The KenKen Killings
Page 21
Chief Harper took a deep breath, exhaled very slowly. “Go on.”
“So, Bambi offs the banker. With the gun she had hidden in her car.”
“Car? What car?”
“Now that’s something you can check, Chief. She came up here last Wednesday. Most likely in a rental car. Drove around in it until Sunday when it was time for Melvin to pick her up at the bus stop. Then she beat it down to Danbury so she could pretend she’d just arrived. Her rental car’s gotta be parked somewhere near the motel so she could follow Melvin when he took off in his.”
“She committed the other murder, too?”
“Of course she did. Once Lilly Clemson testified, she was dead meat. Bambi had to use a razor because she’d already ditched the gun. She slit her throat, left the puzzles implicating Melvin.”
“The KenKen gave us his license plate.”
“I know.”
“She tried to get him convicted?”
Cora shook her head. “Of course not. She loves him. No, like I said in court, implicating Melvin doesn’t implicate Melvin. Not unless you think Melvin’s stupid enough to implicate himself, and trust me, he isn’t dumb. Bambi knows the current Mrs. Melvin is on the scene following hubby around. Bambi’s trying to make it look like his wife is framing him.”
“I don’t know.”
“I do. That was her plan from the start. If there’s anyone Bambi hates worse than me, it’s the current Mrs. M. For Bambi it’s a situation made in heaven. All she has to do is leave a few clues around. If she can make it look like Melvin’s being framed, Evelyn Crabtree sticks out like a sore thumb. The only problem is no one knows she’s there. Her husband hasn’t spotted her, and no one knows she’s Melvin’s wife. That’s why she tried to give us a hint.”
“Who tried to give us a hint?”
“Bambi. When Dan brought her to the police station. She tells us she’s got this funny feeling she’s being watched. What she’s really saying is, ‘Hey, dumb-dumbs, there’s a woman with hair as red as a Raggedy Ann doll snooping around, how come nobody’s noticed?’ She also tried to implicate her in planting the gun.”
“How’d she do that?”
Oops.
Cora’s mind flip-flopped, realizing she didn’t actually have an answer, at least not one she could give the chief. “By pretending the puzzle and the KenKen had been slipped under their motel room door,” she improvised, tap dancing nimbly. “She knew when we found out Melvin’s wife was staying at the motel, she’d be the most likely suspect.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Harper said, “but what about the gun?”
“She made up the puzzle and the KenKen to tell us where it was. Pretty clever on her part. The puzzle tells us to add up all the numbers. Of course, the numbers in the answer to a KenKen always add up to the same thing. If it wasn’t the numbers in the answer, there was only one other thing it could be.
“Only we didn’t think of it. Bambi can’t believe it. What a bunch of dummies! She finally had to suggest it herself. ‘Hey, maybe it’s the numbers in the problem.’ ”
“You didn’t notice that?”
“It’s worse than that, Chief. I added ’em up and got ninety-three. It was Bambi who pointed out, ‘No, that’s wrong. It’s really a hundred and six.’ ”
“So why did she plant the gun in the Pricherts’ mailbox? Those people had nothing to do with anything. What did she hope to accomplish by that?”
“You got me there, Chief. That sure is strange. If she’s clammed up, I guess we’ll never know.”
“Yeah.” Chief Harper cocked his head. “As I recall, her theory was one oh six referred to the motel unit next to theirs. You and Sherry checked it out before you went to the mailbox.”
“Some theories don’t check out, Chief.”
“They do if a theory’s not just a theory but something you already know. She sent you to the motel to get the gun. She was shocked when you didn’t find it. Right there in the motel room next to theirs, where it would look like Melvin’s wife planted it.”
“You make a strong case, Chief. Too bad she’s not talking.”
“You’re talking.”
“I’m talking about the crime. I’m not talking about my actions. You want to start talking about my actions, we’ll get Becky Baldwin in here. That’s going to take time, the media’s waiting, you gotta make a statement.”
“The problem is you think you can play fast and loose with the law.”
“I don’t, actually. I play fast and loose with people who violate the law. It’s a big difference.”
“You obstructed a police investigation. You tampered with evidence.”
“Prove it. Charge me. Take me on. You wanna see a media circus, how about the Bakerhaven police and the district attorney gang up on the Puzzle Lady for helping them catch a killer and solving two crimes.”
Harper scowled. “If that’s the way you wanna play it.”
“Hey, I don’t wanna play it at all,” Cora said. “This is your party. I just tagged along for the ride. It’s a real feather in your cap, Chief. Solving two murders, catching a killer, and exonerating an innocent man.”
“But…”
“But what?”
“How do I explain it to the media?”
“You don’t have to explain, Chief. You’re a winner. Take a few bows, run a victory lap.” Cora smiled, patted him on the cheek. “You’ll do fine.”
Chapter
57
Melvin signed for his valuables and was released from jail. He came out the front door of the police station to find Cora Felton waiting for him.
“You here to gloat?”
“Gloat? They’re not going to hang you, Melvin. Why should I gloat?”
“So why are you here?”
“Where’s your wife?”
“She went home.”
“She gonna take you back?”
“Wives always take you back. If they can win you away from younger girlfriends, there’s such a feeling of empowerment.”
“Giving away trade secrets, Melvin?”
“I never had any secrets from you.” He smiled. “Not that I didn’t try. You always saw through everything.”
