Death on the Diagonal - By Nero Blanc Page 0,76

that put her there.”

Collins groaned again and again stared at his empty glass.

“Heather insists that she found Curry already dead and his house in disarray,” Rosco continued with a little more force. “Michael, on the other hand, claims that he discovered his wife holding the murder weapon, and, I gather, looking pretty darn guilty, having already washed the knife. What kind of a husband would cause his wife to be arrested, Mr. Collins?”

Todd made no response other than to lower his head in thought again.

“Is there a possibility, sir, that Michael Palamountain’s convinced she’ll be found innocent? That, in fact, he knows who the guilty party is and realizes that a good lawyer can easily get your daughter acquitted—?”

“Wait. Wait up there. You’re suggesting Michael killed Jack? Or Ryan? Or even both?” Disbelief echoed through Collins’s voice. “He’s a money manager and venture capitalist, not a thug. Even if he knew for a fact that his wife was cheating on him, no way would he resort to killing one of the best damn horse trainers in the country!”

“Somebody did, sir. And if you want to be absolutely certain your daughter didn’t kill Curry, maybe you need to figure out who else did.”

Rosco stood. As Al had said, the situation at King Wenstarin Farms was looking both far too simple and way too complicated—which was what happened when a bunch of people started lying to protect one another. And no matter how disgusted Todd’s kids might have been at the introduction of Ryan into the household, the Collinses were still a family; and families, as Rosco knew, could go to desperate measures to save one of their own.

“I’m sorry Belle didn’t figure out your anagram for King Wenstarin, Mr. Collins. Truthfully, she wasn’t looking for a word game like that, even though you shared the clever names of some of your horses. She’s been kind of preoccupied with several peculiar crossword puzzles she received—which, until now, she assumed were connected to the stable fire.”

Collins sat up straighter. His cautious eyes grew brighter. “You don’t say.”

“The name Chip was in one of them, as was that nearby pub, The Horse With No Name.”

If Rosco was hoping for a reaction other than a careworn disinterest, Collins didn’t provide it. The relaxed face of an experienced businessman or seasoned poker player is all that Rosco observed, and “Crossword puzzles, huh?” was all that Collins said.

“That’s right. And the last one had Angel in it.”

“You mean Chipper’s new girlfriend?” He shrugged. “But what does she have to do with anything?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, sir.”

Across

1. Rocker’s equip.

4. And so on; abbr.

7. Switch positions

10. Guy’s date

13. ___ Lanka

14. Gone, in Scotland

15. Army bed

16. Persian Gulf grp.

17. Hoity-toity set

20. Gun grp.

21. Canadian capital

22. ___ about

23. With 47-Across, Sandy Dennis film

26. Slugger, Tony

27. Pyle portrayer

28. Pub offering

29. Hurler, Warren

30. Buddy

33. French salt

36. Architect, Saarinen

37. Confuse

38. Whine

39. Reading and B & O

40. Arab leader

41. Star of 17-Across

42. Green or brown tack-on

43. Yogurt option

44. Sparkle

47. See 23-Across

50. Star of 53-Across

51. Student often

52. Tone or metric lead-in

53. Wanted poster request

58. Help wanted letters

59. Equip

60. Relative

61. Mr. Charles

62. Biochem. prefix

63. Travel aid

64. Disease fighting org.

65. Took in

Down

1. Cigar residue

2. Medical scan; abbr.

3. Oinker

4. Toward the dawn

5. 12 pts., in football

6. Chocolate source

7. Indian or Arctic

8. “Ask ___ ...”

9. Home for 3-Down

10. USMC NCO

11. Slugger, Hank

12. Study

18. Santa’s laugh

19. Wobbly grp.

22. In debt

23. Racing family

24. Pulp product

25. Some ski lifts

26. Day-___

28. Ripen

30. Summer drink

31. MMMI I ÷ II

32. Type

33. ___ drug

34. Namesakes of Ms. Fitzgerald

35. Philippine island

37. Sigh of relief

38. Flag on a lance

40. Bygone flyer; abbr.

41. Japanese neighbors

42. Stopover spot

43. Oxide or acid lead-in

44. Composer, Edvard

45. Popular cleaner

46. Vowel jumble

47. Proof of postage payment

SOCIAL CLIMBER

48. Slugger, Williams

49. Buddhist king

53. Block

54. Pitcher’s stat

55. Retirement acct.

56. Barrel

57. Stare down

CHAPTER

30

Because of the poor cell phone connection Belle couldn’t quite determine if the quavering she heard in Bartholomew Kerr’s voice was the result of excitement, anticipation, or plain old-fashioned fear. Whatever the cause, his insistence that she drop everything she was doing posthaste and drive directly to the Crier’s offices possessed more than a touch of panic. His request resembled an order, so she did as he asked. The fact that she was five blocks from the building made it difficult for her to rationalize fabricating any lame excuses.

When she stepped off the elevator on the third floor she was embraced by the same afternoon hysteria that existed on any given day, but since this was a Monday, and not her routine Friday stopover,