Then he said, “What did you say is the name of the cologne Stevens wears?”
“Red.”
“And you’re fairly certain this is what you smelled on Susan’s coat and scarf?”
“I wouldn’t swear to it in court, but the fragrance is quite distinctive.”
“I think it’s time for Pete and me to have a little prayer meeting with your administrator.”
“Good. And I think I can help get him in the proper frame of mind if you’ll give me until noon tomorrow.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Probably make him a very nervous man,” I said.
I was working at the kitchen table early that evening when I heard Lucy drive into the garage, and I got up to greet her. She was dressed in a navy blue warm-up suit and one of my ski jackets, and was carrying a gym bag.
“I’m dirty,” she said, pulling away from my hug, but not before I smelled gun smoke in her hair. Glancing down at her hands, I saw enough gunshot residues on the right one to make a trace element analyst ecstatic.
“Whoa,” I said as she started to walk off. “Where is it?”
“Where’s what?” she asked innocently.
“The gun…
Reluctantly, she withdrew my Smith and Wesson from her jacket pocket.
“I wasn’t aware you had a license for carrying a concealed weapon,” I said, taking the revolver from her and making sure it was unloaded.
“I don’t need one if I’m carrying it concealed in my own house. Before that I had it on the car seat in plain view. “
“That’s good but not good enough, “I said quietly. “Come on.”
Wordlessly, she followed me to the kitchen table, and we sat down.
“You said you were going to Westwood to work out,” I said.
“I know that’s what I said.”
“Where have you been, Lucy?”
“The Firing Line on Midlothian Turnpike. It’s an indoor range.”
“I know what it is. How many times have you done this?”
“Four times.” She looked me straight in the eye.
“My God Lucy.”
“Well, what am I supposed to do? Pete’s not going to take me anymore.”
“Lieutenant Marino is very, very busy right now,” I said, and the remark sounded so patronizing that I was embarrassed. “You’re aware of the problems,” I added.
“Sure I am. Right now he’s got to stay away. And if he stays away from you, he stays away from me. So he’s out on the street because there’s some maniac on the loose who’s killing people like your morgue supervisor and the prison warden. At least Pete can take care of himself. Me? I’ve been shown how to shoot one lousy time Gee, thanks a lot. That’s like giving me one tennis lesson and then entering me in Wimbledon.”
“You’re overreacting.”
“No. The problem is you’re under reacting.”
“Lucy…”