Read Online A Murderer Among Us by Marilyn Levinson - Free Book Online Page A

She reached for the intercom phone and asked whoever was at the desk to please send the office manager down to the pool because there’d been an accident.
    Margie, the efficient, forty-something manager, came immediately. “The pool’s closed! Who on earth activated the cover?” she asked.
    “That’s what I’d like to know,” Lydia said. “I was in the pool when it happened.”
    “Oh, no! You could have been killed!”
    “I know.”
    Margie sat down beside her. “What’s happening to this place? It used to be so—peaceful.”
    “Until I came to live here,” Lydia said.
    Margie patted her hand. “Don’t be silly. You didn’t close the cover. The mechanism’s inside the men’s locker room. Someone must have…” She faltered.
    “Wanted to kill me.”
    “Don’t say that! I’m sure it was an accident.”
    “Did you see anyone come down here in the last hour or so?”
    “No. I’ve been busy in the office.” She looked at Lydia. “Would you like me to wait here while you change into your street clothes?”
    “I’d appreciate it. Then I’m going home to call Detective Molina.”
    * * *
    He arrived at her front door half an hour later, looking handsome in a tweed blazer and gray trousers.
    “Hello, Mrs. Krause. You’ve had yourself one hell of a morning.”
    “So it seems.”
    She led the way into the living room and sat on a sofa. He sat facing her. “I’ve just come from the pool. The mechanism appears to be in perfect working order.”
    “Any idea who closed it?”
    “No. I spoke to Stefano, your head of maintenance. He told me they almost never use the cover. I spoke to two other workers, Ralph and John. They don’t know anything, either.” He pressed his lips together. “They’re going to place a small metal cage over the switch, so this will never happen again.”
    “Thank God.”
    “Did you see anyone while you were down there?”
    Lydia shook her head. “Whoever it was knows I rarely miss a morning swim. He was waiting down there to kill me.” A tremor ran through her body. “Maybe it was Marshall Weill, angry because I exposed him as a felon. Maybe he waited to ward off suspicion, then tried to kill me.”
    “Days after his wife was killed?”
    Lydia shrugged, suddenly confused. “I—I’m not sure.”
    The smile he offered was filled with kindness. “I’m wondering if someone meant this as a warning, Mrs. Krause.”
    “A warning? Why?”
    “You tell me.”
    She hesitated. Was Detective Molina clairvoyant? It was the only explanation she could think of that explained how he knew she’d been asking questions.
    “For your information, I did speak to a few people about Claire Weill.”
    “Uh-huh. Just as I thought! Either the murderer’s worried you’ll discover some detail he overlooked, or he—or someone else—fears you’ll uncover a secret from the past.”
    Lydia was indignant. “Of course I asked questions! Did you imagine I’d sit here twiddling my thumbs while you consider me a homicide suspect?”
    Molina smiled, showing white, even teeth. “No one’s accusing you of killing Mrs. Weill. In fact, I came to tell you the ME strongly believes Mrs. Weill died at seven at the outset.”
    Lydia shrugged. “I don’t see how that takes me off the A List.”
    “I never told you—and I asked Mrs. Taylor not to discuss this with you—but she was certain she threw some clothes in the dryer at a quarter to seven, looked in on you, then read until she fell asleep about half an hour later. That puts you in the clear.”
    Lydia sighed with relief. “Thank God!” She thought a bit. “That was fast. I thought tests like that take time.”
    “I pressed for a fast result—at least regarding time of death—and I’m glad to pass along the good news, so far as you’re concerned.”
    “Thank you,” she said with heartfelt ardor. “One less problem to be concerned about.” She thought a bit. “Do you think the murderer was trying to frame me?”
    “Could