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Conklin hit the Return Call button He listened to the ringtone and got Joan’s outgoing voice e

“This is Joan You knohat to do”

Conklin said, “Call me back, Joan Call me”

He got out of his car and walked over to Claire She was shutting the back doors to the van

“Joan just called me She won’t tellout of har up on me”

“Curiouser and curiouser,” said Claire

“Do you get the feeling,” Rich asked Claire, “that she’s s harder for us on purpose? Why would she do that?”

Chapter 22

That night Cindy and Rich got into bed before ten It was an early night for the

It was good to be home Their apartment on Kirkhaether so that it fit the

Richie’s arm was around Cindy, and she rapped around hihts sliced through the blinds, striping the walls and ceiling Their alarhtstands, and she had the extra blanket Rich had the king-sized pillow behind his back

And they had the luxury of these quiet hours to talk about their days She loved listening to the sound of his voice

Rich was telling her about Arthur O’Brien, the shooter who’d killed Samuel J Alton and wounded Joan Murphy He explained how Arthur had been the one to steal her jewelry, expose her affair, and then step off stage into the shadow of death

“And after all this craziness about whodunnit and why,” said Rich, “he keeps all the evidence in his backpack and leaves it for us to find”

“Careless,” said Cindy “It’s basic hit un”