The Puzzle Lady vs. the Sudoku Lady

by Parnell Hall

  “Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Chief Harper said. “This is, in all likelihood, an accidental death. The only thing to keep us from proving that is a bunch of attorneys throwing monkey wrenches into the works.”

  “Hang on,” Cora said. “Becky’s a knockout, but I doubt if she counts as a bunch.”

  “I’d like a word with my client,” Becky persisted.

  “I haven’t heard him hire you yet.”

  “He was about to when you interrupted.”

  “Actually, I interrupted,” Cora said.

  “Stop!” Chief Harper said. He pointed to the prisoner, who now had his head between his legs. “You’re driving me nuts, and I don’t have a hangover. Think how he must feel.”

  Dan Finley stuck his head in the door. “Got her, Chief.”

  “Great. Okay, you win, Becky. Have a nice chat. We’ll be back. Come on, Cora.” Harper held the door for Cora, followed her out. “This is going to be fun.”

  Chapter 9

  The Sudoku Lady batted her eyes at Chief Harper. “You wished to see me?”

  “Yes, I wished to see you. You are a visitor in our town. We want to extend you every courtesy. But you cannot come into our police station, talk to our prisoner, and tell him his wife is dead.”

  Minami smiled. “Why not?”

  “That’s not your job. It’s my job.”

  “I do not mind helping.”

  “You are not helping. I told him his wife was dead and he already knew.”

  “Then there is no problem. If it is the truth. She is dead, isn’t she?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. I do not mean it is good that she is dead. I mean it is good that we did not tell him she is dead when she is not. That would not be nice, would it?”

  Chief Harper opened his mouth, closed it again.

  Cora suppressed a smile.

  “That is not the point,” Harper said. “The point is, you can’t come in and start interrogating prisoners. You’re not an attorney; you’re not with the police; you’re not a friend. You’re not even a U.S. citizen.”

  “Only U.S. citizens may talk to prisoners? That is a law I did not know.”

  “It’s not a law.”

  “That is why I did not know it.”

  Minami looked perfectly serene in yards and yards of fabric. Her niece looked bored.

  “Let me ask you something,” Cora said. “You claim that talking to Jason was perfectly innocent and within your rights.”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. What did he say?”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “What did he tell you? What did you learn? Will you share that information?”

  “But of course.” Minami settled back in her chair.

  “Here we go,” Michiko said.

  “Did he tell you he was drinking at a bar?” Harper asked.

  “Yes, he did.”

  “The Rainbow Room?”

  “Yes. Did he tell you that, too?”

  “He did not. By the time I talked to him he was confused and disoriented. I only assumed he told you that because it’s where my officer Dan Finley picked you up.”

  “How did the officer know I was there?”

  “He called every bar in town.”

  “That was smart. You are good at your job.”

  “I’m just one step behind you.” Harper took a breath. “I’m going to have to ask you to cease and desist.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Stop what you’re doing.”

  “Why? The man was in jail when his wife died. Clearly he did not do it.”

  Becky Baldwin poked her head in the door. “Am I interrupting?”

  “Yes,” Chief Harper said.

  “No,” Cora said. “Come on in.”

  Becky swooped in. “How do you do? I’m Becky Baldwin, attorney at law. You must be the woman who spoke to my client.”

  “I am Minami, the Sudoku Lady.”

  Michiko snorted. “Do you have to say that to everyone? You sound like a superhero.”

  “And this is my niece, Michiko. We had a very nice talk with Mr. Fielding.”

  “And now you’re talking with the police. I’m not sure I like that.”

  Harper smiled. “Ah. The silver lining. It would appear Minami has not interfered in my business as much as she has in yours.”

  “Plus,” Cora put in, “anything he told her is not a confidential communication.”

  “That’s a hell of a thing to spread around,” Becky said.

  “Why?” Harper said. “Are you advising him not to answer any questions?”

  “I don’t know what I’m advising him at this point. I’d like to keep my options open.”

  “Options? What options? The woman fell down and hit her head. Her husband’s drunk and in jail. He has the option of staying there and sobering up or going home and sobering up. It doesn’t seem a difficult choice to me, and I don’t see why he needs a lawyer to make it.”

  “That’s the situation here?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Are you prepared to rule it was an accidental death?”

  “It’s not my place to make such a ruling. That’s up to the medical examiner and the prosecutor. At the moment there’s no reason to assume it was anything else.”

  “If the autopsy turned up a whacking dose of poison in her stomach, would that change your mind?” Cora said.

  Harper gave her a look. “Are you trying to make trouble?”

  “I’m just trying to clarify things. And I like to give you and Minami something to talk about.”

  “We have plenty to talk about, and that’s not it. There is no poison involved in the case. I am not expecting any poison involved in the case, and there damn well better not be any poison involved in the case. If there is any poison in the case, I’m going to want to know why you suspected poison in the case.”

  “I don’t suspect poison in the case. That was a hypothetical example. If you want my opinion, this is an accidental death, and we can all chalk it up and move on.” Cora jerked her thumb at Minami. “Of course, she may have other ideas.” She gestured to Becky. “And she may have other ideas. Clearly, they conflict.” She smiled. “Which puts you in the perfect position to do anything you want to. Which is only fitting for a chief of police.”

