Read Online The Killer Sex Game (A Frank Boff Mystery) by Nathan Gottlieb - Free Book Online
Authors: Nathan Gottlieb
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chair opposite the widow, poured coffee for both of them, and smiled. “Kate was just kidding just now when she said I could be annoying.” He handed a mug to her.
“Was she? I’ll judge that after this interview.”
After pouring cream into his coffee, he took a sip and set it down. “I understand how difficult this is for you,” he said .
She merely pointed a finger at him. “Let’s get something straight, Mr. Boff. I only agreed to talk to you because Danny told me you’re very good at catching killers.” She paused to sip her coffee. “I want you to find whoever murdered my Rafael and punish him.”
“You mean put him in jail.”
“No. Punish him. Danny told me about your ‘frontier justice.’”
“Well,” Boff said with a forced smile, “Danny tends to exaggerate. Don’t pay any attention to him.”
The widow checked her watch. “Let’s get started,” she said.
“Gina, I have to ask you certain questions that you might not like. But your answers will help me find Rafael’s killer.”
“Okay. Start asking.”
“After his debut fight, Rafael went out without you. Did he ever do that before?”
She took her time before answering. “Yes.”
“Where did he usually go?”
“He never told me. Rafael was a very macho guy. He didn’t like to be questioned by a woman. Even his wife.”
“Then I assume he did all the paperwork on your credit card bills.”
“Yes. I never saw what charges there were. I never really cared. Just as long as he treated me and our daughter well. Which he did.”
“Do you have a duplicate card?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Could I see it?”
“What for?”
“I’d like to write down the card number. May I?”
“Why?”
“Having the number will help me know where your husband had been lately.”
Gina hesitated. “If you do find out where Rafael was, please don’t tell me. I’d prefer it that way.”
“No problem.”
She was gone a few minutes before she returned with a Visa card. She handed it to him and sat back down on the couch. Boff copied the numbers on his pad, then gave her the card, which she tucked in a pocket.
After a quick sip of coffee, he said, “Next question. Do you have a cell phone?”
“Doesn’t everybody?”
“Can I get your number?”
Gina shook her head. “No. I don’t want you calling me whenever you feel like.”
“I only—”
“No is no. Ask me something else.”
At this point, Boff decided to ask the first of his questions he knew could be a conversation killer. “Did Rafael see other women?”
“Why do you ask such a thing! I don’t see how that is any of your business.”
“Unfortunately, Gina, it is. I need to know everything I can about Rafael. The good. And the, uh, shall we say, the bad.”
She looked down at her hands for a minute before looking up. “Yes, he did. Or at least I think so. I mean, a…a woman knows when her man’s shirt smells of perfume that’s not hers.”
Boff nodded. “I understand. Did you ever confront him about this?”
“Absolutely not. He wouldn’t have told me the truth, anyway. Rafael was as good a liar as he was a boxer.”
He noted the bitterness in her voice before continuing. “In the last few weeks, did you ever hear him arguing loudly on the phone?”
She let out a short laugh. “Rafael was always arguing with people about something. Not only was my husband pigheaded, but…but, well, he had a very bad temper. Rafael could erupt over the smallest thing.”
Boff knew he was on thin ice now. “Did he ever get angry with you?”
Gina pursed her lips. “I told you, Rafael could erupt over anything. Use your imagination, Mr. Boff.”
Now the nuclear question. Making his voice sound as gentle as he could, he said, “Did your husband ever hit you?”
At this, Gina shot up off the couch. “That’s it! I’m done talking to you.” She walked quickly out of the den.
But it didn’t matter to him that she hadn’t answered his question. Her
“Was she? I’ll judge that after this interview.”
After pouring cream into his coffee, he took a sip and set it down. “I understand how difficult this is for you,” he said .
She merely pointed a finger at him. “Let’s get something straight, Mr. Boff. I only agreed to talk to you because Danny told me you’re very good at catching killers.” She paused to sip her coffee. “I want you to find whoever murdered my Rafael and punish him.”
“You mean put him in jail.”
“No. Punish him. Danny told me about your ‘frontier justice.’”
“Well,” Boff said with a forced smile, “Danny tends to exaggerate. Don’t pay any attention to him.”
The widow checked her watch. “Let’s get started,” she said.
“Gina, I have to ask you certain questions that you might not like. But your answers will help me find Rafael’s killer.”
“Okay. Start asking.”
“After his debut fight, Rafael went out without you. Did he ever do that before?”
She took her time before answering. “Yes.”
“Where did he usually go?”
“He never told me. Rafael was a very macho guy. He didn’t like to be questioned by a woman. Even his wife.”
“Then I assume he did all the paperwork on your credit card bills.”
“Yes. I never saw what charges there were. I never really cared. Just as long as he treated me and our daughter well. Which he did.”
“Do you have a duplicate card?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Could I see it?”
“What for?”
“I’d like to write down the card number. May I?”
“Why?”
“Having the number will help me know where your husband had been lately.”
Gina hesitated. “If you do find out where Rafael was, please don’t tell me. I’d prefer it that way.”
“No problem.”
She was gone a few minutes before she returned with a Visa card. She handed it to him and sat back down on the couch. Boff copied the numbers on his pad, then gave her the card, which she tucked in a pocket.
After a quick sip of coffee, he said, “Next question. Do you have a cell phone?”
“Doesn’t everybody?”
“Can I get your number?”
Gina shook her head. “No. I don’t want you calling me whenever you feel like.”
“I only—”
“No is no. Ask me something else.”
At this point, Boff decided to ask the first of his questions he knew could be a conversation killer. “Did Rafael see other women?”
“Why do you ask such a thing! I don’t see how that is any of your business.”
“Unfortunately, Gina, it is. I need to know everything I can about Rafael. The good. And the, uh, shall we say, the bad.”
She looked down at her hands for a minute before looking up. “Yes, he did. Or at least I think so. I mean, a…a woman knows when her man’s shirt smells of perfume that’s not hers.”
Boff nodded. “I understand. Did you ever confront him about this?”
“Absolutely not. He wouldn’t have told me the truth, anyway. Rafael was as good a liar as he was a boxer.”
He noted the bitterness in her voice before continuing. “In the last few weeks, did you ever hear him arguing loudly on the phone?”
She let out a short laugh. “Rafael was always arguing with people about something. Not only was my husband pigheaded, but…but, well, he had a very bad temper. Rafael could erupt over the smallest thing.”
Boff knew he was on thin ice now. “Did he ever get angry with you?”
Gina pursed her lips. “I told you, Rafael could erupt over anything. Use your imagination, Mr. Boff.”
Now the nuclear question. Making his voice sound as gentle as he could, he said, “Did your husband ever hit you?”
At this, Gina shot up off the couch. “That’s it! I’m done talking to you.” She walked quickly out of the den.
But it didn’t matter to him that she hadn’t answered his question. Her
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