Murder Most Persuasive

shrilly. “I knew it! Not only are you playing detective, but you’ve somehow convinced Ann to play along as well! You have no business involving yourself in this investigation, let alone our cousin! You have no special skills or talents for crime!”

“For your information, coming here was Ann’s idea, not mine,” I shot back just as Ann said, “Kit, I asked Elizabeth to help me, not the other way around. The police seem to think that I may have had something to do with Michael’s death.”

Kit’s eyes grew wide. “You! But that’s absurd! Why on earth would they think that you had anything to do with it?”

Ann ducked her head and didn’t immediately reply. Then she quietly told Kit of Michael’s attack and Sergeant Beal’s suspicion. When she finished, Kit slumped back against the seat. “Dear God,” she said, “how horrible. I’m so sorry, Ann. I had no idea. What a rotten bastard. But I still don’t see why they think you had anything to do with it! I mean, do they think that you killed him and then later came back and buried his body? Why on earth would you do that? It makes no sense.”

“I know,” said Ann. “But unfortunately it seems to be a theory that Sergeant Beal is considering.”

Kit fell quiet for only a moment. “So what are you thinking about this Donny guy? Do you think he was involved in Michael’s murder? Why would he want to kill Michael?”

“He used to date Reggie,” said Ann, as she steered the car out onto the busy road. “In fact, Reggie broke up with him for Michael. He was, if I remember correctly, furious. And he was also on the crew that installed the pool.”

Kit’s brows pulled together. “So you think he might have killed Michael out of jealousy? You know, I saw an episode of CSI where something similar happened.”

I believe I may have mentioned that Kit watches CSI. A lot.

“But he didn’t seem to know anything about Michael,” Ann said.

“Well, that’s not exactly true,” I said. I quickly explained that I’d seen the newspaper on Donny’s desk open to the “Reliable Source.”

“So what does that prove?” Kit asked.

“There was a blurb in today’s column about Reggie and the discovery of Michael’s body on the property at St. Michaels. Donny had to have seen it. Therefore, it stands to reason that he was lying to us.”

“I totally missed that!” said Ann. “Well done, Elizabeth!”

“That’s not all, I’m afraid. The other night I went out for a drink after work with Sam. While I was there I saw Reggie. She was with Donny.”

“What?” Ann cried.

“They were together, and from the looks of it talking about something pretty serious.”

“What do you think it was?” asked Kit.

“I have no idea. Peter called me and I got distracted. When I looked back to where they were, they’d left.”

“Do you think she saw you?” asked Ann.

“I don’t know. She might have. But in any case,” I said, “you need to call Joe right now and tell him what we found.”

“What about Reggie? Should I tell him that she was out with Donny?” Ann asked.

“I don’t know,” I said. “That’s your call. Maybe talk to her about it first.”

“Okay,” Ann said. “Um, but do you think you could call Joe? I don’t think I can talk to him.”

“You want me to call him? And say what exactly? That you got the list of old employees, saw Donny’s name, and then—against my expressed advice, by the way—went to see him on a completely trumped-up reason?”

“I suppose it really doesn’t matter what you say. He already hates me. Thinking I’m an idiot on top of everything else won’t matter much now.” She turned her head, but not before I saw her eyes well up with tears. Kit reached over and soothingly patted her arm. Looking back at me, she mouthed, “Call him.”

I sighed. I was no match for tears. “Fine, I’ll call him.” I took the card Joe had left with us from my purse and punched his number into my cell phone. He answered almost immediately. “Detective Muldoon,” he said.

“Hi, Joe. I mean, uh, Detective Muldoon. This is Elizabeth Parker. I, uh, thought you should know something.” I paused, unsure how to continue.

“I’m listening.”

“Ann was able to get a list of employees from around the time that Michael worked for Uncle Marty’s company.” I glanced over at Ann. Her face was red with anticipated humiliation. Oh, hell. Time to take one for the team. “Well, a name on the list jumped out at me. Donny Mancuso. He used to date Reggie. In fact, he dated Reggie right up until Michael came on the scene. He was also on the crew that put in the pool at St. Michaels.”

“Hang on.” I heard Joe rummage on his desk for a pencil. “Donny Mancuso. M-A-N-C-U-S-O?”

“Yes. Anyway, I looked him up and he, uh, owns a pool company, Mancuso’s Pools, in Rockville. I thought it might be interesting if I went to see him. So, uh … I did.”

I shut my eyes as the icy silence on the other end of the phone lengthened. “I’m sorry,” Joe finally said. “You did what?”

“I went out and met with Donny.” From the front seat, Ann shot me a grateful look. I rolled my eyes and looked away.

“What exactly did you say to him?” Joe asked.

“Nothing really. I pretended to be interested in a pool and that it was just a coincidence that it was Donny’s business I went to. We chatted a bit, and I told him about what happened to Michael. He claimed not to have heard anything about it, but as we were leaving I noticed today’s Post on his desk—it was open to the ‘Reliable Source’ story about Reggie and how Michael’s body had been found. I just thought you should know that.” There, I did it. Done.

“Back up a second,” Joe said. “You said you noticed the paper when ‘we’ were leaving. Who, may I ask, is ‘we’?”

Shit, shit, shit. “Um, well, now that you mention it, Ann and Kit were with me.” Hearing this, Ann hunched up her shoulders in embarrassment.

“I see. And when we took down everyone’s addresses the other night, I seem to recall you saying that you were living with your sister while your landlord dealt with some mold issues at your apartment.”

“That’s right.”

“Interesting. I must say, I’ve heard of renters who’ve taken it upon themselves to update certain aspects of their apartments, but I’ve never actually encountered one who contemplated putting in a pool. Seems to me it would have made more sense for Ann to have asked about potential pool work, seeing as there actually is one at her father’s house.”

The man clearly hadn’t made detective just based on his looks. “It might have,” I mumbled.

“I want you back at the house by noon. I will be there to pick up that list and enlighten you on what it means to interfere with police business.”

I assured him that we would indeed be there. I didn’t tell him that he needn’t bother with the lecture as I already had vast experience with interfering with police business. Somehow I doubted that would help my case any.

“You didn’t have to take the blame,” Ann said as soon as I tossed the phone back into my purse. “I feel terrible! What did he say?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t feel too bad. He didn’t buy my story about it being my idea. For one thing he remembered I live in an apartment and so therefore would be unlikely to have reason to put in a pool.”

Ann grimaced. “Oh.”

“Yeah. ‘Oh’ is right. He wants to see us. He’s going to meet us at your dad’s house at noon. He wants the list of employees.” I looked out the window. “And he may want to provide us with a brief tutorial on what constitutes interfering with police business.”

“I told you!” Kit crowed.

I ignored her.

“What the hell was I thinking going to see Donny?” Ann moaned. “Did Joe sound very mad? Never mind, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.”