Read Online 1 Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun by Lois Winston - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lois Winston
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tie of
choice, but the detective's grim expression of last night remained
in place.
"Have a seat, Mrs. Pollack," he said, indicating the chair normally reserved for Hugo. He and Batswin settled in at either side
of me.
My clammy hands knotted into a perfect facsimile of a mutant
pretzel, my breathing on hiatus for the unforeseeable future, I
waited for the good cop/bad cop interrogation to begin. Over the
years I've seen my share of Law & Order episodes. I knew the routine.
Batswin began. "We found something interesting on your computer, Mrs. Pollack."
"Excuse me?"
This was the last thing I expected to hear. Besides company
memos and work-related e-mails, my computer contained nothing other than design and word processing files for past, current,
and future issues. Trimedia had a strict policy against using company computers for private net surfing or e-mails. Playing Tetris
or FreeCell or Solitaire, even after hours, was grounds for immediate dismissal.
"Who's R?" asked Robbins.
"I have no idea."
He removed a sheet of paper from a manila folder and passed
it face-down across the table.
I picked it up and turned it over.
From: R
To: Anastasia Pollack
Subject: 50Gs
Friday. Or else.
I gasped, dropping the paper as if it were as blistering as the
wax from my hot glue gun. How had Ricardo gotten my work email addy?
More importantly, how was I going to explain his threatening
message to the two very suspicious detectives now glaring at me?
Trapped.
No way could I lie my way out of this situation. Karl was the
poker face in our family, not me. If I ever tried to fib my way
through a polygraph, the needle would leap around so frenetically,
it would break off and fly clear across the room, impaling Mighty
Mouse to Robbins' thick chest. Reluctantly, I realized I had no
choice but to tell Batswin and Robbins about Karl and Ricardo.
Before I could begin, though, there was a light rap at the door.
Robbins rose to answer it.
Cloris entered with a tray containing three cups of coffee. Her
questioning eyes, filled with a combination of blatant curiosity
and genuine worry, scoured my face. "You okay?" she mouthed, as
soon as she had positioned herself with her back to Batswin and
Robbins.
I reached for some coffee and wrapped my sub-zero digits
around the Styrofoam. My trembling hands caused a tidal wave of
java to slosh ominously within the cup. Biting down on my lower
lip, I shook my head ever so slightly.
Her eyes bugged out. As she scurried from the conference
room, I regretted the silent communication that had passed between us. Cloris was my closest friend at Trimedia, but that friendship had never been tested by such juicy gossip as Anastasia getting grilled by the cops.
Once the door clicked behind Cloris, I took a deep swig of caffeine before plunging into an account of the events of last week. I
doubt Batswin and Robbins expected to hear anything so bizarre.
But then again, they were cops. And this was New Jersey.
"But I didn't kill Marlys," I said in conclusion.
I glanced from Batswin to Robbins and then back to Batswin.
They both stared at me, Batswin's expression just as grim as Robbins's.
"You have to believe me."
Neither looked all that convinced.
"And I didn't take the diamonds," I continued. "I'm the one
who found the body and called the police, remember? I'm the one
who told you about the diamonds in the first place. Why would I
be stupid enough to tell you about them if I took them to pay off
Ricardo?"
"To cover your tracks?" suggested Robbins.
At that moment I felt like pounding my head on the battered
conference table. Maybe I shouldn't have told them anything. Too
late I thought about the need for a lawyer-not that I could afford
one.
And forget court-appointed counsel. Over the years, I'd read
and seen enough news accounts, not to mention all those Law &
Order episodes, to figure out that court-appointed attorneys were
as effective as mosquito
choice, but the detective's grim expression of last night remained
in place.
"Have a seat, Mrs. Pollack," he said, indicating the chair normally reserved for Hugo. He and Batswin settled in at either side
of me.
My clammy hands knotted into a perfect facsimile of a mutant
pretzel, my breathing on hiatus for the unforeseeable future, I
waited for the good cop/bad cop interrogation to begin. Over the
years I've seen my share of Law & Order episodes. I knew the routine.
Batswin began. "We found something interesting on your computer, Mrs. Pollack."
"Excuse me?"
This was the last thing I expected to hear. Besides company
memos and work-related e-mails, my computer contained nothing other than design and word processing files for past, current,
and future issues. Trimedia had a strict policy against using company computers for private net surfing or e-mails. Playing Tetris
or FreeCell or Solitaire, even after hours, was grounds for immediate dismissal.
"Who's R?" asked Robbins.
"I have no idea."
He removed a sheet of paper from a manila folder and passed
it face-down across the table.
I picked it up and turned it over.
From: R
To: Anastasia Pollack
Subject: 50Gs
Friday. Or else.
I gasped, dropping the paper as if it were as blistering as the
wax from my hot glue gun. How had Ricardo gotten my work email addy?
More importantly, how was I going to explain his threatening
message to the two very suspicious detectives now glaring at me?
Trapped.
No way could I lie my way out of this situation. Karl was the
poker face in our family, not me. If I ever tried to fib my way
through a polygraph, the needle would leap around so frenetically,
it would break off and fly clear across the room, impaling Mighty
Mouse to Robbins' thick chest. Reluctantly, I realized I had no
choice but to tell Batswin and Robbins about Karl and Ricardo.
Before I could begin, though, there was a light rap at the door.
Robbins rose to answer it.
Cloris entered with a tray containing three cups of coffee. Her
questioning eyes, filled with a combination of blatant curiosity
and genuine worry, scoured my face. "You okay?" she mouthed, as
soon as she had positioned herself with her back to Batswin and
Robbins.
I reached for some coffee and wrapped my sub-zero digits
around the Styrofoam. My trembling hands caused a tidal wave of
java to slosh ominously within the cup. Biting down on my lower
lip, I shook my head ever so slightly.
Her eyes bugged out. As she scurried from the conference
room, I regretted the silent communication that had passed between us. Cloris was my closest friend at Trimedia, but that friendship had never been tested by such juicy gossip as Anastasia getting grilled by the cops.
Once the door clicked behind Cloris, I took a deep swig of caffeine before plunging into an account of the events of last week. I
doubt Batswin and Robbins expected to hear anything so bizarre.
But then again, they were cops. And this was New Jersey.
"But I didn't kill Marlys," I said in conclusion.
I glanced from Batswin to Robbins and then back to Batswin.
They both stared at me, Batswin's expression just as grim as Robbins's.
"You have to believe me."
Neither looked all that convinced.
"And I didn't take the diamonds," I continued. "I'm the one
who found the body and called the police, remember? I'm the one
who told you about the diamonds in the first place. Why would I
be stupid enough to tell you about them if I took them to pay off
Ricardo?"
"To cover your tracks?" suggested Robbins.
At that moment I felt like pounding my head on the battered
conference table. Maybe I shouldn't have told them anything. Too
late I thought about the need for a lawyer-not that I could afford
one.
And forget court-appointed counsel. Over the years, I'd read
and seen enough news accounts, not to mention all those Law &
Order episodes, to figure out that court-appointed attorneys were
as effective as mosquito
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