Grime and Punishment

jailbreak,“ a voice behind Jane said. VanDyne had come into the room on that silent tread. He came around and sat down next to Jane. She’d have been flattered except that it was the only seat available. “We’ve run her through the computer. She’d been a bank teller in California, and spent two years in jail for embezzling. She was sentenced to three, but let herself out early. Your cleaning lady was the only thing between her and going back to jail.“
    “So what was the catalyst?“ Jane asked.
    “I thought you were the one with all the answers,“ he said. His tone was light, with only the tiniest glimmer of sarcasm coming through.
    Jane gave him a level look for a long moment, then said, “I don’t know for sure. Maybe it was simply the first opportunity she had that would leave her in the clear. She couldn’t very well kill the woman in her own house and not have her past looked into. But killing her here, on a day when half the neighborhood was due to pass through, was perfect. I just wish I’d caught on sooner about the scrapbook.“
    “A stupid thing to do, but human just the same,“ VanDyne mused. “It was her fifteen minutes of fame.“
    “Still, I wish I’d realized it then. I wouldn’t have been forced to crawl through that field and risk my life—!“
    “If I recall correctly, I told you that you were not to come back here under any circumstances,“ VanDyne said.
    “Yes, but if I hadn’t, you’d have arrested the wrong person and wouldn’t have caught Mary Ellen at all.“
    “If it weren’t for your butting in, we wouldn’t have been conducting this comedy of errors at all. And sure, we’d have gotten her. It was just a matter of time before the computer would have spit out the information about her in the normal course of the investigation—“
    “But you wouldn’t have caught her in the act of trying it again! That was all our idea—“
    “I’ll say! And if you ask me—“
    “I’ve got to get back to work,“ Suzie said, cutting the squabble short. “You’ll confirm to my boss why I took so long, won’t you?“ she asked VanDyne, batting her eyes so effectively that VanDyne dropped his dispute with Jane and gave her his full attention.
    Suzie had been gone only a minute when there was a knock on the door, and Shelley let in a man in a police uniform. He had a bundle of clothing for Edith’s double and a big, aromatic paper bag with a grease stain on the bottom. “Here’s your lunch,“ he said to Mel VanDyne.
    “That’s Chinese carryout!“ Jane said.
    “Right you are. My reward,“ VanDyne said, starting to take little cartons out of the bag. “You want some?”
    Jane was famished, but Suzie’s mention of the time had reminded her of her own responsibilities. “Thanks, but I’ve got to go pick the kids up from school.”
    Shelley went to the door with her. “You’ll come right back, won’t you?”
    Jane looked over Shelley’s shoulder into the living room. Mel VanDyne smiled his dimpled smile and waved at her with a pair of chopsticks.
    “I might be a little while. I think I’ll stop and buy a wok and Chinese cookbook. Time I expanded a few of my horizons, don’t you think?”