Grime and Punishment

up as the next victims? That was one aspect of this snooping that hadn’t occurred to her, but now came with a force that left her nearly breathless.
    “I’m not talking to you any more about this. Get out!“ Robbie’s command was icy.
    “Yes, of course,“ Shelley said. She’d paled a bit too, and Jane suspected Shelley’s thoughts mirrored her own: In their enthusiasm to solve the mystery, what had they stupidly unleashed?
    They went to the door, scuttling sideways like frightened crabs, half-afraid to turn their backs on her.
    “Get out! Get out!“ she screamed as they slipped through the front door and out into the cool air.
    They all but ran to the car. Shelley’s hands were shaking so badly she could hardly get the key in the ignition. Neither said a word until they were back in Shelley’s driveway. “Come to my house,“ Jane said.
    They went in. There was no sign of Willard until he recognized their voices and came slinking in from the dining room cravenly wagging his tail. Some watchdog! Jane thought. Shelley sat down at the kitchen table and put the heels of her hands to her eyes.
    “Jane, we just did something terrible.“
    “I know,“ Jane said, surprised to find that her voice was trembling.
    “If Robbie Jones didn’t kill Ramona, we’ve insulted and embarrassed a friend, probably beyond repair. If she did, it’s worse. We’ve alerted her that we’re on to her and—oh, God, Jane! What have we done?”
    The phone rang and Jane jumped. Unable to ignore a ringing phone, no matter what the reason, she reluctantly picked it up.
    “Janey, I’ve been calling you all morning. I was getting worried about you.“
    “Uncle Jim! I was out uh, running errands with Shelley.“ Dear God, she couldn’t tell him what they’d actually been up to. It was precisely what he had warned her against, endangering herself by knowing too much. Now she understood what he’d meant.
    “I talked to a man at your local department. Nice young man. Wasn’t too forthcoming, of course. Detective VanDyne was out, but I did get a little information. It seems they do feel the attack was intended against the other cleaning woman. And blackmail is the supposed motive, just as you thought. There’s nothing official in her record, but she’s been let go from two other agencies over some questionable . practices.“
    “Do they know who was being blackmailed?“ Jane asked.
    There was a long pause. “Now, Janey, you know I can’t be sharing other people’s private business with you...“ He paused again and went on very slowly and deliberately. “But I could point out certain things that are a matter of public record.“
    “Like what?“
    “Well, for instance, there are newspaper accounts of an incident in a small town in upstate New York that tell about the trial, and subsequent imprisonment, of a psychiatrist who molested and seriously injured a child who was a patient of his, about ten years ago. The newspaper says that his wife—a nurse—was indicted as an accessory to the murder.“
    “Oh, my God!“
    “This wife was later proved to have been visiting a friend in Florida at the time, and no charges were brought against her. In fact, the judge is reported to have made particular mention of her innocence, and the fact that she was an auxiliary victim. I think, if I were such a woman, I would probably change my last name and move away, wouldn’t you?”
    Jane cleared her throat and glanced at Shelley, who was watching her with the same morbid fascination as Max and Meow showed when watching Todd’s hamsters. “What was this wife’s name, Uncle Jim?“
    “At that time—Roberta Cheney. You do understand this, don’t you, Janey?“
    “I think so. This woman was clearly innocent, but if she were still working as a psychiatric nurse, the mere association might seriously damage her career. Or she might be afraid it would.“
    “That’s fair to say. And Jane—I would suggest that if I knew a person such as this, I would stay clear of her for the time being.“
    “Oh, I would too, Uncle Jim,“ Jane said with a sincerity that rang as false as a tin dime.
    “Janey, you are minding your own beeswax, aren’t you?“
    “Absolutely!”
    Shelley groaned.

Seventeen

    Jane hung up and said, “Roberta was married to a psychiatrist who molested a patient, a child.“
    “Oh, no,“ Shelley said. “How long ago?“
    “Ten years or so. Uncle Jim said that early in the investigation Robbie was considered