by Parnell Hall
“Would this job you wanted done have anything to do with Bill French?”
“I refuse to answer on the grounds that my lawyer is already pissed off at me.”
“Melvin.”
“Of course I can’t help any conclusions you may want to jump to.”
“So, you came here to find some legal recourse to stop Bill French. Only buddy Bill wasn’t waiting around to be handled. Instead, he started blackmailing you and dropping dead loan sharks you might be associated with in places you might be inclined to frequent.”
“I wasn’t being blackmailed.”
“I know. You’re a macho guy. Publish and be damned. Of course, send me to jail and be damned is another story.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“What was it like?”
“It was like this conversation. Immensely frustrating. You want to get a little closer to the bars?”
“This is not a conjugal visit, Melvin. You’re in a holding cell and you haven’t even been booked yet.”
“You mean that’s all it will take? Hell, maybe I’ll plead guilty.”
“You’re incorrigible. All right, who’s the dead girl in the cemetery?”
The abrupt change of subject caught him up short. “What dead girl in the cemetery?”
“The one the police think you shot.”
Melvin was incredulous. “The police think I shot a girl in the cemetery?”
“Oh, that’s right. They only arrested you for discharging a firearm. Well, guess what? The bullet from the firearm they think you discharged hit a girl and she’s dead. So why don’t you drop the macho routine and let’s get Becky back in here and get down to brass tacks.”
Chapter
33
“All right,” Cora said. “So who’s the girl in the cemetery?”
“I have no idea,” Melvin said.
“Yes, you do. If you’re being framed for the guy in the Dumpster, you’re being framed for the girl in the cemetery. So who is she?”
“I have to step in here,” Becky said. “Anything Melvin tells me is a privileged communication. Anything he says in the presence of a third person is not a privileged communication, and the police can inquire into it.”
“Yeah,” Melvin said, “but they won’t know to inquire into it, and I’ll lie.”
“That’s not the point. The point is they can ask me.”
“And you’ll lie.”
“And put myself in the position of being disbarred.”
“Good girl. A lot of lawyers wouldn’t do that.”
“I was being sarcastic.”
“Hadn’t noticed.”
“Kids, you can squabble about this later,” Cora said. “The fact is, there’s another murder charge kicking around, and it won’t take long for the police to apply it to you. You were in the cemetery when shots were reported fired. The police responded and picked you up. You were the only one in the cemetery at that time.”
“You were there.”
“Let’s not get off on a tangent. No one thinks I did it. Besides, Chief Harper sniffed my gun.”
“That’s stupid,” Melvin said.
“Why? He may not suspect me of killing a girl, but he wouldn’t put firing a few shots past me.”
“Why would you do that?” Becky said.
“Come on, Becky, snap out of it. I know this case is coming at you from all angles, but use your head. If I stumbled on a dead body and didn’t want to report finding it, what better way to get out of it than fire a few shots and let the police investigate? In case they were too dumb to find it, or in case they arrested someone and quit looking, I’d have to come back and help guide them in the right direction.”
Becky stared at her. “Did you do that?”
“Relax. I’m not telling you what happened. I’m telling you why Chief Harper smelled my gun. I didn’t fire a shot, so the police are going to think he did.”
“No one fired a shot,” Melvin said. “I was there. There wasn’t any shot.”
“Yeah, but as your lawyer will tell you, that’s a self-serving declaration of no evidentiary value.”
“I would tell him, except you seem to be running the show. Melvin, she shouldn’t be here.”
“She’s gotta be here. She’s the one with all the information.”
“Which she’s given us. Now she can go.”
“I want to hear her theories. They were always interesting. Even when they’re way off the mark.”
“What’s way off the mark?” Cora said.
“Your theory about the hatcheck girl.”
“Are you still defending that little tramp?”
“This is not a divorce hearing,” Becky said. “I know you’ve had a colorful past, but we have this present-day murder.”
“Two, actually,” Cora said. “And the police are going to be looking at him for both. He’s going to be asked to identify the bodies. I would suggest you advise him not to lie.”
“Why would he lie?” Becky put up her hand. “No, don’t tell me with a third party present. Melvin, I’ve got to hear your story before you say anything else.”
“You’ve heard my story.”
“Not in the light of a dead girl by a gravestone. Until you’ve made a frank and complete explanation to me, I don’t want you making it to anyone else. Is that clear?”
“Even Cora?” Melvin said mischievously, stealing a glance at her.
“This is not a game,” Becky said in exasperation. “This is a case where you could easily go to jail for the rest of your natural life.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call it natural,” Cora said.
The door banged open so hard the walls shook.
Chief Harper strode up to Cora. He was practically apoplectic. “So! I told you to stay at the crime scene! You agreed to stay at the crime scene! You told Dan Finley you were staying at the crime scene! I come to look for you and what do I get? Aaron Grant stalling me off! You better have a damn good explanation and it better be helpful as hell!”
