The Alibi

s afraid he’d finger me to Smilow. I hadn’t seen him in the hotel, but I couldn’t be certain that he hadn’t seen me. Anyway, when he described Ladd, I couldn’t believe my good fortune. There was actually a suspect. And then when Trimble turned up, I started believing in guardian angels,” she said with a laugh.

“You made the attempt on her life.”

“That was a mistake. I shouldn’t have trusted anyone else with the job.”

“Who was he?”

“Someone who drifted through the justice system a few months ago. I had him on an assault and battery. His lawyer pleaded him out. I thought that having someone like him on standby might prove useful one day—maybe I had a premonition that my alliance with Pettijohn might end badly.” She shrugged.

“Anyway, I let the guy plead out of incarceration. But I kept track of him. He was willing to slit her throat for a measly hundred dollars. But he blew it. Skipped town with the fifty I gave him as a down payment. He didn’t even report in to me that night.”

She slapped her forehead with her palm. “Silly me. I didn’t connect your mugger with my assassin until I discovered that Alex Ladd was alive and well.”

“You were afraid she had seen you Saturday afternoon in Pettijohn’s suite.”

“I thought it was a distinct possibility. From that first interrogation, I sensed she was holding something back, and was afraid that she had recognized me and was waiting for the perfect moment to spring her secret knowledge. I must admit I was rather taken aback to discover that the secret she was harboring was you. When did you meet her?”

He refused to answer.

“Oh, well.” She sighed softly. “You’re right. I suppose it doesn’t matter, although it shattered my ego to know that you could so easily move from my bed to hers. And, of course, I understand her attraction to you. It wasn’t hardship duty to sleep with you. I would have even if Pettijohn hadn’t suggested pillow talk as a good source of information.”

She hefted the pistol. “I don’t hate you, Hammond, although I’d be less than honest if I said I didn’t resent your achievements and the ease with which you come by them. It’s just that, now I’ve come this far, you’re the last obstacle. I’m sorry.”

“Steffi—”

She fired the pistol into his chest.

* * *

Steffi turned and hurried across the parlor. She pulled open the door. On the other side of it stood Detective Mike Collins and two uniformed policemen, pistols drawn.

“Hand over the weapon, Ms. Mundell,” Collins said. There was no underlying joke in his voice now. One of the policemen stepped forward and took the pistol from her loose grasp. “You okay?” Collins asked.

Hammond was watching her face when she turned her head, her mouth going slack with astonishment. Kevlar had saved him, although he was going to have a bitch of a bruise to go along with the other injuries he had sustained this week.

“You tricked me?”

Collins was reciting her rights, but her attention was on Hammond.

“I figured it out last night. Smilow and I had a conference before daylight. I told him everything. Everything. So we staged all this. I was pretending to gather evidence against him, but actually he and I have been working together today. He’s the one who suggested you might get worried when I shared leads with you, leads that pointed to you. He urged me to wear a wire. Also the vest. On both counts I’m glad I took his advice.”

She was practically bristling with hatred. He found it hard to believe he’d ever been lovers with her. But it was with a degree of sadness that he said, “I knew you regarded me as your rival, Steffi, but I didn’t think you would try to kill me.”

“You’ve always underestimated me, Hammond. You’ve never given me enough credit. You never thought I was as smart as you.”

“Well, apparently you’re not.”

“I’m smart enough to know about your affair with Alex Ladd,” she shouted. “Don’t even attempt denying it, because I’ve got proof of your being in her bed this week!”

Hammond hitched his chin at Collins, who turned her around and nudged her through the open door. Turning her head, she yelled at him over her shoulder, “That’s what I’ll beat you with, Hammond. Your affair with this woman. Talk about poetic justice!”

* * *

There was a soft laugh of self-deprecation behind Alex’s voice. “I was expecting you, but I didn’t hear you come in, Detective.”

“We don’t know who or when Steffi might strike. I checked the back of the house and came in through the rear door. That lock still isn’t fixed. You should have it repaired immediately.”

“I’ve had more pressing matters on my mind this week.”