Ghost of a Chance (The Marjorie McClelland Mysteries) by Amy Patricia Meade

Author:Amy Patricia Meade [Unknown]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2008-09-26T20:42:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

THE TRIO STEPPED OUT of the brick police department building and into the late afternoon sunshine.

Creighton glimpsed at his watch. "Five minutes after five. Perfect. Vanessa instructed me to invite you both back for dinner and drinks. That is, if you're off duty for this evening, Jameson. Which, according to my clock, you should be."

Jameson nodded. "Logan's out arresting Josie for her part in the extortion scheme, so there's nothing else for me to do today. Where did you park?"

"I didn't bring the car. Vanessa's house is just a few blocks from here-by the time I got that old jalopy of Mrs. Patterson's started I could have walked here and back three times."

"Ha ha," Marjorie scoffed. "You'll be surprised how smoothly that car drives when you take it back to Ridgebury."

"Yes, when it stalls and I have to coast downhill."

It was Jameson's turn to laugh. "We'll walk with you, Creighton. I parked the car in the station lot, so it'll be safe until we're done"

"Yes," Marjorie agreed. "We'll walk with you despite your shortsightedness. It's a beautiful day-and I could use some exercise and fresh air."

The trio started walking in the direction of the Randolph home. "I say, Jameson," the Englishman ventured, "I'm not one to question your methods, but why didn't you arrest Herbert Nussbaum? It seemed like we had enough evidence to hold him."

Marjorie concurred. "I'm surprised too. Logan found him working on the darts and the cab driver witnessed him at the crime scene. I know it's not enough to convict him, but aren't you afraid he and his mother may try to pull a `Josie' and skip town?"

"That's why Logan has a bunch of his men trailing the Nussbaums. If any of them so much as look at a train schedule, they'll bring them in."

"Ok, but why not arrest them at the station?" Marjorie pursued.

"A couple of reasons. First, Herbert Nussbaum is a minor. If I arrest that kid before I'm 100 percent certain he's the killer, the press, the mayor, my sergeant, and every child welfare organization in the country would have a field day-all at my expense. Not to mention I have proof that Mateo Saporito-a man with a criminal record-was at the fair about the same time Herbert was, and that he had an equally strong motive for murder. No, the first major arrest in this case is not going to be of a smart-aleck, sixteen-yearold kid. Not if I can help it." He paused. "Second, there are three people in that house, all of whom had a motive to kill Alfred Nussbaum. Even if Herbert committed the crime, we can't be certain he acted alone. Not after Bernice made that slip about the Hideaway Hotel. Herbert obeys his mother's every word. It's entirely feasible that she came up with the idea and asked Herbert to carry it out."

"It's a definite possibility," Creighton agreed. "We all saw how she bullied him into denying that he was at the fair." He did a deadon impersonation of Mrs.

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