people were standing around, mouths open, watching the chief haul their fearless leader off to jail, I refrained from naming names.
“And what about all the suspicious characters we told you about?“ I said. “The crazy fan, the angry ex- employee, and the sinister biker,“
“We're not going to forget about them,“ the chief said. “We'll continue to explore every avenue.“
But as I watched the patrol car drive off, I didn't believe it.
“Damn the man,“ I muttered. I felt strangely betrayed. I'd told him everything I could mink of about Ted and Mutant Wizards. I'd let him pump me for information. And just when I'd started to feel comfortable and think he was a sensible and intelligent person who stood a good chance of solving the murder, he had to go and settle on Rob as his prime suspect.
Maybe Dad had the right idea after all. Maybe I did need to do my own investigating. At least if the police were misguided enough to focus on Rob as a suspect.
I'd worry about that later. Meanwhile, the first order of business was to keep Rob from saying anything stupid or incriminating to the police. Anything more than he'd already said.
I groped in my purse for my cell phone and the notebook-that-tells-me-when-to-breathe, as I called my combination to-do and address book, looked up a number, and dialed frantically. I breathed a sigh of relief when a familiar voice answered.
“Liz! Thank goodness I got you! Where are you?“
“The police told us we could all go home, so I was just getting into my car. What's wrong now?“ she said, sounding tired. Sounding, in fact, as if she were trying very hard not to reveal her irritation, and failing miserably.
“I think they're planning to arrest Rob for the murder,“ I said. “At any rate, they're taking him down to the police station. He needs a lawyer. Could you – “
“I'm a corporate attorney, remember? I do contracts and stuff. I'd be worse than useless; I don't know anything about criminal law. Half the programmers around here know more about criminal law than I do, thanks to the damned game.“
“Yes, I know, but – “
“For that matter, Rob's a lawyer, and he invented the damned game, which means he's forgotten more about criminal law than I'll ever have any reason to learn. So – “
“Yes, and who was it who said that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client?“
A pause. Then a sigh. “I don't know. I could look it up for you.“
“I'd rather you went down to the police station to keep Rob from doing anything really stupid until we round up a good criminal lawyer to help him. I could try, but they'd only keep me cooling my heels outside. They'll have to let you in because you're a lawyer. Besides, he wouldn't pay the slightest attention to what I told him, but he might listen to you.“
She sighed again. “Okay,“ she said. “Can do. Sorry I vented on you; it's been a long day.“
“I know, and I'm not making it any shorter.“
“I'm off, then; get that criminal lawyer down there as soon as you can.“
“Any ideas who it should be?“
“Afraid I don't know the local talent yet. Which is stupid; I should have had someone lined up. I mean, sooner or later, L should have known that a key employee would need a defense attorney; it happens occasionally even in the most normal firms – “
“And it was even more likely to happen in a whacked-out place like this?“
“Well,“ she began.
“Don't worry,“ I said. “I know who to ask. Go put a lid on Rob in the meantime.“
I hung up, and this time I called a number I knew so well I could dial it in my sleep.
I was in luck; Michael answered on the third ring.
“Hey, great timing; we just finished the ritual sacrifice scene and broke for lunch,“ he said. “I have an idea that will take your mind off all the horrible stuff that's been going on. Want to have a virtual date?“
“A what?“
“I got the idea from Walker – he does it all the time when he's on location or something. We figure out a restaurant chain that has a branch here and in Caerphilly.“
“Probably either Pizza Hut or McDonald's,“ I said.
“Or maybe not a chain,“ he said without missing a beat, “maybe we just both go to the restaurant of our choice, and we can call each other on our cell phones and talk to each other while we order and wait for our food and eat. Ta-da – a virtual date.“
“And this is Walker's idea of a date? Do you think this could be at least part of the reason Walker's girlfriends keep dumping him after a couple of weeks?“
“Actually, I hear they find the virtual dates rather sweet; it's the real ones that kill things. I have it on good authority that he likes to read them his fan mail.“
“Ick.“
“In bed.“
“Double ick,“ I said. “I know he's been your buddy since you were both on the soap opera together and you feel grateful that he helped you get the role on his show, but given Walker's track record, let's do a rain check on the virtual date thing. Anyway, I need to ask you something.“
“Ask away, angel.“
“If you were in Caerphilly – “
“Now if I were in Caerphilly, you could forget ail about the virtual date thing, absolutely. We'd start with dinner at Luigi's – an early dinner, because – “
“Hold that thought,“ I said. “We can discuss it later; things are a little hectic right now. If you were getting arrested in Caerphilly and needed a good criminal attorney – “
“Oh, God – what have you done now?“
“What have I done?“ I repeated. “What have
“I meant the collective you – as in you, your father, your brother, and the whole motley staff of Mutant Wizards, for whose mere existence I feel at least partly responsible. What have you all been doing, and who has gotten himself or herself arrested for what crime?“
“Nice recovery, but I'm not buying it,“ I said. “Just tell me who you'd call if your suspicions were correct and I'd gone off the straight and narrow in your absence. I think the police are going to arrest Rob, and I don't want him talking any more without a lawyer.“
He came up right away with the names of two attorneys he thought would be the best prospects and made me promise to call if I had news.
“And I didn't mean that I thought you'd committed a crime,“ he said. “Only that you have this absolutely charming tendency to wade in to protect your family and friends when you think they're in trouble – “
“And sometimes the local authorities don't like me interfering,“ I said. “Yes, I know.“
“For that matter, whoever really killed this Ted guy might not like you interfering,“ he said. “Be careful, will you?“
“Don't worry,“ I said. “I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself.“ And then, seeing out of the corner of my eye that someone was hovering at my elbow, I added, “Gotta run; I'll call you later.“
“Can I help you?“ I said, turning. It was Dr. Gruber, one of the therapists – although I'd learned by now that she preferred not to be called Dr. Gruber, and I still couldn't quite bring myself to address this severe and stately woman as Lorelei. Or perhaps I couldn't warm to her because I didn't like the way she, at six feet, loomed over me. I was only two inches shorter, but I wasn't all that used to being shorter than another woman, and I wasn't at all sure I liked it.
“Not a good sign,“ Dr. Lorelei said, shaking her head.