“I’m sure she does,” Becky said. “But she’s not going to make it in the presence of my client. Nothing’s happening in the presence of my client. My client has no comment on this whole, dreadful situation. Until I’ve had a chance to confer with my client, which, as you can see, I haven’t, as there was no police officer assigned to this station to keep this witness away from my client. So, if you want to talk to Cora, I would suggest your inner office, because we are rather busy here.”
Chief Harper looked as if he’d like to shake each and every one of them until their teeth rattled. He controlled himself, managed a tight-lipped smile, and said sweetly to Cora, “After you.”
Chapter
34
Chief Harper was trying to keep his temper. “You were found at two crime scenes. Most police chiefs, at the very least, would hold you for questioning. But I’m a nice guy, and I’m your friend, and out of the goodness of my heart I let you go.”
“You threw me to Rick Reed.”
“Big deal. You can run circles around Rick Reed. I bet you didn’t tell him a damn thing.”
“I don’t know a damn thing. You shooed me away from the crime scene as soon as I found it.”
“Yeah. As soon as you found it. Almost like you knew where to look.”
“Thanks for the ‘almost’, Chief. The only place I knew to look was the cemetery, and that’s because of the report of shots fired.”
“You didn’t know the body was there?”
Cora smiled. “You should listen to my interview with Rick Reed, Chief. He asked the same questions, and I didn’t have to lie.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Not an answer to what?”
“Did you know the body was there before you found it?”
“No, I did not.”
Harper studied her face. “Let me rephrase that. I’m not asking if you knew the body was there the first time you found it, I’m asking if you knew the body was there the tim
e you found it when you were searching the cemetery with me.”
“I find that question insulting, Chief.”
“I find your answer evasive.”
“There’s nothing evasive about it. I did not know the body was there before I found it with you. Which was the first time I had ever found it. I did not know it was there. Stumbling upon it was a surprise.”
Harper shook his head. “I don’t like it, Cora. This guy Melvin shows up in town and you start stealing cars and finding dead bodies and I can’t even tell if you’re lying to me anymore.”
“Well, let me set your mind at ease, Chief. I don’t know any more about this than you do. Actually, I know a lot less. You find out who the girl was?”
“Not as yet.”
“I assume she was shot.”
“You can assume anything you like.”
“Don’t be like that, Chief. I’m not holding out on you, I just don’t know much.”
“You saw the body. She look shot to you?”
“Well, she didn’t look none too good. You pin down the time of death?”
Harper exhaled in exasperation. “Why is it I’m interrogating you, and I’m the one answering all the questions?”
“You’re the one with all the info. How can I help you out with this crime if you don’t tell me what you know?”
“Help me out with the crime. That’s a good one. I don’t recall asking you to help me out with this crime.”
“You don’t want me to help you out with this crime? Then what are we talking about?”
Harper bit his lip, tried to remain calm.
“The way I see it,” Cora said, “the girl wasn’t shot in the cemetery, her body was just dumped there.”
“Of course that’s how you’d see it.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because Melvin was in the cemetery.” Harper shrugged. “Of course, he could have just dumped the body.”
“Yeah. After firing the shots that didn’t kill her because she was murdered elsewhere.”
“That’s just your theory. I don’t have to buy it.”
“You do if you don’t have a theory of your own.”
“I have a theory of my own.”
“Oh? What is it?”
Harper said nothing.
“Come on, Chief. How can I ridicule your notions if you won’t tell me what they are?”
Harper started to flare up, stopped himself. “Okay, fine. Ridicule my notions. Here’s what I figure. I figure Melvin killed the girl in the cemetery. I figure Melvin killed the guy in the Dumpster, too. I figure the murders are tied together. More than likely they were killed with the same gun. If I find out where Melvin hid it, I don’t care how good a lawyer Becky is, the guy is history.”
“If you find out where Melvin hid it, you’re a regular Houdini, Chief, because Melvin didn’t hide a gun.”
“Maybe Melvin didn’t hide it. Maybe he gave it to you.”
“You searched my purse. You smelled my gun. It hadn’t been fired. Don’t you remember, Chief? It wasn’t that long ago.”
“You mind if I search your purse again?”
“I certainly do. You already searched it, you didn’t find anything then, you won’t find anything now. Searching my purse is in a legitimate pursuit of your duty. Repeatedly searching it smacks of harassment. You could get labeled as a serial purse searcher.”
The phone rang. Harper scooped it up, said, “Harper here … uh huh … uh huh … fine, thanks.”
Harper hung up the phone and sprang from his desk. “Come with me.”
Without holding the door for her, or even waiting for her to follow, Harper strode out of his office and down the hall to the holding cells.
Becky and Melvin had their heads together. She looked up irritably at the chief. “We’re not finished.”
“Yes, you are,” Harper said. “We have a problem. Cora swears she doesn’t know where Melvin hid the gun.”
“Gun?” Melvin said. “What gun?”
“Hang on, Melvin,” Becky said. “He’s just trying to goad you into making a statement.”
“You’re not going to let your client make a statement?”
“I most certainly am not.”
“In that case, I have no recourse but to charge him with suspicion of murder.”
