The Unkindest Cut - By Honor Hartman Page 0,68

I guess I was just so excited, I forgot you’re actually working.’’ She put her glass alongside Basil’s and turned to us. ‘‘Thank you so much for sharing this little celebration with us. It means so much to Basil and me to know our friends are happy for us.’’

Marylou got up from her chair and went to Paula, giving her a brief hug. ‘‘Of course we’re happy for you, Paula,’’ she said. ‘‘And we wish you both all the best.’’

‘‘Yes, certainly,’’ I said.

‘‘Congratulations again,’’ Sophie told them. She stood up, reached for my empty glass, and placed it along with hers on the cart.

‘‘Thank you,’’ Basil said. ‘‘Well, I must go.’’ He gave Paula an awkward pat on the shoulder, and he almost bolted from the room.

Paula stared after him, and when the door closed behind him, she turned to us with a goofy look on her face. ‘‘He’s so dedicated,’’ she sighed. ‘‘Bridge is the most important thing in the world to him.’’

Did she not realize the significance of what she said? I wondered. If she didn’t, she was completely delusional.

‘‘I’m just glad that I’ll be with him again, and I’ll do whatever I can to boost his career,’’ Paula said, smiling.

‘‘Yes, I’m sure you’ll do your best,’’ Marylou said. She wheeled the cart to the door, opened it, and thrust the cart out into the hall.

She came back and took a firm hold of Paula’s arm. ‘‘I know you’ll excuse us, dear,’’ she said as she steered her friend to the door, ‘‘but Emma, Sophie, and I need to freshen up before we go downstairs to play bridge again.’’

‘‘Oh, of course,’’ Paula said. ‘‘Well, thanks for celebrating with us.’’ She opened the door and walked out into the hall. Marylou quickly closed the door behind her. ‘‘See you later,’’ we heard Paula call.

‘‘That was certainly strange,’’ Marylou said. She resumed her place on the sofa, and Sophie sat down in her chair.

‘‘Strange doesn’t even begin to cover it,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘How oblivious can she be?’’

‘‘Oh, I think deep down she knows,’’ Marylou said. ‘‘She knows she comes second with Basil. Bridge is always first, but she’s willing to accept that.’’

‘‘I really do feel sorry for her,’’ I said. ‘‘But it’s her choice.’’

‘‘I’m not sure it’s Basil’s,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘Did you see the look on his face when she reminded him about their marriage?’’

‘‘That was a deer in the headlights if I ever saw one,’’ I said. ‘‘He seems stuck with her.’’

‘‘They probably deserve each other,’’ Sophie said.

‘‘Enough about them,’’ Marylou said with a touch of impatience in her voice. ‘‘What I want to know, Emma, is, what was that you found just before Paula arrived?’’

‘‘Ah,’’ I said, ‘‘yes. Hang on a minute.’’ I got up from the sofa and went to the bathroom for a tissue. Back in the living room, tissue in hand, I extracted the king of spades from the corner of the sofa. ‘‘It was this.’’ I held it up for Sophie and Marylou to see.

‘‘A card?’’ Marylou said, frowning. ‘‘How strange.’’

‘‘The king of spades,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘And what is that in the corner?’’

I turned the card so that the king faced me. I frowned. I hadn’t noticed the spot before, but I hadn’t had much time to examine it before Paula knocked on the door.

‘‘It’s reddish brown,’’ I said. ‘‘Yuck. It looks like it might be blood.’’ I laid the card down on the sofa beside me. The card was an important clue. I just wasn’t sure of its significance yet.

‘‘You don’t think . . .’’ Marylou’s voice trailed off.

I nodded. ‘‘I do think. I think this came from the deck Avery Trowbridge was using when he was murdered. ’’

Chapter 25

‘‘Then how did it get here, of all places?’’ Marylou asked me.

‘‘I’ll give you my guess,’’ Sophie said. She and I exchanged looks. I knew we were thinking the same thing.

‘‘How?’’ Marylou said.

‘‘Who was sitting on that sofa yesterday morning, where Emma is sitting now?’’ Sophie watched as comprehension slowly dawned on Marylou’s face.

‘‘Paula,’’ she said slowly.

‘‘Exactly,’’ I said.

‘‘Were you with her the whole time?’’ Sophie asked. ‘‘I went into the bedroom for a little while, and you two were on the sofa when I left and when I came back.’’

‘‘Yes,’’ Marylou said, ‘‘I went to get her some aspirin out of my bag at one point, and I brought her a glass of water with the aspirin. So I was out of the room for a couple of minutes.’’

‘‘More than time enough for