beside him, her legs crossed, her hands in her lap, her small white straw purse sitting on the edge of Becker's desk. I leaned on the green cinder-block wall to Becker's left, admiring Penny's demure exposure of tan thigh.
'Thanks for coming,' Becker said to Penny.
'What's this all about, Dalton?' Penny said.
'That's what we're trying to find out. Mr. Spenser here says that Delroy attempted to kill him. Jon doesn't say anything. I know he's employed by you, so I thought maybe you could help us with this.'
'You're not arresting me,' Penny said.
It was said pleasantly, just clarifying.
'No, no. Just hoping you can help us get Mr. Delroy to explain his behavior.'
Delroy looked at Penny and said softly, 'We need a lawyer.'
'Are you saying you'd like me to get you a lawyer, Jon?' Penny said. Her big eyes were wide and compassionate.
'We both need one,' Delroy said, still softly, with a little emphasis on 'both.'
'I don't think I need one, Jon,' Penny said.
Delroy nodded silently and didn't say anything else. Becker tipped back in his chair.
'Anybody like a Coca-Cola? Coffee? Glass of water?'
Nobody said anything. Becker nodded to himself.
'Now I hope you are not going to argue with me here, Jon,' Becker said, 'when I tell you that we got your ass. Excuse me, Penny.'
Delroy didn't answer.
'Not only Mr. Spenser here but a reliable former police officer named Tedy Sapp witnessed your attempt to kill Mr. Spenser.'
Penny frowned. How terrible!
'Tedy Sapp's a goddamned queer,' Delroy said.
'Don't have much to do with his reliability as a witness,' Becker said. 'You are looking at a long time inside.'
Becker shifted a little in his chair, getting more comfortable. Delroy didn't move or speak. His clasped hands were perfectly still, resting on the table.
'What I'd like to know is why you tried to kill Mr. Spenser?'
'You charging me?' Delroy said.
'Not yet,' Becker said. 'You used to be a police officer. You know when we charge you we got to read you your rights and let you get a lawyer, and the lawyer won't let you say anything, and we got no chance of working anything out together.'
'So I could just get up and walk out of here?'
Becker didn't say anything for a moment. He looked at me. I got off the wall and walked over and leaned against the door. Becker smiled.
'Course you could,' Becker said.
Delroy looked at me and back at Becker and didn't move.
'Dalton,' Penny said, 'I don't see what purpose I'm serving here.'
'We was hoping you might urge Mr. Delroy to be forthright,' Becker said.
'Well, of course. Jon, I do hope you'll be completely open with Sheriff Becker on this.'
Delroy smiled a very small private smile and didn't say anything. He seemed intent on the knuckles of his folded hands.
'Maybe you could even tell us what he was supposed to be doing while he was off trying to kill Mr. Spenser,' Becker said. 'Sort of what was his official assignment?'
'Well, Jon didn't have any assignments, per se,' Penny said. 'He and his men provided security for our family and our business.'
'The business being Three Fillies,' Becker said.
Penny nodded yes.
'And the family being you and your two sisters.'
'Yes.'
'As I recall, Spenser had to rescue the two sisters from the security Mr. Delroy was providing,' Becker said.
'Mr. Spenser was working under a misapprehension. My sisters were not, at the time he stole them from me, nor, I suspect, are they now, capable of caring for themselves, nor of making decisions in their best interest.'
Becker nodded cheerily.
'We can get to that,' Becker said. 'You got any idea why Mr. Delroy attempted to murder Mr. Spenser?'
