Down Home and Deadly

he said just as Carly and I bit into our cookies. I’ve always wondered why people offer someone food then immediately start a conversation.
    We nodded.
    He cleared his throat and tried again. “The Cardinals look like they might go all the way this year.”
    I took a sip of my tea. “If they can keep their offense hitting like they have the last few games, they definitely have a chance.”
    Larry’s aristocratic eyebrows rose. “Ah, a fellow baseball fan.”
    “She went to St. Louis to a game the other night and sat eight rows behind home plate,” Carly said.
    Larry looked at me and nodded. “Nice seats . . . Sometimes I think we miss the feel of being a part of the crowd in our private box.”
    “Daddy always says if you can’t smell the popcorn, you might as well be watching it on TV,” I said without thinking.
    And that was the end of the baseball conversation.
    Carly and I exchanged a glance. I’d wanted to talk to Larry, but the atmosphere was so stilted that it was hard to ask questions like I usually did. I cleared my throat. “We’d better be going.”
    “Wait.” Larry leaned forward and set his glass down. “How’s Lisa?”
    “She’s having a pretty hard time.”
    “We all reap what we sow, don’t we?” His voice was hard.
    I winced. “Yes, I guess we do. But then again, we all make mistakes.” I wasn’t sure Lisa had hit rock bottom yet. And it obviously wouldn’t hurt her to do some serious soul searching, but I still pitied her.
    Larry rang the bell , and the maid appeared. “Please take Fluffy outside for a walk,” he commanded.
    The maid quickly took the little white dog and left the room.
    Larry turned back to us and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I offered to hire a lawyer for her, but she said Bob was taking care of it.” A strange expression crossed his face. “Looks like she’s going to need a good one.”
    “Do you think she killed him?” Carly asked , and he and I both looked at her in surprise. She shrugged. “You know her a lot better than we do.”
    He considered her question then shook his head slowly. “She’s been tired of me for at least three years , and she didn’t try to kill me. Why would she decide to murder to get rid of a boyfriend?” When he said the word “ boyfriend, ” the veins in his neck stood out and his face grew red.
    Thoughts of Debbie and her cell phone secret flitted through my mind. But after visiting Lisa, I was convinced that she didn’t know about J.D. and Debbie. No one was that good an actress.
    “But if she did have a strong motive, do you think she’s capable of murder?” Carly persisted. I gave her a mental thumbs - up sign. Sometimes when I least expected it, her inner Nancy Drew kicked in. It always made me proud.
    “Aren’t we all capable of murder in the right circumstances?” Larry gave Carly an enigmatic smile.
    She stiffened , and I waited for righteous indignation to spew forth. She surprised me.
    “In what circumstance would you, for instance, be capable of murder?” She smiled sweetly at him, tilted her head to one side , and waited for an answer.
    “Oh, I don’t know. It would take more than my wife running off with a guy for me to kill him, if that’s what you’re getting at.” And he smiled right back at her. “I might be tempted to kill her in that instance. But not him.”
    “And yet . . . ”
    “And yet, Lisa’s not dead.” He smiled. “It’s all wrong, isn’t it? Is that why you came out here? To ask me if I killed this guy?”
    “Well . ” Following Carly’s lead, I spoke more boldly than I normally would . “ D o you have an alibi?”
    “I don’t need one. Unless you have a badge stashed somewhere on your person, and I don’t think you do, I don’t have to answer to you.”
    “So you refuse to say where you were the night of the murder?”
    “I refuse to answer impertinent questions from meddling women who should be minding their own business. There. Is that blunt enough for you?”
    His chilly smile never faltered as he stood and gestured to the door.
    “Ladies? Let me show you out. Thank you for bringing Fluffy. Give Lisa my regards.” His voice hardened. “And tell her I won’t wait forever for her to come to her senses . Good - bye, ladies.” And with a mocking bow , he ushered us out the front door. It closed with a definite click.
    “That went well,” Carly commented wryly as we exited the gates and headed home.
    *****
    “I hate funerals,” I