Thirteen Diamonds

call out: “Those napkins are going to catch on fire!”
    That's what somebody from this table had yelled just before Gerald had started choking—just before the hand had been dealt. I was sure of the timing because I, as the dealer at another table, had been about to deal the first hand, also. And I was 95 percent sure Ellen had been the yeller.
    As I picked up the deck I reviewed the situation: Ellen sat facing the table where the lunch had been served. She was also the farthest person from the table in the room. The warning had focused the attention of everybody in the room on the table—and away from Ellen.
    I could picture her sliding the deck into the purse on her lap and replacing it with another deck, using both hands in one quick movement. She had the kind of deftness that would have made it easy for her. And during the momentary confusion nobody would have noticed.
    Ellen had been sending a signal to Gerald. She was telling him that trouble was going to follow, just as it had that time long ago when Gerald had been dealt 13 diamonds. To be specific, Ellen was telling Gerald that she was his killer! As soon as he started to choke it must have become clear to him—but by that time it was too late for him to do anything about it.
    “Lillian, are you in a fog?  Come on, deal the cards. We don't have all afternoon.”
    Ida's booming voice brought me back to the present and I sheepishly did as she requested. I stole a glance at Ellen sitting there, so calm, being very careful to ignore me, knowing I harbored bad thoughts about her. Yes, she had the kind of temperament that allowed her to do something like that and not have it bother her afterward.
    I finished dealing the hand and for a brief moment I wondered if history was going to repeat itself. I knew it was foolish because I had set up this reenactment, but what would happen if I picked up my cards and found 13 diamonds. I would probably have a heart attack right on the spot.
    I very carefully turned over my cards and found, to my great relief, an ordinary hand with only three diamonds, all below the jack. In fact, the hand was so ordinary that I couldn't even bid with it. In disgust I said, “Pass.”
     
                       *    *    *
     
    If I could prove that Ellen had switched the decks, maybe I could get her to confess to Gerald's murder. To obtain proof, I needed the help of somebody with certain skills. Mark might be that person. I called him when I got back to my apartment and, fortunately, caught him in. After I gave him a short explanation of what I wanted to do, he agreed enthusiastically. We made a date to meet for lunch the next day at my place.
    A few minutes later my phone rang. I picked it up and said hello. A female voice said, “Hi, Mrs. Morgan, this is April.”
    April? April, May, June…oh, April from San Diego. “Hello, April, how are you?”
    “Fine. I'm in Raleigh.”
    Raleigh —only a few miles along Interstate 40 from Chapel Hill. “What in the world are you doing in Raleigh?”
    “I had to fly out here in a hurry to solve a problem for one of our best customers. I got it solved today and I just have to go in tomorrow morning for a couple of hours for a briefing session. Then I'll have some time to kill before my afternoon flight back to San Diego. I'd like to see you and find out how your investigation is going.”
    “Can you come for lunch? Oh...do you have a car?”
    “Yes to both questions.”
    I gave her directions to my place and hung up the phone. Only then did I remember that Mark was coming for lunch too. And Sandra was attending a teacher's conference for a few days. I hoped I wasn't making trouble for her.

CHAPTER 19
     
    April arrived first, sparkling and pretty in a very short skirt and a translucent blouse. Even if she had known that Mark was going to be here she couldn't have dressed in a way more certain to attract his attention.
    She gave me a big hug and said, “I love your apartment. And something smells marvelous. I'm famished.”
    “It's called welfare soup,” I said. “The name isn't elegant but it's nourishing. I put everything into it but the kitchen sink, including lots of vegetables, rice and ground beef, so if you're hungry it should fill a crack.” I was making it primarily for Mark, because he was always hungry.
    When I told her that Mark would be joining us she said, “Great!” but I had the feeling she would have reacted the same way to Sandra. I filled