Page 35 of Puzzle for Two

Alton was the one receiving death threats. And if looks could kill—Zora’s expression that night had been murderous.

Zora hated Alton. Of that, Zach had no doubt.

Zach protested, “This isn’t even circumstantial. It’s entirely speculative. I mean, why would Alton hire a PI if he’s planning to murder his wife? The last thing he’d want is to draw the attention of another investigator.”

Flint sighed. It was a very weary sound. “Have you really never stopped to wonder why Alton Beacher, with his money and his resources, tried to hire two small independent PIs rather than a big, high-powered firm? I can guarantee you that when Beacher’s got a problem with employee theft or insurance fraud or industrial espionage, he hires the Pinkertons or somebody like that. He doesn’t drive to the local shopping center and play eeny, meeny, miny, moe.”

“Maybe he’s never had those kinds of problems at his company. Maybe this is the first time he’s ever needed a private investigator.” Before Flint could respond, Zach added, “Plus, hiring someone to pose as his boyfriend might not fly with one of those companies.”

“In my experience, money—enough money—will buy you anything you want. But okay, let that go. What’s the advantage of making sure that not just Zora, but lots of people know he’s got a young and very pretty new boyfriend?”

Zach did a double take at thatvery-prettydescriptor, but he let it go. “Alton said that if Zora believed he was actually gay, she would give him his divorce without trying to ruin him.”

Flint nodded. “Okay. You saw Zora in action tonight. How do you think Alton’s plan is working out?”

“It’s not.”

Flint gave another of those encouraging—and slightly exasperating—nods. “Good. Because?”

Zach said reluctantly, “Because, for one thing, she already knows he’s bisexual. Alton being involved with me doesn’t change anything as far as she’s concerned. And also, Zora is already willing to give him a divorce.”

“I mean, right there. What doesthattell you?”

“Okay, but she did say in a very sinister tone that there was a price to be paid. It’s just that I’m not sure the price is what Alton led me to believe. He said she’d threatened to kill herself and frame him for her murder.”

Flint’s mouth twitched at Zach’s very-sinister-tone comment. But all he said was, “How convenient if she subsequently turns up dead under possibly suspicious circumstances. He’s got a ready-made witness to the fact that she’d threatened to frame him for her suicide.”

“It’s hearsay. But yeah.”

“Ithink your client is going out of his way to make his wife look crazy.”

Zach couldn’t really argue. He thought it over, said, “In fairness, she didn’t exactly seem the model of stability.”

“The model of stability wouldn’t have married that guy in the first place.”

Maybe? Probably? Was there anything more mysterious than what drew dissimilar people together?

All at once Zach was very tired. The evening had gone from peculiar to surreal. Was he really standing here under these too bright fluorescent lights, trying to make sense of that little glimmer of something like sympathy in Flint Carey’s hard, hazel eyes?

He let out a long, shaky breath. “I was already thinking I should probably terminate my contract with Alton.”

“I think that’s a very good idea.” Flint was crisp. “I don’t trust Alton not to have some backup plan to turn you into the fall guy if there happened to be some suspicion in his wife’s death.”

Zach absorbed that dully. He wasn’t as shocked as he would have been twenty-four hours earlier. In fact, he thought Flint was probably right.

“If Alton really is planning to murder Zora, I can’t just leave it at that. I can’t just quit and walk away. Ihaveto go to the police.”

He was expecting Flint to approve of this idea, but Flint looked noncommittal.

“You don’t think so?”

“I think we don’t have any proof. I think Alton Beacher has a lot of clout around these parts. We can go to the police, but they might not believe us. Either way, we’ll have tipped our hand to Alton.”

“But then… We can’t just stand by and do nothing!”

“We could be wrong.”

Zach said, “We could be right! In which case, an innocent woman dies because we—I— was afraid of looking stupid.”

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