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Authors: John J. Lamb
Tags: Mystery
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Expo, where a group of about sixty teddy bear collectors, overwhelmingly composed of women, was already eagerly waiting for the doors to open in about forty-five minutes.
“You were really a San Francisco homicide dick?” he half-smirked.
“That’s right.”
“But now you make teddy bears.”
“And I enjoy it, though I imagine that does sound pretty silly to someone like you. How long have you been a cop?”
“Seven years. Hey, I didn’t mean—”
“Seven whole years, huh? Are you on your first, second, or third wife?” When he didn’t reply, I continued, “I had twenty-five years on the job when I got shot and the city retired me. I’m more in love with this beautiful woman than the day I married her twenty-six years ago.
We spend most of our free time together, and I take great pleasure in life, an important part of which includes making teddy bears. Do you think you’ll be as happy as I am when you’re my age?”
I’d touched a nerve, because he suddenly looked downcast. “Point taken, man. Sorry.”
“Apology accepted. If the detectives need us, they know where to find us.” Ash and I went across the corridor to the elevator and as we waited for it to arrive, I said,
“You were magnificent back there with Jennifer.”
“But it wasn’t enough.” Her eyes were red and brim-ming with tears. The fact that Jennifer had likely died in her arms was beginning to strike home.
The False-Hearted Teddy
57
I pulled her close and hugged her. “Honey, we did the best we could in an awful situation.”
She took a deep breath. “I know, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. And I have no idea how you coped with this sort of stuff for all those years. It was one thing for me to listen to you talk about your cases, but it’s completely different when you actually experience it.”
“That’s true and I’m sorry you had to see it firsthand.”
The elevator door slid open and Todd stood there looking pale and wild-eyed. Striding from the car, he paused to give us a glare. “Is it true?”
“Yeah, Jennifer is on her way to the hospital.” I reached out to hold the elevator doors open.
“I could have helped her if you’d just let me treat her.”
“Maybe. It was a little more complicated than a simple asthma attack.”
“Then you should have left it to a medical professional, you goddamn idiot.”
Ash wiped at her eyes and her jaw got hard. “Look, I know you’re distraught, but we did our best.”
“Which obviously wasn’t good enough. I hope you’re real happy.” Todd waved us away in disgust and started jogging toward the doors leading to the parking garage. I guided her into the empty car and pressed the button for the fifth floor.
Ash said, “Okay, I’m not upset any more, just mad. He had no right to behave that way.”
“Agreed. If he’s this upset and rude now, I wonder how he’ll act when he finds out she’s dead. Maybe Tony will tell him.”
Ash looked skeptical. “If it turns out that she was poisoned by the inhaler, wouldn’t that point directly to Tony as the prime suspect?”
“Yeah, but it’s also at odds with what we know about him. Does he impress you as the Wile E. Coyote, super genius kind of guy who would take the time to cobble 58
John J. Lamb
together some ingenious device to kill the roadrunner or, in this instance, his wife?”
“Well, no.”
“I agree. He’d throw her down the stairs or crush her skull with a floor lamp.” Then something occurred to me.
“Unless . . .”
“Unless what?”
“What if Tony has a girlfriend? Would that be out of character?”
“No, but I can’t imagine any woman that desperate.”
“That’s only because you’re aware he abused Jennifer.”
“That, and he’s an ugly slob.”
“An ugly slob about to pick up an extra three-hundred-and-fifty grand, which might make him a lot easier on the eyes to a certain type of woman. Assume you had really low standards and didn’t know his history of
“You were really a San Francisco homicide dick?” he half-smirked.
“That’s right.”
“But now you make teddy bears.”
“And I enjoy it, though I imagine that does sound pretty silly to someone like you. How long have you been a cop?”
“Seven years. Hey, I didn’t mean—”
“Seven whole years, huh? Are you on your first, second, or third wife?” When he didn’t reply, I continued, “I had twenty-five years on the job when I got shot and the city retired me. I’m more in love with this beautiful woman than the day I married her twenty-six years ago.
We spend most of our free time together, and I take great pleasure in life, an important part of which includes making teddy bears. Do you think you’ll be as happy as I am when you’re my age?”
I’d touched a nerve, because he suddenly looked downcast. “Point taken, man. Sorry.”
“Apology accepted. If the detectives need us, they know where to find us.” Ash and I went across the corridor to the elevator and as we waited for it to arrive, I said,
“You were magnificent back there with Jennifer.”
“But it wasn’t enough.” Her eyes were red and brim-ming with tears. The fact that Jennifer had likely died in her arms was beginning to strike home.
The False-Hearted Teddy
57
I pulled her close and hugged her. “Honey, we did the best we could in an awful situation.”
She took a deep breath. “I know, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. And I have no idea how you coped with this sort of stuff for all those years. It was one thing for me to listen to you talk about your cases, but it’s completely different when you actually experience it.”
“That’s true and I’m sorry you had to see it firsthand.”
The elevator door slid open and Todd stood there looking pale and wild-eyed. Striding from the car, he paused to give us a glare. “Is it true?”
“Yeah, Jennifer is on her way to the hospital.” I reached out to hold the elevator doors open.
“I could have helped her if you’d just let me treat her.”
“Maybe. It was a little more complicated than a simple asthma attack.”
“Then you should have left it to a medical professional, you goddamn idiot.”
Ash wiped at her eyes and her jaw got hard. “Look, I know you’re distraught, but we did our best.”
“Which obviously wasn’t good enough. I hope you’re real happy.” Todd waved us away in disgust and started jogging toward the doors leading to the parking garage. I guided her into the empty car and pressed the button for the fifth floor.
Ash said, “Okay, I’m not upset any more, just mad. He had no right to behave that way.”
“Agreed. If he’s this upset and rude now, I wonder how he’ll act when he finds out she’s dead. Maybe Tony will tell him.”
Ash looked skeptical. “If it turns out that she was poisoned by the inhaler, wouldn’t that point directly to Tony as the prime suspect?”
“Yeah, but it’s also at odds with what we know about him. Does he impress you as the Wile E. Coyote, super genius kind of guy who would take the time to cobble 58
John J. Lamb
together some ingenious device to kill the roadrunner or, in this instance, his wife?”
“Well, no.”
“I agree. He’d throw her down the stairs or crush her skull with a floor lamp.” Then something occurred to me.
“Unless . . .”
“Unless what?”
“What if Tony has a girlfriend? Would that be out of character?”
“No, but I can’t imagine any woman that desperate.”
“That’s only because you’re aware he abused Jennifer.”
“That, and he’s an ugly slob.”
“An ugly slob about to pick up an extra three-hundred-and-fifty grand, which might make him a lot easier on the eyes to a certain type of woman. Assume you had really low standards and didn’t know his history of
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