The Only Suspect by Jonnie Jacobs

Author:Jonnie Jacobs
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
Published: 2012-05-11T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 29

Hannah craved a cigarette. Quitting was a good idea in theory, but what difference did it really make? If she didn’t die of lung cancer or breast cancer, she’d die of something else. Maureen Russell hadn’t smoked, and she was dead, wasn’t she?

Hannah was reaching into her desk drawer for the pack of Marlboros when Dallas looked up and addressed her across their abutting metal desks. “Let’s have him take a lie-detector test.”

“Sam Russell?”

“No,” he replied, laying on the sarcasm, “the pope.”

She glared at him. “You expect me to read your mind?”

“There are times it would be helpful.” He gave her a cocky grin. “And times it would definitely not be a good idea.”

“We discussed this already. The results wouldn’t be admissible in court. We’d still have to put together a case.”

“It might turn the pressure up a bit,” Dallas said. “Maybe force a confession or make him nervous enough he’d trip himself up.”

Hannah clutched the cigarette pack longingly. Her mind was already halfway out the door. “What if he sailed through with flying colors?” she asked.

“You think that’s what would happen?”

Hannah wasn’t sure anymore. Wasn’t sure why there was a part of her still wanting to believe Sam was innocent.

“What did you learn from Ben Albright?” she asked instead. Dallas had finally gotten through to him that morning.

“The Russells have been to his house a couple of times—hospital events with a lot of people in attendance. Albright says he and Sam Russell are colleagues but not friends. Different interests, different circles, that sort of thing. He saw Maureen only at social functions and couldn’t recall that he’d ever had a real conversation with her. Lots of people knew about the wine cellar, he said. Every time he had a party, he’d have to give a tour of it.”

“Poor guy.”

Dallas laughed. “That was my feeling. He struck me as a bit pompous. Turns out we were right about the temperature, by the way. The setting was lower than Albright left it. He seemed as upset about that as the body.”

“What about access to the house?” Hannah asked.

“Except for Season and his cleaning lady, he can’t recall anyone who would have a key, especially not his ex-wife. Not his daughters either. But he’s got a spare in his desk at the hospital and another hidden in the garden. Both accounted for, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t borrowed. And when he changes into his scrubs for surgery, he leaves his whole danged key ring in his trousers pocket in the locker room.”

So Sam might have had access to a key, Hannah thought, but he wouldn’t be the only one. “Anything on Albright or the dinner guests?”

“Carla’s following up on that. So far, nothing that raises suspicion. Oh, and none of them were down in the carport, so we can eliminate them as sources for the shoe print.”

“It’s not Sam’s size either,” she pointed out.

Dallas nodded but didn’t seem much interested.

Hannah was tempted to press him about Carla—what, if anything, was

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