Private Scandals

now she needed to take some action.
    “We’re going back to Chicago,” she told the dog, who responded with a thud of his tail on the floor. She turned to the steps, intending to pack, when she heard the sound of a car on the drive. “He couldn’t even have gotten to the store yet,” she muttered, heading to the door behind the happily barking dog. “Look, Cronkite, I love him, too, but he hasn’t been gone ten minutes.” Deanna pushed open the screen, laughing as the dog bulleted through. But when she looked up and saw the car, the laughter died.
    She didn’t recognize the car, a dull brown sedan with dings in both fenders. But she recognized Jenner and found herself tugging the collar of her flannel shirt around her throat. She should have felt relieved to see him, to know he was trying to solve the case. Instead she felt only a tightening of the nerves that trapped her somewhere between fear and resignation.
    Jenner grinned, obviously charmed by Cronkite’s yapping and dancing around his legs. He bent down, unerringlyfinding the spot between Cronkite’s ears that sent the dog into spasms of pleasure.
    “Hey there, boy. There’s a good dog.” He chuckled when Cronkite plopped down on his rump and extended a paw to shake. “Know your manners, do you?” With the dog’s dusty paw in his hand, he glanced up when Deanna stepped out on the porch. “This is quite a watchdog you’ve got here, Miss Reynolds.”
    “I’m afraid that’s as fierce as he gets.” The brisk December breeze invaded her bones. “You’re a long way from Chicago, Lieutenant.”
    “Nice drive.” Leaving his hand extended for the dog to sniff, he glanced around. The snow had melted, and the evergreens were glossily green. The breeze hummed through denuded trees and threatened to pick up and get mean. “Pretty place. Must feel good to get out of the city now and then.”
    “Yes, it does.”
    “Miss Reynolds, I’m sorry to disturb you, but I have some questions on the Perkins homicide.”
    “Please, come in. I’ve just made tea, but I can put on coffee if you’d prefer.” How could they talk about murder without a nice, sociable cup? Deanna thought as her stomach turned.
    “Tea’s fine.” Jenner walked toward the door with the dog prancing behind him.
    “Sit down.” She gestured him inside, toward the great room. “I’ll just be a minute.”
    “Mr. Riley’s not with you?” Jenner took a turn around the room, interested in the getaway lives of the rich.
    “He went to the store. He’ll be back shortly.”
    Hepplewhite. Jenner noted a side table and ladder-back chair. The rug was Native American. Navajo, he imagined. The glassware was Irish. Waterford.
    “You have a good eye, Lieutenant.” Her face bland, Deanna carried the tea tray into the room.
    He didn’t realize he’d spoken aloud, and smiled a little. It didn’t bother him to be caught snooping. He got paid for it. “I like quality stuff. Even when I can’t afford it.” He noddedto the vase on the mantel, stuffed with early spring blooms. “Staffordshire?”
    “Dresden.” Annoyed, Deanna set the tray down with a snap. “I’m sure you didn’t drive all the way out here to admire the bric-a-brac. Have you found out who killed Angela?”
    “No.” Jenner settled himself on the sofa with the dog at his feet. “We’re beginning to put things together.”
    “That’s comforting. Sugar, lemon?”
    She was playing it tough, Jenner thought. “Black, thanks.” He might have believed Deanna’s act, if it hadn’t been for the shadows under her eyes. “With sugar. Lots of it.”
    His grin apologetic, Jenner began to spoon sugar into the cup Deanna poured for him. “Sweet tooth. Miss Reynolds, I don’t want to make you go through your whole statement again—”
    “And I appreciate it.” Deanna caught herself snapping the words, and sighed. “I want to cooperate, Lieutenant. I just don’t see what more I can tell you. I had an appointment with Angela. I kept it. Someone killed her.”
    “Didn’t it strike you as odd that she’d want to meet so late?”
    Deanna eyed Jenner over the rim of her cup. “Angela was fond of making odd demands.”
    “And were you fond of going along with them?”
    “No, I wasn’t. I didn’t want to meet her at all. It’s no secret that we weren’t on friendly terms, and I knew we’d quarrel. The fact that we would made me nervous.” Deanna set down her cup, curled up her legs. “I don’t like