The Chocolate Jewel Case by Joanna Carl

Author:Joanna Carl [Carl, JoAnna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Women Sleuths, Mystery & Detective, Fiction
ISBN: 9781101564943
Google: 0WRpqX9LjYUC
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2007-08-07T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

“Are you sure?”

That was Joe’s first question, of course. But I was sure. And as I pointed out the reasons, all Joe could do was nod.

“The gray hair, the scar on the cheek,” I said. “I can’t tell how tall he is, and he’s not smiling, but I’m sure it’s the guy.”

Larry Underwood was frowning. “This is Joe’s dad?”

“No!” I barked the word out, surprised that Joe didn’t reply even more quickly than I did.

Then I quickly filled Underwood in on the unexpected arrival of a person claiming to be Joe’s dad—returned from the grave.

Underwood scowled. “Then this guy is not one of the robbers?”

“I have no idea,” I said. “They were completely disguised. He could have been one of them. Let’s take a look at his feet.”

Underwood uncovered the other end of the body, revealing a large pair of masculine feet. Feet in general aren’t particularly beautiful, what with toes going off at angles and strange calluses and odd-looking toenails, but these feet were neat, if not attractive. They were slender and well shaped, and the nails were trimmed.

And on the right foot was a large bunion.

I pointed to it. “I guess that’s not proof,” I said, “but the robber who ran down from upstairs did have a bunion large enough to be visible in the soft shoes he wore.”

“It’s sure a funny coincidence if he wasn’t one of the robbers.” Underwood turned to Joe. “Do you recognize him?”

Joe said the man’s face didn’t look familiar to him, and he hadn’t noticed the robber’s foot. Then Underwood told somebody they could take the body to the medical examiner, and he escorted Joe and me down to the Warner Pier PD to be interviewed. Because, of course, the idea of a strange man coming to the door and claiming to be Joe’s dad one day and turning up dead a couple of days later was, as he’d said, “a funny coincidence.”

“Too funny to laugh at,” Joe said. “Underwood, have you run prints on this guy?”

“We’re in the process.”

“Maybe you should check your records and see if you have prints for an Art Atkins.”

“Gina’s ex?” I blurted the words out.

Joe nodded.

“Did he have a record?” I asked.

“Not that I know of, but I’m beginning to wonder.” Joe turned to Underwood. “This guy who came to the door—he’s got to have some connection with my family; at least, he knows some member of it. That’s the only way he could know who my dad was and that he died when I was so young that I wouldn’t know what he looked like. And my aunt’s ex-husband is one person I can think of who might fit that role. If it was him, it might begin to explain why she seems to be afraid of the guy.”

“Surely Gina wasn’t married to a cricket—I mean, a criminal!” I was horrified.

“I’m not so sure,” Joe said. “Art Atkins had her on the run, Lee. He still does, maybe. She’s scared of him. And Gina’s not one to back off from confrontation.

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