know what would have happened if we’d stayed together.”
“I told you, I didn’t say a word to him about you.”
“I didn’t know that when I had the newspaper framed, though. For whatever reason, splitting with Grady was what saved me.”
Our food arrived, and as we began to eat, I realized that I’d stalled long enough. I had to pressure her, and do it fast, before she walked out.
I finished a bite of my omelet, and then I asked, “Aren’t you going to ask me about Zach’s investigation?”
“You made it pretty clear the last time that you weren’t comfortable discussing it with me,” she said.
“Funny, but I never thought you’d give up that easily.”
She waved her fork in the air. “I thought about what you said, and you were right. It really never was any of my business.”
“You might be surprised.”
“Why is that?”
“Zach still has you on his list of suspects.” I said it as flatly as I could, but Lorna looked at me as though I’d just lost my mind.
“Come on, that’s not amusing at all.”
“It wasn’t meant to be,” I said. “You had a reason to want Cindy and Hank both dead. Zach can’t ignore that just because we’re friends.”
“I told you before. I didn’t kill anyone,” she said loudly enough to attract attention to us. Was one of the folks watching us the cop sent there to protect me? I certainly hoped so.
“You don’t really have an alibi for Hank’s murder though, do you?”
“I have one for Cindy’s,” she said.
“Really? What is it?”
She ignored the question. “If I’m really a suspect, why hasn’t anyone pressed me about an alibi? The two murders are tied together, if the
“It’s easy enough to say, but can you prove it?”
Lorna threw her napkin down on her plate, though her meal was less than half eaten. “I don’t have to sit here and listen to this. To think I tried to do you a favor.”
“Do yourself one,” I said. “Tell me your alibi, or tell the police.”
“You wouldn’t sic your husband on me, would you?”
“Try me,” I said, trying my best to press her into saying something she didn’t want to tell me.
“I was with Davis Rawles all night, okay?”
That was shocking to hear. I’d known about Lorna and Grady, but I’d never suspected Davis. “Excuse me if I don’t believe you,” I said.
“Believe what you want to.”
“He’s a married man, Lorna.”
“Don’t you think I know that? I’m not proud of myself, and neither is he. Maybe I haven’t changed as much as I thought I had. We were both drinking, and a little harmless flirting went way too far.”
“So, that’s why you didn’t tell the police your alibi.”
“You want to know the truth? They never asked. I figured it was because Davis cleared me, and none of his cops wanted to step on their boss’s toes.”
“Zach’s going to talk to him to confirm your story; you know that, don’t you?”
“What do I care? Let him.” She stood, and loomed over me for a second. Where was my protection? Was she getting ready to strike, even in a crowded dining room? “Savannah, you and I are through. I thought we could really be friends this time but I was wrong.”
“Is that it?” I asked, the relief washing over me.
“What more did you expect, a dramatic drumroll? Good-bye, Savannah.”
“Bye-bye,” I said almost merrily.
I WENT BACK UPSTAIRS TO OUR SUITE. I SUSPECTED ZACH would already be gone, but he was still there, waiting for me.
“I thought you’d be at the station by now,” I said as my husband hugged me tightly.
“I wouldn’t have been able to concentrate. I should have gone downstairs with you.”
“I was protected all the time, remember?”
Zach paused and grinned. “Did you spot her?” “Who are you talking about?”
“The detective I sent.”
All that time, I’d been imagining a big, burly cop, when a woman had been guarding me instead. “No, I didn’t.”
“Then she was doing her job well. What did Lorna say?”
