by Parnell Hall
“How did she know it was there?” Henry Firth objected.
“A little bird told her,” Cora said. “Are you going to say this about everything? The answer is how the hell should I know? I’m giving you the broad brushstrokes of what you are likely to find out once the facts are in. If you prefer to sit back and wait for those facts, suit yourself. Personally, I think I solved the case. But if you don’t wanna buy it, feel free.
“The point is she drops ’em on the bus. I don’t know if she started digging graves in the cellar for them and then got interrupted, or whether the one thing has nothing to do with the other. But it’s a good bet she didn’t put ’em in the window seat because two bodies wouldn’t fit.
“Anyway, she sticks ’em on the bus, adorns ’em with a sudoku to tie ’em to the other crimes, because she’s still trying to sell that idea, and heaves a big sigh of relief. And the next thing she knows, Charlotte Guilford is making a big fuss about the stupid bottle of maple syrup.”
“Granted, this is conjecture,” Henry Firth said, “but that’s all it is. You can’t prove any of it.”
“No, but you can, now that I’ve given you a hint. A lot of things point to it. Arlene claims she couldn’t do crossword puzzles. Remember that, Chief? You were there. So was Becky Baldwin and a lot of other witnesses. It was when she brought us the crossword puzzle she said she found under the doormat. Why did she claim she couldn’t do puzzles? To distance herself from the puzzle. In point of fact she copied it from one of mine she’d found in an old newspaper. She’d printed it out in the library, most likely on the same computer she sent the e-mail to Sebastian that brought him here.
“That’s another thing, Chief. You recall Arlene scoffing at the idea this was like the movie, saying if it was, Alan would have a criminal brother who looks like Boris Karloff. That’s because she knew Sebastian was coming and she wanted to make sure we made the connection.”
“That’s right,” Harper said.
“You’re buying into this?” Henry Firth demanded.
Chief Harper looked at him. With his face scrunched up, the prosecutor looked more like a rat than ever. The chief had a narrow escape from a giggle.
“Why don’t we wait for the ID?”
Chapter
60
Jennifer took two steps and plunked down on her bottom. She looked around startled, then giggled.
Sherry, Aaron, and Cora applauded.
“That’s a small step for a baby, a giant leap for great-aunthood,” Cora said.
Buddy came trotting up to see what was going on.
Jennifer squealed in delight, and started crawling off after the dog.
“Smart kid,” Cora said. “Walkin’s for show, but crawlin’s for dough.”
“I thought you were keeping her away from the dog,” Aaron said.
“They made friends,” Sherry said.
Buddy turned around, waited for the baby to catch up.
Jennifer sat up, reached for the dog. He scooted away again. Jennifer squealed in glee, set off after him.
“There you are,” Cora said. “A built-in babysitter.”
The phone rang. Cora reluctantly got up, went in the kitchen to answer.
It was Chief Harper.
“You win all the way around.”
“Oh?”
“The man is Michael Bennett of the law firm of Crowl, Crawford, and Bennett, solicitors for the late Fredrick and Ethel Winnington. He was never reported missing because he left on vacation and told the firm he’d be unreachable.”
“And the girl?”
“She hasn’t cracked yet, but it doesn’t matter. She’s been positively ID’d as Rachel Simpson, ex-roommate of Arlene Winnington. As a result Arlene’s assets have been frozen, and Rachel’s high-priced attorneys are going to discover they aren’t getting paid. So maybe Becky Baldwin will get the case after all. Small consolation after her debacle with the doc.”
“What?”
“Here I am, talking out of school again. But for your information, it’s all over town. Barney’s estranged from his wife all right, but it would appear Becky Baldwin has been beaten out by another woman.” Harper’s tone was teasing. “Of course you wouldn’t know anything about that.”
“Good thing you don’t like to gossip, Chief. My reputation wouldn’t be worth a plugged nickel.”
Cora got off the phone and called Barney Nathan.
“I thought you weren’t going to call me in the office,” Barney said.
“Sorry, Barney, but we wrapped up the case and I’d like to celebrate. How’d you like to go out to dinner?”
“I thought you didn’t want to be seen with me in public.”
“That was then, this is now. I’m not a home-wrecker anymore. Just ask anyone in town.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I didn’t break up your marriage.” Cora smiled happily at the thought. “I stole you away from Becky Baldwin.”
Also by Parnell Hall
$10,000 in Small, Unmarked Puzzles
The KenKen Killings
The Puzzle Lady vs. The Sudoku Lady
Deadman’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
About the Author
Edgar, Shamus, and Lefty finalist Parnell Hall is the author of the Puzzle Lady crossword puzzle mysteries, the Stanley Hastings private eye novels, and the Steve Winslow courtroom dramas. An actor, screenwriter, and former private investigator, Parnell lives in New York City. Visit his Web site at www.parnellhall.com.
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
ARSENIC AND OLD PUZZLES. Copyright © 2012 by Parnell Hall. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.thomasdunnebooks.com
www.stmartins.com
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Hall, Parnell.
Arsenic and old puzzles: a puzzle lady mystery / Parnell Hall.—First edition.
p. cm.
“A Thomas Dunne book.”
ISBN 978-0-312-60248-2 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-250-02050-5 (e-book)
1. Felton, Cora (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Older women—Fiction. 3. Boardinghouses—Fiction. 4. Puzzles—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3558.A37327A73 2013
813'.54—dc23
2012038379
e-ISBN 9781250020505
First Edition: January 2013