“And there,” Cora said sarcastically, “is a marvelous demonstration of the true meaning of the accused’s right to remain silent.”
Harper ignored her, kept his eyes on Melvin.
“So,” Becky said, “just who is my client charged with killing?”
“The girl in the cemetery.”
“Is that how it’s going to read at the arraignment? Melvin is charged with killing the girl in the cemetery?”
“Oh, I imagine we’ll put a name to her before too long. Toward that end, perhaps you could be of some assistance.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’d like to have your client take a look at the body. See if it’s anyone he knows.”
“I don’t need to look at the body,” Melvin said. “It’s no one I know, it’s got nothing to do with me.”
“Then I’m sure you’ll be eager to establish that fact,” Harper said. He took his keys out of his pocket, unlocked the cell.
“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Becky said.
“I’m taking the prisoner to look at the girl he’s accused of killing.”
“Since he doesn’t know her, that can’t possibly help.”
“Or hurt. Anyway, it will be good to establish the fact.”
Becky shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“That’s too bad. That means I’ll have to get a court order. It’s too late to get one today, which means I’ll have to keep him overnight until Judge Hobbs can issue one in the morning. I had hoped to clear this up more judiciously.”
“I’m not staying here overnight,” Melvin said.
“You are if I say you are,” Harper said.
“Becky. Do something.”
“There’s nothing I can do.”
“Cora. Whip out your gun and shoot the son of a bitch.”
“Sure, Melvin. But is it okay if I just hold him at gunpoint until you get away? It’s hard to live in a town after you shot the sheriff.”
“Not going to happen,” Harper said. He snapped the handcuff on Melvin’s wrist. “I’m going to look at the body. Melvin’s arm is coming with me. It would be more convenient if the rest of him followed.”
Melvin grinned broadly. “Chief, I like your style. Let’s go look at the body, by all means.”
“Not a good idea,” Becky said.
“It sure beats sitting in a cell. Unless you got a better idea, let’s go.”
The chief led Melvin outside, put him in the backseat of his cruiser.
“I’m going, too,” Becky said.
“Sure you are, but not with him. Leastwise, not back there. You can go with Cora, or ride up front with me.”
Becky looked like a little girl who’d been told she couldn’t have pie. She slid into the front seat of Harper’s car, and slammed the door.
Cora followed Chief Harper to the hospital. She was tempted to pass him and get there first, but figured with the mood the chief was in, that wouldn’t be a good idea. She pulled into the hospital parking lot at a moderate speed, caught up with the chief as he, Melvin, and Becky went in the door.
Cora tried to catch Becky’s eye in the elevator, but Becky wasn’t playing. She caught Melvin’s instead. He winked at her. It was all she could do not to roll her eyes.
At the basement level, Becky and Cora stepped out of the elevator and stopped short.
Mopping the hallway was the janitor Cora had hoodwinked into unlocking the morgue for them. If the guy said hi to them, there’d be hell to pay.
There was no help for it. Standing like a statue would be a dead giveaway. Cora nudged Becky in the ribs to get her moving.
At the sight of Cora the janitor’s
eyes widened. As he opened his mouth to greet her, Cora was running through possible deflections in her head, each one more convoluted and slightly less convincing than the last. Then he saw who was with her—the chief of police and a prisoner in handcuffs—and the janitor was suddenly quite busy mopping the floor. Not that he wasn’t watching with interest. He just wasn’t initiating any conversations.
Chief Harper marched the prisoner down the hall to the morgue and tried the door. It was locked. He glanced at the janitor. For a moment Cora was afraid he was going to ask the man for the key. That might have led to an embarrassing comment.
The door was pushed open by Dr. Barney Nathan. He must have been in midautopsy. He had a surgical gown on, stained with blood. He frowned. “You didn’t tell me it was going to be a convention.”
“He’s with me,” Harper said. “Becky’s his lawyer.”
Becky had been trying to fade into the background. The doctor’s eyes lit up when he saw her. “Ah, Miss Baldwin. How nice to see you again. I’m sorry for the circumstances.”
“Don’t be. This has nothing to do with my client. As soon as we can establish that, we’ll be on our way.”
“Of course. Do step in.”
Dr. Nathan held the door for Becky, Chief Harper, and the prisoner, and rather grudgingly for Cora. He led them to a slab on the far side of the morgue.
“It’s a bit of a mess here. I was just finishing up. But no problem. The face is intact. You should be able to make a good ID.”
The sheet over the slab was crimson in the middle. Cora wondered what it was like underneath. Not that she wanted to witness an autopsy firsthand. Still, she was curious. She wondered if Barney was going to whisk the sheet away like a magician performing a grand illusion.
He didn’t. He lifted the edges of it gently, pulled it slowly down over her face.
She was attractive. Smooth skin. Blond hair. She looked very much the same under the harsh lights of the morgue as she had under the flashlight at the grave. No marks. No scars. No cuts. Just a beautiful girl, lying on the slab.
Melvin recoiled in horror.
He sucked in his breath, murmured, “Jane!”
Chapter
35
“Is he capable of murder?” Harper said.
