Hour Game (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 2)

“And she went to the carriage house to get help?” said Bailey.

“It’s situated closer to the stables than the mansion or the house where Sally stayed,” pointed out Williams.

“And Dorothea answered the door, tried to rouse Eddie and then called for help.”

“Right.”

Bailey mulled this over. “So Dorothea and Eddie were in bed together. Dorothea was okay, but Eddie had been given some poison or other.”

“I haven’t taken a complete statement from Dorothea yet,” said Williams.

“I think you’d better.”

“No, what I think I’d better do is call Sean and Michelle,” said Williams. “They phoned about Sally this morning, before we got the call from Dorothea. They obviously know some things we don’t.”

CHAPTER

71

AS KING WAS WAITING FOR

the call from Williams, Michelle came in carrying a tray balanced in her one good arm.

He frowned at her. “I should be waiting on you.”

“Here, this’ll be good for you.” She arranged the tray and pointed out its contents. “My famous mega-power shake, dry cereal with sliced banana and as a little treat, low-carb bread with avocado spread.”

“What’s in the power shake? No, never mind, I don’t want to know.” He took a tiny sip of the shake and quickly put it down. “I think it needs to breathe a bit.”

“It’s not wine, Sean.”

“No, it’s certainly not,” he said firmly. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I never got around to asking why you were coming to my house so late last night.”

“Oh, damn, I forgot all about it. Billy Edwards, Battle’s ex-mechanic, called from L.A.”

King sat straight up. “What did he say?”

Michelle filled him in about the damage to the Rolls. Before she’d even finished, King was out of the bed and grabbing his clothes.

“What are you doing?” she asked in amazement.

“We’ve got someone to see, and fast.”

“Who?”

“Roger Canney.”

They arrived at Canney’s house only to find no one home. They peered in the darkened windows and tried all the doors, but they were locked. King noted the morning’s newspaper on the front steps. They were standing in the driveway when a man came by walking two large basset hounds—or rather, they were walking him.

“He’s not home,” called out the man, who was wearing a Maryland Terrapins basketball cap. “Saw him leave, oh, about two hours ago when I was doing my jog.”

King looked at his watch. “Pretty early.”

“He had some bags with him he loaded in the car. Guess he’s going on a trip.”

“Which car? Beemer or Range Rover?” asked Michelle.

“Range Rover.”