Silence Of The Hams

he was given to doing that sort of thing.”
    Mel put the folder back in the briefcase. “That’s what I thought, too. So I got out my list of interviews from the deli opening, pulled out those names of people who admitted to having consulted Stonecipher. I checked those names against the private files and found practically none of them. Now, as you said, that could mean he just didn’t have anything on them. Or—“
    “—or it could mean those were the other files Emma pulled out,“ Jane finished.
    Mel shut the briefcase and leaned back, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. “And it’s all a theory. With nothing to back it up. In fact, the whole theory’s based on what’s not there. The dog that didn’t bark.”
    They sat in silence for a long time and Mel finally opened his door. “Want to walk?“
    “Think it will make my brain work?“ Jane said with a smile.
    “Your mind doesn’t have to work on this. Mine does. I only told you this because it involved you in a way.”
    He came around and helped her out. After locking the car, he took her hand and started strolling toward the swing set at the far end of the park.
    “How do you suppose Emma knew about the private files?“ Jane asked as they walked.
    “She contributed,“ Mel replied. “They were two of a kind, her and her sleazy boss. She was his paralegal, did some initial interviews and such. Some of the notes are in her handwriting.“
    “Because she thought someday he’d dump his wife, marry her, and the two of them would settle down to a nice little blackmailing racket in their golden years,“ Jane said, disgusted.
    “Maybe. We’ll never know. They’re both dead.“
    “Good!“ Jane said. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, but it sure doesn’t sound like either of them will be missed. But couldn’t he have already been using the material he’d accumulated?“
    “Could be.“
    “Which might explain why some people didn’t fight him on his various ‘causes.’ He might have used what he knew to make people knuckle under instead of trying to get money from them,“ Jane mused.
    “That’s possible,“ Mel said. “We’ll have experts go over all his books with a fine-tooth comb to see if there’s any extra money unaccounted for, but it will take a while.”
    Jane sat down on a swing and Mel went around behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders and pushing her gently.
    “You know,“ Jane said, “I can see him doing that—making people go along with his nutty causes by reminding them of their sins—and feeling very noble about it,“ Jane said. “He was a ends-justify-the-means kind of person. He wouldn’t have cared, I imagine, how many people he made miserable so long as he got his damned bicycle lane or fat content on menus.”
    Mel just rubbed her shoulders and said, “Mmm.“
    “Do you think that’s why somebody pushed the rack over on him? Just because they were so damned glad to find him dead and a bunch of old anger boiled up?“
    “I’ve wandered too far from facts and into theory already,“ Mel said. “And I need to get back to work on the facts. Ready to go home?“
    “I guess so,“ Jane said. “I’d rather stay here and swing though.“
    “So would I,“ he said, bending to plant a light kiss on her bare shoulder. “But duty calls.”
    When they got to Jane’s house, Mel said, “Don’t talk to anyone about all this.”
    “Shelley—?“
    “Oh, she could probably read your mind anyway, but don’t talk to anybody else and for God’s sake, don’t try to help by snooping.“
    “Okay. I wish I could read my own mind,“ Jane said as he helped her out of the car. She’d plucked one of the little blue lozenges of paper off her skirt and was staring at it.13 Shelley must have seen her come home because the phone started ringing the minute Jane opened the kitchen door. “You looked smashing!“ Shelley said. “Bet Mel was knocked out.“
    “Huh? Oh, the dress. Yes.“
    “So, what did he say? Not about the dress. About Emma.“
    “Tons. Bizarre stuff. And I even have permission to tell you. But I have to get to the grocery store before the kids and animals start gnawing on the furniture.“
    “Hang up the dress first.“
    “Yes, Mother!“ Jane said, laughing.
    Jane was back in an hour, the station wagon practically dragging from the weight of the groceries. Shelley met her in the driveway and carried in a bag of ice. Jane grabbed a bag and bellowed for the kids to