The Puzzle Lady vs. the Sudoku Lady Read Online Free PDF Page A

the situation here?”
    â€œAbsolutely.”
    â€œAre you prepared to rule it was an accidental death?”
    â€œIt’s not my place to make such a ruling. That’s up to the medical examiner and the prosecutor. At the moment there’s no reason to assume it was anything else.”
    â€œIf the autopsy turned up a whacking dose of poison in her stomach, would that change your mind?” Cora said.
    Harper gave her a look. “Are you trying to make trouble?”
    â€œI’m just trying to clarify things. And I like to give you and Minami something to talk about.”
    â€œWe have plenty to talk about, and that’s not it. There is no poison involved in the case. I am not expecting any poison involved in the case, and there damn well better not be any poison involved in the case. If there is any poison in the case, I’m going to want to know why you suspected poison in the case.”
    â€œI don’t suspect poison in the case. That was a hypothetical example. If you want my opinion, this is an accidental death, and we can all chalk it up and move on.” Cora jerked her thumb at Minami. “Of course, she may have other ideas.” She gestured to Becky. “And she may have other ideas. Clearly, they conflict.” She smiled. “Which puts you in the perfect position to do anything you want to. Which is only fitting for a chief of police.”
    Harper put up his hands. “Wait a minute, wait a minute. Why is any of this happening? There is no crime here. Much as you might love to drum one up.”
    â€œMe?” Cora said. “I’m not drumming it up. She is. There is one very suspicious circumstance here, Chief, and I hate to spill it in
front of these two women, but they’ve undoubtedly copped to it anyway or they wouldn’t be doing this. Jason has a perfect alibi for the time his wife was killed. Perfect. Ironclad. You couldn’t draw it up any better. You’re his alibi witness. You and the whole damn police force. If I were going to bump off a husband—and God knows, I’ve wanted to—I can’t think of a better plan than to have him apparently killed at a time when I was in jail. Not that I was in jail that often, you understand, still—”
    â€œCora.”
    â€œAnyway, that’s undoubtedly what has attracted these two women to this crime. That and the fact that one of them gets to charge a fee.”
    Harper snorted in exasperation.
    Cora smiled. “Hope I set everything straight, Chief. Well, gotta go.”
    Cora started out. She turned back in the doorway, her eyes twinkling. “You kids have fun.”

Chapter 10
    Becky Baldwin’s law office was a second-floor walk-up down the side street over the pizza parlor. Becky had just started up the stairs when a hand reached out and grabbed her. She wheeled around.
    It was Cora.
    â€œWhat are you doing? You scared me to death.”
    â€œWe need to talk.”
    â€œWe have nothing to talk about. You sold me out back there.”
    â€œThat’s what I want to talk about.”
    â€œWell, you should. I thought we were friends.”
    â€œWe are friends. We also have a business relationship.”
    â€œWhat’s that got to do with it?”
    â€œThis is business.”
    â€œSo it’s all right to sell me out if it’s business?”

    â€œLet’s go in your office. I’d hate for people to hear us squabbling on the stairs.”
    Becky unlocked the door and let Cora in. Becky’s office, small and poorly furnished, gave the impression that business was not good. Indeed, it wasn’t. Bakerhaven was a small town. The need for lawyers was not great, even in the best of times. During the financial crisis her client base had shrunk to nothing.
    Cora flopped down in the client’s chair, took out her cigarettes.
    Becky raised her finger. “No. This is your idea. You’re here on sufferance. You light that