Now You See It... Part 45

Whatever she'd done to harm Max-and it was considera- ble (she'd certainly gone beyond me bounds in her accusa- tions)-she did not deserve his last remark. Good G.o.d, what a murk of hate and counter-hate befouled that room.

NowYwSoetL.. 155

Enough to make a person ill.

Max had pulled loose from the Sheriff's relaxing grip and was now closing Adelaide's shrine, returning me bookcase to its original position.

He looked around in startlement as Ca.s.sandra suddenly lurched toward the fireplace.

She stopped in front of it and put a trembling hand across her eyes.

"Why did you rush over there?" the Sheriff asked.

She didn't answer.

"Mrs. Delacorte?"

"No reason," she said, struggling for composure.

Plum looked at her in disbelief. It was a wonder the man believed anything by men, there'd been so much deception since he'd arrived.

He moved to where she was standing.

"Is mere something over here?" he probed. "A hiding place or something?"

"No," she muttered.

"Why did you come over here, then?" he asked.

"No reason!" She was still fighting to regain herself. "No reason at all," she said.

Clearly/ Plum was not convinced. Who could blame him?

He ran his hands across the uneven surface of me field- stone wall above the fireplace. He looked carefully at me mantelpiece.

"If I knew where the body is," Ca.s.sandra said, "do you think I'd have been searching with you all this time?"

"frankly, I don't know," the Sheriff said disgustedly. "I don't know whether to believe either one of you at this point."

Bravo, Grover, I thought gloomily. So far, this had been a little less than the happiest day of my life.

Hum could find nothing. With an irritated sound, he turned toward the entry hall.

156 Richard Math-on

"That's it/' he said. "Tm^not wasting any more time here."

"I'll show you the body," said Ca.s.sandra.

Plum whirled to glare at her. "You just said you don't know where it is!" he cried.

"I don't!" she responded. "But I know how to find it with- out wasting any more time!"

She started toward Max, a vengeful look on her face.

"I told you I'm not without means," she told him.

"Get away from me," he muttered.

"You'd best cooperate. Mister Delacorte," Plum said, "or I'll take you in right now."

Ambivalence flickered on my son's face, indecision;

should he go or stay?

It wasn't much of a contest, as it turned out-

"What do you want?" he asked Ca.s.sandra,

Her answer was to grab his right wrist.

He jerked it free- She grabbed the wrist again. Again, he pulled away.

"Make him do it. Sheriff," she said.

Plum looked agitated. "Do what?" he demanded.

"Lead me around the room while I'm holding his wrist."

The Sheriff scowled. "Why? Whafs that supposed to do?"

Her smile was cruel. The woman had a cruel smile, mat was certain. Now I wondered just how much of what she'd said about Adelaide was true and how much concocted.

"When we reach me place where Harry Kendal's body is hidden," she told the Sheriff, "my husband's pulse beat will speed up."

So mat was it; I should have known.

The Sheriffs scowl had not abated. "I'm tired of-" he started.

"Sheriff," said Ca.s.sandra. "I'm telling you. It will work."

Now You See H... 157

The Sheriff sighed. He looked at Delacorte and nodded once.

With a smile equally cruel. Max extended his right hand and Ca.s.sandra grabbed the wrist again, squeezing as hard as she could. Max winced a little, men chuckled softly.

"Where to?" he inquired.