “When we were first married we were both totally faithful, I’m almost positive. But after a while I started to wonder. When I finally asked her about it, about whether she was cheating, she said no. But then she said that she didn’t think casual sex counted as cheating anyway. We had a huge fight, of course.”

  Alex sank his head into his hands. Julia was silent, waiting to let him gather his thoughts.

  “She genuinely didn’t think she was doing anything wrong by having sex with other men.” Even after all the time that had passed, Alex still sounded bewildered by his former wife’s attitude.

  “She said sometimes she just needed to connect physically with someone else, someone different. I don’t know, she tried to explain, but I didn’t understand. I still don’t understand. I thought we got married and promised to be faithful, but she didn’t see it that way. She said that as long as she didn’t fall in love with anyone else, she was being faithful.”

  Alex shook his head, the hurt still evident in his eyes.