Hearse of a Different Color (Hitchcock Sewell Mysteries) (48 page)

“Do you have any idea where she might have gone, Mr. Sewell?”

“Off the top of my head, no.”

“You will supply us with an address, I hope. Where Miss Taylor lives.”

I did. Right then and there. Kruk passed it on to one of his men, who trotted off with it.

“I suppose that’s all for now, Mr. Sewell. Naturally, if you hear from Miss Taylor again, I expect you to contact us.”

“Naturally.”

“Immediately. Not ten hours later.”

“You think Lucy Taylor killed Shrimp, don’t you?”

“We have the victim’s own statement to you over the phone that it was Miss Taylor who shot him. We have your statement that Lucy Taylor came into your office, put a gun on your desk and then lapsed into shock. Or what you’ve surmised is shock.”

“I mean tonight. Here. You suspect that she came over here to the hospital and shot him again.”

Kruk rubbed his jaw with his stubby fingers. “Mr. Martin was not shot,” he said. “Whoever did this used a sharp object. We’ve got the M.E. going over the victim. He was stabbed directly in the heart. Plus, all of his tubes were pulled out.”

“He wasn’t shot?”

“Guns make a loud noise, Mr. Sewell. If you were going to kill someone in a hospital, would you use a gun?”

“I guess not. Never really gave it much thought. So he wasn’t shot. But you still think Lucy did it, right?”

Kruk tugged on his ear, passed the back of his hand along the tip of his chin, tapped a finger against his jaw. If crime solving ever sours for him, I guess the guy could always ask the Orioles if they need a new third base coach.

“What would you think, Mr. Sewell?”

I took a deep breath. “I’d wait until all the evidence had been collected and all the related parties had been questioned and their stories checked out.”

Kruk grunted. “We could certainly use more fair-minded men like you in law enforcement.”

“So what’s your take on Lucy?” I asked.

“I’m issuing a warrant,” the detective said flatly. “I think the lady’s a killer.”

A
number of people graciously took the early drafts of this book out for a test run, reporting back to me on some of its wobbles, pings, minor misalignments, pullings to the left … that sort of thing. Chief among my truly superior test-drivers were Wendy Barrie-Wilson (wobbles), Battlin’ Jim McGreevey (pings), Ted Manekin (pulls to the left) and Lorna Aikman Mehta (minor misalignments). Thanks one and all; and I’m glad nobody got seriously hurt.

If banging out this book was half the fun, the other half was certainly kicking it all the way into shape with the relentless help of my pitch-perfect editor, Peternelle van Arsdale. Also at Hyperion, Martha Levin, Bob Miller, Ellen Archer and Jane Comins have each hoisted me up onto their shoulders at numerous points over the year. The kind of support that money can’t buy. Many thanks to you guys. Big old nod, too, to Alison Lowenstein and April Fleming.

A tip of the toupee must also go to Gabrielle Maloney, Jeff Promish, Chris Fisk, Amy Schraub, Shelly D’Arcambal, Michelle Felten, David Gottlieb and Ann Megyas—avid all—as well as to my partner in these crimes, my agent, Victoria Sanders. And my collective thanks go to damn near everyone at the Foundation Center (go to them to seek grant information!).

Finally, a very special acknowledgment to my niece, Arianna Jarvis, mystery novelist-in-training. Keep an eye on this one.

Tim Cockey
is the author of the award-winning "Hitch" series: The Hearse You Came In On, Hearse of a Different Color, Hearse Case Scenario, and Murder in the Hearse Degree. He has been a story analyst for many major film and television companies, including American Playhouse, ABC, and Hallmark Entertainment. He grew up in Baltimore and now lives in New York City