Read Online Switch by John Lutz - Free Book Online Page A

’Fraid so,” Quinn said.
    He saw that Jody was leaning forward in her chair, the only one in the room more interested in what was being said than in the half-million-dollar bracelet. She was a people person.
    â€œWhere is your daughter, Miss Beene?” Pearl asked.
    Ida French seemed not at all fazed. Pearl had to hand it to her.
    â€œEloise is with my sister in Queens.” She gave a wistful smile. “I didn’t think you set up this appointment for just a chat.”
    â€œYou planned the theft of the bracelet from the limousine,” Quinn said to Craig, “executed when Alexis Hoffermuth was being driven home from the auction. Ida is the one who actually stole the bracelet, using a confusing exchange of identical purses and a paste copy of the real Cardell bracelet. You and your brother Jack planned to turn the bracelet over to a fence in exchange for cash, only you were greedy. You were going to slip the fence a second worthless replica of the bracelet. Double crossing somebody like that got Jack killed, after his killers amputated his finger.”
    â€œIt didn’t happen exactly like that,” Craig said.
    â€œThe details will be tended to later in court,” Quinn told him. “Ida, here, judging by the expression on her face, didn’t know you and Jack were going to take the money from the sale of the second replica and disappear with that and the real bracelet. Boomerang upset that plan when he ran away after Eloise had mistaken the bracelet for a cat collar and put it on him.”
    Quinn exchanged a look with Jody. Divide and conquer .
    â€œEverything was going to be split three ways!” Craig said.
    Ida French appeared dubious.
    â€œThe fence spotted the makeshift cat collar at the pickup point, as Boomerang was running away. It looked exactly like the bracelet he’d just bought. That was when Jack ran afoul of the lawless. The fence also came to wonder what we wondered—was Alexis Hoffermuth working an insurance scam from the beginning?”
    â€œMaybe we can work a deal as to who that fence was,” Craig said. “Who killed my brother. Along with whatever else you need to know.”
    Ida French stared at him in disgust. She knew he’d give her up in a minute. Even a New York one.
    Pearl’s phone played its four musical notes from the old Dragnet TV show theme.
    She checked to see who was calling.
    â€œThat Grandma?” Jody asked.
    Pearl nodded, furious at her mother. She could pick the damnedest times to call.
    â€œCan I talk to her?” Jody asked.
    â€œYou don’t have—”
    â€œI want to,” Jody said. “You never know when it might be important.”
    Pearl tossed her the cell phone. Jody caught it and went out into the hall.
    â€œYou can do your plea bargaining with the prosecutor,” Quinn said to Craig. “As can you, Miss Beene.”
    â€œMy daughter—” Ida said in a choked voice. But not before Quinn had seen the calculation in her eyes. Eloise was a bargaining chip.
    â€œThe people we want—and are going to get—are the ones who killed Jack Clairmont and Alexis Hoffermuth.”
    â€œI can tell you who they are!” Craig said.
    â€œDon’t be an idiot,” Ida said. She’d apparently thought this out. “We didn’t kill anyone. Didn’t have the real bracelet for very long. There might not even be enough evidence to convict us. Especially if I keep quiet and don’t testify against you. They can’t make a wife testify, you know.”
    â€œYou two are really married?” Pearl asked.
    Ida grinned. “In Las Vegas, two years ago. We did it so we could file jointly and not pay so much tax on some gambling money we won.” She glared at her husband. “Alexis Hoffermuth can’t identify that woman who got into her limo; she’s dead. And we don’t know where the hell that cat got that bracelet. Or who killed Jack