The Puzzle Lady vs. the Sudoku Lady by Parnell Hall Page A

ignore it.”
    â€œWait a minute,” Cora said. “What do you mean, ‘solved a crime’?”
    Chief Harper cleared his throat. “Miss, ah, Minami has made some rather disturbing allegations.”
    â€œOh?”
    â€œI want to check them out before I take any action. Particularly since the medical examiner has ruled Mrs. Fielding’s death accidental.”
    â€œIt wasn’t?” Cora said.

    â€œMinami disputes that finding. She has some evidence which leads her to believe—”
    â€œEvidence? Where did she get evidence?”
    Harper sighed. “Why don’t we let her tell it?”
    Minami smiled. “Mrs. Fielding was murdered. Everything points to it. The husband appears to have an alibi. But does he? His alibi is too good to be true. It is perfect. It is, how do you say, dressed in iron.”
    â€œIronclad. Yes, he does,” Cora said. “It is not because he is guilty. It is because he is innocent.”
    â€œSo, I ask around. Is the husband having an affair? That would be a strong motive. Alas, he is not. Is the wife having an affair? Here we have ground that is more fertile. Mrs. Fielding had no job. What is she doing while the husband is at work?”
    â€œSomeone comes to the house?” Cora said.
    â€œNo. That would not be discreet. The neighbors would see. No one comes to the house. Mrs. Fielding goes out.”
    â€œThat’s all you’ve got?” Cora scoffed. “I go out in the afternoon. Does that mean I’m having an affair? I wish. I go shopping. Run errands. Just like everyone else.”
    Minami conceded the point. “Of course, there could be a logical explanation. Or there could not.”
    â€œCome on,” Harper said, “tell her what you told me.”
    â€œAh. Mr. Fielding has, in his pantry, a freezer cabinet. Long and deep. With a lid that lifts. It is nearly empty. In the bottom there is blood.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œMinami thinks the body was put in the deep freeze to alter the time of death,” Harper said. “On the basis of the blood and the fact that there’s room for a body because the freezer was nearly empty.”

    â€œThat’s very interesting,” Cora said. “Stupid but interesting.”
    â€œAh!” Minami smiled. “You mean to insult me. But I forgive you. You are unhappy you did not think of it first.”
    â€œThe only one unhappy is the chief. Have you investigated this claim?”
    â€œThat’s a problem,” Harper said.
    â€œNo kidding. This is an accidental death. The only evidence you have is blood in the freezer. You can’t even prove it’s human blood. To do that, you’d have to test it. You have to get a warrant. You can’t get a warrant unless it’s a crime. If it’s a crime, you gotta advise Mr. Fielding of his rights, and then Becky Baldwin’s involved, and it’s gonna take an act of God to get that warrant.”
    â€œIf the blood is from a deer, the husband has nothing to hide.”
    â€œTell it to his lawyer. She doesn’t know the blood’s from a deer. She only knows what he tells her. What if he’s lying?”
    â€œIt is not smart to lie to your lawyer.”
    â€œCriminals are not always smart,” Cora said dryly. “The point is, no lawyer in her right mind is ever going to let you test that blood. So you are in an extremely unpromising no-win situation.” She frowned. “Which I suppose is the only kind. Or is there such thing as a promising no-win situation?”
    Harper grimaced, rubbed his forehead. “Please. I’m the one in a no-win situation. I went to work this morning—everything was fine. Suddenly my nicely tied up accidental death, the one I just shoved the paperwork for into a file marked CLOSED, is back on the table, and worse than ever. How in the world do I get out of this?”
    Irving Swartzman smiled snidely. “My