This Little Piggy Went to Murder (32 page)

Bram waited as she studied the photo.

“The difference between love and need is sometimes a fine line. I think Luther knew if it wasn’t for his illness, Amanda would leave him. He couldn’t stand being pitied, and yet, he needed her help.”

“Her help?”

Sophie nodded. “He needed her help to die.”

Bram shuddered. “God, that’s awful.”

She put the picture back inside the drawer. “But you know, knowing Luther as I did, I think the worst thing for him was that, in some part of himself, he still loved her. In the end, that love humiliated him.”

Bram shook his head. “I wonder what’s going to happen to Claire and Amanda now? Wardlaw said they’d illegally appropriated Association funds to help Jack’s campaign.”

Sophie closed her eyes and leaned back against the chair. Where was all of this going to end? “I suppose if Jack’s elected, they’ll be able to repay it.”

“With the storm that’s brewing over the year he spent at the Saltzman Clinic, it looks pretty doubtful. Not to mention what’s come out about Grendel Shipping’s involvement in the illegal dumping of chemicals in Lake Superior. Jack was executive vice president the year it happened. People don’t believe he didn’t know.”

“Terrific. Just terrific. What I don’t get is how did the press find out about Jack in the first place? I mean, surely Amanda and Chelsea wouldn’t say anything.”

“I asked Jack about that. Seems Ryan Woodthorpe had mailed a bunch of secret documents to a friend in Clouquet with specific instructions that if anything ever happened to him, the friend would hustle it posthaste to the nearest reporter. It’s a damn shame, too, if you ask me. Jack would have been a great senator. But he’s a realist. I think he knows his political days are numbered. He was even talking about taking a teaching position at some college out West. He mentioned that he wants Chelsea to come live with him. He said he’s never been one to push her, but he feels she needs to face the world with more than a high school diploma. From the way he talked, Chelsea was ready to leave as soon as she could appoint a new CEO for the company.”

The phone began to ring.

“Do you want me to answer that?” asked Bram.

“No, it’s okay.” She picked it up. “Hello? Well, hi! No, you’re not interrupting anything.” She held her hand over the mouthpiece. “It’s your daughter,” she mouthed. “Sure, I understand. What? When?” She looked up. “He said that?” Her eyes slowly widened. “Did you get the flight number? No, we’ll be back tomorrow afternoon. We’re leaving first thing in the morning and driving straight home. Right. What? Say that again? Margie, have you thought about this? I see. All right then. Sure, I’ll tell him. Thanks. See you soon, kiddo.” She hung up.

“Didn’t she want to talk to me?” asked Bram. He sounded a little hurt.

“She was in a hurry.” Sophie’s expression was so odd, Bram rose and leaned across the desk, grabbing her hand. “What’s wrong? Are you all right?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure.”

“Is it Margie? Is she —”

“She’s fine.”

“Then what? Tell me!”

“It’s Rudy. He called our house last night. I guess he tried to call here, but there wasn’t any answer. Margie talked to him.”

“That’s great! What did he say?”

She swallowed hard. “He’s coming to Minneapolis. Flying in tomorrow night. He’s enrolled at the University of Minnesota this fall and wanted to know if he could stay with us.”

“You’re kidding? That’s incredible! See, what’d I tell you?” He narrowed one eye. “I thought you said he’d be going to that Bible college?”

“I guess not.”

“Norm is letting him come?”

“So it would seem.”

Bram scratched his chin. “Did you get a flight number?”

“Honey, there’s something else.”

“What do you mean?”

She took a deep breath. “Margie told him he could have her room.”

“Huh? I don’t understand. Why would she say that?”

“She’s moving out. She and that new boyfriend of hers are going to live together. In St. Cloud.”

“Over my dead body!”

“They signed an apartment lease yesterday morning.”

Bram sank down in his chair. “I’ll hire a lawyer.”

For a moment they both stared blankly at the wall.

“Looks like this is going to be an interesting year,” said Sophie, her voice too stunned to register emotion.

“What’s that new boyfriend’s name?”

“Lancelot.”

“You’re kidding?” He groaned. “Forget the lawyer. I’m buying a shotgun.”

Ellen Hart is the author of twenty-six crime novels in two different series. She is a five-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery, a three-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award for Best Popular Fiction, a three-time winner of the Golden Crown Literary Award, a recipient of the Alice B Medal, and was made an official GLBT Literary Saint at the Saints & Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans in 2005. In 2010, Ellen received the GCLS Trailblazer Award for lifetime achievement in the field of lesbian literature.
Entertainment Weekly
named her one of the “101 Movers and Shakers in the Gay Entertainment Industry.” For the past fourteen years, Ellen has taught “An Introduction to Writing the Modern Mystery” through the The Loft Literary Center, the largest independent writing community in the nation.

Custom ebook cover design created by Kathy Kruger, the Main Mouse at Whistling Mouse Illustration & Design. Contact Kathy at
http://www.whistlingmouse.com
or [email protected].

Hallowed Murder

Vital Lies

Stage Fright

A Killing Cure

A Small Sacrifice

Faint Praise

Robber’s Wine

Wicked Games

Hunting the Witch

The Merchant of Venus

Immaculate Midnight

An Intimate Ghost

The Iron Girl

Night Vision

The Mortal Grove

Sweet Poison

The Mirror and the Mask

The Cruel Ever After

This Little Piggy Went to Murder

For Every Evil

The Oldest Sin

Murder in the Air

Slice and Dice

Dial M for Meat Loaf

Death on a Silver Platter

No Reservations Required