Cora skidded to a stop in front of the police station, stomped up the steps, pushed open the door.
Dan Finley was busy on the phone. He waved her on toward Harper’s office.
Cora found the chief on the phone. He saw her, slammed it down. “Well, you certainly took your time getting here.”
“Sorry, Chief,” Cora said sarcastically. “I didn’t realize it was urgent. Please forgive me.”
“It’s been over twenty-four hours. Roger Martindale is officially a missing person. Dan’s on the phone trying to trace his car.”
“How’s he doing that?”
“He’s covering every garage within the vicinity of Martindale’s office looking for any tan Chrysler not picked up in over twenty-four hours.”
“What if it’s a monthly rental?”
“That will be easier. The license will be on record.”
“Dan’s doing this alone?”
“NYPD’s helping him. It shouldn’t take long.”
“I take it you don’t need me to man the phone,” Cora said ironically.
“Harvey solved the puzzle. I think you’ll find it interesting.”
“You don’t think I solved the puzzle?”
“No, I think you did. But if you want to pretend you’re not interested I have a copy of Harvey’s solved puzzle for you.”
“You called me in here to look at a puzzle that’s already solved?”
“I called you in here because the solution is: ‘Let this be a stop sign. Don’t touch what’s mine.’ That seemed pretty significant in light of the situation. At least, it does to me. I’d be delighted to have you point out the error in my deductions.”
“How about I point out the error in your deduction that I’m going to do that?”
Dan Finley burst in the door. “Got it, Chief!”
“You found the car?”
“Yes and no.”
“Dan!” Chief Harper and Cora snapped the word out together. It was hard to tell who sounded more impatient.
“I found out where it was. It was picked up over an hour ago.”
“By the guy who left it?”
“By the guy with the claim ticket. The garage man seemed miffed I might want more than that.”
“You call his wife yet?”
“No, I came to tell you.”
Harper consulted a paper on his desk, picked up the phone, punched in a number. He let it ring several times and hung up.
“Now she’s missing. You say he picked up his car an hour ago?”
“Closer to two.”
Harper nodded. “Think I’ll take a ride out there.”
“Why?” Cora said.
“Find out what happened.”
“Of course,” Cora said. “When he was lost, you couldn’t care less. Now that he’s found, you can’t wait to investigate.”
“A guy disappeared long enough to get listed as a missing person. I wanna make sure he understands we don’t appreciate that. He’d better have a good explanation, or there’s gonna be hell to pay. It’s not the same as filing a false police report—I’m not sure exactly what it is—but I don’t like it, and I want to be damn sure he knows it.”
“This I gotta see,” Cora said.
Harper looked at her. “Are you serious?”
“Absolutely. I want to see if you really are going to tear him a new one, or if you’re just acting tough in front of Dan.”
“Thanks. I think I can handle this myself.”
“Nice try, Chief. After using me as a cat’s paw, you’re not going to deprive me of the fun stuff.”
Cora followed Chief Harper out to the Martindale house.
Two cars were parked out front.
“Looks like he’s home,” Cora said.
“Looks like they both are. Maybe he’s just too busy explaining to answer the phone.”
As they went up the walk, Cora said, “Look.”
“What?”
“The front door’s open. You wanna ring the bell or walk in?”
“Ring the bell.”
“Killjoy. How about both at once?”
Before Harper could stop her Cora rang the bell and pushed the door further open as chimes sounded in the house.
“Damn it,” Harper said, following her in.
Paula Martindale stumbled into the foyer. Her eyes were wide, frantic.
A carving knife in her hand dripped blood.
She looked at Cora, then at Chief Harper, then back at Cora again. She appeared utterly overwhelmed. “Something happened to Roger!”
“Put down the knife,” Harper said.
Paula looked at the knife in her hand, seemed to see it for the first time. Instead of dropping it, she raised it like a dagger.
Chief Harper drew his gun.
Cora stepped in front of him, grabbed Paula’s arm.
Paula tried to pull away.
Cora twisted her arm.
The knife clattered to the floor.
Cora grabbed Paula in a bear hug, held her tight.
Chief Harper pushed by them into the living room.
Cora wrestled Paula to the living room door.
Roger Martindale lay in the middle of the white plush carpet.
His chest had been hacked open with a carving knife.
There was blood everywhere.