Give First Place to Murder by Kathleen Delaney Page B

was taking shape, and for once I was doing the shaping.
    My lawyer made sure Susannah had a huge trust fund. I’d ended up with a block of stocks that provided me a very nice monthly check, but nothing compared to the feeling each real estate commission check gave me. Money I’d earned. Each check said I was a competent, intelligent woman, capable of directing my life as I saw fit, capable of sharing my life as I saw fit. I cherished that feeling more each day.
    I told Rosie, our secretary, to put all messages on my voice mail and headed across the street and through the park toward the Yum Yum, humming under my breath. The trees were full, the sky was blue, the air felt gentle on my cheeks. Life was good.
    Dan was already seated and in deep conversation with Ruthie, the Yum Yum's head waitress and part owner. I waved to several people I knew and slid into the chair opposite him.
    "We were talkin’ about the kid that got killed at the fair,” Ruthie told me. “Pretty gruesome way to die, but it’s one punk less we have to pay to keep in jail. Want the special, Ellen?"
    Ruthie's hand, which never seemed free of a coffee pot, hovered over the empty cup in front of me.
    "Iced tea please, Ruthie. What's the special?"
    She pointed proudly at a black board that sat on an easel just inside the front door. I’d missed it entirely as I came in.
    "New?"
    "My idea. Pretty good, huh?"
    "Great," I squinted at the cramped writing. "What's the chicken oriental salad?"
    "It's new also. You'll love it. Dan's having the Swiss steak. Be right back with your tea." She topped off his cup and trotted off.
    "I'll bet it comes with mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls which you plan to lather with butter, and more blue cheese dressing than salad."
    "As a matter of fact, yes." Dan grinned at me as he poured cream in his coffee. "You look pretty today. That's a good color on you."
    I refused to be distracted. “Dan Dunham, don't you ever think about your arteries?"
    "Sure. Every night when I have a beer. Scientific research has discovered beer helps keep everything flowing right along."
    “ I thought that was red wine.”
    “ That too.”
    I gave up on the subject of food, with or without drink. I wasn't going to win anyway. I tried murder.
    "Have you come up with anything new?"
    "New?"
    "Yes, new. About Rusty. Remember? Murder? Fairgrounds?"
    "I remember all right. I was hoping you wouldn't. At least until lunch was over."
    "Too bad. Well?"
    "Did anyone ever tell you about curiosity and the cat?”
    "Yes. This isn't curiosity. I found him. My daughter works with people who might somehow be connected to Rusty. I want to know if I should be worried. Now go on."
    “ Murder is always something to worry about.”
    “ You sound like a pompous police chief. Well?”
    "All right.” He smiled a little. “Evidently this Rusty had quite a reputation among the local horse people." Dan's voice became thoughtful and the teasing look in his eyes faded. "Everyone either knew him or knew of him, and none of them would hire him."
    “ Why? He must have known something about horses."
    "Evidently. Everyone agrees he was good with them, but completely unreliable. It seems he’d be fine for a few days, but then he’d just disappear. They’d find the horses, no feed or water, stalls filthy, that kind of thing. I think some of these people would have forgiven him his drug habit, even his part time dealing and pilfering, if he’d never neglected the horses."
    "So why did Bryce hire him?"
    "Excellent question. One I asked our friend Bryce."
    "And?"
    "He says he didn't know a thing about Rusty's reputation. He had to have someone for this show, Rusty seemed to know what he was doing, so he hired him."
    "Only you don't believe him."
    "Every other horse person we talked to knew Rusty, or knew about him. Besides, Chovalo's nephew's been dead over a month. Seems enough time to have found someone. But having met Bryce, maybe not."
    I could feel gooseflesh start up my arms