Legs Benedict by Mary Daheim Page B

Mrs…Judith,” J. J. asked in his most serious voice.
    It was only eleven o’clock, yet it seemed like much longer since Judith had discovered John Smith’s corpse around seven-thirty. Slowly, carefully, she recounted the circumstances, beginning with Sweetums’s arrival in the kitchen.
    J. J. seemed intrigued. “Does your cat always come in at the same time every morning?”
    â€œNo,” Judith answered. “He’s unpredictable. Besides, my mother and I sort of share him. Some nights he stays with her in the toolshed. Others, he’ll come into the house and sleep in the basement. Then again, he might stay out and prowl. He’s a very independent cat.”
    â€œAren’t they all?” J. J. remarked, then let Judith continue with her story. When she had finished, the detective remained silent for several moments. “You’re certain you didn’t hear anything during the night?” he finally asked.
    â€œNot that I recall. What did Joe say?”
    J. J. shook his head. “Same thing. Mentioned the front door was unlocked. Killer might have gone out that way. What about the thunder and lightning?”
    Judith frowned. “What about it?”
    â€œWe had some. Not real close. Off in the distance, towards the mountains.” J. J. drummed his fingers on the mantel. “None of the guests heard it, either. My wife and I did, but we live across the lake.”
    The lake separated the city from the suburbs and the foothills of the mountain range. It wasn’t surprising to Judith that the ten miles between Hillside Manor and the Martinez home would make a difference.
    â€œA silencer,” Judith suggested. “Is that what might have muffled the shot?”
    â€œSure. Joe and Rich already found two silencers among your guests’ belongings.”
    â€œWhat?” Judith jumped in the wingback chair.
    J. J. looked equally startled. “Didn’t Joe tell you? Your guests have regular handgun arsenals in their rooms.”
    Judith was aghast. “I knew about the gun Joe found. You mean some of the other guests also came armed?”
    J. J. nodded slowly. “You bet. Santoris. Malones. Du Turque. Even the preschool teachers. Joe found silencers in Schwartz’s and Smith’s rooms. Santoris had a silencer for their weapon, too. Have to wonder if Mrs. Smith wasn’t carrying, too.”
    â€œGood grief!” Judith sank back into the chair. “Who are these people?”
    â€œApt question,” J. J. responded. “We’re having them run through the computer. By the way, the Malones were outside during the night. Found their shoes with damp dirt on the soles. Won’t say where they were or why. Might have been them who left the front door unlocked.”
    For almost a full minute, Judith didn’t say anything. She was too overwhelmed by the enormity of J. J.’s revelation about the weapons. Then reason began to set in. “I suppose,” she said slowly, “that in this day and age when people travel by car, they often bring along a gun. But what about the ones who came by plane, like Pam and Sandi?”
    J. J. shrugged. “You sure they flew?”
    â€œI saw the airporter,” Judith said, then realized the fallacy. “You’re right—anybody who is willing to pay for the trip can ride the airporter around town.”
    â€œAnd the rest?”
    â€œThe Smiths, the Schwartzes, and the Malones arrived by private car. I don’t know about Mr. du Turque,” Judith admitted.
    â€œHe took the train,” said J. J. “But the Santoris did fly into town. I saw their airline tickets.”
    Judith turned a puzzled face to J. J. “Now you’ve got me worried about airport security.”
    â€œDon’t. They’re good.” J. J. was pacing the parlor. “Guns can be put in the luggage compartment if you notify the airline ahead of time.”
    â€œWhere is