Left to Lapse (An Adele Sharp Mystery—Book Seven) by Blake Pierce (book club suggestions txt) 📗

Atlast, she sighed and said, “Look, Mr. Rodin. You were in Italy and a man died.Now you are here and a woman died early in the morning. None of these,” sheshook the pills, “are toxins as far as we can tell. But the lab will bechecking them. Every single one. Do you see why we might be wanting to speakwith you?”

Suddenly,it seemed to dawn on him and his mouth widened in surprise. He began tostammer, tugging at the hole in his lip with one manicured finger, the tattooson his forearm shifting and then slamming to the table with his arm. “I didn’tdo anything!” he said. “It’s a horrible coincidence. That’s all!”

“Youhad an argument with the first victim,” John said, staring out from beneathhooded eyes. “You were overheard.”

“I-I…”he stammered, shaking his head. “I don’t even remember the man’s name.”

“JosephDupuy,” John said, firmly.

“Oh…All right, yes, I remember him. And…” The ferret-faced man trailed off, tryingto catch his bearings. At last he sighed and, lowering his voice as ifconfiding, said, “I did have an argument with him. I remember that. But thisman…”

“Mr.Dupuy,” said John.

“Right.Mr. Dupuy was angry we didn’t stock peach schnapps. That was it. He said it washis favorite and started yelling at me. And… look,” he said, slowly, his eyesshifting toward the large bag of pills, then to John and back. “Everything inthere… now I’m just guessing, but I think everything in there isperfectly harmless. Just a little mood alteration. That’s all. Definitely notsomething that could,” he coughed and squeaked, “kill anyone. And as forthe woman early this morning, she never visited the dining car. Ask anyone. Inever served her.” He said this last part with a flourish of his tone likesomeone laying down a trump card. And on top of it, he added, “Besides, whywould I kill them? Over a little spat around alcohol? I have worse than thatsix times a day with most of my customers. You don’t tend bar if you’re asensitive sort, I’ll tell you that.”

Beforehe could continue, Adele’s attention was caught by movement in the back of theroom in the direction of the dining car.

Allardwas standing there with two other officers behind him. They wore white glovesand had empty plastic bags in their hands. Allard was shaking his head.

Adelefrowned. She raised her voice. “Find anything?”

Allardsaid, “Nothing,” glancing hesitantly at Mr. Rodin, then back to Adele. “Welooked through all the bottles, his room, his belongings… No poisons of anykind. Coroner gave a preliminary report of the pictures we sent of the pillsand labels. Some Vicodin, a few Adderall—nothing dangerous.”

“Youwent through my things?” Mr. Rodin said, his voice rising.

“Youknocked me over after dousing everyone with pepper spray,” John returned. “Callus even or take it up with the company.” John looked to Adele, and she volleyedthe glance back to Allard, who shrugged helplessly again.

Adelereturned her attention to Rodin, considering his words. A brief argument at abar wasn’t unheard of. And though they’d been informed there’d been words, noone had been able to verify what the argument had been about. Right now,all she had to go on was Rodin’s own testimony. Not only that, but the death ofMs. Mayfield had occurred early in the morning, only a few hours after thetrain had departed. Someone like Mayfield likely wouldn’t be visiting a bar soearly, which meant Rodin was likely telling the truth—he’d never even servedher. Plus, if the pills on him were mild at best… where did that leave them?Ms. Mayfield didn’t seem the sort to take up with some pill pusher, either.This, coupled with the failed search, didn’t sit well with Adele.

“Mr.Rodin… I don’t know what to make of you,” she murmured. “You assaulted policeofficers, ran from a federal agent, have more than one controlled substance,and are sitting across from me lying through your teeth. Why should I believeyou?”

Martinstared back, blinking and shaking his head. “I… I—I didn’t kill anyone. I didn’t!”

Adelesighed. She stared at Mr. Rodin, reading him, trying to find a crack in thefacade. But while he struck her as a bit of a rat, he didn’t seem the killingsort. Too squirrelly, too scared. But then again, looks could be deceiving.

“Hangon,” he quickly interjected, eyebrows rising. “What time?”

“Excuseme?”

“Whattime did this woman die? When exactly?”

“It’shard to say exactly,” Adele countered, “but probably around nine a.m.Why?”

“Because,”he said, breathing a sudden sigh of relief and leaning back in his chair, “Iwas with a,” he coughed, “client from eight until nine. Not Ms.Mayfield. A client in the dormitory car. A Mr. Steter. He works in the diningcar with me and purchased a decent amount of,” he coughed again, “merchandise.”

“Whatsort of merchandise?” Adele pressed.

Butat this Rodin looked pointedly away from the pills and shrugged. “Things andstuff,” he muttered. “Just ask Mr. Steter. Johnny. I was with him all morning.He took a damned time picking out his usual supply, I might add.”

Adeleshared a look with John, who shrugged. “We’ll be checking up on that,” shesaid, directing the comment toward Mr. Rodin.

“I’mcounting on it,” he countered, a new confidence in his tone, carried by a swellof relief. “I never even saw the old lady who died. Ask anyone. No onewill have even seen me near the first-class compartment. I was in the dormitorycar all morning. There were at least two other valets there as well. Just askaround. It’ll check out.”

“Itbetter,” John said.

“Itwill,” Rodin insisted.

Adelemassaged the bridge of her nose, then glanced at Allard. “Think you can double-checkhis story?”

Thecheerful policeman nodded a couple of times. “Of course. We need to take him inanyway,” he added, wincing sympathetically toward Rodin. “You know for all the…”He mimed a spraying gesture and tipped his head toward the pills.

Adelepaused for a moment, thinking, glancing back at Rodin, who’d gone rigid againat Allard’s words. But then she sighed and made a shooing motion. “He’s allyours,” she said. “Just tell me if his alibi fails to check out.”

“Yougot it!” Allard said, happily. “And, umm, Martin, if you don’t mind, pleasecome with us.” The policeman stood in front of the other officers, gesturingpolitely