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“Why do you want to know?”
“How’s your neck?”
“Fine. I’ll be able to scream in no time. You didn’t answer my question. Are you the reason they let me walk?”
“Maybe, though I feel more like a pawn than a full-fledged reason. If you’re going to Wrightsburg, I’d like to hitch a ride.”
“Why?”
“You’re a smart lady, I think you know the answer to that.”
As they climbed into her truck, Parks said, “It looks like you and Sean King have really struck up a friendship.”
“I like him and respect him.”
“Almost got you killed, though.”
“That was hardly his fault.”
“Yeah, I suppose so.”
The way he said it made Michelle glance sharply at him, but the lawman was already looking out the window.
CHAPTER
45
JOAN AND KING were staying at a hotel in Washington when Joan received the news about Mildred Martin’s murder. She called King’s room and told him.
“Damn it,” he exclaimed. “There goes another potential witness.”
“And you know what this means, Sean.”
“Yes, whoever killed Loretta Baldwin killed Mildred Martin.” He added sarcastically, “Unless you buy that two different killers would murder their victims in the exact same way.”
“So it’s confirmed. She was lying. She made the call to Bruno. She poisoned her husband, and the Lizzie Borden stuff was made up. So why kill her?”
Neither one of them had the answer to that.
It was late morning when they drove back to Wrightsburg. By prearrangement they met Parks and Michelle at King’s house for lunch.
Michelle and Parks had brought carryout Chinese, and they all gathered on the rear deck to eat and discuss the case.
“Figured you two would be really hungry from all your detective work,” said Parks as he pushed sweet-and-sour chicken into his mouth. “Heard from the FBI that you been burning up the frequent flier mileage on this Bruno thing.”
“A lot of miles and not a lot of results,” answered King.
Joan took a few minutes to bring them up to date on their investigations and interviews with Mildred Martin and Catherine Bruno as well as their noninterview with Sidney Morse.
“Sounds like Peter Morse hit the jackpot,” said Michelle. “I wonder where he is?”
“My bet wouldn’t be Ohio,” said King. “I’m thinking a tiny island in the sun.”
“Sounds wonderful,” said Joan. “I’d love to try it.”
Parks looked at some notes and then said, “Okay, Michelle filled me in on your talks with Ramsey’s buddy at Atticus College, Horst?”
“Jorst,” corrected Michelle.
