Read Online Design on a Crime by Ginny Aiken - Free Book Online Page B

Gussie didn't sound so sure.
    I tore off a narrow strip of newsprint and balled it up.
"There's always the business connection."
    "Ozzie?" The shock in Gussie's voice was almost funny.
    Before I could explain myself, she added, 'Are you sure
about that? From all I've seen, Ozzie is the most loyal employee
a person could want."
    "Maybe they disagreed on an auction or an item. Who
knows? Maybe ... oh, I don't know. I just know I didn't do
it, and Steve and Ozzie are the two other people closest to
Marge. Unless some deranged serial killer stopped by at the
sale. That's my third and favorite choice, of course."
    "You know that's not likely."
    "That's why I'm sure it must have been Ozzie or Steve."
    "Then why do the police seem so sure you did it? I mean,
aside from the inheritance, but then, anyone who knows you
knows that's got nothing to do with anything."
    My point exactly. "Beats me, but the article makes it clear
they're not looking at anyone else. They should, and if they
don't start pretty soon, then I'm going to make sure they
do."

    "What are you going to do?"
    I made a face. "Maybe Bella does have a point."
    "Haley! You wouldn't-"
    "Wait, Gussie. Hear me out." I hadn't given it much
thought, but somewhere in the back of my mind, an idea
was taking shape, one, I had to admit, that Bella had planted.
"I'm going to think about this some more and then maybe ask
a couple of questions. I'm sure I'll come up with something
to tell the cops."
    "Oh, Haley. This sounds like trouble. Bella's never too far
from the edge of disaster, you know. You don't want to follow her."
    "Don't worry. I won't do anything crazy. And I won't spray
mace on anyone either."
    "Is that supposed to reassure me?"
    "I guess not, but I can't sit here and wait until they show
up with a pair of steel bracelets. You know I only wear
silver."
    Gussie gave a halfhearted chuckle. "Just be careful. Someone hated Marge enough to kill her. I wouldn't want you to
upset that someone and get hurt. I ... I love you, honey."
    "Thanks." Gussie was one of the nicest people I knew, and
I was glad she'd called. "Thanks for checking on me too. You
didn't have to, but I'm glad we talked. You helped me clear my
thoughts, and I now have a better idea what to do next."
    "That really sets my mind at ease." Gussie's sarcasm wasn't
wasted, but I wasn't about to back down. I was the one in
danger of a change of address.
    Gussie added, "I don't like the idea of you taking such risks,
but I guess I'm going to have to be happy with it, right?"

    "That's right. Now, you'd better run, run, run to bed before Tom takes my Starbucks away. Real punishment, you
know."
    This chuckle had more oomph. "Good night, Haley. And let
me know what you find out. I am concerned about you."
    "I know, but you shouldn't be. Now, get a good rest, and
I'll talk to you again soon."
    I hung up and stared at the phone. Maybe Bella did have
the right idea. To a certain extent, that is. I wasn't about to
turn into Angela Lansbury, nor was I going to start dressing
out of L. L. Bean, but I could check out those two men. If
nothing else, I had a couple of questions for Steve.
    Tomorrow looked like a good day for answers.
    Okay. So why did I ever think I could pull this off?
    I'd driven past Marge's house about seventeen times already, and nothing came to me. I had no idea how to approach
my mentor's widower.
    Especially since he had company, company that was in no
apparent hurry to leave.
    A silver Jaguar sat in the driveway next to the Norwalks'
Mercedes. For work, Marge had relied on a box truck; it could
handle the tallest highboy or armoire. For herself, she'd used
the VW Bug. She only used the Mercedes when she met new
customers or when she and Steve went out together. The rest
of the time, Steve used the posh vehicle. His drive to and from
the school where he taught algebra and geometry was less
than a five-mile round trip.
    "Well, I'm not going to learn anything