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“Are you Remy or Martha?” Leslie asked.
“Neither. Zelda Wing,” she answered. She tucked one foot up under her and continued to rock in the chair. When she leaned forward to put her empty glass on the floor, the two investigators could see down the front of her cotton blouse to a pair of smooth alabaster white breasts. The gesture seemed very deliberate.
Robin noted the pink ribbon at her neck that matched her pink shorts.
“You were here the night of the murder?”
“Sleeping like a baby in the room next to Remy and Martha. I do sleep very soundly. I take a little sleeping pill most nights because I sometimes have trouble drifting off, but when I finally do, it takes six alarm clocks and lots of sun to wake me. Of course, I told the police all that. So why are you asking questions?” She blew smoke from her nostrils and mouth.
“We represent Betsy Longcore.”
“Too bad. She’s guilty as sin. Any one here for a minute could see it coming. Ole Felicia changes her affections like her underwear, and she was about to dump Betsy for Martha. Not that Martha was going to jump at the chance. But that’s how Felicia works. She gets her hooks into you and you can’t get away.” Zelda sounded very sure of her facts. “I mean I feel a little sorry for Betsy, she should have known how the woman operates, after two years together, but to kill her? Little extreme, don’t you think?”
“You seem to know a lot about Felicia. You are just a guest here, Felicia’s guest? Did you know her personally?” Robin asked.
“Know her personally? No. But I’ve been here long enough. You see things being an observer. But then, I shouldn’t have to tell you that in your line of work. I sized up the situation the moment I arrived and met those two. It was a relationship on the rocks. You should have seen the daggers in Betsy’s eyes, nasty darts they were. Of course, with Felicia wandering all over hell and back trying to keep her cunt satisfied, if you know what I mean. I wouldn’t blame Betsy for being pissed.”
“Betsy says she spent the night on the back porch. Can you confirm that?” Leslie interrupted what appeared to be an endless monologue.
“Yeah, I suppose so. She’d slept on the back porch half the time I was here. I’m not sure why. Probably because Felicia was entertaining god knows who in her room and didn’t want her there. Then again, I couldn’t tell you for sure, because as I said, once I’m sleeping I don’t wake up. But you know, that’s no alibi. She could have drifted upstairs anytime and run that knife into her heart. And besides, who else would want to kill Felicia?” Zelda asked innocently.
“That’s what we’re here to find out,” Robin said. “Felicia knew lots of people; it’s not unlikely that she made a few enemies.”
“I really wouldn’t know,” Zelda replied.
“So, if you don’t mind my asking,” Robin went on curiously, “what brought you to Roman Hill?”
“I’ve been visiting Remy and Martha. Martha and I are old friends from college.”
“And where was that?” Leslie asked.
“State U., up north,” Zelda said, while she nodded in the appropriate direction.
“Are Martha and Remy inside?” Robin asked.
“Yeah, go on in,” Zelda told them. Her cigarette, which had burned down to the filter, was dropped to the floor and crushed with her foot. She reached down to pick up her flip top pack, showing her breasts again. The two detectives opened the screen and let themselves inside, as Zelda lit another cigarette and restored the cloud of smoke around her.
“She’s a bit too glib,” Robin murmured.
“But that succulent flesh,” Leslie whispered.
“You need sex that bad?”
“Only the right kind,” Leslie said, letting the thought drop. Yeah, it would be good to have Robin in her arms again, but now was hardly the time to seduce her.
Making their way through the house, there was an old smell Leslie noticed right off, the way most old houses smell of dust too deep to find and furniture polish and the scent of flowers that linger long in the air. Leslie was immediately transported back in time to her childhood, a rather odd feeling, especially since she was investigating a murder. Her grandmother’s house smelled this way, although it was neither as grand or mysterious.
This place could give me the spooks,” she said.
“Isn’t it terrific? I’m just glad I don’t live here anymore. Walking through these rooms, I keep thinking I’ll see Felicia swooning around some corner.
With Robin knowing exactly where to go, they quickly found Martha and Remy in the kitchen, the two women immediately looking up at them with surprised faces.
“We’re Robin and Leslie, Patrick Penny Investigations. We’re looking into Felicia’s death, on behalf of Betsy Longcore’s brother.”
Remy’s eyes were puffy from crying.
“Do you mind if we ask a few questions?” Leslie continued.
