The Blackmail Club Read Online Free PDF Page B

at Nora before snapping his business card onto the table next to her. “In case you ever want a career change.”
    Nora turned her head from Sarah and gave Donny a look that would stop a dog in heat.
    Sarah spoke toward her son’s back as he stepped up from the sun porch. “I love you. Come back soon.”
    “I promise, Mom,” drifted back over his shoulder as he moved out of sight.
    “Excuse us,” Sarah’s face flushed, “a mother and her son, one of life’s eternal struggles.”
    Sarah got up and straightened Donny’s chair. Then opened a drawer in a side table and handed Jack a large manila envelope, the kind held closed by a short red string wrapped around a dime-sized hard paper disk.
    “This statement contains everything I can tell you that might be of help. If you need anything further, I will provide whatever you ask. As for the bank box, I considered it my husband’s. He knew I would never open it before … this. The identification of the bank box is on my statement. Christopher and I were on the signature card at the bank.”
    “Not Donny?” Nora asked, rotating only her eyes toward Sarah.
    “No!” Then after a deep breath Sarah looked at Jack. “Is that a concern?”
    “We’re just gathering information.”
    “I apologize if I upset you,” Nora said. “Jack knew your husband. I didn’t. Tell me about his work?”
    “Christopher was a psychiatrist in private practice. His office is … was on Massachusetts Avenue, NW. Jack has been there. He specialized in sexual dysfunctions.” She blushed. “A few of his patients were wealthy kleptomaniacs, but he referred most of those to his friend, Dr. Phillip Radnor. I think they saw some kind of connection between those two miscreant behaviors. They met once a week to work on a technical paper of some sort.” She paused. “Christopher paid the office rent semiannually. The lease expires in a few more days. The exact date is in there,” she gestured toward the envelope. “The key is also there.”
    “Did you tell your son about our coming today?” Nora asked.
    “I have not spoken with Donny since we discussed your coming by today.”
    Jack took Sarah’s hand. “We’ve read all the newspaper accounts and we’ll get a copy of the police reports, but tell us about your … finding Chris.”
    “I got up that morning. Took a shower. I’m an early riser. Then made myself a tea and took a cup of coffee in to Christopher. My normal routine, I would wake Christopher most mornings. His bed had not been slept in. I found him in his office, the gun still in his hand.” She stopped to wipe her eyes and cheeks. “I called the police.”
    “What did the two of you do the night before?” Nora asked.
    “I had book club, a friend picked me up. Christopher stayed home. He said he was going to work some and watch some sports thing on television.”
    Nora sipped her tea before asking, “Do you know if anyone was going to come by to see him, or perhaps meet him for dinner somewhere?”
    “I made him a cold meat loaf sandwich on rye with catsup, one of his favorites, and an apple waldorf salad before I left.” She glanced at Jack. “You know my husband was a quiet man. For him that was a great evening.” Jack nodded his head slightly, adding a small smile.
    “Did you look in on him when you got home?” Jack asked.
    “No.”
    Nora raised her eyebrows. “Why not?”
    “The study door was shut. After decades, a woman gets to know a man’s rhythms. When he shut the door he meant, ‘I don’t wish to be disturbed.’ So I didn’t. I made a cup of tea with honey and went up to bed to begin reading next month’s mystery book club selection.”
    “You said a friend picked you up for book club, so you wouldn’t have seen his car in the underground lot.” Jack said. “Can you be certain Chris was home when you got home?”
    “Oh, yes. He was here.”
    “How do you know?” asked Nora.
    “I could see the light under the door. Christopher would