I asked them why, they wouldn’t answer. I finally talked them into it, saying I needed to look after a sick friend. Plus I showed them my room key. I guess I finally wore them down, although it probably only took about three minutes.’’
A knock sounded at the door before I could reply to her. Sophie slid off the stool and went to the door. ‘‘Who is it?’’ she called.
‘‘Sheriff’s department,’’ was the answer.
Sophie opened the door and stepped back to let someone enter.
Actually, it was two someones—a tall, broad-shouldered, heavyset man and a woman whose height matched his. He looked to be in his fifties, while the woman was about twenty years younger. Both were in uniform, and I could hear the leather they wore creaking as they walked into the room.
‘‘I’m Deputy Ainsworth, and this is Deputy Jordan, ’’ the man announced. ‘‘I’m in charge of the investigation. ’’ He paused a moment to look from Sophie to Paula and finally to me. ‘‘I understand one of you ladies found the body.’’
‘‘Yes, that was me,’’ I said, coming around the minibar and standing close to where Sophie stood. ‘‘I’m Emma Diamond. This is my friend Sophie Parker. And the lady on the couch is Paula Trowbridge, Mrs. Avery Trowbridge.’’
Deputy Ainsworth stared at Paula for a moment. ‘‘That’s your husband in there.’’ It wasn’t really a question.
Paula nodded. She tried to speak but couldn’t. She took a sip of her coffee and tried again. ‘‘Yes, Deputy, Avery was my husband.’’
‘‘Sorry for your loss, ma’am.’’ The deputy’s voice was gruff, almost raspy. He sounded like a heavy smoker.
Ainsworth focused on me again. ‘‘Ms. Diamond,’’ he began.
‘‘Mrs. Diamond,’’ I corrected him. ‘‘I’m a widow.’’ He had an odd look on his face as he regarded me.
The deputy nodded. ‘‘Mrs. Diamond, I need to get a statement from you. Would you mind stepping out in the hall with me?’’
‘‘Not at all, Deputy. Do you mind if I bring my coffee with me?’’
‘‘Go right ahead, ma’am.’’ He moved to the door and held it open. ‘‘Jordan will stay here with the other ladies. I’d appreciate it if y’all didn’t talk about the incident until I’ve had a chance to question you separately.’’
Sophie and Paula nodded.
I stepped into the hallway, and Deputy Ainsworth closed the door behind us. He guided me to the large window at the end of the hall. He stood with his back to the window; I faced it. The sun coming through the glass was warm, and it felt good. Despite the coffee, I was still a little cold. Perhaps I was suffering a bit from shock.
Behind me I could hear the low hum of conversation coming from Avery Trowbridge’s room, along with other noises. I was glad I had my back to it all. I really didn’t want to see anything else that was taking place in that room. I shuddered and took another sip of coffee.
Ainsworth was watching me with that same enigmatic expression. ‘‘Mrs. Diamond, I’d like you to tell me what happened this morning. How you came to find the body. Take your time.’’
Clasping my mug with both hands, I thought for a moment before speaking. ‘‘I was on my way down to breakfast. It was a few minutes before eight, I think. Anyway, my friend Sophie Parker had gone down ahead of me, and I was going to join her.’’ I paused for a breath. ‘‘I was walking down the hall, and when I neared Mr. Trowbridge’s room, I suppose I noticed the pieces of paper taped to his door.’’
When I didn’t go on immediately, Ainsworth prompted me. ‘‘They look like a schedule of some kind.’’
I nodded. ‘‘Yes, Mr. Trowbridge is, er, was a famous bridge player and teacher. He was giving lessons, beginning this morning. I had signed up for the first slot at nine. I guess I was curious, so I stopped to peruse the schedule, and I could see that it was pretty full.’’ I stopped for a deep breath and
A knock sounded at the door before I could reply to her. Sophie slid off the stool and went to the door. ‘‘Who is it?’’ she called.
‘‘Sheriff’s department,’’ was the answer.
Sophie opened the door and stepped back to let someone enter.
Actually, it was two someones—a tall, broad-shouldered, heavyset man and a woman whose height matched his. He looked to be in his fifties, while the woman was about twenty years younger. Both were in uniform, and I could hear the leather they wore creaking as they walked into the room.
‘‘I’m Deputy Ainsworth, and this is Deputy Jordan, ’’ the man announced. ‘‘I’m in charge of the investigation. ’’ He paused a moment to look from Sophie to Paula and finally to me. ‘‘I understand one of you ladies found the body.’’
‘‘Yes, that was me,’’ I said, coming around the minibar and standing close to where Sophie stood. ‘‘I’m Emma Diamond. This is my friend Sophie Parker. And the lady on the couch is Paula Trowbridge, Mrs. Avery Trowbridge.’’
Deputy Ainsworth stared at Paula for a moment. ‘‘That’s your husband in there.’’ It wasn’t really a question.
Paula nodded. She tried to speak but couldn’t. She took a sip of her coffee and tried again. ‘‘Yes, Deputy, Avery was my husband.’’
‘‘Sorry for your loss, ma’am.’’ The deputy’s voice was gruff, almost raspy. He sounded like a heavy smoker.
Ainsworth focused on me again. ‘‘Ms. Diamond,’’ he began.
‘‘Mrs. Diamond,’’ I corrected him. ‘‘I’m a widow.’’ He had an odd look on his face as he regarded me.
The deputy nodded. ‘‘Mrs. Diamond, I need to get a statement from you. Would you mind stepping out in the hall with me?’’
‘‘Not at all, Deputy. Do you mind if I bring my coffee with me?’’
‘‘Go right ahead, ma’am.’’ He moved to the door and held it open. ‘‘Jordan will stay here with the other ladies. I’d appreciate it if y’all didn’t talk about the incident until I’ve had a chance to question you separately.’’
Sophie and Paula nodded.
I stepped into the hallway, and Deputy Ainsworth closed the door behind us. He guided me to the large window at the end of the hall. He stood with his back to the window; I faced it. The sun coming through the glass was warm, and it felt good. Despite the coffee, I was still a little cold. Perhaps I was suffering a bit from shock.
Behind me I could hear the low hum of conversation coming from Avery Trowbridge’s room, along with other noises. I was glad I had my back to it all. I really didn’t want to see anything else that was taking place in that room. I shuddered and took another sip of coffee.
Ainsworth was watching me with that same enigmatic expression. ‘‘Mrs. Diamond, I’d like you to tell me what happened this morning. How you came to find the body. Take your time.’’
Clasping my mug with both hands, I thought for a moment before speaking. ‘‘I was on my way down to breakfast. It was a few minutes before eight, I think. Anyway, my friend Sophie Parker had gone down ahead of me, and I was going to join her.’’ I paused for a breath. ‘‘I was walking down the hall, and when I neared Mr. Trowbridge’s room, I suppose I noticed the pieces of paper taped to his door.’’
When I didn’t go on immediately, Ainsworth prompted me. ‘‘They look like a schedule of some kind.’’
I nodded. ‘‘Yes, Mr. Trowbridge is, er, was a famous bridge player and teacher. He was giving lessons, beginning this morning. I had signed up for the first slot at nine. I guess I was curious, so I stopped to peruse the schedule, and I could see that it was pretty full.’’ I stopped for a deep breath and
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