Desert Heat

“That’s one interpretation, I suppose,” Carpenter admitted.

“Give me another one,” Joa

Carpenter was busily closing his notebook and putting it back in his pocket. “I’d rather not say at this time,” he said.

“You don’t have to mince words with me, Detective Carpenter,” Joa

“Joa

“But everybody’s hinting, and I’m damned sick of it.”

Ernie Carpenter was studying her face with undisguised interest. “One more thing, Joa

Joa

“Whatever makes you think there’s one now, Detective Carpenter? Get the hell out of here, both of you, and don’t come back. I’ve had enough.”

They stood up, headed for the door, and let themselves out. Joa

TWELVE

Still outraged at Detective Carpenter’s blunt insinuation of infidelity, Joa

The Davis Insurance Agency, originally a father-and-son operation, had been a fixture on Arizona Street for thirty years, and the latest in Milo Davis’ long succession of Buicks al-ways occupied the front corner parking place. As office manager, Joa

Adam York from the DEA. What the hell is he doing here? Joa

Lisa Co

Joa

“The guy from the DEA?” Joa

“I just stopped by for a few minutes,” Joa

The phone rang. While Lisa answered it, Joa

“I was driving past and saw your car out-side. What in the world are you doing at work today?” Eleanor demanded. “What will people think?”

“I have a job,” Joa

Through the years Joa

This time Joa

“She’s at school,” Joa

The look of aghast dismay that flashed across Eleanor’s face was almost worth the price of admission. Joa

“No. That can’t be.”

“It is. I gave her a choice,” Joa

“Children Je

Just then the door to Milo ’s office opened and Adam York emerged, walked briskly through the reception area and out into the street.

“Excuse me, Mother,” Joa

“What seems to be the problem, Mr. York?” she asked.

He turned toward her with a startled expression on his face. “I didn’t expect to see you here today,” he said.

“Neither did anyone else,” she returned crisply. “What I want to know is, why are you here? Are you here checking on me or my husband?”

“We’re conducting an investigation,” he said in an answer that was less than no answer at all.

“What exactly is it about us you’d like to know, Mr. York? Maybe, if you asked me directly, I could tell you what you want to know. You’d get your information right from the horse’s mouth instead of sneaking around behind my back.”

“It’s no big thing really,” York acknowledged with a shrug. “Routine inquiries about your insurance situation, although I must say your friend Mr. Davis wasn’t particularly helpful.”

Joa

York looked at her under raised eyebrows. “Including suicide?”

She nodded. York removed a small note-book from his coat pocket and made a quick notation. “What about accidental death?” he asked.

“That too,” Joa

“Oh, I see,” York said. “How interesting.” He acted as though that bit of information was new to him, although Joa

“Three hundred thousand dollars,” he mused shrewdly. “That seems like a considerable amount of insurance for someone in your financial situation, isn’t it, Joa

Her green eyes narrowed dangerously. “Mr. York,” she said tersely. “I work for a company that sells life insurance. If I sold Tupperware, I might own more Tupperware. If I sold Mary Kay Cosmetics, I might wear more makeup. There’s also a policy on me that would have gone to Andy had our situations been reversed.”