“You remember that fondly?”
“Okay, you were a major pain in the ass. I had more trouble with you than with any other woman. You realize you’re getting more alimony than any of my other wives ever got?”
“Wow, what a distinction.”
“It’s not that you had a better lawyer. You were smarter than your average mindless slut.”
“You are such a sweet talker, Melvin.”
“I mean it. Being married to you was fun. You know why? Because you weren’t a doormat on the one hand, or a shrew on the other. You were an equal sparring partner, giving as good as you got. If you’d been a little more tolerant, we’d have had a good thing.”
“I didn’t sign on for an open marriage, Melvin.”
“I know you didn’t. Did I flaunt women? Did I throw them in your face? But you made it your business to ferret them out. You hunted for reasons not to like me.”
“Right, right. It wasn’t your fault for running around, it was my fault for noticing.”
“See, you’re too good with words. I can’t even argue with you.”
“When you take an indefensible position, it’s hard to win.”
“This isn’t about winning or losing. Jeez, Cora, we had a good thing.”
“Yes, we did. Too bad it wasn’t enough.”
He winced. “Ah, gee.”
“Of all my husbands, you’re the one I hated most.” Cora smiled ruefully. “Because you’re the one who had the most potential. You’re the one who hurt me most. You’re the one I most hated to lose.”
“You did care. I knew you did.”
“Easy, Melvin.”
Melvin studied the look in her eyes, tried to read her expression. “I always wondered why you never married anyone after me.”
“I tried. It didn’t wor
k out.”
“Some things were meant to happen. I don’t suppose you’d consider giving it another go?”
“You’re married, Melvin.”
“I’m always married. It didn’t stop you before.”
“I’m older now.”
“But you’ve still got it. That insane, loopy lust for life that lets you kick over the conventions. How many laws did you have to break to get me out of jail?”
“That’s neither here nor there.”
“You did, didn’t you? You manipulated everything, played fast and loose with the police. Would you have done that for just anyone?”
“Yes. I’m that kind of a girl.”
“So, we’re not meant to be.”
“Sorry, Melvin.”
“I’ve still got that motel room. How’d you like to come back with me for old times’ sake.”
“Yeah, sure. Next thing I know your shyster would be filing papers for reconciliation.”
“I’ll have him draw up a disclaimer. Any actions taken this afternoon are not to be construed as having any bearing on the alimony hearing or the matrimonial state.”
Cora hesitated. Melvin did look awfully good. She had to remind herself what a bastard he was. How angry she’d be with herself every time she thought of it.
Even so.
The man had incredible charisma, unlike anyone she’d ever met. They’d been good times, however brief, before it all went to hell. It was hard to turn him down.
Cora smiled slightly.
Wistfully.
“Sorry, Melvin.”
Chapter
58
Aaron and Sherry were having champagne when Cora got home. Aaron met her at the door, handed her a glass.
“Aaron! I don’t drink.”
“It’s ginger ale. Come on, we’re making a toast.”
Cora followed Aaron into the kitchen, where Sherry was sitting at the table, a glass in her hand.
“Kids, this is very nice, but I’ve solved cases before, and you never made a big deal.”
“This one’s special,” Aaron said.
“Why?”
“You solved it in spite of the distracting presence of your least favorite ex-husband. Tell me, does being a murder suspect make him any more sympathetic in the annals of ex-husbandom, like maybe rise him from fourth place to third?”
“Once a creep, always a creep,” Cora said. She tried to change the subject. “How come you’re not at the paper pounding out the story?”
“Already filed it. I wanted to be home for you.”
“It’s no big deal.”
“Yeah, it is,” Aaron said. “Sherry?”
Sherry smiled. “We’re having a baby.”
Cora’s mouth fell open. “You said you weren’t having a baby!”
“No. We said when we’re having a baby, we’ll tell you we’re having a baby. Well, guess what. We’re having a baby. Cheers!”
Sherry lifted her glass.
“You shouldn’t be drinking that,” Cora said.
“It’s ginger ale. You going to be that way with the baby, too? A possessive worrywart?” Sherry’s eyes widened. “Oh, my God. I just realized. You’re going to be a great-aunt.”
“Great-aunt, hell,” Cora said. “I’m going to be the greatest aunt.”
Also by Parnell Hall
The Puzzle Lady vs. the Sudoku Lady
Dead Man’s Puzzle
The Sudoku Puzzle Murders
You Have the Right to Remain Puzzled
Stalking the Puzzle Lady
And a Puzzle to Die On
With This Puzzle, I Thee Kill
A Puzzle in a Pear Tree
Puzzled to Death
Last Puzzle & Testament
A Clue for the Puzzle Lady
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
A THOMAS DUNNE BOOK FOR MINOTAUR BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
THE KENKEN KILLINGS. Copyright © 2010 by Parnell Hall. KenKen® is a registered trademark of Nextoy, LLC, © 2010 by KenKen Puzzle LLC. www.kenken.com. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.thomasdunnebooks.com
www.minotaurbooks.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hall, Parnell.
The kenken killings : a puzzle lady mystery / Parnell Hall.—1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-312-61219-1
1. Felton, Cora (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Puzzles—Fiction. 3. Murder—Investigation—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3558.A37327K46 2011
813'.54—dc22
2010037499
First Edition: January 2011
eISBN 978-1-4299-9182-7
First Minotaur Books eBook Edition: February 2011