  Harper put up his hands. “Wait a minute, wait a minute. Why is any of this happening? There is no crime here. Much as you might love to drum one up.”

  “Me?” Cora said. “I’m not drumming it up. She is. There is one very suspicious circumstance here, Chief, and I hate to spill it in front of these two women, but they’ve undoubtedly copped to it anyway or they wouldn’t be doing this. Jason has a perfect alibi for the time his wife was killed. Perfect. Ironclad. You couldn’t draw it up any better. You’re his alibi witness. You and the whole damn police force. If I were going to bump off a husband—and God knows, I’ve wanted to—I can’t think of a better plan than to have him apparently killed at a time when I was in jail. Not that I was in jail that often, you understand, still—”

  “Cora.”

  “Anyway, that’s undoubtedly what has attracted these two women to this crime. That and the fact that one of them gets to charge a fee.”

  Harper snorted in exasperation.

  Cora smiled. “Hope I set everything straight, Chief. Well, gotta go.”

  Cora started out. She turned back in the doorway, her eyes twinkling. “You kids have fun.”

  Chapter 10

  Becky Baldwin’s law office was a second-floor walk-up down the side street over the pizza parlor. Becky had just started up the stairs when a hand reached out and grabbed her. She wheeled around.

  It was Cora.

  “What are you doing? You scared me to death.”

  “We need to talk.”

  “We have nothing to talk about. You sold me out back there.”

  “That’s what I want to talk about.”

  “Well, you should. I thought we we
re friends.”

  “We are friends. We also have a business relationship.”

  “What’s that got to do with it?”

  “This is business.”

  “So it’s all right to sell me out if it’s business?”

  “Let’s go in your office. I’d hate for people to hear us squabbling on the stairs.”

  Becky unlocked the door and let Cora in. Becky’s office, small and poorly furnished, gave the impression that business was not good. Indeed, it wasn’t. Bakerhaven was a small town. The need for lawyers was not great, even in the best of times. During the financial crisis her client base had shrunk to nothing.

  Cora flopped down in the client’s chair, took out her cigarettes.

  Becky raised her finger. “No. This is your idea. You’re here on sufferance. You light that thing, you’re going out.”

  “Relax. We’re both on the same side.”

  “What side is that?”

  “The side of truth, justice, and the American way.”

  Becky glared at her.

  “Oh, I forgot. You’re a lawyer. We’re on the side of your client, regardless of truth, justice, and the American way.”

  “Why are you here?”

  “I’m here to help you.”

  “Help me? You damn near crucified me.”

  “I’m here to protect you from that dreadful woman.”

  “What?”

  “You saw what she did. She talked to your client. Now she’s blabbing to the police.”

  “You told her to blab to the police!”

  “I did nothing of the sort. I just said she’s under no legal restraint. Which is a shame, because a woman like that ought to be under some legal restraint.”

  “What in the world is she doing here?”

  Cora told Becky the story of the Sudoku Lady.

  “She’s a rival puzzle constructor?”

  “She thinks she is. We both have sudoku books. Big deal. If hers were doing better than mine, you think I’d go to Japan to meet her?”

  “Your book is doing better than hers in Japan?”

  “Apparently.”

  “She has a problem with that?”

  “She has lots of problems.”

  “If her books were doing better than yours over here, would you have a problem with that?”

  “I wouldn’t even know it. You think I give a damn? Here I am, minding my own business, some young upstart comes along—”

  “She is younger than you, isn’t she?”

  “She’s heard I’m an amateur detective—she wants to take me on solving crime.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  “Yes, it is. She’s out to get your client just to prove that she can do it. She’s egocentric, ambitious, competitive.”

  “So?”

  “In detective stories, you know how the cops are always trying to convict somebody? They don’t seem to care if he’s innocent—they just want to clear the crime?”

  “You think she’s like that?”

  “She wants to win. She’s over there blabbing to Chief Harper right now, trying to bring your client down.”

  “You want to stop her?”

  “Damn right I want to stop her.”

  “You want to help me get my client off?”

  “Of course, I do.”

  “Do you care if he’s innocent or guilty?”

  Cora snorted. “Hell, no. I want to win.”

  Chapter 11

  Aaron Grant couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Which didn’t stop him from enjoying his veal piccata. Still, he was somewhat distracted, much to Sherry’s displeasure.

  “I’m a newlywed,” she protested. “When I cook for you, pay attention. You think civility stops right after the honeymoon?”

  “Usually,” Cora said. She frowned thoughtfully. “Though, in Melvin’s case, it stopped on the honeymoon. God, what did I ever see in that man?”

  “Murder?” Aaron persisted.

  Sherry glared at Cora.

  “Very good pork,” Cora said.

  “It’s veal.”

  “It’s very good.” She took a bite, chewed. “It’s an accidental death. The only thing that points to it not being an accidental death is the fact that she died at a time her husband couldn’t have done it. The thing that gets him is he appeared to have an airtight alibi.”

