Part 37 (2/2)
”I was born circ.u.mspect.”
Becky turned on Cora. ”All right. If you keep your mouth shut, are they going to come up with Melvin's plate?”
”I don't know.”
”Well, how could they? Aside from trial and error. They won't have letters, just numbers.”
”Yeah,” Cora said doubtfully.
”What's the matter?”
”When I came up with my plate, two things happened. First of all, I knew it. Aaron came up with the idea of using the telephone keypad. He was trying to figure out what letters the numbers would stand for. I recognized the last three numbers of my plate. Then we checked the others.”
”The police may not think to use a telephone keypad.”
”Maybe not. But when I figured it out we didn't know we were looking for a license number. They will. 'Find a clue. Seal my fate. Match up the car's plate.' ”
”So they'll check Melvin's plate because he's a suspect.”
”It's a little worse than that.”
”How can it be worse than that?” Becky said.
”When I spotted Melvin in court I had Dan Finley check around, see if he'd rented a car. Dan gave me the plate. Not only does he know the number, he knows I know the number. So, if the plate does happen to match...”
”Does it?”
”It sure looked like the last three numbers. If it is, it's gonna be pretty bad.”
Becky looked at Cora in disgust. ”And that's without the first crossword puzzle that points to your license number.”
”Yeah. Which is too bad, because if the cops knew there was one implicating me, they'd be less apt to think I was behind it.”
”Now you want to confess to withholding evidence to put your actions in a better light.”
”Isn't that what you're doing with the puzzle you got?”
”I am turning over that puzzle to the cops at the earliest opportunity after I realized it was important.”
”Wouldn't that opportunity have come and gone?” Cora said.
”No one's holding a stopwatch on me. I got it today. When did you get your puzzle?”
”I don't remember.”
”Was it today?”
”Oh, all right,” Cora said. ”Call Chief Harper. Turn over the d.a.m.n puzzle. And let's put our heads together and see if we can figure out a way out of this d.a.m.n mess.”
CHAPTER.
50.
Cora and Becky sat at a table in the coffee shop in the mall.
”Why are we at Starbucks?” Becky said.
”Don't be silly,” Cora said. ”The police want to talk to me. I'm not ready to talk yet. Besides, I need a Frappuccino.”
Becky grimaced at the immense frozen concoction in front of Cora. ”How can you drink that?”
”With a straw. Sip your skim latte and feel virtuous. I need a treat. It can't hurt. h.e.l.l, it might help.”
”What is there to help? You've messed everything up. In your insane desire to protect the man who ruined your life. Your least favorite husband, if I remember correctly. The one you wanted to squash like a bug.”
”Yeah, him,” Cora said. ”I'm not going nuts to protect him. But he didn't do it. Which means someone else is running around killing people. Do you really have a problem with the fact I'd like that person stopped?”
”I have a problem with the fact you're willing to risk fine and imprisonment to have that person stopped. Not that you don't take shortcuts with the law. But this is a little much, even for you. Aside from the crossword you're withholding, there's the murder weapon you pocketed and then planted.”
”I didn't pocket it, I put it in my purse.”
”It's not funny, Cora. I would like to keep you out of jail. I would like to keep me out of jail.”
”Believe it or not, I have no problem with that. I would just like to catch a killer, too. Not to mention win the alimony suit.”
”I almost forgot about that,” Becky said.
”I wouldn't worry about it. If we stall long enough, the killer will knock off all of Melvin's witnesses.”
Becky studied Cora's face. ”You're loopier than usual. I don't know whether Melvin blew your mind, or if you're just scared and whistling in the dark. Consider this. How would you feel if you lost your career? If you couldn't be the Puzzle Lady anymore?”
Cora choked on her Frappuccino. Had Becky made the connection? Harvey Beerbaum hadn't when she'd told him she couldn't solve puzzles. It never occurred to him she couldn't construct them, either. But Becky had a legal mind. She was used to asking probing questions. Uncovering secrets. Recognizing lies. If she couldn't be the Puzzle Lady anymore? What else could it mean than being exposed as a fraud?
Cora gagged into her napkin, tears in her eyes.
”Are you all right?” Becky said.
”Brain freeze. Ignore it. I'm fine.”
”Glad to hear it. I'm not,” Becky said. ”If you couldn't be the Puzzle Lady anymore, it would destroy you. You would have no column, no career, no TV ads. But that's not going to happen. If you can just stay out of jail, you'll be fine.”
<script>