ILL-TIMED ENTANGLEMENTS (The Kate Huntington mystery series #2) by Kassandra Lamb Page A

system is not to be trusted to actually care whether or not someone’s really guilty.”
    Turning to face Kate, Rob said, “Now you know why I’ve been so worried. I know it’s a lot to ask, Kate, but would you be willing to stay up here for another day or two? I’d just feel a whole lot better if I knew you were here to run interference with the police. I’m hoping my court case will be finished by Tuesday or Wednesday. At the very least, Liz’ll be available by then.”
    “Wait a minute,” Kate said. “Where the hell is Betty’s son?”
    Rob grimaced. “On a cruise in the Mediterranean.”
    Kate shook her head. “By the time he gets here, this will all probably be resolved.”
    Annoyance flashed in Rob’s eyes. “He’s not coming.”
    “What?”
    “I’m afraid my cousin takes after his father. My uncle was one of the most self-centered men I’ve ever known. When I finally caught up with Jake by ship-to-shore phone, he listened politely, then said, ‘Keep me informed,’ and hung up… Before I could point out that it was his filial duty to come help his mother.”
    They started walking again. “I’m amazed that Aunt Betty was able to stand living with the two of them,” Rob said.
    “Women of her generation didn’t question their lot in life. They just made do,” Kate said.
    They fell silent as they entered one of the apartment buildings. Kate was trying to decide what to do. Her guilt and longing for her baby were escalating by the hour, but the mental image of Betty incarcerated, even for a day or two, outweighed her maternal angst. Edie was safe and cared for, no matter how much Kate hated being away from her. The physical and emotional risks to Betty if she was arrested were a much greater concern. If Kate was there she could quickly move to arrange for a local lawyer and bail.
    “Okay, I’ll stay,” she said finally, even though her heart ached for her little girl.
    “Thank you,” Rob said, breathing out a sigh of relief. “I’ve got Fran checking out the reputations of criminal lawyers up here. I’ll have her call you with some names, just in case.”
    Kate nodded. There had been no sign of Detective Lindstrom all weekend, although they’d seen various police officers also interviewing residents.
Maybe he’s come up with other leads
, she thought.
And by tomorrow morning he’ll be stopping by to tell us that Betty’s been cleared.
Then she could go home to her child and her blissfully boring life.
    And to think she had wanted a little excitement. “Watch what you ask for, indeed,” Kate muttered under her breath, as Rob rang the doorbell of their next interviewee.
    •   •   •
    Monday morning, Kate decided to talk to the retirement community’s director, Alice Carroll. At the small building that housed the management and sales offices, she was kept waiting only a few minutes before being ushered into the director’s office.
    “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Mrs. Carroll,” Kate said, as she shook the middle-aged woman’s hand and took the offered seat. The director, tall and thin, was meticulously dressed, but her plain face was bare of make-up.
    Kate explained why she was there, representing Betty Franklin. “I’m sure you want to clear up this matter quickly as much as we do. I was hoping you could give me some insights into the members of the writers’ club.”
    “Well, Mrs. Huntington,” the director huffed. “I really am
not
at liberty to discuss my residents.”
    “I understand, Mrs. Carroll. I’m a psychotherapist so I am certainly aware of confidentiality restrictions on medical records and such. But anything you do feel comfortable sharing, such as your impressions of their personalities, would be very helpful.”
    Despite her protests, once Kate got the woman talking, she was a fount of information. Kate scribbled notes as quickly and unobtrusively as possible, while nodding and making tell-me-more noises.
    When Mrs. Carroll wound