Another Word for Murder

Another Word for Murder by Nero Blanc Page A

Book: Another Word for Murder by Nero Blanc Read Free Book Online
Authors: Nero Blanc
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the day with you while Rosco does his thing? I’d love to spend more time with Lily, and if the weather’s as nice as it was yesterday, we can take Bear to the park—”
    â€œNo, I should wait here for Dan.”
    â€œWell, I’d be happy to wait with you.”
    â€œI couldn’t impose …” Karen’s voice began to fade away.
    â€œIt’s not an imposition if I get to spend time with Lilybet…. Let’s just say it’s settled. I’ll stop at the deli on the way over and buy us a bunch of sinful nibblies. We’ll have an all-girls day. Okay?”
    â€œOkay …” Then the phone on Karen’s end dropped back into its cradle with what sounded like a crash.
    Rosco’s face, when he returned to the kitchen, was lined; a clear indication he was thinking the worst. “Not good,” is all he said.
    â€œNo,” agreed Belle. She dumped granola into two bowls, sliced bananas, and tossed them haphazardly on top while Rosco refilled their mugs with coffee. Neither paid much attention to the act of making breakfast, and neither spoke as they consumed their brief meal. They perched on two stools nearest the coffee machine rather than sit at the table facing the bay window as they usually did.
    â€œAll set?” Rosco asked as he cleared away the crockery and put it in the dishwasher.
    Belle nodded, rose, pushed the stool back under the countertop, and began to walk toward the coat closet to fetch her purse. Then she turned back to face Rosco. “Can you take this much time off from working on your other case?”
    â€œI guess I’ll have to,” was her husband’s resolute response. “Right now we’re in the middle of a waiting game. Oddly, no news is good news, and Karen needs all the help she can get, both emotionally and physically.”
    Belle nodded again. Her eyes were now the color of charcoal. “She doesn’t sound good. Did you notice her voice seemed off?”
    â€œWell … don’t forget that her husband’s a doctor.”
    â€œWhat’s that supposed to mean?”
    â€œIt wouldn’t be the first time a doctor prescribed ‘comfort drugs’ for his wife.”
    â€œThat’s not Karen,” Belle said emphatically.
    Rosco shrugged. “Nothing surprises me anymore…. Why don’t you check on Dan’s credit card activity when you get to their house. I’m sure Karen has all the numbers. All you’ll need is his Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, and zip code to access the accounts by phone. Write down the dates and times if anything shows up after he disappeared. I’ll run down the merchants if you find anything. I’m going to start with the partner. Maybe Dan confided something to Jack Wagner that he couldn’t tell his wife.”
    â€œKaren already said they didn’t get along.”
    â€œI’d like to get Wagner’s perspective on that.” He kissed his wife lovingly. “Let me know if anything jumps out on those credit cards.”
    Rosco was in luck when he rang the buzzer of Smile! at quarter to nine. Appointments weren’t scheduled to begin for another fifteen minutes, but Jack, Bonnie, and Ginny—the hygienist who worked Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings—were already gearing up for the day. Fortunately, as yet the waiting room was devoid of patients.
    â€œI’d like to speak to Doctor Wagner if I could,” Rosco told Bonnie.
    She gave him her professional smile. “If it’s an appointment you need, I can—”
    â€œIt’s a personal matter, I’m afraid. It’ll only take a minute.”
    â€œOh!” Bonnie looked momentarily perturbed, and Rosco sensed her scrutinizing him in an effort to ascertain what the issue might be. “You’re not with the police, are you?”
    â€œNo. Are you expecting the police for some reason? Have they stopped by or

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