Hugger Mugger

"My God," Susan said.

"Pretty good horse," I said.

Pe

"Where to?" I said.

She flashed me the not quite as fabulous smile.

"Wi

"Congratulations," I said. "We need to talk."

"I can't now. Tomorrow, breakfast at the Reading Room, eight o'clock."

"See you there."

"Your girlfriend's beautiful," she said.

"Yes, she is," I said.

And with Delroy right behind her, she headed off through the throng of people, some still cheering, many heading to the windows to cash in.

FIFTY-ONE

THE READING ROOM is actually a house, a large white Victorian next to the track, with a wide veranda where people can eat and look disdainfully out over the hedge at people who, not being members, ca

I was alone. Susan had decided to sleep in until nearly seven, and run before she ate breakfast. It was a decision she made nearly every day. I didn't mind. I never went to work with her either. I was the first to arrive. I noticed that there was only one other place set when they seated me on the veranda. A black waiter in a white coat poured me fresh orange juice, and a cup of coffee, and departed. I looked disdainfully over the hedge at the people going by. Pe

"Good morning," she said.

Undimmed by Susan's presence, Pe

"You must have the hand melon," Pe

"Sure," I said.

The waiter brought us two hand melons. They looked remarkably like cantaloupes.

"Wasn't that something yesterday," Pe

"Hell of a horse," I said.

"Angel rode him perfectly too."

"Do you know that Dolly has hired me to look into the death of your father?"

"Yes."

"Do you know why?"

"Yes."

"How do you feel about it?" I said.

I had, after all, ridden all the way out here alone with a shrink.

"I am very disappointed."

"Because?"

"I like Dolly, but she is exploiting our tragedy for her own benefit."

"By investigating your father's death?"

"By claiming her son as an heir."

"You reject that?"

"Entirely."

I ate some hand melon. It tasted very much like cantaloupe.

"Do you know where your sisters are?"

"They preferred not to come to Saratoga this year. This is really a business trip and they really aren't very interested in the business. All of us find the social whirl a bit too much."

"Yeah, me too," I said. "Did anyone tell you they've left the house in Lamarr?"

"Left the house?"

Either she was very good, or she really didn't know.

"Un-huh."

"You mean moved out?"

"Yep."

"Why? Where did they go? Are they all right?"

"They're fine. I think you need to talk with Delroy. He may not be keeping you fully informed."

"I…" She stopped and closed her mouth and sucked her lips in for a moment.

"I'll ask him," she said.

We finished our hand melons, and the waiter whisked them away and another waiter put down a corn muffin for me, and a soft-boiled egg with whole wheat toast for Pe

"Ever since I came back into the case," I said, "I've been stonewalled. Security South won't let me near you or your sisters. I finally insisted a few days ago on seeing your sisters and I found them husbandless, apparent prisoners in their own house, oddly disoriented. I took them out and placed them with their husbands at a location known to me and not known to Security South."

Something stirred behind Pe

"You had no right to do that," she said.

"Could you explain why they were being held as they were?"

"They were not being held, Mr. Spenser. They were being protected."

"From what?"

She shook her head slowly.

"I don't have to talk to you."

She was right, but I didn't think supporting her opinion would do me any good. Having nothing to say, I stayed quiet and waited.

"I love my family," Pe

"Do you want his murderer caught?"

"In the abstract, yes. But I feel that Jon and the police are adequate to that task, and what I want more than anything is peace-for me, for my sisters."

"Did you have anything to do with the separation of your sisters and their husbands?"

Pe

"Do you have a relationship with Jon Delroy?" I said.

Pe

"I find it hard not to like you, Spenser. But… I'm afraid this conversation is over."

She stood. The waiter leapt to hold her chair. She walked off the veranda and out of the Reading Room without another word and without looking back at me. On the assumption that offering to pay, as a nonmember, would be a vile breach of etiquette, I stood after she had disappeared and walked out as well.

FIFTY-TWO

WE WERE GETTING ready to go to a party at Dolly Hartman's house. Getting ready meant something different to Susan than it did to me. It began with taking a shower, but it did not end there. The shower was under way now. The wait would be a long one. While I was waiting, I called my answering machine from the Ramada I

"Got hold of that will you was interested in," Becker said.

"Wow," I said. "You never rest, do you?"

"Ever vigilant," Becker said. "Will was drawn up thirty years ago, right after Stonie was born, near as I can figure."

"And?"

"And nothing. Will says that his estate will be divided equally among his heirs."

"So why you calling me?"

"I miss you."

"You're being cute," I said. "Isn't that fun."

"And I got Vallone to talk to me a little."