Murder.com

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Book: Murder.com Read Online Free PDF
Author: Haughton Murphy
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    Irene Lander did not suffer fools gladly in the investment world, nor in her social dealings. Reuben found her cold and humorless; there was also, he was sure, an angry resentment just below the surface over the extent to which men dominated the business environment in which she operated.
    It was known that Irene was older than her husband, though the other wives at Chase & Ward who cared about such things could not gauge exactly how much older. Never a beauty, her sharp features were nonetheless interesting, at least until a disastrous facelift several months earlier, which it was speculated had been undertaken so that the contrast between her aging looks and the youthful appearance of her husband would be less apparent. Reuben had not seen the result, but his sources told him that her face now lacked any character or distinctiveness and was a bland expanse of tightened, wrinkleless skin.
    â€œHer skin is so tight I don’t understand why she doesn’t squeak,” Cynthia, who usually refrained from such catty remarks, had said to him after a charity lunch where she had encountered Irene. “She should have had her work done in Brazil.”
    Reuben went to Eskill’s office rather than inviting the young lawyer to his own spare quarters. He seated himself in a chair under the Who’s Who certificate, facing Eskill, who was sitting at his desk in shirtsleeves. Frost got down to business immediately.
    â€œEskill, I have some terrible news to report. News you need to be aware of. Dan Courtland’s daughter, Marina, has been murdered.”
    â€œJesus, Reuben! When and where?”
    â€œI’m not certain about the where—she was found over by the East River but could have been killed any place. When? The police think last Friday.”
    Frost went over the details and then asked Lander if he could offer any explanation for the Hallie/Marina confusion.
    â€œAbsolutely none, Reuben. You know, I’ve never met her, though I did meet her half-brother once. What’s his name? Facini.”
    â€œGino Facini, I believe,” Reuben said.
    â€œThat’s it. Anyway, as I’ve told you before, Dan insisted on setting up a substantial trust for Marina and this Facini. Both of them are now over twenty-five, so they’ve received what were the first two installments. The only things left are the residual payments—big ones—after they both reach thirty.”
    â€œAnd there’s a two-thirds/one-third split between them, correct?”
    â€œYes. … And that’s what brought about my only contact with Facini. He came to see me a year or so ago and said he thought that the two-thirds/one-third split was unfair and asked if there was anything that could legally be done about it. The answer, of course, was no. I also told him that he was lucky to be cut in for a third, since many stepparents make no provision at all for their stepchildren. He was furious at me and went away angry.
    â€œAs for Marina, as I say, I’ve never met her. Corresponded with her—we’ve even been on a ‘Dear Eskill/Dear Marina’ basis—but that’s the extent of it. No personal contact. Just family business.”
    â€œDan got along with her, didn’t he?”
    â€œI’ve never heard anything to make me think otherwise. Do you know something I don’t?”
    â€œNo, no, I was just asking out of curiosity.”
    â€œWhat can I do?” Lander asked.
    â€œWell, Dan is at the St. Regis, and I’m sure would welcome a call, or a visit. Or maybe you could bring him some veal and spinach.”
    â€œOh no, Reuben, please.”
    Frost had one more question. “Any theories as to who might have done this?”
    Lander replied that he did not. Then after hesitating, he added: “I do have one thought. I don’t want to implicate anybody, but it could have been her
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