'Actually, I was about to find out that you killed him.'
'I did not,' she said.
'And you think Delroy did?'
'I don't know. You asked me a question, I offered a supposition. I don't know why Mr. Delroy does what he does.'
'You love him?' I said.
'Don't be ridiculous.'
'You figure that means no, Sheriff?' I said.
Becker nodded slowly.
'I'd take it as that,' he said. 'You got a thought on all of this, Jon?'
Delroy didn't look up. He shook his head slowly.
'That's too bad,' Becker said. 'I was hoping maybe you'd want to argue some of the points Ms. Clive made.'
Delroy didn't respond. There was an odd half-smile fixed on his face.
'Well, think on it, Jon. 'Cause we are about to arrest you, and charge you with attempted murder, and put you away for a hell of a long time, unless you got something to bargain.'
Delroy looked up then, his half-smile frozen in place, and turned his head slowly and stared at Penny Clive.
'I got nothing to bargain,' he said.
Becker nodded slowly again.
'Too bad,' he said. 'Ms. Clive, I believe you killed your father or conspired with Delroy to do so. I was hoping he'd turn on you, but he don't seem ready to. So you can go.'
Penny didn't say a word. She simply stood, and picked up her purse.
''Course, just because he won't turn on you now,' Becker said, 'don't mean he won't do it later.'
Penny walked to the door.
'And even if he don't,' Becker said, 'I will spend some time every day trying to catch you. I'm slow, sure enough, but in the long run I'm pretty good at this kind of work.'
Penny looked back at him for a moment, and then opened the door and went out without shutting it.
'Jerry,' Becker said. 'You can take all these folks out except Mr. Delroy.'
Everyone stood up. No one had anything to say, not even Pud, who was normally as repressible as a goat.
When we were alone, Becker said, 'Jon Delroy, you are under arrest for attempted murder. You have the right to remain silent…'
'I know,' Delroy said. 'Don't bother.'
Becker plowed right on through the whole Miranda recitation without pause. When he was through listening to the recitation of his rights, Delroy sat perfectly still for a moment. Then without looking at either me or Becker, he spoke to us both.
'I been scamming women all my life,' he said. 'This one time, I fell in love.'
'Bad timing,' I said.
Delroy shrugged.
