never prostitute herself. Besides, she was married,
remember?"
"I was thinking more along the lines of blackmail."
Bill gnawed at his thumb cuticle as he considered. "Could be you're right, Ardin. And if
that's the case, I'd put my money on one of her more recent lovers. Not someone back in high
school."
Crestfallen, Ardin said, "So Rabe was right. The notebook I found is of no use."
Bill rose to his feet. "Don't play detective, Ardin. Suziette led a colorful life that included all
sorts of people. You might ask one question too many and get someone angry. Let the police find
her murderer."
His cautionary words sent a shiver down her back. "Thanks for the coffee." She kissed his
cheek. "Good luck in court."
Bill grinned. "Easy case. I'll win hands down."
* * * *
Who killed Suziette? Ardin pondered the question as she stopped at the dry
cleaners, the shoemaker, and the supermarket. Was it Corey? Dimitri? She shivered.
Certainly not Brett or Bill, though she'd bewitched them all at one time or another. Despite
Bill's analysis, Ardin knew her cousin had always been greedy. No doubt, as she got older,
she'd learned to exact as good as she gave.
God only knew what she'd demanded and received from her lovers. Until she insisted on
the impossible. The undoable. The one thing one particular male refused to oblige her with.
Who was the man and what was his breaking point?
Ardin's head was spinning with suppositions, none of which she could prove. Finally
disgusted, she gave up. This was no way to track down a murderer.
Home again, she put away the groceries, ate a tuna sandwich, and then drove to the
hospital. She found Aunt Julia asleep amid her various hook ups. She placed the package of clean
nightgowns on the bureau where her aunt would see it.
Julia's cardiologist peered in the doorway just then. "Ms. Wesley." He beckoned her into the
corridor.
"How's Aunt Julia doing?"
The doctor, a beanpole of a man with graying hair, pursed his lips before answering.
"Considering her weakened heart and the fact that the coronary was not severe, she's doing as well
as can be expected."
Ardin heard the concern in his tone. "I see."
She listened numbly as Dr. Morissey explained he'd like to keep Aunt Julia in the hospital
another week in order to run tests to help him decide the best course of treatment. After that, she
could go home, but would probably require a day nurse to look after her for a while. Her heart
wasn't strong, and she had to lead a quiet life without stress.
Ardin watched the doctor walk away until he disappeared. Poor Aunt Julia. The horror of
Suziette's murder had taken a toll on her health. Would she soon be visiting both her mother and
her aunt at the assisted-living residence?
One thing was certain. Aunt Julia was too ill to take care of Leonie. The court would have to
decide for her or for Brett.
CHAPTER NINE
"Oh, no!"
Hundreds of slivers of glass glittered on the ground by the driver's side of her car. A rock
occupied her seat. With trembling fingers, Ardin pulled aside the rubber bands to release the
note.
"GO BACK TO MANHATTAN ASAP."
She reached for her cell phone and spent the next half hour making calls--to a local garage,
her insurance company, and lastly, to her mother, who was expecting her. After Ardin had
explained everything, Vera sounded more indignant than upset.
"Be sure to call that Inspector Rabe immediately," she insisted. "Let him find the perp, as
they say."
"Oh, sure. And he's not Inspector Anything , Mother. He's Detective Rabe , though he stinks at detecting."
She could almost hear her mother bristling. "Ardin, you can be the most stubborn child.
And I wish you hadn't told Bill about finding Suziette's tally pad, as you call it. He's always been a
nice boy, but you mustn't take any chances."
"I know," Ardin agreed ruefully. "It's just so difficult, not having anyone to talk to about
things."
"Well, you can always talk to me. And don't forget Brett."
"Mother! He's as much a
remember?"
"I was thinking more along the lines of blackmail."
Bill gnawed at his thumb cuticle as he considered. "Could be you're right, Ardin. And if
that's the case, I'd put my money on one of her more recent lovers. Not someone back in high
school."
Crestfallen, Ardin said, "So Rabe was right. The notebook I found is of no use."
Bill rose to his feet. "Don't play detective, Ardin. Suziette led a colorful life that included all
sorts of people. You might ask one question too many and get someone angry. Let the police find
her murderer."
His cautionary words sent a shiver down her back. "Thanks for the coffee." She kissed his
cheek. "Good luck in court."
Bill grinned. "Easy case. I'll win hands down."
* * * *
Who killed Suziette? Ardin pondered the question as she stopped at the dry
cleaners, the shoemaker, and the supermarket. Was it Corey? Dimitri? She shivered.
Certainly not Brett or Bill, though she'd bewitched them all at one time or another. Despite
Bill's analysis, Ardin knew her cousin had always been greedy. No doubt, as she got older,
she'd learned to exact as good as she gave.
God only knew what she'd demanded and received from her lovers. Until she insisted on
the impossible. The undoable. The one thing one particular male refused to oblige her with.
Who was the man and what was his breaking point?
Ardin's head was spinning with suppositions, none of which she could prove. Finally
disgusted, she gave up. This was no way to track down a murderer.
Home again, she put away the groceries, ate a tuna sandwich, and then drove to the
hospital. She found Aunt Julia asleep amid her various hook ups. She placed the package of clean
nightgowns on the bureau where her aunt would see it.
Julia's cardiologist peered in the doorway just then. "Ms. Wesley." He beckoned her into the
corridor.
"How's Aunt Julia doing?"
The doctor, a beanpole of a man with graying hair, pursed his lips before answering.
"Considering her weakened heart and the fact that the coronary was not severe, she's doing as well
as can be expected."
Ardin heard the concern in his tone. "I see."
She listened numbly as Dr. Morissey explained he'd like to keep Aunt Julia in the hospital
another week in order to run tests to help him decide the best course of treatment. After that, she
could go home, but would probably require a day nurse to look after her for a while. Her heart
wasn't strong, and she had to lead a quiet life without stress.
Ardin watched the doctor walk away until he disappeared. Poor Aunt Julia. The horror of
Suziette's murder had taken a toll on her health. Would she soon be visiting both her mother and
her aunt at the assisted-living residence?
One thing was certain. Aunt Julia was too ill to take care of Leonie. The court would have to
decide for her or for Brett.
CHAPTER NINE
"Oh, no!"
Hundreds of slivers of glass glittered on the ground by the driver's side of her car. A rock
occupied her seat. With trembling fingers, Ardin pulled aside the rubber bands to release the
note.
"GO BACK TO MANHATTAN ASAP."
She reached for her cell phone and spent the next half hour making calls--to a local garage,
her insurance company, and lastly, to her mother, who was expecting her. After Ardin had
explained everything, Vera sounded more indignant than upset.
"Be sure to call that Inspector Rabe immediately," she insisted. "Let him find the perp, as
they say."
"Oh, sure. And he's not Inspector Anything , Mother. He's Detective Rabe , though he stinks at detecting."
She could almost hear her mother bristling. "Ardin, you can be the most stubborn child.
And I wish you hadn't told Bill about finding Suziette's tally pad, as you call it. He's always been a
nice boy, but you mustn't take any chances."
"I know," Ardin agreed ruefully. "It's just so difficult, not having anyone to talk to about
things."
"Well, you can always talk to me. And don't forget Brett."
"Mother! He's as much a
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