“Because then I’d have the inside track on the investigation. And I could feed you everything I find out.”
“Well, not everything. If you and Joan rekindle your romance, I don’t really want to know the details about that.”
“Not to worry. Black widows eat their mates. I barely escaped the first time.”
CHAPTER
26
A LITTLE OVER two hours after leaving Wrightsburg they arrived at Loretta’s home. There were no police cars around, but yellow police tape was across the front door.
“I guess we can’t go in,” she said.
“Guess not. How about her son?”
She pulled the number from her purse and called. The man answered, and she arranged to meet him at a coffee shop in the small downtown area. As Michelle was about to drive away from Baldwin’s house, King stopped her.
“Give me a sec.” He jumped out of the truck and walked up and down the street, and then he went around the block and disappeared from Michelle’s view. A few minutes later he came from around the rear of Baldwin’s house and rejoined Michelle.
“What was that all about?” she asked.
“Nothing. Except Loretta Baldwin has a nice place.”
As they drove to the downtown area, they passed several police cars parked at various intersections, the officers intently checking the occupants of each car. Overhead they saw a helicopter cutting back and forth.
“I wonder what’s up?” Michelle said.
King turned on the radio and got a local news station. They found out that two men had escaped from a state penitentiary nearby and a massive police search was under way.
When they got to the coffee shop, Michelle was about to park and get out but then stopped.
“What is it?” asked King.
She pointed to a road off the main strip where two county cop cars were parked. “I don’t think they’re looking for the escaped cons. We’re being set up.”
“Okay, call the son again. Tell him you had nothing to do with his mother’s murder, but if he wants to talk, he can do it over the phone.”
Michelle sighed, put the truck in gear and drove off. When they reached a secluded enough spot she pulled off the road. She called Loretta’s son and told him what King had asked her to say. “All I want to know is, how was she killed?”
“Why should I tell you?” replied the son. “You visit my mama, and the next thing I know she’s dead.”
“If I planned on killing her, I wouldn’t have left my name and phone number behind, would I?”
“I don’t know, maybe you’re into some freaky thrills.”
“I came to talk to your mother about what she knew about the Ritter killing eight years ago. She told me she knew very little.”
“Why you want to know about that?”
“I’m into American history. Are the cops with you right now?”
“What cops?”
“Don’t bullshit me. Are they, yes or no?”
“No.”
“Okay, I’ll just assume you’re lying about that. Here’s what I think. I think my talking to your mother about the Ritter assassination might have led to someone killing her.”