Death Match Read Online Free PDF Page A

a notation. A skin condition that caused itchiness: his next-door neighbor had it. Completely benign. “Any unusual or serious diseases or childhood illnesses?”
    “No, none. And this would all be in the applications she originally filled out with American Life.”
    “I understand that, Mr. Torvald. I’m simply trying to establish some independent frame of reference. Did she have any living siblings?”
    “Lindsay was an only child.”
    “Was she a good student?”
    “Graduated magna cum laude from Brown. Got her master’s in economics from Stanford.”
    “Would you call her shy? Outgoing?”
    “Strangers might think her quiet. But Lindsay always had more friends than she needed. She was the kind of girl who had many acquaintances, but was very choosy about her friends.”
    Lash took another sip of coffee. “How long had your daughter been married, Mr. Torvald?”
    “Just over two years.”
    “And how would you characterize the marriage?”
    “They were the happiest couple I’ve ever seen, bar none.”
    “Can you tell me about the husband, Lewis Thorpe?”
    “Intelligent, friendly, honest. Witty. Lots of interests.”
    “Did your daughter ever mention any problems between herself and her husband?”
    “You mean, fights?”
    Lash nodded. “That, or other things. Differences of opinion. Conflicting wishes. Incompatibilities.”
    “Never.”
    Lash took another sip. He noticed Torvald had not touched his own cup.
    “Never?” He allowed the slightest hint of incredulity to enter his voice.
    Torvald rose to the bait. “Never. Look, Mr.—”
    “Berger.”
    “Mr. Berger, my daughter was . . .” For the first time, Torvald seemed to hesitate. “My daughter was a client of Eden Incorporated. You’ve heard of them?”
    “Certainly.”
    “Then you’ll know what I’m getting at. I was skeptical at first. It seemed like an awful lot of money for some computer cycles, a statistical roll of the dice. But Lindsay was firm.” Torvald leaned forward slightly. “You have to understand, she wasn’t like other girls. She knew what she wanted. She was never one to settle for second best. She’d had her share of boyfriends, some of them really nice boys. But she seemed to get restless, the relationships didn’t last.”
    The man sat back abruptly. It was by far the longest statement he’d made so far. Lash made a notation, encouragingly, careful not to meet Torvald’s eyes. “And?”
    “And it was different with Lewis. I could tell from the very first time she mentioned his name. They hit it off from the first date.”
    Lash looked up just as a faint smile of reminiscence crossed the old man’s face. For a moment the sunken eyes brightened, the tense jaw relaxed. “They met for Sunday brunch, then somehow ended up Rollerblading.” He shook his head at the memory. “I don’t know whose crazy idea that was, neither of them had ever tried it. Maybe it was Eden’s suggestion. Anyway, within a month, they were engaged. And it just seemed to get better. Like I said, I’ve never seen a happier couple. They kept discovering new things. About the world. About each other.”
    As quickly as it had come, the light left Torvald’s face. He pushed his coffee cup away.
    “What about Lindsay’s daughter? What kind of an impact did she have on their life?”
    Torvald fixed him with a sudden gaze. “She
completed
it, Mr. Berger.”
    Lash made another notation, a real one this time. The interview was not progressing quite as he’d expected. And the way the man pushed away his cup made Lash think he might be limited to just a few more questions.
    “To the best of your knowledge, have there been any recent setbacks in the life of your daughter or her husband?”
    “No.”
    “No unexpected difficulties? No problems?”
    Torvald stirred restlessly. “Unless you call the approval of Lewis’s grant and the arrival of a beautiful baby girl problems.”
    “When was the last time you saw your daughter, Mr.