But He Was Already Dead When I Got There (33 page)

Sergeant Rizzuto nudged Simon to his feet. “Let's go.”

The prisoner turned to face his wife. “Dorrie, my love, I don't suppose you'll be waiting for me when I get out?”

She looked uncomfortable. “I don't think so, darling. It could be such a
long
time. And when you get out, you'll, well, you'll be an
ex-con
, won't you? You understand.”

Simon sighed like a martyr. “I do, unfortunately. A divorce, I suppose?”

“I think that's best, dear.”

“I have to use the powder room,” Nicole said to Malcolm. “I'll be right back.” She left the library.

Quite a few changes in this tight little bunch
, Toomey thought, watching her go. Nicole and Malcolm are getting married, he mused, Dorrie and Simon are getting divorced, and Gretchen and Lionel are separated. Nothing has ended the way it began. What happens next? Do the newlyweds live happily ever after? Does Simon return from prison a changed man? Do Ellandy's four partners learn to work together in spite of all that's happened? Will the lure of Gretchen's millions bring Lionel to attempt a reconciliation, or do Lionel and Dorrie get together? Tune in tomorrow.

Rizzuto took hold of Simon's arm and started steering him toward the door. Lionel suddenly jumped forward and grabbed Simon's other arm. “Let me help you, Sergeant,” he leered.

“I don't need no help,” Rizzuto said, surprised.

“Oh, but I insist! It's my pleasure!” Lionel gloated. “I can't tell you how
great
a pleasure it is! Nothing personal, Simon.”

Rizzuto grinned at him and nodded. Simon gritted his teeth and accepted his fate. Toomey was following them out through the library door when he heard Mrs. Polk say to Gretchen, “If you think I'm going to pick up all that paper from the floor, you've got another think coming!
You
do it!” Toomey closed the door.

When the police had taken Simon away and Lionel had left, Dorrie and Malcolm drifted out to the front steps of Uncle Vincent's house, where they sat down to wait for Nicole.

“I'm getting married!” Malcolm exulted.

“Congratulations,” Dorrie said desultorily. “I'm getting divorced.”

“It's for the best, Dorrie,” he said gently. “I know it hurts right now, but you're better off without him.”

“I suppose,” she sighed. “Why did this have to happen to me? I followed all the rules! I was never afraid to explore my feelings or to seek in-self-knowledge. I committed myself to a structured, long-term personal relationship. I kept a positive attitude and sought out new areas of experience. So what went wrong?”

“I don't know.”

“I do all the things I'm supposed to do. I play racquetball. I dress rich. I vote Republican. And
this
is my reward—a husband carted off to prison?”

Malcolm draped a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Come on, Sis, don't let it get you down.”

“Oh, I won't. I'm just trying to
understand
.”

“Speaking of racquetball, what about a game tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?” Dorrie's eyebrows rose. “Isn't that rather soon after …?”

“Ah, but who will know?”

“You're right,” she giggled. “Who will know?”

Author's Note

The idea for this book arose from a time I was watching television all day every day for two straight weeks. The reason behind this marathon viewing is long and boring and you don't want to hear it. But I watched a
lot
of television.

One thing I watched was the weekday reruns of the old
Perry Mason
show. Of the ten episodes I saw, I think there was only one in which somebody did
not
say, “But He Was Already Dead When I Got There!”—or some slight variation thereof. It got so I was waiting for the line every day.

Then it occurred to me it might be fun to write an old-fashioned mystery story with clues all over the place and red herrings galore, and with the kind of plot that keeps complicating itself for no reason other than to keep the reader guessing. And of course the characters must be the sort of people who would never dream of calling the police when they find a dead body.

Therefore I want to dedicate this book to the makers of
Perry Mason
and to those responsible for all the other old mystery series in which
story
was more important than car chases, shoot-outs, and fist fights. In their comfortable, traditional way, the old shows were fun.

About the Author

Barbara Paul is the author of numerous short stories and novels in both the detective and science fiction genres. Born in Maysville, Kentucky, she went on to attend Bowling Green State University and the University of Pittsburgh, earning a PhD in theater history and criticism. She has been nominated for the Shamus Award for Best PI Short Story, and two of her novels,
In-Laws and Outlaws
and
Kill Fee
, have been adapted into television movies. After teaching at the University of Pittsburgh for a number of years, she retired to write full-time. Paul currently resides in Sacramento.

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 1986 by Barbara Paul

Cover design by Jason Gabbert

ISBN: 978-1-5040-3245-2

This edition published in 2016 by
MysteriousPress.com
/Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.

180 Maiden Lane

New York, NY 10038

www.openroadmedia.com

EBOOKS BY BARBARA PAUL

FROM
MYSTERIOUSPRESS.COM
AND OPEN ROAD MEDIA