  “That makes it look like he arranged it,” Aaron said.

  “He didn’t. He’s just a poor sot who woke up from the worst blackout drunk of his life.”

  “You mean if he killed her.”

  “Either way. If he killed her and doesn’t remember or didn’t kill her and doesn’t remember, it’s the same thing. He doesn’t know if he killed her.”

  “If he killed her, it means he had those tendencies. Which would be part of his psyche.”

  “Oh, please,” Cora said. “If I woke up married to a used-car salesman, would you say I had those tendencies?”

  Aaron found himself very busy cutting his veal.

  Cora’s face darkened. “For God’s sake. It’s bad enough when you kid about my men. When you get embarrassed by them, it’s ten times worse. Is it just because you’re married? It never bothered you when you were single. See why I have to move out? I’m corrupting the morals of your husband.”

  “You’re moving out?” Aaron said.

  “Where have you been? Never mind. I know where you’ve been. This is not a honeymoon cottage. You need your own space. And I need mine.”

  “I didn’t know you felt that way.”

  “Of course not. You’re young; you’re in love. You’re not cynical yet. I’d like to help you stay that way. You got enough problems with Dennis.”

  “Cora,” Sherry warned.

  Aaron frowned. “Dennis? What about Dennis?”

  “Didn’t she mention it? He’s been calling. You wouldn’t even know if I hadn’t been here spoiling the party.”

  “What did Dennis want?”

  “I don’t know,” Sherry said. “He called. I hung up.”

  “Didn’t he say anything?”

  “I didn’t let him say anything. I hung up the phone.”

  “How’d you know it was him?”

  “I recognized his voice.”

  “Then he must have said something.”

  Cora smiled, spread her hands. “My work here is done.”

  “Look at that,” Sherry said. “See how neatly she changed the subject. You wouldn’t know we were talking about her moving out.”

  “Actually, we were talking about a murder,” Cora said. “I was just digressing from the digression.”

  “Exactly,” Aaron said. “If it’s a murder, why didn’t I get the story?”

  “There’s no story. It’s not a murder.”

  “But Chief Harper thinks it is?”

  “No, he doesn’t.”

  “But the husband’s in jail?”

  “On a drunk and disorderly charge.”

  “Why isn’t he out?”

  “Because his lawyer won’t let him talk.”

  “He hired Becky Baldwin?”

  “Doesn’t everyone?”

  “He must think he’ll be suspected.”

  “He doesn’t think anything. He’s drunk and barely conscious. Becky thrust herself on him, and the poor guy never had a chance.”

  “He didn’t call her?”

  “Obviously.”

  “Who tipped her off?”

  “Don’t look at me. I don’t go making trouble.”

  “You worked for Becky in the past.”

  “When she hired me. I don’t go soliciting employment.”

  “But you have a relationship. Times are tough. You might throw her a bone.”

  “Kids,” Sherry said. “This is not a debate. Cora’s not going to lie about it. Cora, did you tip Becky off? Yes or no?”

  “No. If you want my opinion—”

  “I do,” Aaron said.

  “I’d lean on Dan Finley. I know he tips
the TV people off.”

  “That’s different. The cops always want to get in good with the media. Lawyers are on the other side.”

  “Yeah, but Becky’s a pretty girl.”

  Aaron’s eyes widened. “Do you mean—?”

  “Dan’s young, male, single, and he’s not blind. Just because he acts like a boy doesn’t mean he doesn’t think like a man.”

  “Cora, you can’t go,” Sherry said. “We’d be lost without these insights.”

  The phone rang. Sherry got up to answer it.

  “If that’s Dennis, I want to talk to him,” Aaron said.

  “It isn’t Dennis.”

  “If it is, give me the phone.”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  “I know you can. Just give me the phone.”

  “You gonna answer that?” Cora said.

  “If it’s Dennis—”

  “If it’s Dennis, I’ll say, ‘Just a minute, here’s my husband.’ Will that satisfy you?” Sherry picked up the phone and said, “Hello? … Now … But that’s not necessary … Very well. A half an hour.”

  Sherry hung up the phone, cocked her head.

  “That wasn’t Dennis.”

  Chapter 12

  The Sudoku Lady sat on the edge of the couch and sipped her tea. She looked calm and composed and completely at home. “This is very nice.”

  “Niceness has nothing to do with it,” Cora said. “You called and said you were coming. What do you want?”

  “What my aunt means to say,” Sherry put in quickly, “is to what do we owe the honor of this visit?”

  “That’s exactly what I meant to say,” Cora said. “I couldn’t have phrased it better.”

  “We are here to apologize for this afternoon.”

  “Apologize for what?” Cora demanded.

  “We said we would come to see you, and then we did not. We are not in the habit of making appointments that we do not keep. It is rude. We are sorry. It was an emergency and could not be helped.”

  “I saw you,” Cora said. “Several times. At the house. At the police station. I saw you all day long.”

  “You did not see me here. As I promised.”

  “No one is holding you to any promise.”

  “See,” Michiko said, “they don’t want us here.”