Read Online Fruit of the Poisoned Tree by Joyce and Jim Lavene - Free Book Online

think he meant to kill himself. It just happened. I’m sure it was an accident.”
    Al’s red-rimmed brown eyes narrowed. “What makes you think that?”
    “I was with him for those few minutes before he died.” Peggy told him what Park said and about her encounter with him in Philadelphia. “I think he was more sick than he realized. He seemed very tired.”
    “You know a predeath confidence weighs heavily with the department.” He wrote down what she said in his notebook. “I take it you’d be willing to swear to this under oath?”
    She nodded. “Beth’s right about him, too. I’ve known him longer than I’ve known you. You knew him, too. He went to school with you and John, didn’t he?”
    Al squirmed a little on the caramel-colored sofa. “It’s true we were both friends of John’s, but Park and I barely knew each other, and that was years ago. You know how his parents were. They had a thing about him hobnobbing with us poor folk.”
    He didn’t elaborate, but Peggy felt the words black folk hovering in the air between them. There was no excuse for it, but prejudice still lingered.
    It was worse when Park, John, and Al were growing up in Charlotte. The city changed as people moved there from all parts of the world in the 1970s and 80s, bringing their cultures and traditions with them. But until then, it was a small, tightly closed environment.
    “I understand. I guess you’ll just have to take our word for it. He wasn’t the type of man to give up that way. A few business losses wouldn’t do that to him.”
    “I’d like to debate this issue, Peggy. But you know I can’t. This is an ongoing investigation until we get some answers. Maybe if he fell asleep at the wheel, it would make sense there were no skid marks on the ramp. He didn’t even try to stop. We always look into things like this, especially when a ten million dollar life insurance policy is involved.”
    Beth’s slender hand went to her throat, and her brown eyes blinked almost comically. “Ten m-million dollars? Park never told me.”
    Al shrugged his big shoulders. “He planned well for you and your sons, Mrs. Lamonte. As soon as the insurance company was informed of his death, all the bells and whistles started up. A questionable death brings out the investigators on big policies. I just want to warn you.”
    “Will they do an autopsy on him?” Peggy asked.
    “No!” Beth shook her head as she started to her feet. “No! It’s bad enough. No autopsy.”
    Peggy understood what Beth was feeling, but counseled, “It’s the only way to really know what happened to him. An autopsy could prove his death wasn’t a suicide.”
    “No,” Beth disagreed.
    Al took a deep breath. “I’ll do what I can, Mrs. Lamonte. But chances are the insurance company will insist. I’m sorry.”
    “Can they do that? Even though I forbid it? I’m his wife. Don’t I have any recourse? Can I get a judge to issue a stay?”
    “You’ll have to ask your lawyer that question.” He rolled to his feet. “I’d suggest you get one of Park’s associates on board right away. I’ve worked cases like this. You’ll need someone to advise you.”
    Beth was wild-eyed, bordering on hysteria. “Thank you, Detective. I appreciate your honesty. When Park’s mother hears about this insurance policy, it’s going to be a lot worse than any investigation. A lawyer can’t protect me from that. ”
    Al glanced at his notes, “You don’t get along with Park’s mother?”
    “Does anyone get along with Isabelle Lamonte?” Beth’s tone challenged him to deny her claim.
    At that moment, Reddman and Foxx raced through the door, throwing aside their jackets and book bags and calling for their mother. Beth excused herself and went to talk to them while Peggy walked with Al to the front door.
    “That isn’t much to go on,” she told him. “No skid marks, losing some money, and a big life insurance policy. If he fell asleep, he wouldn’t have been able to