Page 58 of Exposed

“I agree, but what makes you say that?”

“It’s almost impossible to kill yourself by stabbing yourself in the chest. The sternum gets in the way. It’s even hard to stab somebodyelsethrough the sternum.” Declan took the food off the heat and set it on the table. “Dinnertime.”

“Educate me,” Bennie said, rising with the laptop. She came over to the picnic table, sat next to him, and set the laptop on her right so she could keep checking.

“The sternum is a big, thick breastbone that runs down the center of your chest. It’s meant to protect the heart. It does a good job. I arrested a guy once, he broke a hunting knife on another guy’s sternum.” Declan picked up the ketchup and squirted it all over his burger, and Bennie tried not to imagine blood.

“Did the guy live?”

“Yes. The knife died.” Declan grinned crookedly. “You have to pick the exact right spot. The ribs get in the way.”

“But it’s possible. If Todd didn’t do it himself, then somebody did it to him.”

“I didn’t say it couldn’t be done. I said he couldn’t do it himself. Highly unlikely.” Declan placed his hamburger bun ontop of his burger, then mashed it down with the flat of his hand. Ketchup oozed out of the sides, and Bennie started to lose her appetite. She had been so preoccupied with the case that somehow, she had forgotten the fact that a human being had died.

“This is so awful, I don’t know who would kill Todd Eddington. A sales manager at a cubicle manufacturer? Sitting in a parking lot at his country club?”

“You told me he drove a Porsche. Could’ve been a carjacking gone wrong. What about his wallet and watch?” Declan took a big bite of his burger, chewing away.

“I don’t know. And they left the car.”

“When the job goes wrong, they don’t take the car.”

“But a carjacking in broad daylight?”

“It’s pouring in Philly. Visibility is low. Nobody’s outside. Nobody’s playing golf. The lot couldn’t have been that full. Opportunity plus motive equals crime. I’m good at math.” Declan chewed happily away, but Bennie had grown used to his gallows humor, having been around enough homicide detectives to know that it was a defense mechanism.

“But how random could it be? A country club is private property.”

“I doubt they check your ID when you go in. We could find out in five minutes.” Declan gestured at the computer. “Or it could be another member. Jealous husband. Has our boy been fooling around?”

“Possibly. He was divorced and not terrible looking.”

“He had a big job. That’s catnip.”

“Don’t be sexist.” Bennie shot him a look. “I have a big job.”

“Why do you think I’m sleeping with you?” Declan took another big bite of his burger, which was almost finished. “Aren’t you going to eat your veggie burger? I cooked that barley to perfection.”

“Thanks, in a minute.” Bennie turned to the computer, refreshing Philly.com for the local news, but there was nothingnew. “So much is going on, and I’m worried about Mary. She sounded shell-shocked when I called her.”

“I agree, she’s got a lot going on. ADA case. Ethics complaint. Defamation case.” Declan smiled in a knowing way, reaching for his beer bottle. “Luckily, she’s not your partner anymore. Or your problem. She’s leaving your firm, remember?”

“I know.” Bennie felt a pang. “She wouldn’t if she didn’t have to.”

“I know that,” Declan said with a smile, and Bennie knew he meant it because he liked Mary.

“Then what’s your point?”

“She’s leaving. You’re going to have to let her go.”

“I’m letting her go. I’m not stopping her.” Bennie hit Refresh again.

“I mean figuratively. Let her go.” Declan met her eye directly. “Her problems are not your problems anymore.”

“But I still care about her.”

“Try to detach.”