Dead in D Minor by David Crossman

Author:David Crossman
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781475092561
Publisher: Alibi-Folio
Published: 2011-02-26T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

“You mean you hired Standish to prove DuShane is innocent?” said Cindy, in a loud whisper.

Albert had been telling her what he did that day and, while he hadn’t said it in so many words, upon reflection it seemed that was the general idea. “Yes,” he said.

“What did you do that for?”

Albert had never experienced anything like the maelstrom of Cindy’s eyes, unplumbed depths of benign innocence, wonder, and mischief all at once. He held onto the stool to keep from falling in. “Because I think he’s innocent,” he replied a little feebly.

“But, he’s already been convicted!” said Cindy. She glanced up from time to time, to make sure no one was listening.

“Indicted,” Albert corrected.

“Same thing,” said Cindy.

Albert felt so, too.

“What do you want, Clarence?”

Clarence occupied a couple of stools at the end of the counter. “Nothin’,” he said reflexively. He fastened his eyes on his plate and didn’t lift them for the remainder of his meal. It occurred to him he could have asked for the ketchup or something. But it was too late, now.

Cindy leaned over the box of moon pies and lowered her voice. “Trial’s Tuesday week.”

“Well,” said Albert. “Just because they think he’s guilty, doesn’t mean he did it.”

Cindy cocked her head. “Run that by me again, hon?”

Albert was speaking from experience. “I had a . . . I knew someone who was put in prison. They said he was guilty. They proved it. But he didn’t do it.”

“Oh, I know!” said Cindy, folding her arms beneath her breasts. Total eclipse of the moon-pies. Her eyes grew so wide Albert had to catch his breath. “Commander Beecham and Basil told me all about it! They said it was on the TV and everything. I swear,” she said with a smile, “I didn’t know you from Adam when you come in here that day. We don’t watch much TV, me and Maylene,” she said.

“Maylene and I,” Albert corrected proxying for Sarah.

“Is it?” said Cindy. “I don’t watch much TV. That’s right! Maylene and I don’t watch much TV. That’s good! Thanks!

“Anyway, I wouldn’t never have asked you to give Maylene lessons if I’d known. Sarah said she bet I was awful embarrassed. But I don’t get embarrassed, do you?”

Albert blushed at the question.

“I don’t have enough sense, I guess. But you just kept right on working with her, just like you was a normal person,” said Cindy with admiration. ‘A normal person,’ three words Albert had never heard applied to himself. He must be doing something right. “So you figured since that fella – what was his name?”

“Tewksbury,” said Albert, in memoriam.

“Tewksbury. You figured since he was innocent, Marchant must be, too?”

“No,” said Albert. Not necessarily. “It’s because Heather said he was smart.”

“Who? Marchant?”

Albert nodded.

“Smart enough, I guess,” Cindy assented. “So? Smart people don’t kill people?”

Albert explained his reasoning. It sounded even more convincing the second time, having been rehearsed on Standish.

Cindy agreed there was some sense to the argument. “Don’t sound too smart, does it? So, what’s he going to do? Mr.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.