Read Online Death at the Door by K. C. Greenlief - Free Book Online Page A

“Lark dated her longer than he dated anyone before he met Maria.”
    â€œHe was dating her when he met his wife?” John asked.
    â€œYep. He met Maria and dropped Sophia like a hot potato.” Joel waved the waitress down and ordered a cup of coffee.
    â€œWhat did Maria look like?” John groaned as Ann elbowed him.
    â€œDark hair, dark eyes, incredible smile, very pretty, very independent, and very smart. Lark met her at a wedding and couldn’t stop talking about her. She was a commercial airline pilot so it took him a couple of weeks to line up a date with her. They were inseparable after that.”
    â€œSounds like she and Sophie looked alike,” Ann said.
    â€œThey couldn’t have been more different,” Joel replied.

Tuesday Morning
    May 29—Egg Harbor, Wisconsin
    Joel pulled into the parking lot of Door County Realty in Egg Harbor. He had finally gotten ahold of William Wollenski, one of the twelve men on his rezoning-board-minutes list, after dinner last night. Mr. Wollenski had agreed to meet with him to discuss his interactions with Paul Larsen. For some reason he had insisted on meeting at the real estate office and having a Mrs. Grable, his real estate agent, present for the interview. Joel saw a man and a woman staring at him from just inside the front door of the office. The man he assumed to be William Wollenski stepped out and held open the door for him. Joel noted that the man’s hair, dark brown streaked with gray, was slicked back on his head as if he had just washed it, or else he used an inordinate amount of pomade. He wore jeans and a red-and-navy-plaid flannel shirt and looked like he would be stiflingly hot by noon.
    Mrs. Grable introduced herself as Betty, causing Joel to pause and think about her namesake. She looked to be about forty-five, a good twenty years younger than Mr. Wollenski. They both shook hands with Joel and smiled tentatively before leading the way back to a conference room.
    â€œDo you think I should have my lawyer present for this interview?” Mrs. Grable asked. “I’ve never been interrogated by a policeman before. The sheriff told me this was just routine, but now that you’re here I’m a little nervous.”
    â€œYou can certainly call your lawyer, but I’m only here to ask Mr. Wollenski some questions about his relationship with Paul Larsen. If you feel like you need representation, you should certainly have it. Do you want a lawyer present?”
    They looked at each other and then back at him, both shaking their heads no.
    â€œOkay, that’s settled. I’d like to tape this conversation.” Joel pulled a tape recorder out of his windbreaker pocket and put it in the center of the table.
    Bill and Betty starred at it as if it were a bomb about to explode.
    â€œI don’t know if I like the idea of a tape recorder,” Bill said.
    â€œIt’s a way for me to get down our exact conversation and have it transcribed for your signature. Otherwise we’re dependent on my notes for accuracy.”
    Bill glanced over at Betty, who nodded. “Go ahead and tape,” he said.
    Joel flipped on the tape recorder. “For starters, Betty, how did you get your name?”
    Betty relaxed and explained that her maiden name had been Smith. She told him she had been very happy to marry Thomas Grable and go from such a common name to sharing one with a famous movie star.
    Joel asked them questions about how long they had lived in Door County. They were both life-long residents and had been married to people whose families had lived in Door County since the early 1900s.
    Bill explained that he now owned one-third of his family’s original nine-hundred-acre farm and orchard. His brother and sister each owned another three hundred acres. His brother farmed three hundred acres and they shared a lease to farm their sister’s three hundred acres. She lived in Milwaukee with her engineer