Read Online Widows' Watch by Nancy Herndon - Free Book Online Page B

great-great-great-grandfather, fought at the Alamo, which was certainly a struggle for justice. The Mexican legal system was an abomination. If you’ve read your Texas history, Detective Jarvis, you know that there was no law in Texas at that time. The Revolution was not just a land grab.”
    â€œActually, I grew up in New Mexico,” said Elena.
    â€œAnd the Mexicans still follow the Napoleonic Code.”
    Elena tried to think of a question before Lydia started explaining the drawbacks of the Napoleonic Code.
    â€œYou’re very lucky that women can make a contribution these days,” the lady went on. “Such opportunities hardly existed when I was young—at least, not professional opportunities, opportunities for which one received a salary. I would never say that women weren’t heard or active in matters of legal importance, just that we exerted indirect influence.”
    â€œI’m sure you did. Do you—”
    â€œI suppose I might have joined one of the women’s units of the armed forces during the Second World War. Instead I married a soldier, a career army man.”
    â€œAn honorable calling,” murmured Elena. She found Lydia Beeman’s attitude interesting. Many older women didn’t approve of Elena’s profession. Grandmother Portillo certainly didn’t.
    â€œI shall watch with interest your progress on this case,” Lydia was saying. “The police deserve all the support they can get in these violent times.”
    â€œThank you.” Elena wished her mother could hear this. Even married to a sheriff, Harmony still slipped and used the word pigs occasionally. Usually when referring to the good old days at Berkeley.
    â€œDo you have other questions for me?” asked Lydia.
    â€œAh—yes.” Elena had to collect her thoughts. “Does Dimitra often play bridge?”
    â€œOccasionally. She prefers chess and plays that very well.”
    Dimitra might be having a chess game this very minute at Omar’s house, Elena thought.
    â€œThe general perception is that women do not have the sense of spatial relationships required for chess,” said Lydia, making it clear that people who held that opinion were fools. “You even hear women saying that they have no sense of direction. In my opinion, this is a societal rather than a hereditary or gender-related trait. I, for instance, have an infallible sense of direction. Dimitra was an excellent chess player. Unfortunately,” Lydia added, “her broken hip has affected her mental capacities.”
    â€œI noticed that myself,” said Elena.
    â€œYou know Dimitra?”
    â€œShe’s my neighbor.”
    â€œGood. I’m glad to hear there’ll be someone looking out for her.”
    â€œWon’t her son do that?” murmured Elena.
    â€œIf you mean in the sense that he’ll move back in, I rather imagine Lance would prefer to follow his own lifestyle. It has been some years since he lived in the family home. You’ve met Lance?”
    â€œIn the course of investigating another case last spring.”
    â€œI’m surprised that you haven’t talked to him in reference to this one.”
    â€œWe haven’t got hold of him yet,” Elena admitted.
    â€œI hope his mother has been able to reach him,” said Lydia, frowning. “She’ll need his help with the funeral arrangements and other problems. A husband’s death generates reams of paperwork.”
    Reams of paperwork? That was a peculiar way to look at it. “Lance isn’t answering his telephone.”
    â€œNonetheless, I would not count on discovering that Lance is the murderer. A thief caught in the act would be a more likely suspect.”
    â€œWhy do you say that?” Elena asked.
    â€œBecause the older population is a target for crime.”
    â€œIs there anything you could tell me about the family that would shed some light?”
    â€œSuch