Wife or Death Read Online Free PDF Page A

sure, from what he had overheard Ellen Wright and Olive Haber whisper, that Angel and Crosby were the subjects of widespread gossip around town.
    Now they had one more incident to gossip about.

4
    People began drifting to the dining room with empty plates, returning to cluster about the bar. Norm Wyatt grinned and announced, “I resign. Mix your own drinks,” and he came from behind the bar with a glass in his hand and went over to join Angel and the Sommerses.
    Denton carried his and Ardis Wyatt’s empty plates into the dining room. When he returned, Crosby was standing with Wyatt and the Guests, and Angel had moved again. She was back talking to Matthew Fallon and Gerald Trevor.
    It was past two. No one seemed inclined to leave. From outdoors came the steady torrential roar.
    The party became gay. Angel was the focus of the gaiety. Some childlike quality in her amused people, even women; she was really liked by most females, in spite of her reputation. Denton had long ago concluded that this was because she posed no threat to the married women. To date, so far as he knew, she had been associated in the gossip with unattached males only.
    Two of these men were present, young Long and Ralph Crosby. The district attorney was still legally married, but he had been separated from his wife for years, and she lived in another state.
    Watching Angel skillfully avoid the intoxicated district attorney by snaking from group to group, Denton wondered again who had replaced Crosby in her affections. And once, spotting Matthew Fallon inventorying her charms with considerable concentration, it occurred to Denton that the D.A.’s successor might well be the lanky cartoonist. Angel was not in the habit of taking back discarded lovers, which should eliminate Arnold Long; and, aside from old Gerald Trevor, Matt Fallon was the only other unattached male at the party.
    Of course, Denton conceded, it was possible the new man wasn’t even present. Or that Fallon, too, was a veteran of Angel’s Brigade; Denton did not flatter himself that he knew the entire roster.
    He had never been able to figure out which man was currently enjoying his wife’s body merely by observation of her public behavior. Her technique at the country club was to dance with a series of men. Then she would suddenly vanish by way of the powder room. He assumed, whenever this happened, that the man had already pussyfooted outside and was waiting for her at some prearranged rendezvous. Both would return separately.
    It rather amused him that she resorted to no such tactics at private parties, unless they were big crowded affairs in which she could maneuver—as she thought—undetected. Tonight there was not only the heavy rain, but the party was too small for her absence to go unnoticed. Incredible as it seemed, in view of the town gossip, Angel believed that she was being totally discreet in her adulteries.
    Crosby gave up. He came to rest at the bar, bloodshot eyes taking up the chase that his unreliable legs had had to abandon. He poured himself a shot with shaking hands, slopping more whisky on himself than in the glass.
    Angel, one eye on the district attorney, was now seated beside Ardis Wyatt on the stairway step Denton had vacated. Norm Wyatt and his father-in-law were talking to the two women. Denton strolled toward them.
    â€œHere’s James now,” Angel said, giving him a dazzling smile. “Darling, Norman thinks you’d be mad if he offered me a TV role.”
    Wyatt said, “Angel, now look—”
    â€œIt’s all right, Norm,” Denton grinned. “I can take it if you can.”
    â€œBut Jim—”
    â€œDon’t pay any attention to my husband, Norman,” Angel said with a reproachful glance at Denton. “He always says I left show business to marry him because I can’t act. It’s his idea of a joke.”
    â€œI’m sure you’re loaded with talent, my dear,”