Imperfect Contract

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year."
    "Given your feelings about your husband, didn't it concern you?"
    "Of course it did, but he evaded my questions, saying I shouldn't worry so much.  He said the agency was half in my name, and I'd get my share."
    "Sounds iffy to me, if you want to know the truth."
    "I thought so, too, but I didn't want to rock the boat any more than I had.  I thought there was a chance of keeping our marriage and our business together.  We're older people, and I hoped he would get tired and stay home."
    "Amelia, it sounds like you beat yourself up pretty bad over the years.  Unless there was some major event, I can't see how you would expect him to change his behavior."
    "Sophia . . ."
    "Yes?"
    She pointed to Hutchinson.  "This is a fairly major event in his life."
    I shook my head, pinching my lips together, then glanced at my watch.  I could talk to her for a few more minutes.  I'd have to hurry to get a couple of blood sugars checked and the insulin injections given before the dinner trays arrived.  "Is that all the detectives wanted?  It seems you were there a long time."
    "From about, maybe, nine this morning to noon.  Afterwards, I went to the bank to verify the information they gave me and then to the agency."
    "You look tired.  Why don't you sit?"  I pointed to her chair and watched her walk back around the bed and settle into it.
    She shivered, wrapping her arms around her chest.
    "I'm confused."  I retrieved a clean blanket from the back of a chair and laid it over her legs.
    "So was I.  Stone accused me of taking five thousand dollars out of the money market account.  I told him I didn't do it.  He said, "Yes you did.  We have a copy of the withdrawal slip.'"  She moved her hands, punctuating her rapid speech.  "I said, 'No, show me.'  He refused.  Said I knew what I signed. 
    "He wanted to know if I'd used the money to put out a contract on Barry.  Can you believe that?  He said in South Florida it's easy to take out a contract.  Happens all the time.  He said you go into one of the slums, like where my son hangs out, and ask around. 
    "I love Barry.  I didn't want him dead.  After all these years, I wanted him home with me at night.  That's not too much to ask.  Like my friends.  Their husbands are home with them.  That's all I ever wanted.  Just a normal family."
    "Amelia," I said, rubbing her shoulder.  "Take a few deep breaths.  Try to relax.  The police are doing their jobs.  If they found a big withdrawal, they have to find out where the money went."
    "They think I found out about Barry's girlfriend.  They said it made me mad, and I decided to kill him.  They wouldn't believe I didn't know about the girlfriend until they informed me a few hours ago.  How would I know?  Barry didn't tell me, and his behavior never changed.  Sure, I thought he had many girlfriends over the years, but nothing long-term.  What did I expect?  I wouldn't sleep with him."
    "Let me get this straight.  You didn't know he had a girlfriend, but you thought he had many girlfriends.  That was okay?"  I held up a hand to emphasize my question.
    "Sophia, I don't want to be alone.  At first, I refused him because I worried about getting AIDS.  I didn't know where he went at night.  He said he was drinking with his friends.  But after a while, I knew he wouldn't go that long without sex.  I figured he was getting it somewhere.  I found Viagra in his pocket, so I knew he was able."
    "That didn't bother you?"  I felt my eyebrows rise.
    "No, not really, because I didn't know for sure.  I put it out of my mind."
    "How is this different?"  I struggled to keep my expression supportive.
    "Stone . . . Stone found out Barry was living with a woman.  He had a steady relationship.  They shared an apartment on the other side of town."
    "And you didn't know?"
    "I had no idea.  I mean, he stayed out more, sometimes overnight, but there was no pattern.  He never called, so how would I know?"  She turned in

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