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first thing about murder. Other than it
didn't end well for the dead guy.
    "What are you laughing at?"
Detective Carrington asked.
    "This."
    "Excuse me."
    "This whole thing."
    "I don't find it funny in the
least."
    "You think Kitty wants to retain
me to represent her? I'm the furthest thing that there is from a
defense attorney."
    "So what did she want?"
    "I don't know what Mrs. Baxter
wanted."
    "Do you think Mrs. Baxter wanted
your legal opinion?"
    "My legal opinion? No. I think she
wanted my help to solve the murder. I'm not sure she has faith in
our police department."
    "What would give her that
idea?"
    "You've got me. She said that you
haven't any leads, suspects, or clue about Ted's murder. And, after
you just told me that Kitty's all you've got, I'm starting to agree
with her."
    "So, are you going to take Mrs.
Baxter up on her offer?"
    "I haven't decided. I'm not a
detective, as you know."
    "Is that all you discussed with
Mrs. Baxter at your house?"
    "That was it."
    The detective was finished with
me. Or so it appeared. He took another sip of his coffee then spoke
in a friendly, relaxed voice. "Miss Whitehall, you were there
yesterday, right? Is that all that was discussed?"
    "It was," Imogen said,
reciprocating with a similar disposition.
    He thought for a moment. "What was
your impression of Mrs. Baxter?"
    Imogen made a puckered face. "All
right, I guess. Struck me as a bit of a gold digger. But then
again, I only met her for a spell. Who knows? She might be a
saint."
    "A saint she's not," I
added.
    "Did she mention how Ted was
murdered?" the detective asked.
    "Are you sure it was murder?" I
replied.
    "That's the only thing we're sure
of right now."
    "She didn't discuss it with me.
Can you tell me what happened to Ted?"
    "I can tell you what we've pieced
together so far."
    "Good enough."

CHAPTER SIX
     
    The detective began his description of the events
that took place leading up to the murder of Ted Baxter. Ted was at
the office in midtown Manhattan until about 6:15 p.m., at which
point he got into this car and drove home. It took him about an
hour to get there, and after checking his home security alarm, the
police were able to confirm that the security system was disabled
at 7:27 p.m. What happened between 7:27 p.m. and 8:20 p.m. was the
mystery.
    I was flabbergasted that the
detective was being so open with me. I'd read a lot of mystery
novels, and the police are never cooperative. My curiosity got the
better of me, and I started asking questions to see how far I could
push Detective Carrington.
    "So, Kitty arrived home at 8:20
p.m.," I said.
    "That's what she says, and it is
consistent with her call to 9-1-1."
    "What time did she report that
there was something wrong?"
    "8:23 p.m."
    "Where was she?"
    "She said she was out with a
friend having dinner."
    "And that checked out?"
    "It did. She was having dinner in
Greenwich. Left around eight."
    "Male or female dining
companion?"
    "Female."
    I was surprised with his
compliance and frankness, as well as the fact that Kitty was dining
with a female friend. Judging by my past experience, she struck me
as one who might stray. My face must have shown it.
    "You were thinking male?" the
detective asked.
    "That thought did pop into my
head. But I have no information to justify that. So, what happened
to Ted?"
    "When we arrived, Ted was in his
home office, face down on his desk in a pool of blood, body still
in his chair, head with one single bullet hole, the shot
administered through the back of his head. Looks like he never saw
it coming. They're telling me the wound looks like a 9mm handgun
was used. Generic. His face then hit the desk with a fair amount of
force breaking his nose. Post-mortem.
    "We did a preliminary sweep of the
office and didn't come up with anything. No casing from the bullet,
no fingerprints, no signs of forced entry. Forensics is still
working the scene, but so far they haven't found anything of
importance. Whatever happened, they left the